SACRAMENTO (AP) — Austin Rivers scored 24 points and the Los Angeles Clippers won their third straight game by defeating the Sacramento Kings 106-98 on Friday night.
Rivers made four 3-pointers and the Clippers hit 13 overall in beating the Kings for the ninth straight time in Sacramento. Los Angeles hit five 3s in the fourth quarter, when it outscored the Kings 31-25.
J.J. Redick drained five 3s and scored 20 points for the Clippers. DeAndre Jordan had 20 points and nine rebounds, and Chris Paul added 14 points and 12 assists.
Paul made six free throws in the final minute to secure the victory. He missed the previous four games and seven of the past eight with a left hamstring injury.
The Clippers won for the third time in nine games.
DeMarcus Cousins had 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Kings. Darren Collison scored 20, Rudy Gay had 18 and Ty Lawson added 17 points and six assists.
Sacramento has lost two straight and four of five since a season-high four-game winning streak.
Gay, who missed 10 of the previous 11 games with a hip injury, had nine points in the first quarter and finished with seven rebounds.
With his team trailing by four points, Cousins shot an airball on a 3. Paul then made four straight free throws to close it out.
Cousins made a 3-pointer and Collison hit two free throws to pull the Kings to 100-98 with 56 seconds remaining. But with a chance to tie on their next possession, the Kings turned the ball over.
They quickly fouled Paul, who converted two free throws for a four-point lead.
After a lackluster opening quarter, the Clippers pressured the Kings defensively and were getting plenty of good looks at the other end in the second. Los Angeles outscored Sacramento 34-12 and led 53-39 at halftime.
TIP-INS
Clippers: Reserve big man Marreese Speights missed his first eight shots and finished with seven points and 11 rebounds in 11 minutes. ... Jordan was called for a technical foul following a fast-break dunk in the third quarter. He growled at referees when no foul was called. ... The Clippers are 12-8 on the road.
Kings: Sacramento altered its starting lineup, inserting Ty Lawson and Matt Barnes, who typically come off the bench. ... Cousins was called for his NBA-leading 11th technical in the third quarter after fouling Redick on a 3-point attempt.
UP NEXT
Clippers: Host the Miami Heat in the opener of a five-game homestand Sunday.
Kings: Host the Golden State Warriors on Sunday in the first meeting this season between the teams.