Clippers find their shooting touch in 116-98 win over Suns

At some point, the Clippers assumed their shooting would be on target.

The Clippers did not miss like they did in the first two games, shooting down the Phoenix Suns, 116-98, Monday night at Staples Center.

Coach Doc Rivers professed not to be too concerned that his team had been missing shots, or that it was mostly his starters shooting bricks.

Still, to see the Clippers (3-0) shoot 50% from the field had to be a pleasant sight for Rivers.

They had entered the game making 40.8% of their shots, and that was courtesy of the Clippers making 40.7% of their shots against Portland and 41% of their shots against Utah.

But that all changed against the Suns.

“The two things I liked is I thing they stayed engaged defensively, No.1. That’s what they’ve done all year,” Rivers said after his team held the Suns to 41.7% shooting.

“And they just kept trusting. Like it’s going to fall. And eventually it started falling. Once the basket opened up, which the way we were defending, we were in great shape.”

DeAndre Jordan was the most accurate of the group, making eight of 10 shots in scoring 19 points to go along with 11 rebounds.

Of course nearly all of Jordan’s shots were dunks or layups off lobs; he did go three for six from the free-throw line.

But Jordan did this playing with a sprained right thumb that occurred Sunday night against Utah.

Blake Griffin continued his tremendous play, scoring 21 points on four-for-seven shooting, 12 for 14 on free throws. Griffin also had 11 rebounds and five assists.

“Blake, he has always been a great passer,” Rivers said. “But now he’s a great ballhandler as well. They just are all playmakers. Blake is a playmaker. I think people look at him as just a power forward. He’s a playmaker. And if you allow him to make plays he will.”

Chris Pail directed the team and came away with 24 points and eight assists.

J.J. Redick had 13 points on six-for-13 shooting.

Jamal Crawford came off the bench to provide the Clippers with 14 points on five-for-10 shooting.

The Clippers even made 37.5% (six for 16) of their three-point shots.

The Clippers had not been smooth on offense in their first two games and they were just as rocky in the first half against the Suns.

But the Clippers’ defense has been outstanding in the first two games and it was again against the Suns.

And that was a good thing because the Clippers made just 41.9% of their shots from the field in the first half, just 14.3% (one for seven) on three-pointers.

Now on defense, the Clippers were strong. They held the Suns (0-4) to 38.5% shooting in the first half and just 36 points.

“What I liked about [the game] is we started off slow again,” Rivers said. “I thought we missed open shot after open shot, both units, the first unit and the second unit.”

broderick.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BA_Turner