OAKLAND, Calif. -- Blake Griffin buried bank shots, turnaround jumpers and spinning layups. DeAndre Jordan gobbled up rebounds and opposing shots, often flexing his muscles and letting out a roar. The high-flying finishers who spawned the nickname "Lob City" are doing far more than dunking in the playoffs. The frontcourt tandem has carried the Clippers to a 2-1 lead in their first-round series against the Golden State Warriors, who have found no answer for either with centre Andrew Bogut out with a fractured right rib. "Just two animals out there just beastin right now," Clippers guard Darren Collison said. And both are finally performing in places they havent always flourished -- on defence, in the playoffs and at the most pivotal points of games. Since losing Game 1 in Los Angeles, Griffin has dominated David Lee and every other defender the Warriors have thrown his way. And Jordan -- who tied a franchise playoff record with 22 rebounds and five blocks in the Clippers 98-96 win in Game 3 on Thursday night -- has been the kind of rim protector coach Doc Rivers had long believed he could become. The two big men, both just 25 years old, have caused so much disruption that Warriors coach Mark Jackson said Friday hes considering changing his starting lineup for Game 4 on Sunday. The most likely swap would insert Draymond Green at power forward and push Lee to centre for Jermaine ONeal in a smaller, quicker lineup. "Weve got to figure out a way to present some resistance. I think things are going a little too smoothly for Blake," Jackson said during a light shootaround at Golden States downtown Oakland headquarters. Griffin has scored 32 and 35 points the past two games, respectively. Hes shooting 64 per cent from the floor in the series and has been at his best in the biggest spots. The All-Star power forward made five straight baskets -- three bank shots, a mid-range jumper and a short turnaround -- against Lee to open the third quarter in Game 3, part of a run that put the Clippers ahead by 18 points. "Just continuing to believe," Griffin said, speaking to reporters at the teams downtown San Francisco hotel Friday. "My teammates give me the confidence to go out there and shoot every time Im open." Lee promised hed be better against Griffin in Game 4. He has mostly been tasked with guarding Griffin by himself, though Jackson hinted more double-teams might be on the horizon. "Hes playing at a high level right now," Jackson said. "We forced him to be a jump shooter, and hes making jump shots. On the block, hes aggressive. Hes having an outstanding series capping off an outstanding year." While Griffins star has shined brightest, Jordan has been the insult-to-injury figure. The Warriors tried to lure Jordan away from Los Angeles in the summer of 2011, signing him to a four-year, $43 million offer sheet as a restricted free agent. Instead, the Clippers matched the deal. Now the Warriors -- who waived Jeremy Lin and amnestied Charlie Bell to make room for the offer -- can only watch Jordan make a major difference on defence while Bogut -- acquired in a trade with Milwaukee in March 2012 to be Golden States franchise centre -- sits out with another injury. Three years ago, though, Jordans game was not nearly what it is now. Jordan fell out of favour at times under former coach Vinny Del Negro, who was let go after the Clippers lost to the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of last years playoffs. Jordans rising game speaks to the Clippers commitment on defence under Rivers, who challenged the young centre to focus on rebounding and protecting the rim this season. Jordan finished third in voting for the NBAs defensive player of the year award behind winner Joakim Noah of Chicago and runner-up Roy Hibbert of Indiana. "These guys really rely on me a lot defensively, and when Im out there, they have all the confidence in the world in me," Jordan said. "So its definitely a huge step for me in my career, but at the same time, its always something to build on and its more motivation for me. As long as Im my teams defensive MVP, thats all that matters to me." Wholesale Shoes Black Friday . In question is whether 26-year-old Matt Frattin will be on it. A a€?mediocrea€? training camp, as Carlyle put it earlier this week, has Frattin lingering nervously on the bubble at the end of the exhibition season, pushed out of a likely job by Brandon Kozun, the small, but feisty winger determined to make the NHL for the first time. 