Clippers Find Wright Solution, Win

New year, new Clippers.

Can this be the same team that lost 24 of its first 30 games?

The Clippers rang in 1998 with their second consecutive victory, building a 21-point third-quarter lead and and defeating the Golden State Warriors, 94-79, Friday night before 10,653 at the Oakland Coliseum Arena.

It’s the longest winning streak of the season for the Clippers (7-24), who have the NBA’s fourth-worst record.

The Clippers, who had six days to prepare for the game, looked rested.

“We got some work done and we got through the holidays all right and we got through some injuries that we had,” Clipper Coach Bill Fitch said.

The Clippers, who ended a six-game road losing streak, have won three of 20 road games. They’re 2-0 against the Warriors (7-22).

Forward Lorenzen Wright, who had averaged 16.6 rebounds in his last seven games, had his eighth double-double in the last nine games, getting 23 points and 15 rebounds in 45 minutes.

“Lorenzen was tireless,” Fitch said. “But what can you say, he’s a work horse.”

Forward Lamond Murray, who missed two games because of a hand/wrist injury, had 16 points, including a spectacular dunk two minutes into the final quarter.

“That was probably the best dunk I’ve had since I’ve been in the NBA,” said Murray, who made seven of 12 shots. “I practiced hard all week and got back into my rhythm.”

Murray, who played at nearby Cal, sparked the Clippers in the fourth quarter, scoring eight points.

“Tonight, he struggled on his shot because he’s still got a bad hand,” Fitch said. “His hand looked like a truck ran over it. We couldn’t even find his knuckles for two days.

“His game is light years ahead of where it was. The toughest position to play is [small forward].”

The Clippers played superb defense against the Warriors, who shot 35.8%.

Warrior forward Joe Smith, who was averaging 17.1 points and shooting 44.5% coming into the game, missed 12 of 14 shots and had eight points and eight rebounds.

Center Stojko Vrankovic, who has displayed little emotion this season, was ejected from the game with 5:23 remaining in the third quarter after he received his second technical foul for protesting a call to referee Hue Hollins.

“We’ve been seeing that [emotion] out of him all week,” Fitch said. “He’s been hostile in practice all week. He’s been full of life. . . . He and Hue sure didn’t get along.”

Vrankovic, who had three fouls in the first quarter, became upset after he received his fifth foul. Vrankovic got into a confrontation with guard Bimbo Coles earlier in the third quarter just before getting ejected.

He was replaced by 7-foot-3 rookie center Keith Closs after drawing his third foul four minutes into the game.

Closs, hampered by a back injury, was ineffective, missing his first three shots with two air balls. He finished with four points and two rebounds in 15 minutes.

The Clippers, who led by 45-43 at halftime, played their best quarter of the season, blitzing the Warriors, 20-2, in the opening 5:45 of the third quarter.

“We were moving the ball great and we played great team defense,” said guard Brent Barry who had 12 points and a season-best nine assists.

Wright had eight points in the spurt, making four of five shots. Guard Darrick Martin, who had eight points in the quarter, made two three point shots in the spurt. Martin finished with 14 points and six assists.

The NBA’s worst defensive team, the Clippers, played great defense, forcing the Warriors to miss seven of their first eight shots in the quarter.

Murray made a 13-foot jump shot with 12.4 seconds remaining in the second quarter to give the Clippers a 45-43 halftime lead.

The Clippers made 11 of their first 22 shots and took a 24-17 lead by the end of the first quarter.

Barry made four of his first six shots and had eight points, three rebounds and two assists in the first quarter. But the Warriors outscored the Clippers, 17-10, in the first six minutes of the second quarter to tie it at 34-34.