PHOENIX — Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight tied a career high with 37 points and guard Eric Bledsoe added 26 as the Suns beat the beat-up Los Angeles Clippers 118-104 on Thursday at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
The Clippers, who played without injured backcourt starters Chris Paul and J.J. Redick, lost forward Blake Griffin when he was ejected with 2:36 remaining in the second quarter after receiving his second technical foul.
Griffin had 11 points, three rebounds and four assists in 16 minutes.
Reserve forward T.J. Warren tied a career high with 18 points and another reserve forward Jon Leuer 10 added points and 11 rebounds as the Suns (4-4) broke a two-game losing streak. They led by 25 on Warren’s basket two minutes into the fourth quarter.
Reserve guard Jamal Crawford led the Clippers (5-4) with 18 points and reserve guard Wesley Johnson had 14.
Clippers center DeAndre Jordan had 11 points and nine rebounds. He made 5 of 13 free throw attempts, including 2-of-9 in the second quarter when the Suns fouled him intentionally to disrupt several possessions.
Knight made 6 of 10 3-point field goal attempts. Bledsoe, who played his first three seasons with the Clippers, also had eight rebounds and seven assists.
Griffin scored on a nifty left-handed layup after a move from the left side but was called for a technical foul by Brian Forte as he returned upcourt following the play.
Griffin and Suns forward Mirza Teletovic were called for offsetting technical fouls with 6:19 remaining in the second quarter, about a minute after Suns reserve guard Ronnie Price suffered a concussion when he was struck in the face by an elbow from forward Josh Smith.
Price did not return, and Suns starting forward Markieff Morris did not play in the second half because of a mild left knee sprain. Morris had five points in six minutes.
Bledsoe had 22 points and Knight 19 in the first half, when the Suns took the play to Clippers’ reserve guards Austin Rivers and Pablo Prigioni.
Bledsoe made 8 of 11 field goals and Knight was 7 of 12, and they had 41 points when the Suns took a 58-49 lead.
The Suns scored nine of the final 10 first-half points after Griffin was ejected.
NOTES: Clippers G Chris Paul, who has been affected by finger, groin and eye injuries this season, did not start. “The finger definitely bothers him,” coach Doc Rivers said. “He’s just not had a lot of fun so far. I guess you’d rather have it now, but it hurts us. When he’s not great, we’re not as good, obviously.” Paul sustained by a fractured left index finger during the team’s preseason work in China. … Clippers G J.J. Redick did not play after being removed in the second quarter of a 118-108 loss to Dallas on Wednesday with lower back spasms. Rivers said he doubts Redick will play in the team’s home game against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. … The Clippers won the previous eight in the series, their longest run in series history. … After three days off, the Suns played the first of four games in seven days Thursday.