It wasn't too long ago that the Blake Griffin show was all for naught

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Lakers will continue to get top billing in Los Angeles over the Clippers (and second and maybe third), even with their Christmas Day humbling by the Heat.Online shop - 2011 new shoes, watches, sunglasses, handbags online

But kudos to the other team in La-La land for giving its most-loyal fan base quite the holiday treat in recent weeks, winning five of six games in a stretch that began on Dec. 17 and continued with a 100-99 win over the lowly Sacramento Kings on Monday night at Arco Arena.

It wasn't too long ago that the Blake Griffin show was all for naught, with the rookie forward wowing the league at large with his incredible feats of athleticism, but the Clippers losing 13 of their first 14 games. At home or on the road, Griffin, who was playing with a starting group that included three rookies and two second-year players, was a portrait of frustration after games at his locker. With his head hanging low, he would answer questions in robotic form, doing his media duty without complaint while clearly fuming on the inside.

Yet this mini-stretch has changed the mood for him and his team. And lest anyone discount it as irrelevant, consider the following: the 29-win Clippers team of 2009-10 won five of six games just once all season, never won more than four games in a row (once) while winning at least three straight just three times. This version, with Griffin receiving plenty of help from Most Improved Player candidate and the team's leading scorer, Eric Gordon, is now 9-9 since starting the season 1-13.They love Chanel sunglasses 2011 and barbour sale from online shop.

"(The losing) was getting to me," said Griffin, who broke his left kneecap just before the start of his original rookie season and required surgery that delayed this fantastic debut. "It's never fun to lose, but I really felt like a lot of it was on my shoulders. With all the injuries we had (namely to Baron Davis and Chris Kaman), myself, Eric (Bledsoe) and DeAndre (Jordan) were kind of like the older guys, especially with the starting group. But at the same time, we were getting better."

Beating the Kings the way they did sparked a Clippers chorus of 'a win is a win' sentiments, but coach Vinny Del Negro was right when saying that "any win in general is good for us." Even if they tried to give it away.

Ryan Gomes inexcusably fouled Tyreke Evans on a 3-point attempt with 1.9 seconds left, then his teammates allowed the Kings to corral the rebound when the guard missed his final free-throw attempt. A DeMarcus Cousins tip-in was off-target, and Evans missed a put-back from the lane that would have won it.Welcome for pillow pets wholesale.