LOS ANGELES—Blake Griffin’s 40th double-double, 32 points and 13 rebounds, was not enough to run with the Chicago Bulls, particularly Derrick Rose.  Rose’s 32 points and 11 assists would help hand the Clippers a decisive 106-88 loss, snapping their nine-game win streak at Staples Center.

During the game, Clippers point guard Baron Davis sustained a back injury as he elevated for a rebound.  Davis left the game midway through the third quarter and was clearly in pain as he was being worked on near the sideline. 

He returned in the fourth quarter, but was noticeably favoring his back.  Davis finished with 10 points and three assists in 29 minutes.

“I wanted to be out there, but I just didn’t feel good about it,” said Davis after the game.

Griffin was the lone wolf in the post for the Clippers’ starting bigs.  DeAndre Jordan was held scoreless and grabbed only three rebounds, but managed to block two shots.

The Clippers were out-rebounded 41-30 and could not hit with accuracy from downtown or the free-throw line—33.3 percent and 52.4 percent, respectively.

The Clippers will embark on an 11-game road trip, the longest in the NBA, to make room for the Grammy Awards and NBA All-Star Weekend at Staples Center.  The first stop will be on Friday against the Atlanta Hawks. 

Los Angeles could certainly use a healthy Davis, especially when their leading scorer, Eric Gordon, may not return until the end of February.

“Baron’s a big part of what we do,” said Jordan.  “Obviously, when he’s not on the court, it’s gonna take away from some of our three-point shooting, assists, and leadership.”

Davis is currently listed as questionable, but his team is confident he will be available. 

“He kinda gets everybody fired up, and we need that,” added Jordan.  “He’s definitely gonna bring that with him on the road.”

The Clippers are a14-8 in their last 22 games, including key wins against NBA powerhouses like the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers. 

Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro cited Davis as one of the key factors contributing to their turnaround.

“Baron is a huge catalyst for us,” said Del Negro.  “When he has good games, it makes everything else go.”

Davis is currently averaging 11.7 points and 6.6 points per game.  However, during the Clippers’ resurgence in the last 22 games, Davis is averaging 13.7 points and 7.1 assists per game.

With 34 games left in their season, this road trip could certainly decide the fate of the Clippers’ playoff hopes.  They are currently 6.5 games behind Portland for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

They must definitely improve their 3-15 road record, but the task will prove difficult with Gordon out and Davis hampered by a tender back.