As he has so many times this season for the Clippers, Paul delivered in the game's most tense moments, lifting his team to a 98-97 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night at Staples Center.
Paul's driving layup with 5.0 seconds left scored the final points of the night. He beat Portland's J.J. Hickson off the dribble with a crossover move to score the last of his 20 points on eight-for-13 shooting. He also had 14 assists.
But the Clippers didn't escape until Wesley Matthews missed a left-handed layup, helping the Clippers win their fourth consecutive game, equaling the team's longest winning streak this season.
They have won their last seven home games, but this victory over Portland wasn't easy by any means.
"It's a win," said Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro. "It wasn't obviously our best performance, but we'll take it."
Portland didn't have All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge (left elbow sprain), but his replacement, Hickson, filled in nicely, producing season highs in points (29) and rebounds (13).
The Trail Blazers got Hickson, who was two points shy of his career high, after he was waived by the Sacramento Kings on March 21. It was his fifth game playing for the Blazers.
He scored three consecutive baskets at one point in the fourth, giving Portland an 86-83 lead.
Then when the Clippers paid too much attention to Hickson, Raymond Felton got free for a three-pointer that put the Trail Blazers ahead, 89-83.
It became an uphill struggle for the Clippers from that point on, especially because Hickson and Felton (12 points, eight assists) played a two-man game for which Los Angeles never seemed to have an answer.
But with 57.8 seconds left, Hickson stood at the free-throw line with his team leading by two points, an opportunity to put more pressure on the Clippers.
Hickson missed both free throws, however, opening the door for the Clippers.
After a timeout, they put the ball in the hands of Paul, who penetrated Portland's defense, forcing the Trail Blazers to collapse on him.
Paul then found Randy Foye (20 points) open for a three-pointer for a 96-95 Clippers lead with 47.8 seconds left.
Now the Clippers needed a stop on defense, something they had a difficulty providing in the second half.
Foye played good defense on Jamal Crawford, forcing him to miss a jumper.
But Felton hustled for the rebound and called a timeout with 29.6 seconds left.
The Clippers now had to play defense yet again.
This time, Crawford waved off his teammates so he could go one-on-one against Foye at the top of the key.
Crawford made a 22-foot jumper for a 97-96 Trail Blazers lead.
But Paul delivered again, driving around Hickson, who had switched off on the point guard.
The game started to get away from the Clippers early in the second quarter when their reserves struggled, scoring just two points during the first five minutes.
They put the Clippers in a 10-point hole, forcing Del Negro to bring his starters back probably sooner than he wanted to.
But the result was the Clippers' finishing the quarter with a 21-8 run, completed by Paul's driving layup just before the horn sounded to end the first half.
It gave the Clippers a 46-43 half-time lead.
Foye scored the Clippers' first nine points during the 21-8 run.
He had 12 points in the quarter, going four for nine from the field, three for six from three-point range.
