WASHINGTON -- Chris Paul called it a "must-win." Blake Griffin deemed it a "Game 7," which, technically, it was. Like many weary teams before them, the Los Angeles Clippers could have mentally checked out when faced with the final game of a long road trip. Instead, they shared the ball impeccably and wrapped up a tougher-than-it-shouldve-been East Coast swing Saturday night with a 113-97 win over the Washington Wizards. "We wanted to try to turn this from an OK trip into a good trip," Paul said. "There was a lot of factors. Its a long flight back home, and weve got a lot of sore losers on this team." Los Angeles never trailed and had assists on 27 of 39 field goals, including 16 of 21 in the first half. Paul finished with 38 points and 12 assists, and the Clippers shot 56 per cent to conclude a 4-3 journey that included games against six Eastern Conference teams, leaving them 6-6 on the season against the pedestrian East and 10-3 against the mighty West. "This was important to close out," Griffin said. "We kind of looked at it as like a Game 7 for us, being on the road. Game 7, got to win. I thought we responded well." Griffin had 16 points and nine rebounds and was particularly vocal, keeping his teammates focused on the game at hand. The Clippers, on the road since Dec. 2, had already logged more than 6,000 miles on the trip. "Blake Griffin, every timeout, kept saying, No letup. Were the tired team, lets not think about it. Lets keep playing," coach Doc Rivers said. Paul was also at the forefront of the dont-let-up agenda. Sure, he was exaggerating when he called this a must-win in the wake of Thursdays loss at Brooklyn, but sometimes thats what it takes. "Were going to make him say that every night," Rivers joked. Paul went 11 for 14 from the field and made all 11 of his free throws. Jamal Crawford played the fifth man instead of the sixth man, making his first start since April 9, 2012, and finished with 17 points. Jared Dudley, who apologized to fans on Twitter after a 1-for-7 shooting performance against Brooklyn, found his game and carried the Clippers early, going 4 for 5 in the first quarter and finishing with 16 points. "Hes a great shooter," Rivers said. "Its not going away forever. It just went away for a little while, and we wanted it to come back as soon as possible." John Wall had 24 points and 12 assists for the Wizards, who have lost four straight since reaching .500 for the first time since 2009. The outcome appeared predetermined when coach Randy Wittman announced before the game that Nene would sit out again because of a foot injury. The Wizards have lost seven in a row when Nene doesnt play and are 3-24 without the Brazilian forward since the beginning of last season. But even Nene probably wouldnt have made much of a difference against the efficient Clippers. "You could see theres a difference between the teams, the way they talk to each other, the way they communicate, just basically the rule of winning," Washington centre Marcin Gortat said. Gortat, who went 3 for 10 from the field, also stirred the pot by saying the Wizards arent using him the right way. "I dont like the position I play," Gortat said. "Im constantly drifting more and more away from the basket and quite honestly, thats not my game. ... I just think Ive got to talk to Coach and just clear things up." The Clippers were always in control, but a 6-0 run consisting of nothing but dunks -- one by Griffin, two by DeAndre Jordan -- pushed the lead to 19 in the third quarter and pretty much settled the matter. The Wizards trailed by double digits for the entire second half. "They got everything they wanted," Washington swingman Trevor Ariza said. "We didnt get any stops." NOTES: Crawford started ahead of Willie Green because Rivers wanted to see how Green played with Darren Collison on the second unit. Rivers isnt sure if hell stick with that plan. ... Washingtons Kevin Seraphin scored a season-high 16 points. Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys . Its a blessing and a burden for nine sons of former NHL players who are all expected to be taken in the first four rounds of the draft this weekend. Cheap Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys . - For a general manager who preaches building through the draft, Reggie McKenzie has struggled to find impact players his first two years in Oakland. http://www.cheapgoldenknightsjerseys.com/.com) - They didnt meet in the regular season, so Sam Houston State might be saying it won the de facto title game between the two Southland Conference co-champions Saturday. Cheap Golden Knights Jerseys .During the week, McCoy told reporters he respected Hoyer for his intelligence, athleticism and how he conducts himself on and off the field. This wasnt an act, some attempt at psyching out Hoyer. Cheap Golden Knights Jerseys China . The Argentina striker has not played for the Premier League leaders since September when he refused to warm up during a Champions League match and only returned last week from a three-month unauthorized absence at home. City coach Roberto Mancini had initially told Tevez he would never play for City again after his act of public insubordination, but later softened his stance and only asked for an apology. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The free-fall is over for the Tampa Bay Rays. Erik Bedard struck out eight in six innings and the Rays stopped a 10-game losing streak by beating the Seattle Mariners 4-0 Friday night. The skid tied Boston for the longest in the majors this season. The Red Sox dropped 10 straight from May 15-25, with Tampa Bay handing them the last three losses in the streak. This was the Rays first victory since then. "The music is back on in the clubhouse after the game," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "Its good to hear the music. Its a good first game to start hopefully getting us back in the right direction." Bedard (3-4) scattered four hits and walked one in ending a three-start losing streak. Jake McGee, Joel Peralta and Grant Balfour, who gave up a ninth-inning single, all went one inning to complete a five-hitter. "Its way more fun winning," Bedard said. "We celebrated, and hopefully we do that tomorrow, too." After Jose Molina got his first RBI this season on a fourth-inning sacrifice fly, Tampa Bay went ahead 3-0 in the fifth on an RBI bunt single by Desmond Jennings and Yunel Escobars run-scoring single off Chris Young (5-3). Young gave up three runs, seven hits and five walks over five innings for the Mariners, who had their five-game winning streak snapped. "This is one of those days we didnt play very well on either side of the baseball and those things happen," manager Lloyd McClendon said. The Rays loaded the bases with two outs in the second, but failed score when Molina popped out to shortstop Brad Miller. Dating to last season, it was Molinas 100th coonsecutive at-bat, including 87 this year, without an RBI.dddddddddddd Kevin Kiermaier doubled and went to third on a wild pitch in the fourth before Molina ended a stretch of 19 scoreless innings by Seattle pitchers with his sac fly. "I play for the team," Molina said. "I dont play for myself. To help the team to get that run in, and get the win, Im happy with it." Bedard worked out of a second-and-third, no-out jam in the third by striking out Miller, James Jones and Michael Saunders. Saunders left after three innings due to a sore right shoulder. "He hurt it on deck swinging," McClendon said. "Hopefully hell be OK in a day or two." NOTES: The Rays on Saturday will honour the life of senior adviser Don Zimmer, who died Wednesday night at 83. "I got up (on Thursdays off day) and getting ready to go to the track, and I realized Zim was not picking me up," said McClendon, who played on the 1989 Chicago Cubs NL East championship team managed by Zimmer. "Zim and I have been going to the track for the last eight, nine years. Ill miss that. Zim was an institution. He was certainly a mentor to me." ... The Mariners will salute Yankees SS Derek Jeter in a pregame ceremony before Tuesday nights game. Jeter is retiring after this season. ... Tampa Bay RHP Jeremy Hellickson (elbow) and C Ryan Hanigan (hamstring) are scheduled to start minor league rehab assignments Saturday with Class-A Charlotte. Hellickson hopes to be back before the All-Star break, and Hanigan could return next week. ... Seattle LHP James Paxton (left shoulder inflammation) could resume playing catch Monday. 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