LOS ANGELES -- A historic performance by Chris Paul sparked the Los Angeles Clippers to a lopsided victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Paul scored 20 points and dished out a season-high 20 assists with no turnovers, and the Clippers extended the woes of the Pelicans with a 133-105 rout on Saturday night at Staples Center.

Paul is the first NBA player to post such numbers since the NBA began tracking assists during the 1977-78 season, according to the Clippers, citing several outlets.

"We had a really good practice yesterday where we just moved the ball," said Paul, who became the second Clipper -- Norm Nixon was the first -- to have 20 points and 20 assists in a game. "Like I always say about assists, I have the easy part passing the ball. Guys have to make the shots.''

Paul fell one assist shy of his career high of 21, which he recorded Nov. 6, 2007, against the Los Angeles Lakers.

"We have to do a better job on (Paul)," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. "I thought on some of our coverages we didn't get to the angle that we were supposed to. I mean he is a great player. He has been a great player for a long time in this league."

Both clubs were without their main stars. Clippers forward Blake Griffin missed the contest with a sore right knee, while the Pelicans were without center-forward Anthony Davis (rest) and guard Jrue Holiday (toe injury). Davis returns Sunday when the Pelicans visit the Phoenix Suns.

"Tonight was nice. They didn't have Anthony Davis and we didn't have Blake," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "We just played right. Sometimes, even when you play right it doesn't come right away. Today it did, especially the ball movement and spacing."

Jamal Crawford scored 22 points for the Clippers, while center DeAndre Jordan had 19 points and nine rebounds, allowing him to top the 6,000 mark for career rebounds. Jordan has 6,007 boards.

Austin Rivers contributed 18 points, Marreese Speights had 17 and J.J. Redick added 16 for the Clippers (17-7), who ended a two-game slide.

"I think with us coming off of two losses, that was pretty tough, but tonight we were pretty desperate," said Jordan, who converted 9 of 11 shots. "Chris came up there and lead us the way he always does, especially with Blake being out."

Tim Frazier had 20 points and 11 assists to lead the Pelicans (7-17), who lost their fifth in a row. Cheick Diallo scored 19, Terrence Jones collected 18 points and rookie Buddy Hield added 15 for New Orleans. Soloman Hill finished with 13 points.

An 18-6 surge to open the third quarter allowed the Clippers to take command. Two 3-pointers by Rivers and six points by Jordan sparked the run, giving Los Angeles a 79-61 advantage less than five minutes into the period.

"Offensively, Chris Paul got everyone involved and everybody was knocking down shots," Jones said. "When you have to worry about all five guys, the way they were playing, it is very tough to take away one thing."

Rivers scored 11 points in the third by hitting all four of his field-goal attempts, three of them from long distance. However, Rivers left the game with 4:22 in the period after taking an elbow to the jaw from Jones. He returned for 46 seconds in the fourth quarter, but was taken out because the Clippers feared he was still feeling the effects of the blow.

Speights buried a 3-pointer just before the horn to end the third, boosting the Clippers to a 98-80 edge. Los Angeles outscored New Orleans 37-25 in the third.

The Clippers led 61-55 at the break.

Los Angeles forward Luc Mbah a Moute recorded his 500th career assist.

NOTES: Despite their recent woes, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said his club hasn't panicked. "We just haven't played well the last week or two," Rivers said. "Part of it is self-induced, part of it is scheduling. We just have to keep working." ... Los Angeles reserve G Raymond Felton missed his second game due to a family matter. ... The Pelicans signed G/F Reggie Williams. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound Williams averaged 17.1 points and 5.8 rebounds in 11 games for the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA Development League. ... Clippers broadcaster Ralph Lawler worked his 3,000th regular-season game, joining Al McCoy of the Phoenix Suns and George Blaha of the Detroit Pistons as the only active NBA announcers to accomplish the feat. ... The Clippers host the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.