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LOS ANGELES -- Despite being the NBAs hottest team, the Los Angeles Clippers believe there is room for improvement.At the end of the day, we like us, but as good as we are playing now, we could be playing a lot better, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. I think that our guys believe that this is a different group, and it is. The bench is immensely different, and we have an amazing chemistry.The Clippers will shoot for their eighth consecutive win Wednesday night when they mix it up with the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center.Owners of the leagues best record, the Clippers (10-1) have dominated at home, winning five of six. Their home margin of victory is an average of 25.2 points per game. Overall, they have outscored the opposition by 183 points, the largest differential in the NBA.On Monday, the Clippers pounded the Brooklyn Nets 127-95 at Staples. Point guard Chris Paul led the way with 21 points, nine assists and five steals. The Clippers had 21 steals for the game.For us, its just about doing the right things consistently, said Clippers guard Jamal Crawford, who came off the bench to score 17 points against the Nets. No matter who we are playing, were all just working on us, so thats good for us.Defense has been the most consistent asset, as the Clippers lead the league in points allowed (92.2 per game) and points differential (plus-16.6). Los Angeles also is tops in opponents field-goal percentage at 40.9 percent.On offense, the Clippers are averaging 108.8 points per game, which is fourth best.Never known for its scoring prowess, Memphis has struggled on offense. The Grizzlies average 97.5 points per game, tied for 26th in the NBA. They are allowing 101.9 points (11th best).The Grizzles (5-5) are in the midst of a four-game road trip. After a 106-96 setback at Milwaukee to open the swing, they bounced back with a 102-96 decision Monday over the Jazz at Utah. It was the Grizzlies first win away from home after three defeats.I feel like this is the best four quarters weve put together, first-year Memphis coach David Fizdale said. They want to win. They really want this, and we worked really hard over the last couple of days to clean things up.Memphis center Pau Gasol added, The first half was really good as far as percentage goes. The second half we became a little more static but were able to find the open guy and execute a little bit, especially down the stretch.In addition to Gasol, Memphis is getting a lift from several of its veteran players, most notably 39-year-old forward Vince Carter, who is averaging 19 points on 60 percent shooting from the floor in the past three games.I just love the guy, Fizdale said, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal. How can you not root for one of the great citizens of this league? Everyone respects him. The locker room will do anything for him.Memphis guard Tony Allen (right groin) sat out his third consecutive game Monday. Brandan Wright (left ankle) has yet to play this season. Neither is expected to be available against Los Angeles.Clippers forward Wesley Johnson (left heel contusion) missed the past two games. Johnson said he expects to return for the Memphis game.The Clippers defeated the Grizzlies 99-88 in the teams initial meeting this season on Nov. 4 at Memphis. Blake Comeau Stars Jersey . Dusautoir, the former World Player of the Year, sustained a torn bicep playing for Toulouse in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. The flanker, who has played 65 times for France, is expected to be out for up to four months. Dino Ciccarelli Stars Jersey .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. http://www.thedallasstarshockey.com/miro-heiskanen-hockey-jersey/ . -- Bryant McKinnie came out of his stance and lowered his shoulder into a practice squad player, causing a crisp thud to reverberate in the Miami Dolphins practice bubble. Craig Hartsburg Stars Jersey . -- Sergey Tolchinksy scored his second goal of the game 3:56 into overtime as the Sault Ste. Jason Dickinson Jersey . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Tennessee coach Butch Jones promised his team and his coaches would own their latest loss to South Carolina.That might be as difficult a task as trying to end the suddenly spiraling Vols three-game losing streak.Jones ticked off a grocery list of mistakes -- missed tackles, too many penalties, three turnovers -- that led to the Gamecocks stunning 24-21 victory over No. 18 Tennessee on Saturday night.Leadership needs to step up on this football team, Jones said. It starts with myself and the coaches, but its everybody. Everybodys going to own it, everybodys responsible. We cant let this one loss define who we are.Jake Bentley threw for two touchdowns, Rico Dowdle ran for 127 yards and another score to hand No. 18 Tennessee its third straight loss.The Gamecocks (4-4, 2-4 Southeastern Conference) had struggled on offense much of the season and were expected to be a comfortable bounce-back win for the powerhouse Vols (5-3, 2-3) after consecutive defeats to No. 9 Texas A&M and No. 1 Alabama.Instead, South Carolinas defense bottled up the Vols most of the game, holding them under 300 yards of offense for just the second time this year. Joshua Dobbs had two passes intercepted by Jamarcus King and was tagged with a third turnover on a mishandled handoff.It just goes back to having everybody locked in Dobbs said about correcting the errors.Tennessee got a final chance with 35 seconds left and drove to the South Carolina 41. But Aaron Medleys desperation, 58 yard field goal attempt was well short on the final play.This is a spark, South Carolina linebacker Bryson Allen-Williams said. This is the start of something for the next couple of games and next year.First-year coach Will Muschamp improved to 5-0 all-time against Tennessee, the first four victories coming during his time at Florida.Bentley was again on target in his second college start at quarterback. He threw for 167 yards and completed 15 of 20 passes, including a 17-yard TD throw to Bryan Edwards and a 35-yard scoring toss to K.C..dddddddddddd Crosby in the final period to put South Carolina up 24-14.Tennessee could not dig itself out of that hole and ended a three-game win streak against South Carolina.For Muschamp, it was validation his program is trending upward.He told his players that if they continued to invest in the team, good things will happen.We know what good looks like and were going to get there, Muschamp said.THE TAKEAWAYTennessee: The Vols third straight SEC loss may have been the most devastating of all as they fall two games behind Eastern Division leader Florida with three league games left. Tennessee will have to root for these same Gamecocks in two weeks when they head to The Swamp to face the Gators.South Carolina: No question this is Muschamps biggest victory at South Carolina, and suddenly puts the Gamecocks in line for a bowl game with struggling Missouri and FCS opponent Western Carolina ahead in November.POLL IMPLICATIONSCount on Tennessee falling from the rankings when it comes out. Its one thing to lose to top-10 opponents, its another to lose to a team that entered last in SEC scoring offense.EJECTED GAMECOCKSSouth Carolina lost starting cornerback Chris Lammons and starting safety D.J. Smith to ejections, both for transgressions with Tennessee receiver Jauan Jennings . Lammons threw two punches at Jennings after the two tied up in the opening quarter and he was thrown out for unsportsmanlike conduct. Smith was called for targeting on a hit of Jennings.Lammons Tweeted later his actions were selfish and he apologized to fans, teammates and coaches.BIG RETURNTennessees most explosive play was a 100-yard kickoff return by Evan Berry that cut a 10-point deficit to 17-14 in the third quarter.UP NEXTTennessee steps out of conference to play FCS opponent Tennessee Tech at home next Saturday.South Carolina closes out five straight games at home against Missouri next Saturday. ' ' '