Maybe this is a game the Clippers will look back at and identify as a turning point in their season, remembering it as a show of perseverance when they had every excuse to give in to exasperation after their poor early shooting against Miami and the absence of their injured frontcourt stars Wednesday seemed to consign them to a loss.
The Clippers’ 104-90 victory over the Heat at Staples Center was their 10th win in a row but their first in that streak earned at the expense of an elite team. It was all the more impressive because they had to do it without Blake Griffin, who missed his ninth straight game because of a quadriceps muscle injury, and DeAndre Jordan, who has pneumonia and missed a game for the first time after playing 360 in a row.
If they were lucky to face the Heat while Miami is deep into a six-game trip, had to play without injured guard Goran Dragic and has slid into a 1-4 slump, every team has injuries and slumps and the Clippers simply played the hand they were dealt — and played it well.
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Los Angeles Clippers’ Austin Rivers, center, tries to grab a loose ball in between Miami Heat’s Tyler Johnson, left, and Josh Richardson during their game at the Staples Center on Wednesday.
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Los Angeles Clippers’ Josh Smith, left, contests a shot by Miami Heat’s Chris Bosh during their game at the Staples Center on Wednesday.
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Los Angeles Clippers’ Jamal Crawford, center, celebrates his three-point shot late in the 4th quarter that helped seal a win during their game at the Staples Center against the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
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Los Angeles Clippers Coach Doc Rivers reacts as the Clippers take on the Miami Heat at Staples Center on Wednesday.
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Los Angeles Clippers’ Cole Aldrich, center, and Paul Pierce, right, try to rebound with Miami Heat’s Gerald Green during their game at the Staples Center on Wednesday.
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Los Angeles Clippers’ Jamal Crawford, left, goes after a loose ball against Miami Heat’s Luol Deng during their game at the Staples Center on Wednesday.
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Los Angeles Clippers’ Lance Stephenson, right, gets a hand on the ball while Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade tries to looks for a pass during their game at the Staples Center on Jan. 13.
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Miami Heat’s Gerald Green, right, attempts a 3-pointer over Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul Pierce during the first half on Wednesday.
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Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade stands on the court against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half on Wednesday.
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Miami Heat’s Chris Bosh, right, brings in a defensive rebound next to Los Angeles Clippers’ Cole Aldrich during the first half on Wednesday.
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Los Angeles Clippers’ Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, left, and Miami Heat’s Justise Winslow reach for a loose ball during the first half on Wednesday.
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Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade, left, controls the ball in front of Los Angeles Clippers’ J.J. Redick during the first half on Wednesday.
(Danny Moloshok / AP) Paul Pierce, taking a leadership role without Griffin and Jordan, wouldn’t let them lose. “He and the whole team were frustrated at halftime,” Coach Doc Rivers said. “He said, ‘Just keep playing.’”
They outscored Miami in the third quarter, 34-17. Overall, the Clippers won because they prevailed in the paint (42-32), on second-chance points (14-3) and because they got help from some unlikely sources.
Center Cole Aldrich, pressed into starting duty at center in place of Jordan, had season highs with 19 points and seven rebounds in a season-high 24 minutes while guarding Chris Bosh (11 points) most of the night. Pierce, who was three for 16 from the field in his previous two games, was six for 10 and had 15 points and a season-best nine rebounds.
Closest to Rivers’ heart, Pablo Prigioni had a career-high eight steals, matching the league high this season. “He’s a crafty, veteran player,” said Rivers, who holds the Clippers single-game record of nine. “Eight steals in 14 minutes is impressive.”
If the first nine victories in their winning streak were games the Clippers were supposed to win, those games still served an important purpose in allowing them to experiment with their rotation and refine their defensive play.
Not only did they make some much-needed progress on the defensive end, they solidified their place in the top four in the West behind Golden State, San Antonio and Oklahoma City and put some distance between themselves and fifth-seeded Dallas. They’ve moved 41/2 games ahead of the Mavericks in their effort to have home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, and they have every intention of looking up, not down and behind them.
“Our goal is to be third or second,” reserve guard Austin Rivers said before the game. “We’ve got to keep getting better and better and eventually, at the end of the year, end first. We’ve got a lot of work to do, and we’ve just got to take it game by game.”
Any progress they make, he said, will result from their defensive play.
