PORTLAND, Ore. -- DeAndre Jordan had 16 points and eight rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers opened the preseason with an 89-81 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night. Chris Paul added 15 points and eight rebounds as new Clippers head coach Doc Rivers got a look at his team after holding training camp last week in San Diego. "You can see them in practice, but games are different," Rivers said afterward. Nicolas Batum, who played for his native France this summer on the gold-medal winning European Championship team, led Portland with 12 points. Blazers guard Damian Lillard, last seasons NBA rookie of the year, added 11 points and six assists, but Portland was hampered by the absence of All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who was nursing a left quadriceps injury. "Well, it looked like a first exhibition game," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. Rivers joined the Clippers this summer when the Celtics agreed to let him out of his contract in exchange for a first-round draft pick in 2015. Rivers also serves as senior VP of basketball operations. Rivers joins a talent-laden team that had a club-record 56 wins and its first Pacific Division championship, but fell in the first round of the playoffs to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Clippers have 11 new players on their roster, building around the nucleus of Paul, Jordan and Blake Griffin. Willie Green and newcomer Jared Dudley rounded out the starting lineup on Monday night. The Blazers were also without new guard Mo Williams because of a sprained right ankle. Williams, a 10-year veteran, was signed as a free agent in the off-season after spending last season with the Utah Jazz. Forward Dorell Wright, also acquired this summer, was given the night off. Portlands top draft pick C.J. McCullom was absent after fracturing his left foot during practice. He will need surgery and his recovery time isnt yet known. Four of the Blazers starters return this season, including Aldridge, Batum, Lillard and Wesley Matthews. The Blazers added 7-foot centre Robin Lopez, acquired in a three-team deal from New Orleans in the off-season. Lopez finished with eight points and 10 rebounds. "I think maybe I was a little too overanxious," Lopez said. "I was moving too quickly. I wasnt stopping to think." Paul hit a 19-footer to give the Clippers an early 15-4 lead and Rivers kept his starters in for much of the first quarter. The Blazers cut the lead to 25-22 on Lillards layup, and evened it on Allen Crabbes put-back dunk. After Antawn Jamisons jumper for the Clippers, Crabbe hit a 3-pointer that gave Portland its first lead of the game at 28-27. But Portland stumbled over its own mistakes, with 17 first-half turnovers, and Greens 3-pointer put Los Angeles back up 43-36. Griffins dunk off a steal by Jordan put the Clippers up 53-20. Jordan led the Clippers with 14 points and six rebounds at the half. Griffins dunk midway through the third quarter kept the Clippers in front 66-54. Ryan Hollins hit a layup and a free throw that gave Los Angeles an 84-66 lead in the fourth. Rivers focus the first week of training camp was on the defence, and he said that overall he was encouraged by what he saw. "Were just trying to get them to see -- defence is all the time," Rivers said. The Blazers finished 33-49 last season and out of the playoffs for the second straight year. Stitched Wizards Jerseys . The former Toronto FC designated player played three of his 15 professional seasons with the team. Rick Mahorn Jersey . -- Thirty years ago, the Detroit Pistons beat the Denver Nuggets 186-184 in triple overtime, a game that remains the highest scoring in NBA history. https://www.cheapwizardsonline.com/.C. - The Panthers will be without starting defensive tackle Star Lotulelei for Saturday nights NFC divisional playoff game against Seattle after undergoing surgery Wednesday to repair a broken bone in his foot. Jeff Malone Jersey . -- Craig Anderson has quite a record against his former team, the Florida Panthers. Gheorghe Muresan Jersey .com) - James Harden needed just seven made field goals to drop 35 points on the Philadelphia 76ers, leading the Houston Rockets to a 104-93 win on Monday.SURPRISE, Ariz. -- If Yu Darvish is feeling any pressure after leading the majors in strikeouts last season, it isnt showing. The Texas Rangers ace was even in a joking mood Tuesday at spring training. Darvish wisecracked that the New York Yankees might have paid too much for fellow Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka by giving him a seven-year, $155 million contract on top of a $20 million posting fee to the Rakuten Golden Eagles. The deal made Darvish No. 2 when it comes to Japanese players in the majors: He has a six-year, $56 million deal signed before the 2012 season after the Rangers paid $51.7 million to Hokkaido for the right to negotiate with him. "I dont know the details of the posting system, but I think the Yankees gave him a little bit too much," Darvish said with a chuckle through his interpreter during his first spring training session with reporters. Even before the session was done, the remark was all over social media and the Rangers released a statement to make sure everyone knew Darvish was kidding. "I am sorry if anyone took my comment seriously about Masahiro Tanaka at the press conference," Darvish said in the statement. "I assumed by the reaction in the room that everyone knew I was joking." The 27-year-old Darvish could opt out of his contact after five years if he wins a Cy Young Award and potentially get a contract exceeding that of Tanaka. He came close last year, finishing second to Max Scherzer in the balloting after leading the majors with 277 strikeouts -- the most since Randy Johnson struck out 290 in 2004 with Arizona. Darvish, who manager Ron Washington has already named the opening day starter, was 13-9 with a 2.83 ERA in 32 starts last season. "If we score him runs, he might win 35 games and hes only going to get 32 starts," Washington said.dddddddddddd Darvish lost four 1-0 decisions, the first pitcher to do that in a season since Orel Hershiser with the 1989 Dodgers. "Never once did he ever make any whimpers of, Boy it sure would be nice to get some runs, never once," pitching coach Mike Maddux said. "Thats the kind of teammate he is. Hes going to go out and do the best he can and wants everyone else to the best they can." The Rangers averaged 3.08 runs per game in Darvishs final 23 starts. "The game is something you cant control, so you cant be pessimistic or optimistic," Darvish said. "The main thing is to keep yourself healthy. If youre healthy enough, I think numbers are going to follow. The outcome is something that is a result of having a healthy season. I cant really control what goes on in a game situation." Darvish went on the 15-day disabled list last July with a right shoulder strain and was bothered by back nerve irritation in September. Darvish said he shied away from heavy lifting during the off-season to help the back. His lack of fastball command, which gets his pitch count up early, has been a concern. "Youll probably see during the course of the season how much I have improved," Darvish said. "Im more relaxed and I can do many things at my own pace and Im aware of whats going on and people know me better than in the past." An improved Darvish could equate to a blockbuster contract. No joke. Notes: RHP Tanner Scheppers (back spasms) and LHP Matt Harrison (stiff neck) were held out of throwing Tuesday. .2B Jurickson Profars right shoulder is still stiff, preventing him from throwing. He likely will be limited to DH duties until mid-March for exhibition games. ' ' '