Clippers, Griffin still searching for consistency: 'These next four games are huge'

The Clippers are almost at the All-Star break, and they're still searching for consistency. 

They've yet to find it on this eight-game roadtrip -- the longest of the season -- where they're 2-2. A heartbreaking 102-100 loss to Brooklyn on Monday was rough, but there's little time to dwell on that. The Clippers play at Cleveland tonight, and LeBron James and the Cavaliers are working on an NBA-best 11-game win streak.

And J.J. Redick is doubtful again because of back spasms.

The last time the Clippers and Cavaliers played, Cleveland won 126-121 on Jan. 16 at Staples Center without Kevin Love, who was battling back spasms. Kyrie Irving and LeBron James had 37 and 34 points, respectively. The Clippers will need to do a better job defensively, and they had too many defensive breakdowns late in their last game against the Nets. 

The Clippers (33-16, fifth place in Western Conference) are in the midst of a 12-day, eight-game roadtrip that is a mirror roller coaster of their season. They beat Utah, lost to New Orleans, then dominated the Spurs in a 105-85 victory. 

In Brooklyn, the Clippers had a 9-point lead with 95 seconds left, but they squandered it. 

"Yeah, it's bad. It's sort of like the Super Bowl (on Sunday)," Chris Paul said after Monday's loss. "If we won, it would've been a different story -- the Clippers would have been doing really good on this road trip. Then we didn't, so there it goes."

The inconsistency is concerning, especially because it's been a season-long problem. 

"A little bit, but we can find it. We've just got to do that," Blake Griffin said. "I've got to lead the charge for that. I've got to be more consistent for our team. Yeah, I mean a lot of different areas. I've got to be more aggressive, consistently aggressive. 

"Like I said, I've got to be the one at the end of games that people can rely on, that our guys can rely on. I didn't do that (Monday)."

Griffin shouldered the blame for the loss in New York, too. He fouled out in the Nets game, so he wasn't on the court for the game's problematic waning seconds. His final gaffe was fouling Alan Anderson on a 3-point attempt with 15 seconds left, and Anderson made the four-point play. Down by two points with 1.3 seconds left, the Clippers didn't even get a shot off after an inbounds play was throw to Spencer Hawes, who instead of taking the shot tried to pass the ball to Matt Barnes. The pass went awry.

The Clippers could get back on a feel-good track with a win over the streaking Cavaliers in Cleveland. They have games at Toronto, Oklahoma City and Dallas to finish the Grammy road trip.  

And going into the All-Star break on a good note would do wonders for the Clippers.

"It's very important," Griffin said. "It could put us in a good position and not only give us confidence going into the All-Star break. We have one home game left (Feb. 11 against Houston) and then go to the All-Star break. These next four games are huge."