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* Griffin will not defend dunk title at All Star Weekend
* Nuggets lose for fourth time in five games
By Jahmal Corner
LOS ANGELES, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Chris Paul poured salt into
the wounds of the ailing Denver Nuggets with 36 points and nine
assists to carry the Los Angeles Clippers to a much-needed
103-95 home win on Wednesday.
With the Clippers looking to avoid a third straight defeat,
Paul took the game by the scruff of the neck with 17 straight
Clippers' points spanning the final two quarters of a tight
contest.
"I got to the gym early today, I tried to get into a
rhythm," Paul told reporters of his season-high point total.
"I'm not going into games trying to get 30 points. I'm taking
whatever the defense is giving me."
Los Angeles trailed 92-91 with about five minutes left, but
Denver went ice cold at the Staples Center and were held without
a point over a four-minute stretch where the Clippers (20-11)
