"This is what superstars do.

This was why the Clippers gave up so much to get so much more in Chris Paul. Why Laker fans still lament the NBA's refusal to let Paul be wrapped in purple and gold and dropped at their feet instead of a few feet down the hall at Staples Center.

Faced with losing a 17-point lead over Portland on Sunday in a game the Clippers considered a measuring stick of their progress after being spanked by San Antonio and Chicago, Paul simply took over and refused to let them lose.

He steadied his teammates' nerves with his poise, elated them with his shotmaking and wowed them with his ability to win a crucial jump ball against a five-inches-taller Jamal Crawford with 4.3 seconds left.

If not for his leadership the Clippers would not have celebrated their first home victory this season, a gutsy 93-88 decision over the Trail Blazers that inspired the crowd to chant his name in tribute for what figures to be the first of many times.

"Great players can not only make shots but, more importantly, make plays," Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said, "and Chris can do both. That's what makes him special."

A loss might have devastated a team that's still getting to know one another, still trying to prevail on the boards — they've been outrebounded in all four games they've played — and finding a defensive rhythm."