Notebook: Clippers 103, Nuggets 95

Posted Thursday February 23, 2012 2:02AM

By Dan Arritt, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: For the first time in franchise history, the Clippers enter the All-Star break alone in first in the Pacific Division after a 103-95 victory Wednesday night against the injury-plagued Nuggets at Staples Center.

THE STAT: Clippers point guard Chris Paul, who took responsibility for his team's previous two losses, didn't allow them to lose three in a row for the first time this season. He scored a season-high 36 points, including 17 straight for the Clippers from late in the third quarter to early in the fourth.

QUOTABLE: "I tried to push the tempo and get some easy baskets tonight."
-- Chris Paul

TURNING POINT: With just over four minutes remaining, Caron Butler hit a fall-away 10-footer to give the Clippers a 93-92 lead. It was the 23rd and final lead change of the game. The Clippers continued on the 8-0 run while the Nuggets didn't convert a field-goal attempt over the final 7:25.

HOT: Paul and Blake Griffin, the first set of Clippers selected to start in an All-Star Game, showed why they'll be playing Sunday in Orlando. Griffin finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds and five assists and wore down Al Harrington on the defensive end of the floor ... As for the Nuggets, it was a great night for Arron Afflalo and Jordan Hamilton, who were likely playing in front of a few hometown fans. Afflalo, who grew up in the L.A. area and played for UCLA, finished with a team-high 20 points, his sixth 20-point game in the last nine. Hamilton, a rookie small forward who played for Dorsey High School in L.A. and Dominguez High in Compton, scored a career-high 18 points in his ninth NBA game. Hamilton scored 13 in the first half, helping the Nuggets build a two-point lead.

NOT: What a difference a month makes. Clippers back-up guard Mo Williams is still trying to locate his shot after a blistering month of January. He shot 2-for-16 from the floor and scored six points, his worst shooting night of the season. Williams came in shooting 37.6 percent from the field in 12 games this month. He shot 52.9 percent from the floor in the same number of games in January.

GOOD MOVE: Clippers center DeAndre Jordan picked up his fourth foul with 7:52 remaining in the third quarter. He re-entered for Griffin with 10:06 remaining in the fourth and played smartly down the stretch. He made a lay up off an assist from Griffin with 3:29 remaining, stretching the Clippers lead to three points.

BAD MOVE: The Nuggets might need to locate the injury bug and shoo it out of their locker room. Denver played without three of its top four leading scorers due to injuries. The latest to go on the shelf is starting point guard Ty Lawson, who turned an ankle in the second quarter of an overtime victory Monday against visiting Minnesota and may not be back until after the All-Star break.

QUOTABLE II: "We needed this to get the bad taste out of our mouth ... we didn't play as well as we wanted to, especially in the first half, but in the fourth quarter we came up big."
-- Blake Griffin

NOTABLE: The Clippers lead the Pacific Division by a game over the Lakers. They trailed the Lakers by 16 games at the break a year ago. The Clippers also improved to 20-11 after not winning No. 20 last season until the 52nd game.

UP NEXT: For the Clippers, Tuesday vs. Minnesota, March 1 @ Sacramento, March 2 @ Phoenix. For the Nuggets, Thursday vs. San Antonio, Wednesday vs. Portland, March 2 @ Houston.