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Clippers guard Lou Williams sparks win off the bench

Clippers guard Lou Williams exults after making the game-winning three-pointer to beat the Wizards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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DeAndre Jordan smiled as Lou Williams dressed next to him, the Clippers center obviously looking forward to taking a friendly jab at a teammate who had just carried L.A. in its desperate time of need.

He referenced the Drake song “6 Man,” in which he raps about Williams.

“Like a Lou Will — they played that like 100 times (in Staples Center),” Jordan, laughing, said of the condensed verse from the song. “I was getting tired of it.”

Williams just shook his head and laughed.

He had been brilliant on this Saturday afternoon, scoring 35 points, delivering the biggest moment of the day with a game-winning three-pointer in the final seconds.

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“Lou was absolutely amazing,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “He was on ‘E’ (empty) and he steps up and makes a shot.”

Williams had labored for 37 minutes and two seconds.

The Clippers needed just a few more precious seconds out of Williams, just one last shot. They were down 112-110 when Williams had the basketball with Bradley Beal defending him.Now everyone in the NBA knows that Williams prefers to go to his left before he shoots with his right hand.

The Clippers guard took a few dribbles to his right, with Beal on his hip.

But Williams quickly dribbled the ball behind his back, losing Beal just enough.

And, yes, Williams got to his left on the deft move, pulling up for a 29-foot jumper that settled into the nets with 1.2 seconds left, giving the Clippers a 113-112 lead that turned out to be the final score.

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“That’s just playing basketball,” Williams said. “I was going to drive. He cut me off, [I] threw it behind my back and was able to go into a patented move.”

It was the seventh time this season Williams has scored 20-plus points off the bench, tying him for the most in the NBA with Memphis’ Tyreke Evans.

Williams knows he has to play heavy minutes because Blake Griffin (left knee) and guards Milos Teodosic (left foot) and Patrick Beverley (season-ending right knee surgery) are out.

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“Obviously we have guys out and I’m playing more minutes than I usually would,” Williams said. “So to some degree it feels good to be able to have some high numbers, but we would like to be able to turn these things into some wins.

“I’m getting in better and better shape as these things go along. Obviously Pat is not going to come back this year. So we just got to be prepared for bigger minutes this year.”

Williams was smooth against the Wizards, going 11 for 20 from the field (four for eight from three-point range).

“Lou is just so efficient,” Rivers said. “That’s what I see with Lou.”

broderick.turner@latimes.com

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Twitter: @BA_Turner

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