Miami committed 24 turnovers Wednesday, many of them under intense pressure.
The Clippers’ improvement on that end, Austin Rivers said, has been the best gain from this streak.
“We’re communicating really well,” he said. “We have each other’s back on defense and we’re starting to really defend every game and make it tough for people to score, which is leading to everything else.”
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Recording artists Beyonce, left, and Jay-Z watch the Clippers play the Brooklyn Nets at Staples Center on Jan. 22, 2015. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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John Legend and Chrissy Teigen sit courtside for the final Kobe Bryant-LeBron James matchup on March 10, 2016, at Staples Center.
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Cam Newton takes in the Cavaliers-Lakers game on March 10, 2016, when Kobe Bryant and LeBron James played against each other for the final time.
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Beyonce and Jay Z take in the Clippers’ 103-98 comeback victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 2, 2016.
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Clippers guard Chris Paul, left, is congratulated by Billy Crystal after a 97-83 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Jan. 9.
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Jay Z watches the Clippers pick up their 10th consecutive winy with a 104-90 victory over the Miami Heat on Jan. 13.
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Freida Pinto and polo player Ronnie Bacardi watch the Lakers play the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 15, 2015.
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Olivia Wilde talks to Will Forte during a Clippers game against the Orlando Magic on Dec. 5, 2015.
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Drake attends the game between the Lakers and his hometown Toronto Raptors on Nov. 20, 2015.
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Will Ferrell has food delivered to his courtside seat during a game between the Lakers and Detroit Pistons on Nov. 15.
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Kendall Jenner watches the Lakers take on the Dallas Mavericks during a game Nov. 1, 2015.
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Arsenio Hall and George Lopez check out a season-opening game between the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 28, 2015.
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Television personalities Khloe Kardashian, left, and Kendall Jenner, center, attend a playoff game between the Clippers and Houston Rockets at Staples Center on May 8, 2015.
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Brazilian model Wanessa Milhomem, left, and Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers sit courtside during a game between the Lakers and Atlanta Hawks on March 15, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Recording artist Snoop Dogg attends a playoff game between the Clippers and Houston Rockets at Staples Center on May 8, 2015.
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Actors Billy Crystal, left, and Timothy Olyphant attend a playoff game between the Clippers and Houston Rockets at Staples Center on May 8, 2015.
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Actor Eddie Murphy and girlfriend Paige Butcher attend the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Lakers at Staples Center on April 12, 2015.
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Actress Mindy Kaling attends a game between the Lakers and Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on April 12, 2015.
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Actor Denzel Washington laughs as he sits courtside during a game between the Lakers and New York Knicks at Staples Center on March 12, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actor Paul Wesley, left, and actress Phoebe Tonkin, right, sit courtside during a game between the Lakers and Atlanta Hawks at Staples Center on March 15, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actor Hayden Christensen attends a game between the Lakers and Detroit Pistons at Staples Center on March 10, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actress Dyan Cannon, center, sits courtside during a game between the Lakers and Detroit Pistons at Staples Center on March 10, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actor Casey Affleck attends a game between the Lakers and Boston Celtics at Staples Center on Feb. 22, 2015. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)
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Actor Mark Wahlberg listens to Lakers trainer Gary Vitti during a game between the Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks at Staples Center on Feb. 27, 2015. (Stephen Dunn / Getty Images)
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Broadcasting entrepreneur Norman Pattiz, left, talks with recording artist Tom Petty during a game between the Lakers and Houston Rockets at Staples Center on Jan. 25, 2015. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Actor Andy Garcia walks from his seat during a game between the Lakers and Detroit Pistons at Staples Center on March 10, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actor Liev Schreiber sits with his son, Sasha, during a game between the Lakers and Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on March 8, 2015. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Television personality Bill Maher watches the Lakers play the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on March 8, 2015. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Cameron Diaz, center, and her husband Benji Maddien watch the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers game. (MICHAEL NELSON / EPA)
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Denzel Washington chats with former Lakers star Norm Nixon during the Lakers-Rockets game. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Recording artists Jay-Z, left, and Beyonce sit courtside during a game between the Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers at Staples Center on Jan. 16, 2015. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Actress Jennifer Garner attends a game between the Clippers and Boston Celtics at Staples Center on Jan. 19, 2015. (Alex Gallardo / Associated Press)
