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Tuesday, Feb. 15 7:30pm ET
Clippers: 17th loss in 18 games | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
MIAMI (AP) -- Alonzo Mourning said the "Heat of old" was back. For new Clippers coach Jim Todd, his team of old remained. Jamal Mashburn scored 26 points to lead the Miami Heat to a 107-88 victory over the reeling Clippers on Tuesday night, handing Los Angeles its seventh straight loss and 17th defeat in 18 games. The Heat, winners of five of six overall and a season-best six straight at home, got 20 points, 13 rebounds and eight blocks from Alonzo Mourning. "We showed signs of going out there and outhustling and doing the little things tht win ballgames like the Heat of old," Mourning said. "The Heat of old would win in the effort department." Miami outrebounded the Clippers 63-37, the Heat's largest rebounding edge of the season. "We got our butts kicked on the glass, which is a little discouraging," said Todd, whose record since taking over for Chris Ford is 0-5. The Clippers, losers of 13 straight on the road, were without rookie Lamar Odom, who stayed in Los Angeles nursing a sore right shoulder and tendinitis of his left knee. He played in the All-Star rookie game last weekend. Also, Tyrone Nesby was sidelined with a broken toe. "We caught a break without Lamar and Tyrone, two real athletic players that like to run," said Heat coach Pat Riley. "They tried to change their style and got caught somewhere in between." Eric Piatkowski, who took Odom's spot, led the Clippers with 15 points. Eric Murdock added 13. "They killed us on the boards," Murdock said. "They pushed us around." Charles Jones' layup cut Miami's lead to 41-37, but the Heat reeled off an 18-7 run to lead 59-44 at halftime. Voshon Leonard, who scored 15, had two 3-pointers and a layup during the spurt, and Mashburn scored 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting by halftime. He finished 9-of-14, including 4-of-6 on 3-pointers, and grabbed eight rebounds. "He (Riley) told us to bring our attitude to another level to become a championship-level team," Mashburn said. "I know what I'm capable of doing and these guys know what I'm capable of." Mashburn hit two 3-pointers and Anthony Carter fed P.J. Brown for a fast-break dunk to cap a 14-5 run early in the third quarter to give Miami a 73-52 lead with 5:31 left. Carter had eight assists. The lead ballooned to 30, 91-61, early in the fourth quarter after a dunk by Clarence Weatherspoon and a free throw by Mourning. "I don't think the game was ever in doubt," Riley said. "It was our first game in nine days and I just didn't want us to let up." Game notesOdom, who scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 28 minutes in the rookie game, is expected to rejoin the Clippers for their game in Orlando on Wednesday. ... The Clippers last road win was a 103-99 victory over Golden State on Dec. 22. ... Miami swept the two-game season series and has now beaten the Clippers seven straight times, dating back to an 89-84 loss at the L.A. Sports Arena on Dec. 14, 1995. They didn't play each other last year. .... Todd won two games earlier in the season when he stepped in for Ford. "They count in my book but not in the record book," Todd said. ... Mashburn topped the 20-point mark for the sixth straight game. | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard LA Clippers Clubhouse Miami Clubhouse RECAPS Charlotte 95 Philadelphia 93
Miami 107
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