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LOS ANGELES -- The Clippers expected theyd be better once Chris Paul returned to the lineup. They just probably couldnt have imagined how much. Blake Griffin had 26 points, 11 rebounds and six assists Sunday night as Los Angeles stormed out to a 31-point lead in the first quarter with its All-Star point guard back on the court and pummeled the Philadelphia 76ers 123-78. "It felt great just to play. You never know what its going to be like until you actually get out there and compete," Paul said. "A lot of things go through your mind out there, especially when you come back because you want to make sure youre not too tired and not trying too hard. But at the same time, weve been playing extremely well and I didnt want to break up our rhythm." Jamal Crawford scored 21 for the defending Pacific Division champions, who were 12-6 while Paul was sidelined with a right shoulder he separated Jan. 3 at Dallas. The seven-time All-Star point guard showed no signs of rust, getting seven points and eight assists in 23 minutes. "He set the tone," Crawford said. "The energy from when he was introduced, to the level of play that he brings, it makes everybody better." DeAndre Jordan had 20 rebounds and 10 points, helping Los Angeles increase its division lead over idle Phoenix to four games. The 45-point margin of victory was the largest for the Clippers franchise. The previous record was 39, set in a 121-82 win over Chicago on Nov. 24 at Staples Center. "Thats an intense, defensive-oriented athletic type of team. We ran into a buzz saw and we got jumped early," Sixers coach Brett Brown said. "What an incredible opportunity for a young point guard like Michael Carter-Williams to see Chris Paul play and to play against him." Carter-Williams, who leads all rookies in scoring, rebounding and assists per game, finished with 14 points, five assists and seven boards in 34 1/2 minutes. Tony Wroten scored 21 points off the bench for the 76ers, losers of six straight and 13 of 16. Center Spencer Hawes missed all eight shots in 23 scoreless minutes and had just two rebounds. Pauls return provided an instant spark, as the Clippers opened the game with a 13-0 run that included a pair of 3-pointers by Crawford off Philadelphia turnovers. They widened the gap to 30-5 while the 76ers missed 17 of their first 19 shots. Griffin limped to the dressing room with a bruised left shin after Wroten fell into him on a foul by Jordan with less 3 minutes left in the opening period. But the four-time All-Star returned to the bench before the teams highest-scoring quarter of the season ended, and Willie Green put an exclamation point on it with a 3 from the left corner to give Los Angeles a 46-15 cushion. Griffin and teammate Antawn Jamison shared a laugh on the bench as Wroten went to the foul line, trying to cut into a 54-17 deficit about 3 minutes into the second quarter. By then, it hardly seemed to matter to the sellout crowd that Clippers starting forward J.J. Redick missed his third straight game with a sore right hip. It was a laugher the whole way. "Our defence really set the tone," Crawford said. "When were covering for each other like that and playing together, it makes it tough on other teams and kind of breaks their rhythm." Griffin showed no hint of any ankle issues after his mishap -- particularly during a Showtime-like sequence in the second quarter. Paul went in alone on a fast break with Griffin trailing the play, then bounced the ball off the glass and Griffin sent the crowd into a frenzy with the first of back-to-back windmill dunks 27 seconds apart. That made it 60-21 with 4:46 left in the first half. "I think our guys have tried that in a one-point game. Thats the problem," coach Doc Rivers said. "But thats who they are, and I dont want to take the joy away -- as long as theres no turnovers with it." Philadelphia never challenged after the Clippers built a 69-30 halftime lead. Crawfords 15-footer gave them their biggest margin, 89-33, with 6:01 left in the third quarter. It was 100-51 going into the fourth. Before Sunday, the Clippers had never beaten Philadelphia by more than 29 points since the franchises first played in 1970-71. NOTES: The Clippers shot 56.2 per cent and the Sixers 27.0 -- going 3 for 28 from 3-point range. ... The Clippers are 10-1 against teams that are currently in last place in their respective divisions. The only blemish was a 98-80 loss at Orlando on Nov. 6. Jordans China Free Shipping . -- New York Yankees centre fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was sent for an MRI Thursday of his ailing right calf, which was negative. Cheap Discount Jordans . The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists detailed in a report how Russian and international journalists have been harassed and prevented from covering sensitive stories in Sochi such as the abuse of migrant workers and environmental issues. http://www.cheapoutletjordans.com/ . Only it wasnt the extended right pad of his old teammate Jonathan Bernier early in the final frame, it was James Reimer, who stole a night that was supposed to belong to the former King. Cheap Jordans Outlet . 8 Sergio Parisse for its penultimate Six Nations match against Ireland at Lansdowne Road. Cheap Retro Jordans From China . PAUL, Minn.Who will new England manager Sam Allardyce pick in his first line-up? Sky Sports pundit Stuart Pearce has selected the side he thinks the new boss will select. Allardyce, who was confirmed in his role as England head coach on Friday, kicks off his competitive tenure in charge of the national team with a trip to take on Slovakia in World Cup qualifying on September 4. Stuart Pearce wants England to take youth tournaments more seriously However, after Englands disappointing showing at the European Championship in France - where Roy Hodgsons side were eliminated by Iceland in the last 16 - many are expecting big changes when England start off on the road to Russia 2018. Pearce, who was capped 78 times by his country between 1987 and 1999 before going on to coach the England U21s for six years, thinks Allardyce may spring a surprise or two when he names his starting XI for the visit to Trnava. This is the first line-up Stuart Pearce thinks Sam Allardyce will go with Is John Terry going to be his Kevin Nolan, somebody in the dressing room to be that enforcer? His form last year? Good. Leadership? He certainly has that in abundance. Stuart Pearce believes new England boss Sam Allardyce will try and lure former captain Johhn Terry out of international retirement I think there are a lot of players in the England squad at the moment, but it is a toss of a coin really.dddddddddddd [Daniel] Sturridge or [Danny] Welbeck, who do you pick? Is [Raheem] Sterling going to be on form?The thing with Welbeck and [Andros] Townsend is they have not been tainted with what has gone on this summer.How much of a hangover from the players who played in that Iceland game, and who received criticism, is there is going to be. I do not know. Players such as Andros Townsend may benefit from having not gone to Euro 2016, says Stuart Pearce I am so interested to see his first squad, to see which players are picked. Andy Carroll, Danny Drinkwater, Townsend have all been mentioned, for instance, players that did not go this summer for varying reasons of form, fitness or favour. Is Terry going to be his Nolan, somebody in the dressing room to be that enforcer? Stuart Pearce If you are asking me to throw a name out that has got good international experience and who has not been near a squad yet, then I would say Mark Noble.He knows him first hand from West Ham. And he may be a touch better as an international midfielder, in regard to game management and that sort of thing, than he is as a Premier League player. West Ham United captain Mark Noble could be a left-field pick by Sam Allardyce, according to Stuart Pearce And he has got a vast amount of experience, he leads West Ham, he has been captain for a number of years and as I say, he is a top kid that is desperate to play for England.So he may be one if Sam has seen something in him at West Ham and the fact that Sam has worked with him on a daily basis might be a plus for Mark. Also See: Five questions for Allardyce Sam exactly what England need Carra on Big Sams challenge The Allardyce dossier ' ' '