LA Clippers beat Portland on buzzer-beating shot by J.J. Redick

For the Clippers, or any other team, playing with the right spirit is the only way to advance deep into the post-season. The Clippers fell short of that for most of the just-concluded five-game road trip, during which they went just 1-4.

The Clippers got some of it back Wednesday at Golden State. They lost by 16 points, but were down just seven in the fourth quarter to the best team the world has seen in some time.

The Clippers were hopeful they could carry that momentum into Thursday’s home game against Portland. For a while, they couldn’t score and seemed sluggish on the second end of a back-to-back.

It was that way all game. They’d play well, then they’d play poorly. The end result was a 96-94 Clippers victory, thanks to a 20-footer by J.J. Redick at the buzzer. The Clippers, who snapped their three-game losing streak and had lost 7 of 10, took the ball out with 1.1 seconds to play.

The Clippers (44-27) got 25 points apiece from Chris Paul and Jamal crawford. Redick scored 11 and DeAndre Jordan had 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Portland (37-36) got 18 points from Damien Lillard and 17 from C.J. McCollum.

The Clippers led 16-10, but trailed 21-18 after one quarter. They played much better in the second, outscoring Portland 28-18 to lead 46-39 at the break. Leading 48-39 early on in the third, the Clippers saw the Trail Blazers go on an 11-0 run to lead 50-48. The teams were tied 65-65 entering the fourth quarter.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers prior to tip-off talked about the importance of finding that spirit in Oakland that guard J.J. Redick said was missing, especially in losses Saturday at Memphis and Sunday at New Orleans.

“Well, it was important,” he said. “You knew you were going to get it back at some point. I didn’t think it was gone, I would say that. Sometimes you lose your way during the season and you’ve gotta get it back. That’s why it’s such a long season, so it was nice to see. It was nice to see us compete again at the right level.”

Meanwhile, as it goes every day, Rivers was again asked about the status of Blake Griffin, who missed his 41st consecutive game Thursday. He sustained a partially to left quad tendon at Christmastime and a fractured hand on Jan. 23.

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Asked if there was an update, Rivers said there was not. He was queried as to what exactly is going on with Griffin.

“He’s just trying to get back on the floor, really,” Rivers said. “I mean, we’re not trying to hold dark secrets here or anything. Blake is cleared with his hand now and we’ve gotta get his leg right.

“He’s getting closer. And that’s what I keep hearing. But until he’s out on the floor, we won’t know anything and so, hopefully, that is coming very soon. But I don’t have any basis of saying that. Just telling you what I hope.”

Rivers said Griffin is doing quite a bit.

“Yeah, he’s doing all the conditioning,” Rivers said. “He’s ruing, shooting, so his next step is going through a practice.”

What can’t Griffin do? Rivers was asked.

“Well, nothing, except where he hasn’t played in contact,” Rivers said. “That’s his next step.”

It was thought that Griffin’s quad would be healed before his hand. That has not paed out. Griffin will also have to serve a four-game suspension for punching team assistant equipment manager Matias Testi on Jan. 23 in Toronto before he can play.

Since the Clippers have only nine regular-season games left, that means he’ll be lucky to get in a few games before the playoffs. Certainly, that’s not the best way for the Clippers to enter the playoffs.

Griffin did some shooting before the game.

The Clippers don’t play again until Easter Sunday, when they host the Denver Nuggets at 12:30 p.m.