W-OLF
03-21-2006, 05:20 PM
Clippers Move to 13 Games Over .500
Published: 3/21/06, 5:25 AM EDT
(AP) - The Los Angeles Clippers have never been this good.
Sam Cassell scored 24 points to lead the Clippers past the Houston Rockets 99-91 on Monday night, pushing the franchise to 13 games over .500 for the first time since the 1975-76 season - when it was called the Buffalo Braves.
Corey Maggette added 20 points for the Clippers, who - appropriately - were wearing orange and black Braves uniforms from the franchise's inaugural 1970-71 season for retro night.
"Since Cat (Cuttino Mobley) and I got here, we've been expecting to win," Cassell said. "People were saying, `It's still the Clippers.' But just the attitude he and I bring has made a difference.
"Elton Brand is progressing and Corey Maggette has done well. Hey, we've got a lot of talent in this locker room."
Mobley, like Cassell, is in his first season with the Clippers.
"We should be at least 19 games over .500 right now," Mobley said. "I've been telling guys we could do this since the beginning of the season. We're going for the 50 (wins) and the playoffs. I can't wait."
In other NBA games, it was: Detroit 91, Atlanta 84; Los Angeles Lakers 105, Boston 97; and Milwaukee 100, Portland 93.
Yao Ming had 25 points and 17 rebounds for his 27th double-double as Houston lost its fifth straight.
"For me, it's a breath of fresh air when we make a couple of shots from the outside," Yao said. "That takes a lot of pressure off me and my game. Before we make some shots, everything has to go inside and it's just too crowded. When our guards make some outside shots, we're able to move some stuff around better."
Guard Luther Head had 20 points and six assists.
"This is getting real old," Head said of the losing. "There are a lot of things we need to work on both on and off the court. All we can do is break it down, watch some film and hopefully get better."
The Clippers outscored Houston 12-2 in a span of 4:15 in the fourth quarter to take an 89-80 lead with 5:16 to play. Cassell's 3-pointer made it 94-85 with 1:28 left.
Pistons 91, Hawks 84
At Auburn Hills, Mich., Rasheed Wallace had 26 points and eight rebounds to help the Pistons clinch the Central Division title.
Detroit (53-13) also reduced its magic number to clinch the Eastern Conference's best record to nine over Miami. The Hawks have lost five of six.
Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton each had 14 points for the Pistons, who had five players score in double figures. Ben Wallace only had five points, but added 13 rebounds, four steals and three blocks.
Al Harrington led the Hawks with 23 points and Joe Johnson had 17.
Lakers 105, Celtics 97
At Boston, Kobe Bryant had 43 points, five rebounds and five steals and the Los Angeles Lakers salvaged the finale of a three-game road trip.
Bryant shot 18-of-39 and Lamar Odom added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who never trailed and pulled a half-game ahead of Sacramento for seventh place in the Western Conference.
Paul Pierce scored 26 and Tony Allen added a season-high 18 points for the Celtics, who have lost four of five to drop four games behind Philadelphia in the race for the eighth Eastern Conference playoff spot.
The Lakers' first two games of their road trip ended with missed contested 3-pointers by Bryant. The Lakers lost to New Jersey 92-89 on Friday and to Cleveland 96-95 on Sunday despite leading by as many as 18 against the Cavaliers.
Bryant scored on a driving layup with 1:20 to play to extend the Lakers' lead to 101-94. He then made two free throws with 49.6 seconds left.
Bucks 100, Trail Blazers 93
At Portland, Ore., Michael Redd had 23 points, and T.J. Ford added 19 points and 10 assists for Milwaukee, which beat the Trail Blazers for the second time in three days.
Zach Randolph had 23 points and nine rebounds for the Blazers, who have lost five in a row and nine of 10.
Bobby Simmons had 16 points and reserve Charlie Bell added 13 for the Bucks, who beat Portland 97-93 Saturday night in Milwaukee.
The Bucks have won four of their last five.
