LOS ANGELES — Blake Griffin scored 44 points in his return to Staples Center for the first time against his old team and the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Clippers 109-104 on Saturday to snap a four-game skid.
Griffin was greeted with cheers during pregame introductions and received a standing ovation after a first-quarter video tribute from the team that drafted him first overall in 2009.
He stuck his right arm in the air and then brought his raised hands together in a thankful gesture without smiling. He clearly wanted to beat the team that stunningly traded him last January after he had signed a $171 million, five-year extension.
It showed from the start.
Griffin scored 15 points in the opening quarter when he got razzed by superfan Clipper Darrell during free throw attempts. He had 26 points in the first half to help Detroit to a 65-54 lead.
HEAT 112, GRIZZLIES 108: Justise Winslow scored 26 points, Dwyane Wade had a huge blocked shot in the final seconds and Miami beat Memphis in Miami.
Josh Richardson and Tyler Johnson each scored 14 for Miami, which reached the midpoint of the season at 21-20.
Bam Adebayo and Derrick Jones Jr. scored 11 apiece for the Heat and Wade had 10, but arguably the two biggest plays of his night came in the final 4 seconds. Wade blocked a potentially game-tying layup by Shelvin Mack, then won a jump ball to help the Heat escape.
THUNDER 122, SPURS 112: Dennis Schroder scored all of his 19 points in the second half to help Oklahoma City win at home.
TIMBERWOLVES 110, PELICANS 106: Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points and a career-high 27 rebounds to help Minnesota hold off Anthony Davis and New Orleans for a victory that was the first at home for interim head coach Ryan Saunders.
NOTES
MAVERICKS: A person with direct knowledge of the injury said guard J.J. Barea has a torn right Achilles tendon, a season-ending setback for a key Mavericks’ reserve.
Barea was injured in the second half of the Mavericks’ 119-115 win at Minnesota on Friday night. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because the team hadn’t announced an update on Barea’s condition.
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