Blake Griffin leads Clippers to 118-111 win over Lakers

Welp, that’s now two consecutive games in which Blake Griffin has made two critical free throws with the game on the line to give his team the win.

Griffin was sent to the line with the Clippers leading by one point, 112-111, over the Lakers and only 21.3 seconds left. He made both of his shots to help give his team a 118-111 victory.

Kobe Bryant’s attempt to tie the game fell short, as he missed a three-pointer in the final seconds. J.J. Redick then made four free throws in the final 15 seconds to seal the win for the Clippers.

The Clippers (2-0) led by as many as 15 points in the first half. The Lakers (0-3) led by as many as seven points in the third quarter. The fourth was close down the stretch.

Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul guarded each other. At times it seemed as though both teams could score at will. On one play, Jeremy Lin made a three-pointer, then Jamal Crawford immediately responded on the next possession by drawing a foul on a three-pointer.

The question was -- who would play defense first?

Griffin finished with a game-high 39 points, making both of his three-point attempts and shooting 11 for 12 from the free-throw line. On Thursday against the Thunder, he made two big free throws in the final five seconds to give the Clippers a 93-90 win.

Crawford finished with 22 points and five assists while Redick added 15 points and Chris Paul had 12 points and 10 assists.

Bryant finished with 21 points on six-for-15 shooting and seven assists. Jordan Hill had 23 points on 10-for-15 shooting while Jeremy Lin finished with 17 points and nine assists.

Entering Friday’s game, the Lakers had lost seven of their last eight meetings with the Clippers, including losses by 48, 36 and 23 points last season. The 48-point margin of victory was the largest in Clippers’ franchise history and the largest loss in Lakers’ history.

Lakers 90, Clippers 86 (end of third quarter)

The Lakers outscored the Clippers by 10 points, 34-24, in the third quarter.

The Lakers, who trailed by as many as 15 points, took their first lead, 63-62, since the first quarter after Jordan Hill made a layup with 9:29 left in the third quarter.

They pushed that lead to as many as seven points over the quarter. This is the same team that has lost by an average of 19 points over the last two games.

Bryant has an efficient 17 points on five-for-eight shooting and six assists. Hill, who had six points in the first half, had 13 points in the third quarter for a total of 19 points on eight-for-12 shooting.

Blake Griffin leads all scorers with 31 points and five rebounds. Jamal Crawford ended the quarter by making a 36-foot three-pointer.

Clippers 62, Lakers 56 (halftime)

The Lakers went on an 11-1 run midway through the second quarter to cut the Clippers’ lead, which once stood at 15 points, to three, 45-42.

Behind the run, of course, was Kobe Bryant.

He was active on both ends. In one sequence, Bryant stripped the ball from Blake Griffin, dribbled it cross court, drew three defenders in the paint, then dished it to Carlos Boozer, who made a left-handed layup.

Bryant also made a three-pointer over DeAndre Jordan. Bryant has 15 points on four-for-six shooting, and has made one of three three-point attempts.

Jamal Crawford and Spencer Hawes combined for 11 points in the second quarter for the Clippers, who went through a shooting drought that lasted more than three minutes.

Griffin leads all scorers with 18 points on eight-for-13 shooting, including making both of his two three-point shots.

Chris Paul has helped keep the Clippers alive from the free-throw line, where he’s made seven of his eight attempts.

Paul missed two crucial free throws Thursday in the final seconds of the fourth quarter in the team’s season-opening victory over Oklahoma City. After the game, he said he was going to arrive at Staples Center early before playing the Lakers to put up a few shots from behind the charity stripe.

Apparently it worked. Paul has 12 points and eight assists.

Clippers 31, Lakers 22 (end of first quarter)

The key stat so far: The Clippers are outshooting the Lakers, 57.1% to 42.9%. The Clippers led by as many as 15 points in the quarter.

Blake Griffin leads all scorers with 11 points on five-for-eight shooting, including making his only three-point attempt. J.J. Redick has nine points on three-for-four shooting.

Kobe Bryant is guarding Chris Paul. After Thursday’s game, Paul said that he and Bryant are great friends off the court and even send each other Christmas cards. On the court, it’s a bit different.

Bryant has held Paul to five points on two-for-four shooting.

Bryant has five points on two-for-two shooting, including a highlight-reel dunk. Bryant drove past Matt Barnes, then made a reverse jam, his first of the season.

Lakers fans apparently haven’t gotten over the fact that former NBA commissioner David Stern blocked a trade that would have sent Paul to the Lakers.

Chants heard from the crowd so far tonight: “Chris was a Laker” and “David Stern is a cheater.”