AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Reserve guard Jamal Crawford had 26 points and power forward Blake Griffin supplied 25 to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 112-103 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday afternoon at The Palace.
Guard J.J. Redick added 20 points and six assists for the Clippers, who shot 55.6 percent from the field and improved to 2-1 on their seven-game road trip. Center DeAndre Jordan racked up 16 points and 21 rebounds for the Clippers (29-14), who have won six of their last seven games.
Reserve guard Rodney Stuckey had a season-high 29 points and forward Josh Smith contributed 24 — his fourth game in the last five with at least 20 points — but Detroit lost for the seventh time in its last eight home games. Center Andre Drummond chipped in his 30th double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds but the Pistons (17-24) hit the midway point of the season seven games under .500.
Detroit point guard Brandon Jennings, who entered the game with a team-high 16.4 points average, was held scoreless.
The Pistons whittled the Clippers’ 11-point halftime lead to six at 67-61 when Griffin was called for goaltending on a layup try by forward Greg Monroe. The Clippers soon put the game away with an 11-2 run, which included 3-pointers by Redick and forward Matt Barnes and a one-handed dunk by Jordan off a Redick lob pass.
Los Angeles’ lead grew to 20, 98-78, in the opening moments of the fourth on center Ryan Hollins’ dunk. The Pistons cut it to nine with two minutes remaining before Jordan threw down his seventh dunk.
Griffin scored 21 first-half points as the Clippers shot 65.7 percent from the field and grabbed a 64-53 halftime lead. Griffin and Jordan combined for 10 dunks before the break while the Pistons needed a 16-point performance from Stuckey to prevent an early blowout.
NOTES: Pistons reserve PG Will Bynum made his 1,000th career field goal late in the first quarter. … Clippers SF Matt Barnes made his first start of the season. … The Clippers won the last four meetings. … Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers said he has not altered the team’s style since All-Star PG Chris Paul suffered a right shoulder separation. Paul missed his eighth consecutive game on Monday and is out indefinitely. “You can’t change a team in the middle of the year,” he said. “We’re not trying to do too much different. We’ve just got to lean on our defense and still move the ball offensively.” … The Clippers will travel 11,275 miles during their seven-game road trip. The Clippers are on an extended trip because the Staples Center is hosting the Grammy Awards on Sunday. … Detroit PF Greg Monroe has an Eastern Conference-best 83 double-doubles since the 2011-12 season. Chicago PF Carlos Boozer is second on the list with 73. … The Pistons have not been over .500 at the midway point of the regular season since they were 24-17 during 2008-09, the last time they made the playoffs.