NBA Game Summary - LA Clippers at Houston

03.20.2006

Houston, TX (Basketball News) - Sam Cassell had 24 points and Corey Maggette scored 20 to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 99-91 win over the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center.

Elton Brand added 15 points, eight boards and three blocks and Cuttino Mobley had 14 points for the Clippers, who have won two straight and six of seven.

Yao Ming had 25 points and 17 boards for Houston, which has dropped five in a row to fall nine game under .500 for the season (29-38). Luther Head added 20 points and six assists for the Rockets, who briefly led early in the fourth quarter, but could not pull off the win.

The Clippers led for most of the final three quarters, but Houston opened the fourth with six straight points to take a 76-73 lead. Stromile Swift scored the final four points of the surge, which was started with a Rafer Alston bucket.

However, LA answered with a 10-2 run to go back ahead for good. Chris Kaman’s basket with just under three minutes elapsed in the frame put the Clippers ahead 79-78 and Brand ’s bucket with just over seven minutes to play ended the surge to give LA an 83-79 edge.

The Clippers later extended to an 89-80 lead on another Kaman basket and the Rockets never got within one possession the rest of the way. The closest Houston got was 89-85 on an Alston bucket with a little more than two minutes to go, but Maggette hit a jumper coming out of a time out and Cassell later hit a three-pointer to increase the lead to nine points with 1 1/2 minutes remaining.

Kaman ended with nine points and six boards for the Clippers, who split the four-game season series with the Rockets.

Houston led 28-24 after one quarter, but the Clippers rallied in the second. After the Rockets went ahead 29-24 on an Alston free throw, LA scored the next seven points to start a 15-4 run that gave the club a 39-33 advantage.

The Clippers didn’t relinquish the lead the rest of the half and went into the break ahead 46-45.

The Rockets briefly grabbed a 47-46 lead early in the third. LA, though used a 14-4 run to go ahead 60-51. Cassell hit a pair of free throws just under five minutes into the frame to cap the surge.

Juwan Howard had 16 points and six boards for the Rockets, who ended a four- game homestand winless.

LA ended a six-game losing streak in Houston...The Clippers opened a three- game road trip...Houston fell to 13-22 at home...LA improved to 16-16 on the road...Houston hit 42.9 percent of its shots, including just 3-of-16 from three...LA hit 47.9 percent of its shots, including 6-of-15 behind the arc.

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