Five Stars: LA Clippers 110, Miami Heat 93

The Five Stars series is powered by www.basketball-reference.com and the GameScore metric. GameScore is a single number which takes into account points, rebounds, assists, blocks for and against, steals, turnovers, and fouls. It's a complex metric which makes things simple when you'd like to know who had a good day. Last night's best:

First Star

Chris Paul (LAC) 28.7

CP3 started the night with nine points and five dimes in the first quarter, and led the Clippers by playing 32:57. He also led the team in assists, with 12. He shared the team lead with 26 points on on eight-of-13 shooting, making three-of-five three-pointers and seven of his eight free throws. He added two rebounds, a steal, a turnover, and a robust plus-29 rating.

We're doing what we're supposed to do - Paul

Second Star

Blake Griffin (LAC) 24.9

Following his point guard's lead, Griffin scored eight points with five rebounds and three assists in the first quarter. The two Clippers were the only players to play all 12 minutes in the opening frame. Griffin played 29:59 in total, and made 12-of-18 shots. He made one-of-two three-pointers (I didn't know he could do that....) and one-of-three free throws. He would collect seven rebounds, dish out four assists, make three steals and get called for three personal fouls. He ended the night at a game-best-tying plus-31.

Third Star

Chris Bosh (MIA) 22.9

After a few sub-par games (and one average one), Bosh returned to relevancy with a game-high 28 points on nine-of-17 shooting. Like Griffin, he made half of his two three-point attempts, with a nine-for-nine night from the charity stripe. In 31:22 he also collected seven rebounds and one assist, along with two fouls and a team-worst-tying (with Norris Cole) minus-17 rating.

We didn't have a chance tonight after that first quarter. Good team like that, down 20, you can't do that. We can't do that. We're not good enough to keep making mistakes. ... It was a clinic they put on us. - Bosh

Fourth Star

Shabazz Napier (MIA) 14.5

Napier came off the bench and ended up playing more minutes than four of Miami's starters for the night, spending 32:18 on the floor. He makes his first appearance on the Five Stars with a career high 17 points on five-of-nine shooting. He went two-for six from outside, and five-of six from the line. He was one of two Heat players (along with Justin Hamilton) to finish with a positive plus/minus rating, earning a mark of plus-3 to go with five rebounds, three assists, a steal, two turnovers and one foul.

Fifth Star

DeAndre Jordan (LAC) 12.6

Jordan accounted for LA's other double double on the night, scoring 12 points (all on dunks) with 11 rebounds. He didn't miss a field goal, going six-for-six but missing both of his foul shot attempts. He matched Griffin's game-high plus-31 rating, made one assist and was whistled for two fouls.

The Rest

Mario Chalmers (MIA) 11.6
Luol Deng (MIA) 9.9
JJ Redick (LAC) 8.5
Jamal Crawford (LAC) 6.6
Shannon Brown (MIA) 6.3
Matt Barnes (LAC) 4.6
Spencer Hawes (LAC) 4.6
Shawne Williams (MIA) 4.4
Hedo Turkoglu (LAC) 2.6
Danny Granger (MIA) 2.3
James Ennis (MIA) 1.8
Justin Hamilton (MIA) 1.3
Glen Davis (LAC) 1.1
Jordan Farmar (LAC) -0.7
Josh McRoberts (MIA) -0.8
Norris Cole (MIA) -1.4
Reggie Bullock (LAC) -1.7
Jared Cunningham (LAC) -2.5
Chris Andersen (MIA) -3.1

Final Thoughts

The Clippers have quite a "Big Three." Paul, Griffin and Jordan put on a clinic in the first quarter, scoring 21 points on 10-of-14 shooting for 21 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

Miami misses Wade on the floor. He's almost back, it's just that Heat coach Erik Spoelstra wasn't ready to suit him up because he hasn't practiced "full contact" yet.

Is Napier's much expected emergence signaling a changing of the guard (point guard that is)? Starter Norris Cole played only 9:57, didn't score on three shots, and made a single assist. A lot of Miami's slow start was due to Cole's poor play (he played eight of his 10 minutes in the first quarter). Miami couldn't recover from the 24 point deficit, which is the biggest first-quarter home deficit in Miami's history.

Luol Deng continues to impress, scoring 13 points with five rebounds in 28 minutes.

Chris Andersen was nearly invisible despite playing 21 minutes. He ended up scoreless with three rebounds, a block, three fouls and two turnovers.

Jamal Crawford was key off the bench for the Clippers. Although he had a poor shooting night (five points on a one-of-six performance), he dished out nine assists in 25 minutes. In fact, LA out-assisted Miami 31-to-11. Miami had been averaging 22.7 prior to coming in. You can't win if you don't share.

Miami will find a way to win again, don't worry. Next up for the Heat - a road contest against the Orlando Magic tomorrow night.