NBA Game Summary - New York at LA Clippers

Los Angeles, CA (Basketball News) - Bobby Simmons hit a jumper with 21.3 seconds left to lift the Los Angeles Clippers to a 96-94 win over the New York Knicks at the Staples Center.

Quentin Richardson scored 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Clippers, who halted a two-game losing streak. Elton Brand added 19 points and 12 boards while Marko Jaric posted 13 points and seven assists in the win.

"I thought we did a good job of gutting this one out," said Los Angeles head coach Mike Dunleavy. "Bobby (Simmons) made some big plays on both ends of the court in addition to hitting the game-winning shot."

Stephon Marbury poured in a game-high 28 points and handed out nine assists for the Knicks, who have dropped five straight games. Tim Thomas added 22 points and Nazr Mohammed hauled in 12 rebounds in the loss.

The Knicks trailed by six points after three quarters, but began the fourth on an 8-0 run, to claim an 85-83 edge. Mike Sweetney’s tip-in with 9:52 left capped the surge and put New York ahead for the first time since early in the first quarter.

The game remained tight and two free throws by Anfernee Hardaway with just under four minutes left tied the game at 92 apiece. After the teams went scoreless for nearly three minutes, Thomas drained two free throws with 1:13 left to give New York a 94-92 lead.

Chris Wilcox made 1-of-2 from the foul line with 52.6 seconds remaining and after Marbury missed a fallaway jumper, the Clippers took over. Jaric brought the ball down court and fed Simmons, who netted a jumper from the right baseline to give Los Angeles a 95-94 edge with 21.3 seconds left.

"In transition you always try to get the open spots to make plays," said Simmons. "On that last shot I wasn’t sure if Marko was going to make a play at the rim or kick it out to me so I just got my feet set and waited for the ball. Everybody wants to get in the game so when you get the opportunity to get into a game it’s important to make plays or you sit. It is as simple as that."

Kurt Thomas then missed a 15-foot jumper with just under five seconds left and after the ball bounced around, Richardson was finally fouled with 1.1 seconds remaining. Richardson made 1-of-2 for a two-point edge, but Kurt Thomas’ last-second attempt was off the mark as the buzzer sounded.

"We had two good shots," said New York head coach Lenny Wilkens. "Our last play was executed perfectly. We wanted to tie it. we got some shots, they just didn’t fall for us."

New York went the last 7:05 of the game without a field goal and missed its final eight shots.

The Clippers grabbed a 19-12 lead on Richardson’s three-pointer midway through the first quarter and the margin grew to 35-27 after one period.

New York quickly cut the deficit to 39-36 on Hardaway’s basket two minutes into the second quarter. Los Angeles built its lead up to nine points later in the half and held a 62-55 edge at the intermission.

Richardson scored 17 points, while Marbury and Tim Thomas each had 15 for the Knicks in the opening 24 minutes.

The Clippers led 83-77 after a tightly-contested third period.