Clippers welcome Knicks to Staples Center

On Monday, Elton Brand had 37 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Clippers over the Miami Heat, 99-89, at Staples Center.

Sam Cassell added 18 points and dished out 13 assists and Corey Maggette chipped in with 13 points and six rebounds for the Clippers, who have won their last two games and lead the Pacific Division by a half-game over the red-hot Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors.

All the news was not good though, as Maggette was forced to leave the game with a sprained ligament in his left foot. An MRI on Tuesday revealed no further damage, but head coach Mike Dunleavy said it would take a "miraculous recovery" for him to play tonight.

Los Angeles, which will close its stand with visits from the Suns and Detroit Pistons, is a remarkable 7-1 in its arena this season.

The Knicks, meanwhile, enter tonight’s affair on a rare winning note, as Jamal Crawford poured in 19 of his season-high 31 points in the fourth quarter to lead New York to a 104-101 come-from-behind victory over Seattle on Tuesday at KeyArena.

All of Crawford’s points came during the second half, as the Knicks rallied from a 13-point deficit early in the third quarter to halt a two-game slide. The Seattle native went 8-of-11 from the floor, including 4-of-4 from three- point range, after halftime and made 11-of-12 foul shots for the night.

Rookie Channing Frye contributed 18 points off the bench on 6-of-8 shooting for New York, which won for just the third time in 11 road outings this season. Stephon Marbury added 16 points and eight assists to the winning effort.

New York played without guard Quentin Richardson, who left the team for a family emergency in Chicago. Reports have circulated that Richardson’s brother was fatally shot Monday in Chicago.

The Knicks will close a three-game road trip against Phoenix on Friday.

New York split its two meetings with the Clippers last season, but has dropped two of three and three of its last five to LA. The Knicks have also yet to beat the Clippers in six matchups at the Staples Center.