Jan. 23--Escape from New York took on multiple meanings for the Clippers.
They survived a heated skirmish involving Chris Paul and Robin Lopez on Friday night at Madison Square Garden while also doing their best to get out of the city before a massive snowstorm enveloped the region.
Lopez was ejected as the result of the third-quarter dustup in which he smacked Paul in the face before the Clippers went on to level the New York Knicks, 116-88.
The scuffle broke out after Paul and Lopez were jostling for a rebound underneath the basket. Paul put his forearm into the chest of Lopez, who retaliated by hitting Paul in the face. Jordan then pushed Lopez in the back as Lopez walked away and moments later, amid a scrum of players, Lopez struck Jordan.
Lopez received two technical fouls and was ejected. Jordan and teammate Paul Pierce each received a technical.
The tensions seemed to enliven the Clippers, who went on a 22-12 run to end the third quarter amid a flurry of intentional fouls on Jordan, who made six of 10 free throws in the quarter.
Jordan finished with a team-high 20 points for the Clippers, who shot 56.6% and were also much stronger defensively after giving up an average of 119 points over their previous three games.
They held the Knicks to 39.3% shooting and no more than 24 points in any quarter. New York's Carmelo Anthony scored 16 points but needed 12 shots to get there while Kristaps Porzingis was even more inefficient with 13 points on four-for-17 shooting.
Paul had 16 points and 13 assists and Wesley Johnson added 14 points off the bench for the Clippers on five-for-five shooting, making all four of his three-pointers.
The biggest worry by the start of the fourth quarter was getting out of town fast enough.
Scores of flights out of area airports were canceled because of Winter Storm Jonas, prompting the Clippers to move up their charter flight that was previously scheduled for Saturday. They were scheduled to immediately depart from Newark Airport after the game.
"I know we should leave tonight," Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said before the game, "because if we don't, we're probably going to be stuck, which our players would love. They're probably not even going to talk to me today because we're leaving."
Rivers was alluding to the differences in nightlife between New York and Toronto, their intended destination for a game Sunday afternoon against the Raptors.
The Clippers managed to avoid any carryover effect from their listless showing the previous night against the Cleveland Cavaliers. They were crisp and energetic in the early going, taking a 31-17 lead by making 13 of 18 shots and five of seven three-pointers.
Things started to get a bit repetitive as Jordan scored on three consecutive possessions with a put-back dunk, a dunk over Porzingis off a lob from Paul and then a one-handed dunk off another Paul lob.
The Clippers used a variety of defenders on the 7-3 Porzingis, including Pierce, who stripped the ball to trigger a fastbreak that ended in another Jordan dunk off a Paul lob.
The Knicks finally found a way to slow Jordan by intentionally fouling him late in the first half. He missed both free throws, prompting Rivers to remove him for a fruitless final possession in which Paul missed a driving layup that kept the Clippers from extending their 55-45 lead.
