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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Revenge and a nine-game losing streak were
plenty of motivation for the Washington Wizards.
Juwan Howard scored a season-high 31 points and Richard Hamilton
tied a career high with 30 in a reserve role as the Wizards beat
the Los Angeles Clippers 103-94 on Sunday night.
The Wizards won for the first time since Nov. 25 against
Milwaukee and earned plenty of satisfaction after blowing a
21-point lead against the Clippers last month.
"I'm sure that loss to the Clippers maybe had a little to do
with the motivation," coach Leonard Hamilton said. "But you have
to understand, when you've lost nine in a row like that, all those
games were bad and you're motivated by all of them."
Washington's skid, which included four games decided by six
points or less and two by 20 or more, was its longest since a
13-game skid during the 1994-95 season.
"Our motivation tonight was out of respect for the Clippers,"
Hamilton said. "They came back on us last time when we thought we
were playing real well, and then they went on the road and beat a
very good Phoenix team. So it was out of respect for them that we
gave this type of focus."
Lamar Odom had 20 points for the Clippers, who lost to the
Wizards for the ninth time in 12 meetings.
"Our problems came because they created them for us," Clippers
coach Alvin Gentry said. "Juwan and Hamilton made a lot of shots
with a hand in their face. We couldn't find our rhythm like they
did."
Richard Hamilton shot 12-for-20 from the field in 40 minutes.
The second-year guard led the Wizards to a 46-42 halftime lead with
his first 16 points.
"He's a gunslinger," said Rod Strickland, who added 12 points,
10 assists and seven rebounds. "He's our most potent offensive
weapon. He can score. You give him the ball, and he's one of those
guys who can break people down and get his own shot. And that's
what you need when things are kind of stagnant."
The Clippers fell behind by eight points with three minutes left
in the first half. The Wizards protected their lead the rest of the
way and their eight turnovers were a season low.
Los Angeles twice got within two points, the last time on a
10-foot hook by Michael Olowokandi with 5:35 left in the third
quarter. But the Clippers missed eight of their first 10 shots in
the fourth and Washington built its biggest lead to 93-78 with 5:27
to play, as Howard's dunk capped a 16-6 run.
"Juwan and Richard were crucial for them tonight," Clippers
guard Eric Piatkowski said. "They were both hot, and we weren't
able to rotate fast enough to guard them."
Hamilton made two jumpers during the pivotal run and
scored eight points during the final quarter.
"When I go out there and play my game, good things happen," he
said. "The guys set good screens for me, and I mixed it up and
tried to keep them off-balance. Sometimes I tried to get to the
basket, sometimes I pulled up and sometimes I tried to hit the long
shot."
Los Angeles rookie Quentin Richardson left the game with 2:18
left in the second quarter after spraining his left ankle. X-rays
taken at halftime were negative.
Starting forward Tyrone Nesby, playing against the Clippers for
the second time since the Nov. 28 trade that sent him from Los
Angeles to Washington for Cherokee Parks, missed seven of his first
eight shots -- including a 20-foot air ball with 7:07 left in the
first half. He shot 2-for-12 overall and finished with four points
in 27 minutes.
Game notes
Parks remained on the Clippers' bench the entire game for
the fifth straight time, and seventh time in 10 games since joining
the team. ... The Clippers' 21-point comeback at Washington
represented the second-largest margin they have ever overcome to
win a game. They erased a 23-point deficit at San Antonio to beat
the Spurs 114-108 on Dec. 23, 1988. ... Odom has played only one
game this season without any turnovers -- Nov. 27 against the Lakers
(35 minutes). As a rookie last year, he avoided a turnover in only
one of 76 games. ... The Wizards, playing their sixth game since
losing Mitch Richmond for at least a month because of a partially
torn tendon in his left knee, reached the 100-point mark for the
first time since their previous victory -- on Nov. 25 against
Milwaukee. ... The Wizards have beaten the Clippers six straight
times on the road. ... Three of the Wizards' five victories have
come on the road. ... ... Nesby has combined for 12 points and 13
rebounds in 62 minutes in his two games against the Clippers.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Washington Clubhouse
LA Clippers Clubhouse
RECAPS
LA Lakers 104
Toronto 101
Orlando 101
Vancouver 91
New York 100
Milwaukee 97
Dallas 99
Detroit 90
Sacramento 95
New Jersey 79
Washington 103
LA Clippers 94
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Juwan Howard Official Site
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