OAKLAND, Calif. -- Clippers star Blake Griffin fired off some harsh words for the Golden State Warriors after being ejected on a Christmas night turned spirited. Coach Doc Rivers is equally as irritated -- and believes the Warriors tried to get Griffin thrown out. Griffin and Golden States Draymond Green were long gone before a wild finish Wednesday night, when Klay Thompson blocked a shot by Chris Paul with 1 second left then contested Jamal Crawfords 3-pointer that fell short at the final buzzer to send the Warriors past Los Angeles 105-103. Griffin was ejected for his second technical with 10:43 remaining after scuffling with Andrew Bogut, following Green to the showers after they got into it at the end of the third. Green was tossed for a flagrant 2 foul. "If you look at it, I didnt do anything and I got thrown out of the game. It all boils down to they (referees) fell for it," Griffin said. "To me, its cowardly basketball. I dont know their intentions, but it worked. ... If I knew the answer Id probably be in a different position. Tonight I got two technicals for nothing." Without Griffin, the Clippers missed too many chances in the waning moments. Pauls lay-in with 11.9 seconds left went around the rim and out, but Andre Iguodala missed a pair of free throws with 9.3 seconds remaining. That gave the Clippers the ball back with 8.3 seconds to go. Stephen Curry overcame a slow start to score seven of his 15 points over the final 3:01 to go with 11 assists as Golden State snapped the Pacific Division-leading Clippers season-best five-game winning streak. Thompson finished with 23 points and David Lee had 23 points and 13 rebounds. When the game ended, players tangled near the tunnel to the Clippers locker room and security personnel stepped in -- and former Warriors swingman Stephen Jackson could be seen screaming in the middle of it all. Whether the Warriors intended to ignite Griffin, Rivers can only guess. "I dont know if they were but it sure looked like it. I cant accuse them of that but it looked like it. Im not sure but thats what it looked like," Rivers said. "Its whatever you have to do to win, I guess." This one was sure was feisty and festive from the opening tipoff at sold-out Oracle Arena, where fans wore "Christmas Whiteout" snowflake Warriors T-shirts for the holiday occasion. Paul had 26 points and 11 assists as he and Curry put on a late-game show between two of the Western Conferences top point guards. Griffin added 20 points, 14 rebounds and five assists before his early exit. Bogut added 10 points and 14 rebounds. Neither Rivers nor Warriors coach Mark Jackson is ready to deem this a California rivalry just yet -- not until both teams are consistent contenders year after year, they say. Its certainly getting heated enough to be close to such status. And they see each other twice more. The Clippers come back Jan. 30. "We like them. Merry Christmas," Jackson said jokingly. "Its just physical basketball, so we dont get caught up in that. ... Its good, old-fashioned basketball between two teams that are playing for something." Griffin was held back by teammates at the end of the third quarter while jawing with Green. Following a review, Griffin received a technical and Green was ejected for a flagrant foul 2 after throwing an elbow. "You have some key matchups in the game where guys want to go at each other," Green said. "Any time you have that, youre going to have a tough, hard-nosed game." Then, officials went to review once more to look at a tussle between Griffin and Bogut. Griffin left the game while Bogut was hit with a flagrant 1 and a technical. The Clippers, who never trailed in the first half, took a 77-74 lead into the see-saw fourth. They dropped to 19-3 when leading after three quarters and 8-3 on the road. Los Angeles beat Golden State 126-115 at home on Oct. 31 to hand the Warriors their first loss a day after a season-opening win against the Lakers. Curry performed when it mattered, though he is shooting just 9 for 44 in three Christmas games. Lee and Bogut each have double digits in rebounds in 10 straight games. Golden State grabbed its first lead at the 10:35 mark in the third on Boguts running jumper and began the second half with an 11-6 spurt. The Warriors were 22 for 52 in the first half -- taking more shots than the Clippers 21 of 40 -- but Lees dunk pulled Golden State within 53-51 at halftime. Notes: Former Warriors G Matt Barnes got some Christmas boos when he checked in for the Clippers midway through the first, while Antawn Jamison still gets his due respect. ... The Warriors played their 23rd Christmas game and third in four years after having Christmas off for 26 years. They lost their previous Dec. 25 outing to the Clippers 105-86 at Oracle -- Los Angeles last on Golden States home floor -- to start the lockout-shortened 66-game 2011-12 season. ... The Warriors havent lost a season series to the Clippers since 2005-06. Golden State was one of only two teams along with the Thunder to take three of four from Los Angeles last season. Jose Iglesias Jersey .com) - Matt Duchene picked up the deciding goal early in