Clippers Dominate Wizards Behind CP3

In a battle of elite point guards, Chris Paul continued his dominance over John Wall, as he led the Clippers past the Wizards on Monday night.

Despite playing their second game without Blake Griffin, Paul had plenty of help as four Clippers were in double-figures in a game where Los Angeles never trailed.

Paul ended the night with 23 points while Jamal Crawford followed closely behind with 21.  DeAndre Jordan had another double-double night as he had 15 points and 13 rebounds.

Wesley Johnson provided 14 points off the bench while back-up big man Cole Aldrich chipped in a cool 13.

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Paul took over highlight reel duties without his co-captain as he made not one but two dunks that ignited the crowd. While the Clippers floor general is well known for his work below the rim, a leap to the basket is unheard of for the six-foot guard.

Paul acknowledged the moment by holding up his arms triumphantly toward his teammates.

John Wall had a phenomenal night to lead the Wizards without Bradley Beal.  Wall had 23 points and 5 rebounds.  He also had 11 assists, four more than Paul, as well as a block and a steal.

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Despite having the superior stat line, it was Paul’s ability to impose his will on the game that made the difference.  It should be noted, John Wall has only one win against a Chris Paul led team.

On the Wizards side, Otto Porter had 21 points off the bench, while Marcin Gortat had 12.

The game was also Paul Pierce‘s first game in Washington since leaving the Wizards after last season.  Pierce was greeted warmly by fans and acknowledged that he enjoyed his time in Washington with both the team and the community.

The Clippers have now won three straight games going back to their victory over the Lakers on Christmas Day.  The victory puts the team in a great rhythm despite being without their star player on the road.

Following a gutsy win over the Utah Jazz, the game against the Wizards was expected to be a tough test, as the team is now a playoff regular in the Eastern Conference.  The Clippers will play in Charlotte and New Orleans before returning to the Staples Center on Saturday.

The schedule is noticeably lighter on the Clippers for the most of the up-coming month, however the team remains in search of a win over an elite team in the NBA.

Their next high-profile opportunity could come in January in a big way as the team is set to face the Miami Heat and last years finalists — the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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For now, the team looks to get back to the Los Angeles at above .500 on the road trip and remain in the hunt until they are back at full power with Griffin.