High-flying Clippers finding their groove

Kirby Lee-US PRESSWIRE

Clippers dunk all over the Rockets at the Staples Center. VIEW GALLERY»

LOS ANGELES — This Lob City thing is catching on.

It's a thing of beauty, really — a soft pass into the air from Chris Paul, a soaring Blake Griffin with his arms extended above the basket, a rim-rattling slam. The crowd rises to its feet. Players leap off the bench.

That's what it's like watching the Los Angeles Clippers. Just five games into the new season, they are the NBA's version of the Flying Wallendas.

"It's beautiful," guard Chauncey Billups said. "Not a lot of teams can do that, to be honest with you. I enjoy it."

What's not to enjoy? The Clippers are fun to watch when they're functioning as they were Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets. They were running and passing and stealing and making shots. And their alley-oops were spectacular.

They're not quite where they need to be, but their 117-89 victory over the weary Rockets, who were beaten by the Lakers one night earlier at Staples Center, was a sure sign the Clippers are finding the cohesiveness they've been seeking.

For one thing, Billups was back after missing two games with a sore right groin. He gave the starting five an energy that had been missing. The two players who filled in during his absence, Mo Williams (seven points, seven assists) and Randy Foye (16 points), were big contributors off the bench Wednesday night.

"Other guys have stepped up in that role, but Chauncey just gives everybody that comfort level, that confidence," Paul said. "He knows how to play the game and he takes that pressure off me."

Paul came out firing. He had 11 points and six assists after the first quarter and finished with 20 points, 10 assists and three steals.

The Clippers, in fact, had an all-around good game, shooting 57.3 percent from the floor with 30 assists and 12 steals, while turning the ball over just seven times.

They essentially closed the door on the Rockets in the third quarter, going on a 7-0 run to open the half and then converting two dazzling Paul alley-oop passes by DeAndre Jordan and Griffin to take an 85-62 lead.

"That's one aspect of our athleticism and the way we get out and run," said Griffin, who finished with 22 points and nine rebounds. "It starts on the defensive end and creates those kinds of opportunities. That's the way we can get out in the open court and finish."

While Billups had just 13 points, there was no question he gave the Clippers a sense of togetherness that hadn't been there the two previous games.

"It gives us another solid, solid guard, a great guard," Griffin said. "He always takes care of the ball, he gets good shots, he's always getting everybody else involved. Having a guy like that, it's hard to put a price on it."

Billups had an ice pack taped to his right thigh after the game, but said he had no discomfort.

"I felt good," he said. "If I had started feeling any other way, I would've let them know. But I felt great."

In the final few minutes, with reserves like Travis Leslie and newly signed Solomon Jones on the court, the starters and key reserves enjoyed a few laughs on the bench.

It was that kind of night. Even though the defense remains a work in progress, the Clippers sat together and enjoyed the final minutes.

"For us, it's fun to get over there and laugh and cheer them on," Billups said. "You don't have a lot of opportunities for that, so you want to show them a lot of love."

In Lob City, love is all around.