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Boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. watches the Clippers play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 16. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Model Kendall Jenner, center, sits with her half-sister Khloe Kardashian, left, during the Clippers’ 114-89 victory over the Lakers at Staples Center on Jan. 7. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Kevin Hart and fiancee Eniko Parrish sit courtside for the Clippers-Warriors game on Christmas. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Australian recording artist Iggy Azalea sits courtside at a game between the Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans at Staples Center on Dec. 7, 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Skrillex spent his Christmas evening checking out the Clippers-Warriors game at Staples Center. (Victor Decolongon / Getty Images)
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Former NBA All-Star Baron Davis enjoys the Warriors-Clippers game on Christmas evening. (Victor Decolongon / Getty Images)
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New parents Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher take a break from parenthood to enjoy the Lakers-Thunder game. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Athony Kiedis and his son, Everly Bear Kiedis, attend the Lakers game against the New Orleans Pelicans. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Sylvester Stallone spends a moment chatting courtside at the Lakers-Pelicans game. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Drake, a well-known Toronto fans, takes in the Lakers’ games against the Raptors. That’d be the Lakers’ 127-122 victory in overtime. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
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Recording artist Rhianna smiles while attending a playoff game between the Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Chris Brown and Rihanna sit side by side at the Lakers-Knicks game on Christmas Day. (Robyn Beck / AFP / Getty Images)
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Australian recording artist Iggy Azalea sits courtside during a game between the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center on Nov. 28, 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Recording artist and actor LL Cool J attends a game between the Clippers and Utah Jazz on Nov. 3, 2014. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Jack Black plays it cool as he watches the Lakers get their first victory of the 2014-15 season against the Charlotte Hornets. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Kim Kardashian, left, and her husband, recording artist Kanye West, watch the Lakers play the Houston Rockets at Staples Center on Oct. 28, 2014. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Recording artist Adam Levine, left, and his wife, Behati Prinsloo, watch the Lakers play the Houston Rockets at Staples Center on Oct. 28, 2014. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Actress Emmy Rossum attends a Lakers-Portland Trail Blazers game in 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Fergie sings the national anthem before the Clippers opened the 2014-15 season against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Paul Buck / EPA)
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Actor David Hasselhoff cheers on the Clippers during a playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Actress Chloe Grace Moretz cheers on the Clippers during a playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Actor Owen Wilson attends a game between the Clippers and Phoenix Suns at Staples Center on Nov. 15, 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Television and film producer James L. Brooks, left, and Jack Nicholson watch a playoff game between the Clippers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, left, hugs actor Jet Li before a game against the Houston Rockets on Oct. 28, 2014. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)
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Clippers owner Steve Ballmer poses for photos with recording artist Fergie during the Clippers’ 2014 season opener at Staples Center. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Recording artist Beyonce sits courtside during a game between the Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers at Staples Center on Jan. 16, 2015. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Recording artist Justin Bieber, left, greets boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. during a Clippers playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center. (Michael Nelson / EPA)
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Actor Mark Wahlberg sits with his wife, model Rhea Durham during a playoff game between the Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center. (Michael Nelson / EPA)
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Actor Billy Crystal celebrates as he watches the Clippers play the Oklahoma City Thunder in a playoff game at Staples Center. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt watches a Lakers-Phoenix Suns game in 2014. (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press)
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Actor Dylan McDermott and his daughter, Colette Rose McDermott, watch the Lakers play the Phoenix Suns in 2014. (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press)
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Recording artist Rihanna watches the Clippers play the Oklahoma City Thunder in a playoff game at Staples Center. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Recording artist Justin Bieber takes a photo while sitting courtside during a Clippers playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Actors Kristen Dunst, left, and Garrett Hedlund watch the Lakers play the New Orleans Pelicans in 2014. (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press)
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Actors David Hornsby and Emily Deschanel watch the Lakers play the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actor Zach Galifianakis watches the Lakers play the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2013. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Actor Christopher Meloni and his daughter, Sophia, left, attend a Lakers-New Orleans Pelicans game in 2014. (Michael Nelson / EPA)