Joel Przybilla had 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Steve Blake had seven points and nine assists for the Blazers.
credit BellSouth
Published: 3/21/06, 5:25 AM EDT
(AP) - The Los Angeles Clippers have never been this good.
Sam Cassell scored 24 points to lead the Clippers past the Houston Rockets 99-91 on Monday night, pushing the franchise to 13 games over .500 for the first time since the 1975-76 season - when it was called the Buffalo Braves.
Corey Maggette added 20 points for the Clippers, who - appropriately - were wearing orange and black Braves uniforms from the franchise's inaugural 1970-71 season for retro night.
"Since Cat (Cuttino Mobley) and I got here, we've been expecting to win," Cassell said. "People were saying, `It's still the Clippers.' But just the attitude he and I bring has made a difference.
"Elton Brand is progressing and Corey Maggette has done well. Hey, we've got a lot of talent in this locker room."
Mobley, like Cassell, is in his first season with the Clippers.
"We should be at least 19 games over .500 right now," Mobley said. "I've been telling guys we could do this since the beginning of the season. We're going for the 50 (wins) and the playoffs. I can't wait."
In other NBA games, it was: Detroit 91, Atlanta 84; Los Angeles Lakers 105, Boston 97; and Milwaukee 100, Portland 93.
Yao Ming had 25 points and 17 rebounds for his 27th double-double as Houston lost its fifth straight.
"For me, it's a breath of fresh air when we make a couple of shots from the outside," Yao said. "That takes a lot of pressure off me and my game. Before we make some shots, everything has to go inside and it's just too crowded. When our guards make some outside shots, we're able to move some stuff around better."
Guard Luther Head had 20 points and six assists.
"This is getting real old," Head said of the losing. "There are a lot of things we need to work on both on and off the court. All we can do is break it down, watch some film and hopefully get better."
The Clippers outscored Houston 12-2 in a span of 4:15 in the fourth quarter to take an 89-80 lead with 5:16 to play. Cassell's 3-pointer made it 94-85 with 1:28 left.
Pistons 91, Hawks 84
At Auburn Hills, Mich., Rasheed Wallace had 26 points and eight rebounds to help the Pistons clinch the Central Division title.
Detroit (53-13) also reduced its magic number to clinch the Eastern Conference's best record to nine over Miami. The Hawks have lost five of six.
Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton each had 14 points for the Pistons, who had five players score in double figures. Ben Wallace only had five points, but added 13 rebounds, four steals and three blocks.
Al Harrington led the Hawks with 23 points and Joe Johnson had 17.
Lakers 105, Celtics 97
At Boston, Kobe Bryant had 43 points, five rebounds and five steals and the Los Angeles Lakers salvaged the finale of a three-game road trip.
Bryant shot 18-of-39 and Lamar Odom added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who never trailed and pulled a half-game ahead of Sacramento for seventh place in the Western Conference.
Paul Pierce scored 26 and Tony Allen added a season-high 18 points for the Celtics, who have lost four of five to drop four games behind Philadelphia in the race for the eighth Eastern Conference playoff spot.
The Lakers' first two games of their road trip ended with missed contested 3-pointers by Bryant. The Lakers lost to New Jersey 92-89 on Friday and to Cleveland 96-95 on Sunday despite leading by as many as 18 against the Cavaliers.
Bryant scored on a driving layup with 1:20 to play to extend the Lakers' lead to 101-94. He then made two free throws with 49.6 seconds left.
Bucks 100, Trail Blazers 93
At Portland, Ore., Michael Redd had 23 points, and T.J. Ford added 19 points and 10 assists for Milwaukee, which beat the Trail Blazers for the second time in three days.
Zach Randolph had 23 points and nine rebounds for the Blazers, who have lost five in a row and nine of 10.
Bobby Simmons had 16 points and reserve Charlie Bell added 13 for the Bucks, who beat Portland 97-93 Saturday night in Milwaukee.
The Bucks have won four of their last five.
Joel Przybilla had 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Steve Blake had seven points and nine assists for the Blazers.
credit BellSouth