Clippers Get Hopes Up Before Losing Yet Again : Pro basketball: Ellis’ hot fourth-quarter shooting helps wipe out Nets’ 20-point lead before committing costly misstep in 107-102 loss.

With the outcome in the balance, New Jersey Coach Butch Beard had one thought: Let the Clippers win against someone else.

Kenny Anderson helped answer Beard’s silent prayer with 22 points and 14 assists Friday as the Nets handed the Clippers their 12th consecutive loss, 107-102, at the Sports Arena.

“You don’t want to be the first victim,” Nets center Benoit Benjamin said.

Harold Ellis scored 19 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter when the Clippers’ rally stalled on Ellis’ misplaced feet.

Trailing 105-102, Ellis hit an apparent three-pointer to tie the game with seconds to play. But his feet were on the out-of-bounds line and the basket didn’t count.

“Ellis did have both feet out of bounds. He (the official) called it right,” said Clippers Coach Bill Fitch, who is 0-2 this season against the team that fired him in 1992.

The Nets nearly blew the 20-point lead they built in the third quarter by allowing the Clippers to close to 104-102 on a layup by Ellis with 1:03 remaining. Fouled by Kevin Edwards on the drive, Ellis failed to convert the free throw.

“I know the three-point line is closer this year, but in the heat of the moment, I didn’t realize how far I was behind it,” Ellis said. “I just knew that we needed a three.”

The Clippers were helped in part by Beard’s decision to rest Anderson and Derrick Coleman during an eight-minute stretch when Los Angeles rallied.

Both returned with 2:29 to play, but the benching stiffened Anderson’s muscles. He was already playing with a sore left wrist that kept him out for most of the second half against Sacramento two days earlier.

“The Clippers are hungry,” Anderson said. “They just keep coming at you like wild lions. You go out there lackadaisical and they’ll beat you. I’m just glad we got off to a good start. It gave us a little breathing room.”

After a timeout, Anderson committed a turnover, but Tony Massenburg missed a jumper. Ellis fouled Gilliam, who made one of two free throws to give the Nets a 105-102 lead with 36 seconds left.

“No two games are the same for us,” Fitch said. “At least you can’t say we are boring.”

Just when the Clippers appeared to be hopelessly out of it, they regained momentum by scoring 11 straight points to pull to 76-70 with 2:45 left. But New Jersey came right back, running off the final nine points to take an 85-70 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Clippers shot a woeful 36 percent (nine-of-25) in the third.