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After the Salukis 73-65 loss at Murray State on Tuesday night, Hinson called his players "uncoachable," "a bunch of mamas boys" and compared the disciplining of his young team to housebreaking a puppy.DALLAS -- Carmelo Anthony gave the Knicks an early lead and his New York teammates made it stand up. Anthony scored 15 of his 19 points in the first quarter to lead five Knicks -- three of them reserves -- in double figures and New York held off a late rally to defeat the Dallas Mavericks 92-80 Sunday night. New York led by as many as 19 points and held on when the Mavericks got within six in the last minute and a half to finish 2-1 on a four-day trip through Texas. "Its been a successful trip," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. "We lose a two-point game in Houston in which we had an opportunity to win. We played great in San Antonio. And to come in here and beat Dallas, whos playing well at home and playing well this season, it should be a boost for our team." Kenyon Martin scored a season-high 14 points, starter Andrea Bargnani had in 13, Amare Stoudemire added 11 and Tim Hardaway scored eight of his 10 in the fourth quarter. In addition, Beno Udrih had eight assists, Iman Shumpert scored seven points in the last 2 minutes and J.R. Smith had seven points and seven rebounds. "I thought our bench was fantastic, and we are going to need our bench to play like they played tonight," Woodson said. Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle agreed. "Everybody on their team played well. Name a guy that didnt." Dirk Nowitzki had 18 points and nine rebounds for the Mavericks, who lost their fourth consecutive home game. Their previous low score had been 87 points twice this season. The Knicks had allowed a season-low 78 in a victory at Chicago on Dec. 11. Anthony scored six points during a 12-0 run in the first that gave the Knicks a 24-13 lead. He also led New York with four rebounds, three assists and two steals in the quarter. He finished with seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and a blocked shot. After that, Dallas Shawn Marion picked up his man-to-man defence on Anthony. He didnt score in the second quarter, but the Knicks still outscored the Mavericks 23-18 for a 52-35 halftime lead. Bargnani had seven points in the second. "I sprained my (right) ankle on the second play of the game," Marion said, "and I hurt my Achilles a little bit. "I decided I had to make it hard for (Anthony). I was able to help the team after that." In the third quarter, Martin scored six points in a 1:13 span that gave New York a 58-39 lead. He returned after missing Fridays game at Houston because of a sore left ankle. "It was a little tender," Martin said, "but I knew Tyson (Chandler) was under the weather. At that point, it was mind over matter.ddddddddddddquot; Martin filled in after starting centre Chandler left because of illness, and had 10 of the Knicks 15 points in the quarter. "I didnt even know if Kenyon was going to play tonight," Woodson said. "We needed all of Kenyon tonight to carry this win." The Mavericks had shot 36 per cent (13 for 36) from the field in the first half and were 0 for 8 on 3-pointers. Dallas missed 8 of 17 free throws, including four by Nowitzki. He was 3 for 7 from the field and 5 for 9 from the foul line to finish with 11 points and seven rebounds in the half. The 35 points were the Mavericks fewest in the first half this season. The Hawks held them to 34 in the second half of an 88-87 loss at Atlanta Nov. 29. The Mavericks rallied from the 19-point deficit at 58-39 with an 18-7 run that reduced New Yorks lead to eight. That run followed a blistering timeout message from Carlisle. "We didnt play well defensively. We made a very poor showing in the first half. I didnt have them ready. I will take the blame," Carlisle said. The third quarter ended 67-57. Dallas pulled within six at 84-78 with 1:33 to play on Monta Ellis jump shot. Shumpert came back with a 3-pointer. "Melo found me when I was open," Shumpert said. "I think they just forgot about me, left me over there. When youre wide open, you just got to knock it down." It was Shumperts only successful 3-pointer in three attempts against Dallas, but he was 13 for 17 (76 per cent) in the three Texas games. For Dallas, Ellis and Vince Carter scored 13 points, Jose Calderon had 12 and DeJuan Blair added 11. "They got hot early, and we didnt really start till late," Mavericks rookie guard Shane Larkin said. "Late in the game, we didnt really have any legs." NOTES: Chandler left because of an upper respiratory illness after playing the first 4:25. . Metta World Peace was not with the Knicks for the fourth consecutive game. He has said he would undergo platelet-rich plasma therapy Monday in New York. New York coach Mike Woodson said, "Well know more when we get back." . This was just the fourth time the Knicks have won as many as two games in 14 three-game trips to Texas. . Carter played in his 1,100th NBA game. . Nowitzki had one steal, leaving him one short of 1,000 for his career. . Center Samuel Dalembert was benched for one game because he was late for practice Saturday. He said he hasnt been able to sleep at night, and "Im taking steps to make sure that doesnt happen again." ' ' '