LA Clippers roar back to beat Thunder 103-98

March could be the most important month of the regular season for the L.A. Clippers. They play 16 games - six against elite teams with better records than the Clippers - and several more against playoff-bound teams.

The Clippers will get Blake Griffin back, which will be a big deal moving toward the postseason. Speaking of the playoffs, their performance this month figures to determine where the Clippers will be seeded in the Weste Conference.

The first test came Wednesday, when the Clippers played host to Oklahoma City. The Clippers passed with flying colors as, down by 17 after three quarters, they roared back to take a 103-98 victory over the Thunder at Staples Center. The Clippers went ahead for good on a tip-in by DeAndre Jordan for a 98-97 lead with 1:12 to play. Jordan was fouled and made the free throw for a 99-97 cushion.

Jamal Crawford then made a short bank-shot with 38.6 seconds left for a 101-97 advantage.

The Clippers trailed 58-38 halftime, shooting just 30 percent in the first 24 minutes and getting outrebounded 39-21. The Clippers were down 85-68 entering the fourth quarter.

Chris Paul led the Clippers (40-20) with 21 points and had 13 assists, DeAndre Jordan had 20 points and 18 rebounds, J.J. Redick scored 16, Jamal Crawford 12 and Wes Johnson 11; Johnson shot just 4 of 16, but hit two clutch 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to help the Clippers’ comeback, their biggest of the season.

Starting forward Luc Mbah a Moute missed the game because of a left eyelid laceration. Jeff Green started in his place.

Kevin Durant led OKC (42-19) with 30 points, Russell Westbrook scored 24.

The fourth-place Clippers pulled within 1 1/2 games of third-place OKC in the Weste Conference standings.

The Clippers play OKC two more times this month - there - and they also play at Golden State and San Antonio. There are games at Dallas and Memphis and Houston and home games against Atlanta, Cleveland, Boston and the surprising Portland Trail Blazers. Tough, indeed.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers shrugged it off.

“I don’t have a lot of thoughts,” he said before tip-off. “(Clippers voice) Ralph (Lawler) keeps reminding me of it during our interviews. But, obviously, I don’t think much about schedules.

“I look at rest and stuff like that. I don’t look at the opponent much. We have to be ready to play every night and I don’t mind that it’s a tough schedule. I think in some ways that could be good for us. I’m just not sure in what way. But I don’t mind at all.”

Then there is Griffin. He has not played since Dec. 25 because of a partially to quad tendon and, more recently, a right hand fractured Jan. 23 when he punched Matias Testi, a team equipment staffer.

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Austin Rivers, who retued Wednesday after missing a month with a fracture left hand, told reporters that the way Griffin looked at the moing shootaround, he appears ready.

“I mean, he looked like he was normal out there,” the younger Rivers said. “He was shooting it like Blake shoots it, from that mid-range. He was rolling to the basket, jumping high. He looks pretty good, so he’s gotta be pretty close.”

Knowing his son had, in his words, “spilled the beans,” Doc Rivers said that Griffin is indeed just about there.

“Blake’s close and he’s looking good,” the elder Rivers said. “I mean, honestly, watching him today I was like, in my mind, I’m thinking, ‘Well, we can use some of that tonight.’ But I don’t get involved in that part of it. I know there’s a reason he’s not activated yet. But, honestly, today watching him, I actually said, ‘Can he play tonight?’ And, obviously, he couldn’t, anyway. But he’s very close, which is a great sign for us.”

Once Griffin has been given the green light by doctors, he must serve his four-game suspension for punching Testi. Rivers also said that Griffin has not been cleared for contact. He said he’s not certain, but that doctors might believe Griffin’s hand is not completely healed.

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