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Sunday, Dec. 26 4:00pm ET
After gut check, resurgent Clips tip Celtics | |||||
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 GAME FLOW
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Less than two weeks ago, the Los Angeles Clippers admittedly embarrassed themselves in their own building. In retrospect, Maurice Taylor believes it was a good thing. Taylor scored 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter Sunday as the short-handed Clippers beat the Boston Celtics 103-100. The win was the third straight and fourth in five games since a 95-68 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 14, a game in which the Clippers scored an NBA record low 20 points in the first half. "That game really put something in our heads because it was a total embarrassment," Taylor said. "I think that was a crossroads for us. We could have felt sorry for ourselves, we could turn it around. We chose to turn it around. "You hate to lose, but that was a reality check for us." Clippers coach Chris Ford agreed, saying, "The Lakers really rubbed our noses in it. For a young team, we've responded. And especially with the adversity -- we've been losing players and coaches." Ford missed the two previous games -- both wins -- and several practices due to back spasms that began last Monday. "I'm upright today, so I feel a heck of a lot better," he said before the game. The Clippers had just nine players in uniform at the start, and lost reserve guard Eric Murdock early in the second quarter with a sprained left ankle. Starting guard Derek Anderson is out because of a sprained left ankle; starting center Michael Olowokandi didn't play because of a sore left knee, and Marty Conlon is with his ailing father in New York. In addition, Brian Skinner is on the injured list with a sprained ankle he suffered against the Lakers. "It says a lot," Troy Hudson said of the Clippers' recent success. "It says when we get our players back, we're going to be a stronger force to be reckoned with." Taylor's jumper with 7:05 remaining snapped a 78-all tie and put the Clippers ahead for good. The Clippers led 101-95 with a little over a minute remaining, but the Celtics had a chance to tie the game with six seconds left and Tony Battie at the free-throw line. However, after making the first foul shot to make it 101-100, Battie missed the second, and Hudson got the rebound -- only his second of the game. Hudson was fouled, and made two free throws with 4.7 seconds left to complete the scoring. Dana Barros' 3-point shot at the buzzer hit the front rim and bounced away. By winning, the Clippers (9-18) equaled their win total of the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, when they went 9-41. The Celtics (11-15) lost for the seventh time in eight games. "We didn't guard the 3-point line, and that was the statistical difference in the game," Celtics coach Rick Pitino said. "We gave up 24 points to six from the 3-point shot. "We couldn't guard Maurice Taylor, he killed us down the stretch. They made their shots down the stretch." Tyrone Nesby added 22 points, and Hudson, Eric Piatkowski and Lamar Odom scored 15 each for the Clippers. Odom also had 11 rebounds before fouling out with 50 seconds left, and Hudson had nine assists. Antoine Walker led the Celtics with 28 points. Paul Pierce had 24 points, six rebounds and seven assists, and Kenny Anderson scored 18 points for Boston. "We had our opportunities," Walker said. "It's been the tale of our season, having 8-to-10 point leads going into the fourth quarter and blowing opportunities." The Clippers outscored Boston 15-2 to start the fourth quarter after the Celtics outscored them 15-2 to begin the third period, giving Boston a 57-50 lead. The Celtics led by as many as nine points before settling for a 76-68 lead entering the final period. Game notesThe game was played before an announced crowd of 12,039 at Staples Center. ... The Celtics activated Pierce, their second-leading scorer with a 19.0-point average, and placed Walter McCarty (right foot injury) on the injured list. Pierce missed seven games with a sprained ankle. ... The Celtics are one of the NBA's worst road teams with a 1-10 record. They are 10-5 at home. ... The Clippers held their previous six opponents under 100 points, and just missed doing so for a seventh time against the Celtics. They hadn't held as many as six straight foes under 100 since their first seven opponents of the 1996-97 season failed to reach triple figures. ... Derek Anderson has missed the last six games and Conlon the last four, while Olowokandi sat out his first game of the season. Conlon, cut by the Celtics on Dec. 13, signed with the Clippers four days later. | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Boston Clubhouse LA Clippers Clubhouse Celtics activate Pierce, place McCarty on injured list
RECAPS Washington 103 Houston 92
LA Clippers 103
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