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Griffin drops 26 as Clippers handle Mavs with ease

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY

The inaugural "DeAndre Jordan Bowl" was more hype that competition.

Blake Griffin scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Los Angeles Clippers beat the visiting Dallas Mavericks 104-88 Thursday night, moving to 2-0 on the young season.

The evening began with sound and fury, with Mavs owner Mark Cuban taking more shots at the Clipper brand after losing out on Jordan in last summer's surreal, emoji-fueled free agent fiasco. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer tried to make nice during the game, via the Staples Center's kiss-cam.

After Cuban disparaged the Clippers in pregame remarks, trash talk was abundant on the court and from both benches. The teams combined for four technical fouls and a series of hard personal fouls, including a heavy foul from Dirk Nowitzki that left Jordan flexing and yelling instead of fighting.

The Mavs also engaged in Hack-a-DJ tactics late in the first half, sending the inept Jordan to the free-throw line eight times, where he hit two free throws.

Jordan finished the night with six points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks - one of which on Raymond Felton fittingly began the game.

Griffin shot 11-of-17 from the floor, and is shooting 67.4 percent after two games.

The Mavericks were without their starting backcourt of either Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews. Williams was recovering from a leg contusion suffered Wednesday, while Matthews was kept out for precautionary rest.

Felton and John Jenkins started in their place, with Jenkins leading the Mavs with 17 points.

-With files from The Associated Press

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