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Actors Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis attend a Lakers-New Orleans Pelicans game in 2014. (Michael Nelson / EPA)
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Actor Will Farrell reacts while watching himself on the big screen during a game between the Lakers and Sacramento Kings in 2014. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Australian recording artist Iggy Azalea walks to her seat before a game between the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center on Nov. 28, 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actor Simon Baker takes in a Lakers-Orlando Magic game in 2009. (Noah Graham / Getty Images)
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Actor Zac Efron, center, attends a Lakers-Dallas Mavericks game in 2014. (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press)
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Reality star Nicole Richie, left, and musician Joel Madden attend a Lakers-Portland Trail Blazers game in 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Rihanna chats with the son of agent Ari Emanuel during a game between the Lakers and Golden State Warriors. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Former Laker Rick Fox watches the Clippers play the Brooklyn Nets. (Michael Nelson / EPA)
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Jack Nicholson, left, and Adam Sandler sit courtside as the Lakers host the Thunder. (Paul Buck / EPA)
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Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who are expecting their first child, take in a Lakers-Nuggets playoff game last spring. (Noel Vasquez / Getty Images)
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Vanessa Bryant and George Lopez react to a play during the Lakers-Knicks game on Christmas Day. (Alex Gallardo / Associated Press)
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Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis swing into action as they’re featured on the Staples Center Kiss Cam during a game between the Lakers and Utah Jazz. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers point guard Steve Nash greets George Lopez before the Christmas Day game against the Knicks. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Denzel Washington, left, and soccer star David Beckham sit next to one another at a game in 2010. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Christina Aguilera catches a Lakers-Thunder game with a friend. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Eddie Murphy and Australian model Paige Butcher arrive for a Lakers-Suns game. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
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Galaxy stars David Beckham and Landon Donovan flank Beckham’s son Brooklyn before a Lakers-Heat playoff game. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Dustin Hoffman, center, his wife Lisa Gottsegen, left, and producer Jeffrey Katzenberg attend a Lakers-Orlando Magic game in 2010. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Model Cindy Crawford, left, baseball player Alex Rodriguez and former pro wrestler Torrie Wilson attend the Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers NBA basketball game. (Paul Buck / EPA)
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Actor Will Farrell attends a Lakers-Cleveland Cavaliers game in 2011. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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Actors Kevin Connolly, left, and Toby Maguire, center, attend a Lakes-Utah Jazz game in 2008. (Andrew Gombert / EPA)
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Model Heidi Klum sits with her three children during Lakers-New Orleans Hornets game in 2011. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Joseph Gordon-Leavitt, center, watches a Lakers-Minnesota Timberwolves game in 2010. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Television producer Larry David, left and film director Spike Lee sit courtside before a Lakers-Denver Nuggets game in 2009. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Jaden Smith, left, and pop star Justin Bieber attend a Lakers-Houston Rockets game in 2010. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)
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First Lady Michelle Obama sits in a booth at Staples Center to watch Game 6 of the Lakers-Celtics Finals series. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
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Comedian Dane Cook and TV host Maria Menounos watch the Lakers-Celtics Game 6 from the stands at Staples. (CJ Gunther / EPA)
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Christina Aguilera checks her cellphone after singing the national anthem at the beginning of Game 6 of the NBA Finals series between the Celtics and the Lakers. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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Red Hot Chili Pepper Anthony Kiedis hopes to fire up the Lakers in Game 6 at Staples versus the Celtics. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
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Rock star Lenny Kravitz brings some celebrity to the Staples stands during Game 6 against the Celtics. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
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Actors Diane Lane and Josh Brolin cozy up courtside during the Lakers-Celtics Finals Game 6. (For the record: A an earlier version of the headline above this caption misidentified Josh Brolin as John Brolin.) (CJ Gunther / EPA)
Aldrich agreed, but also praised Chris Paul’s veteran leadership while Griffin has been out.
“I think defensively we’ve been really good. Offensively, we’ve had some guys really step up,” said Aldrich, whose missing tooth and jagged row of stitches above his eyebrow gave him a strong resemblance to a hockey player.
“Austin had a few games where he played unbelievable and Chris, this whole month, has just been playing great. With Blake out we need those guys to step up and they have, and it’s just a way to continue to have trust in our guys.”
In each other, they trust. With that trust they’ve built a 10-game winning streak, piece by solid piece.
Follow Helene Elliott on Twitter: @helenenothelen