the third period and added an assist, as Colorado escaped with a 4-3 victory over Dallas at Pepsi Center. Custom Detroit Tigers Jerseys . Last years runner-up, Sara Errani, also reached the last eight in straight sets. Flipkens converted all four of her break points against Meusburger, and the third-seeded Errani broke Karin Knapps serve five times to win their all-Italian match 6-4, 6-3. Many of those eyes are in the United States of America, a country that the sport has wanted on its side for some time. On Sunday the football Gods delivered once again, only this time it was time for good old USA to experience as much heartache as joy. Nick Castellanos Jersey . Amare Stoudemire had 22 points and 10 rebounds, Carmelo Anthony scored 21 and the New York Knicks won their eighth straight game, 93-92 over Philadelphia on Friday night, sending the Sixers to their 23rd straight loss. Alan Trammell Jersey . Off-Season Game Plan looks at the Capitals possible summer plans, with the understanding that its tough to plot a direction without a general manager or head coach around which to set those expectations.SALT LAKE CITY - Terrence Ross is earning his pay cheque this week. Stepping out of DeMar DeRozans shadow on the wing, Ross has been featured more in Torontos attack while being tasked with three daunting defensive assignments. The third-year swingman opened this stretch with a matchup against one of the leagues all-time greatest scorers in Kobe Bryant. On Tuesday he squared off against Rudy Gay, a former teammate, before seeing Utahs breakout forward Gordon Hayward less than 24 hours later. Oh, and before the week is out hell try his luck at stopping the unstoppable LeBron James. Ross is no longer fazed by life in the NBA. Its become a nightly reality. Thats what he do, man, Kyle Lowry said of Ross after the two led Toronto to a convincing 124-104 win over the Jazz Wednesday night. T-Ross is a good player. Hes come in as an athlete but hes learned how to play defence. I think he really takes pride in being able to guard those guys. Thats how its going to be every night, Ross said. Im always going to get the best player every night. Thats just how it goes. For most of the Lakers game Ross did an admirable job on Bryant, 13 years his elder, although it hardly mattered. The future Hall of Famer was locked in and torched the Raptors for a triple-double in a winning effort. Gay, another player with a size, strength and experience advantage over Ross, was the focal point of Sacramentos offence with DeMarcus Cousins out of the lineup. He finished with 20 points and a career-best 10 assists. For the second time this season, Hayward was barely noticeable against Ross and the Raptors. Utahs leading scorer, averaging a career-best 19.6 on the campaign, was held to 16 points on 5-of-15 shooting. Ross was draped all over him for most of the evening. We made Hayward work, which was our focus going in, said Dwane Casey, his team taking two of three games, after stealing one in Sacramento Tuesday, to close out a mini road trip. I thought T-Ross and James Johnson came in and gave us a great effort against him. This challenge is not a new one for Ross, who has been asked to chase around the oppositions best perimeter player since he stepped into Torontos starting lineup following the trade of Gay a year ago. Facing off with the leagues best on a nightly basis, Casey is not expecting him to neutralize these great players, most of them older and wiser than the young Ross. Instead, the goal is to make life difficult for them, make them work, something Ross has been doing a better job of on both ends of the floor. It takes a lot of energy, a lot of focus on his part on the defensive end, Casey said. Hes done okay. He and James kind of tag team together on guys like that so well see how that goes. But hes been a good defender on guys, making guys work. Lowry and DeRozan both blossomed into All-Star calibre players once Gay was shipped out of town, but Ross has been the biggest beneficiary of last Decembers trade. Going from a reserve with sporadic playing time to a reliable starter and fixture in Caseys rotation, Ross minutes increased by over 10 a night post-trade while his scoring average nearly doubled and he went from a 34 to 40 per cent three-point shooter. Now, Ross is taking full advantage of an opportunity to handle greater responsibility with DeRozan on the shelf. I would say its the same type of jump [as when Gay was traded], Ross said. I just have more responsibility. Somebody is out, part of your team is gone so I got to do more. We all do. [Hes] probably playing more freely as far as not worrying about DeMar, Casey said ahead of Wednesdays contest. Usually we try to get DeMar going, now its him. Some of the sets are now called for him, where before he was kind of playing off DeMar. So thats part of it but none of it is forced, its kind of in the flow of the game. Hes done an excellent job offensively. After scoring 20 points in each of the first two games without DeRozan - reaching that plateau in back-to-back contests for the first time in his career - Ross registered an