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Bench Shines As Clippers Get Off To 1-0 Start

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Welcome back to another season of Los Angeles Clippers basketball!

After the Portland Trailblazers knocked the Clippers out of the playoffs last season the two squared off again to open this new year. The intensity and energy put into this game by both the players and fans in the Moda Center in Portland made this seem like the two never ended that tight playoff series.

Los Angeles trotted out an all too familiar starting lineup to kick off the year.

But it wasn’t the starters that had the greatest impact on this game for the Clippers. The new and improved bench made their presence felt. Outscoring their Blazer counterparts 45-20 by the time the whole thing was said and done. Solid performances in this one from the usual suspects Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford, but the newest addition Marreese Speights showed exactly why fans should be excited about him playing for this squad. Speights knocked down some clutch threes and was able to take some of the pressure off of DeAndre Jordan when Portland began with the Hack-a-Jordan. Speights finished the night with 15 points and helped his team maintain great momentum, even during stretches with no starters on the floor.

The stars of the Clippers were not to be outdone though. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin came out clicking on all cylinders for game number one. Griffin put up a stellar double-double with 27 points and 13 rebounds that was facilitated by a jaw-dropping first half that will terrify Western Conference foes.

Paul kept right with Griffin all game long.  Hitting that elbow jumper as routinely as ever and dropping threes right in the poor Portland defenders faces. Paul also ended the night with 27 points.

As the game wore on, the Clippers stars and bench began to overwhelm the Blazers and would come out on top 114-106.

This is a great season opening win for Los Angeles and with the playoff like intensity of the game fans should be thrilled with the way the team played as a whole. Top to bottom, this Clipper squad looks deadly and with still 81 games to go they should be really fun to watch.

The Clippers next game will be their home opener against the Utah Jazz on Sunday at 1:30 PM PST.

Thanks for reading along Clipper Nation and keep on coming back to CaliSports for all your Clipper news.

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