Clippers hold off Heat 97-96
Sunday, November 30, 2008
LOS ANGELES Zach Randolph and Al Thornton each scored 27 points and combined for 21 rebounds, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 97-96 victory over the Miami Heat on Saturday night.
Baron Davis, playing despite a stomach virus, had 15 points, nine assists and five rebounds to help the Clippers snap a four-game losing streak. Rookie point guard Eric Gordon, making his third straight start after scoring 25 and 24 points in the previous two games, left because of a sore right hamstring with 1:41 left in the third quarter. He finished with five points in a foul-plagued 29 minutes.
The Clippers played without center Chris Kaman, who has a strained arch in his left foot and probably won't accompany the team on a four-game trip that begins Tuesday night at Dallas. Reserve guard Ricky Davis also sat out because of sore left knee.
Dwyane Wade had 26 points, 11 assists and six rebounds for Miami, but the NBA scoring leader missed a desperation a 3-pointer as time expired.
Miami forward Michael Beasley, the second overall pick in the draft, came off the bench for the second straight game after starting the first 15. He scored 24 points after playing 13 1/2 scoreless minutes and going 0-for-5 Friday night in a win at Phoenix.
Wade went to the free-throw line for the only time in the game with 6:23 left in the game and missed both with the Heat clinging to an 86-80 lead. The Clippers then ran off 13 straight points to grab a 93-86 lead with 3 minutes to play.
Randolph scored eight of them in a 1:24 span, starting with a putback of Thornton's missed layup. He came back with a three-point play and then hit a 3-pointer from the right sideline before Thornton capped the rally with a three-point play.
Davis hit a pair of 18-footers 33 seconds apart, giving Los Angeles a 97-89 margin with 1:24 to play. Wade gave Miami a chance with a layup and a 3-pointer 26 seconds apart, and Udonis Haslem followed with a 17-footer that cut it to one with 7.6 seconds left.
The Clippers called a timeout to get the ball to midcourt. Davis' inbounds pass was stolen by Wade, who fell out of bounds and collided with referee Courtney Kirkland just as he passed upcourt to Haslem. Kirkland huddled with referees Ron Olesiak and Greg Willard, and Miami was awarded possession with 7.2 seconds on the clock.
Wade was fouled by rookie Mike Taylor giving the Heat one more inbounds play with 2.9 seconds left. The Heat called a 20-second timeout and Mario Chalmers inbounded to Wade, who was way short from 27 feet with Marcus Camby's hand in his face.
Notes:@ Kaman's injury leaves Al Thornton as the only Clippers player to start all 16 games. The only season in which Kaman played all 82 games was 2003-04, when he was a rookie. ... Camby had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.