efficient 11 points, shooting 4-for-8 in Wednesdays win over the Jazz. The experience hes gaining and will continue to gain for as long as DeRozan is out should go a long way in the 23-year-olds development. If nothing else, having his number called more often should be a confidence booster moving forward. Hes someone, like most young players, that has battled inconsistency and is usuallly at his best when hes feeling good about himself - when he sees the ball go through the net or when hes getting stops on the other end.dddddddddddd Its a big part of what he does, is him having the confidence, him having the rhythm, Casey said. Hes a rhythm player. With that rhythm, it can go out too so his key is being consistent and letting the game come to him for four quarters and not just be in streaks. Hes got to have that confidence but hes getting that now with DeMar being out. Hes kind of the wing focal point. LOWRYS CAREER NIGHT Whether hell admit it or not - he didnt and he wont - the NBAs decision to award Bulls guard Jimmy Butler Eastern Conference Player of the Month honours Wednesday afternoon was on Lowrys mind as he poured in what seemed like a quiet 39 points, his career-high. I didnt know either, Casey said after the game. He was efficient, 13-for-22. As he did on Tuesday in Sacramento, Lowry eased into things offensively, looking to get his teammates involved early in the game. The starting point guard hit six of the eight shots he launched in the first half before taking over in the second, where scored 24, including 15 in the fourth quarter. Lowry has attempted 20 or more shots in four straight games, dating back to the night DeRozan sustained his injury. He had taken 19 or fewer in each of the teams first 15 contests. Hes taking what the game is giving him, said Casey. Even with the 28 [shots] in overtime [against the Lakers], I dont know if he forced the shots, he was taking what the defence was giving him but hes finding a balance. Hes helping quarterback from the two-one position. Im just going out there and doing my job, said Lowry, who has scored at least 25 points in each of his last four games. I know I have to score a little bit more and be more aggressive. I can do it with DeMar but as a point guard I like to get my teammates involved. Right now I have to be a little more assertive. UNLIKELY OFFENSIVE JUGGERNAUTS You wouldnt know it from watching them, but the Raptors are playing without their leading scorer. The absence of DeRozan, who has now missed the last three games with a torn groin muscle that will keep him sidelined indefinitely, has barely put a dent into the Easts most efficient offensive attack. By the end of the first half, Toronto had dropped 69 points on the hosting Jazz, shooting an impressive 64 per cent from the field and 8-of-11 from beyond the arc. Oddly they recorded just eight assists on 28 buckets but it hardly mattered given the rate in which their jump shots were falling. Of the nine Raptors to step on the floor in the opening half, only Jonas Valanciunas, 3-for-7, shot under 50 per cent. The starting backcourt of Lowry and Greivis Vasquez combined to shoot 12-of-17 for 29 point, the bench was 8-of-10 for 23 points. The Raptors have now reached 120 points in five of 19 contests to begin the season, a feat they accomplished just once all of last year (and it came in a triple-overtime game). However, defence - a long-time staple for Casey - has been the ongoing concern for the Raptors coach and his team over this recent stretch, surrendering 100 or more points in six straight contests. All the phases of our defensively approach has taken a step back, Casey said. Our offence has taken off and is flowing like water but weve got to have a balance between the two. Utah opened the third quarter on a 9-2 run, prompting Casey to burn a quick timeout, one he spent reaming his team out in the huddle. Their 16-point halftime lead had been shaved to nine in less than three minutes and Casey was as animated as ever. Even with the Jazz hitting 13 of its 25 shots in the frame, they were only able to knock one point off their halftime deficit. The Raptors red-hot offence would not relent, but Casey knows thats not a recipe for sustainable success in the NBA, not unless the defence follows suit. Well, I worked for George Karl for many years so Ive seen that side, said Casey, referring to his time as an assistant with some high-scoring teams in Seattle. But I also do know that being a free-flowing offensive team doesnt win in the NBA. Youll win some games but when its important, when youre talking about winning championships youre not going to do it if you dont have defence as your backbone, as your substance of who you are. And I know that and thats why Im going to continue to preach. Cheap Capitals Jerseys Cheap Blackhawks Jerseys Cheap Avalanche Jerseys Cheap Stars Jerseys Cheap Wild Jerseys Cheap Predators Jerseys Cheap Blues Jerseys Cheap Jets Jerseys Cheap Ducks Jerseys Cheap Coyotes Jerseys Wholesale Flames Jerseys Cheap Golden Knights Jerseys Cheap Oilers Jerseys Cheap Kings Jerseys Cheap Sharks Jerseys Cheap Canucks Jerseys ' ' '