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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
LOS ANGELES (AP) – The Detroit Pistons were without the NBA's
second-leading scorer for most of the final quarter and the
league's third-leading rebounder for the entire game. The Los
Angeles Clippers didn't mind.
Lamar Odom had 27 points, 11 assists and a career-high 16
rebounds as the Clippers capitalized on the fourth-quarter ejection
of Jerry Stackhouse to beat the Detroit Pistons 101-94 Tuesday
night.
The Pistons, who lost their fifth straight, also were without
forward Ben Wallace, who missed his second game following the death
of his grandmother.
Odom's triple-double was the sixth of his career and third of
the season. The second-year forward got his 10th assist and sealed
his triple-double with 5:40 remaining when he slipped a no-look
pass to rookie Darius Miles for a slam dunk that gave the Clippers
a 90-81 lead with 5:40 to play.
"Triple-doubles always feel good, because you felt like you
played a complete game," Odom said. "But I'm just happy we won
the game, no matter what my stats were."
Stackhouse, who has had seven 40-point games and scored 30 or
more points in 37 games this season, was ejected with 8:28 left in
the fourth quarter and finished with 21.
"We just ran people at him," Odom said of Stackhouse, who
already had showered and dressed by the final buzzer and declined
to talk to reporters. "If you leave him on his own, he'll destroy
you by himself. We just kept attacking him, and he finally got
frustrated."
Stackhouse was assessed two technical fouls by referee Rodney
Mott moments after Sean Rooks stripped him of the ball from behind
as he drove the right baseline for a layup. Replays clearly showed
that Rooks got all ball.
"I find it hard to believe that a guy driving in that hard with
three guys going at him didn't get some contact. But I'm look at it
from 90 feet away," coach George Irvine said.
Clippers guard Jeff McInnis, a high school and college teammate
of Stackhouse, was surprised at how quickly the Pistons' guard got
himself kicked out of the game.
"I was shocked to see him go off like that. But he probably
hasn't seen me lose my temper the way I did last night (at
Portland). So I can't really be too judgmental about it," McInnis
said. "I know it's frustrating when you think you're getting
fouled and they're not calling it."
McInnis had 15 points and six assists as Los Angeles won for the
sixth time in seven games at Staples Center and evened its home
record at 18-18.
The Clippers completed their first season sweep of Detroit since
1991-92. They beat the Pistons 111-106 in overtime on Feb. 19 at
the Palace of Auburn Hills for their first overtime victory of the
season.
Odom opened the fourth quarter with two free throws, a 3-pointer
and a three-point play that increased the Clippers' lead to 82-73.
Detroit cut the margin to 82-77 on a running jumper by Corliss
Williamson with 9:07 left, but the Pistons' run was halted by
Stackhouse's ejection and they never got closer.
Detroit, which shot 42 percent and committed 15 turnovers, took
its only lead of the first half, 17-16, on Mikki Moore's
three-point play and did not lead again until Chuck Atkins hit a
20-footer for a 72-71 edge with 1:03 left in the third quarter.
Odom helped Los Angeles to a 59-50 halftime lead with 12 points,
seven rebounds and seven assists in the first two quarters.
Game notes
Odom's triple-double was the fourth by a Clipper this
season, and the third in their last five home games. McInnis
recorded the first of his career on March 16 against Golden State.
... Los Angeles has 26 victories under new coach Alvin Gentry, one
more than Detroit has this season under Gentry's replacement,
Irvine. ... The Pistons are 1-33 when trailing at halftime.
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RECAPS
Indiana 110
Washington 102
Boston 115
Atlanta 112
Toronto 101
Miami 92
Houston 109
Utah 86
San Antonio 93
Charlotte 79
LA Clippers 101
Detroit 94
Sacramento 124
New York 117
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