League-best Clippers stretch win streak to 14

Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) drives to the hoop as Denver Nuggets’ Danilo Gallinari (8) of Italy and the Clippers’ Blake Griffin look ok during the first half of their NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012, in Los Angeles. AP

LOS ANGELES – Jamal Crawford scored 22 points and Matt Barnes added 20 as the NBA-leading Los Angeles Clippers stretched their winning streak to 14 games in a row by defeating the Denver Nuggets 112-100 on Tuesday.

The Clippers, who have reached the playoffs only once since 1997, improved to 22-6, taking the best record in the league after Oklahoma City fell to 21-6 with a loss earlier Tuesday at Miami in a rematch of June’s NBA Finals.

Chris Paul added 14 points and a game-high eight assists for the Clippers, the most of any Los Angeles starter as the hosts outscored Denver 42-22 in the second quarter for a 67-48 half-time lead and cruised through the second half.

Blake Griffin had 13 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Clippers while Lamar Odom grabbed 10 rebounds for the winners.

Jordan Hamilton and Kosta Koufos each scored 16 points to lead the Nuggets while Ty Lawson added 15 for Denver, which fell to 15-14.