Clippers Richer for Sharing the Wealth

It’s a good thing the NBA does not have a Monday night television contract because the league’s lone game featured two struggling teams in the Clippers and Vancouver Grizzlies.

One team had lost nine in a row coming in and the other had lost 13 of its last 14 games. A sure ratings disaster.

But do you think the Clippers care?

Not when they finally decided to share the ball, which resulted in their first win in nearly three weeks. Led by Maurice Taylor in his best game of the season, the Clippers defeated Vancouver, 102-90, in front of 9,303 at Staples Center.

Taylor finished with 26 points and eight rebounds, and the Clippers shot a season-best 50.6% from the field. Their 27 assists also represented a season-high as they improved to 5-16. Vancouver dropped to 4-17.

“We had numerous guys who went into the game needing to play well,” Clipper Coach Chris Ford said. “So, this was a very good team win. Both teams needed a victory. We were able to sustain the leads we had. . . . They made a few runs on us but [the Clippers didn’t fold].”

Rookie Lamar Odom, who started at point guard against Indiana on Saturday, returned to small forward and made four of five shots from the field, but foul trouble limited him to 26 minutes.

“He’s a little frustrated at times with calls at either end of the court,” Ford said about Odom. “But he made some very good passes to set up his teammates. This all contributes to the win. It’s not only how many points you score but all the other things.”

Point guard Troy Hudson returned to the starting lineup and had a big game against Vancouver second-year guard Mike Bibby. Hudson finished with 18 points and a season-high 11 assists.

“You know Troy’s my boy and we’ve both been down and we’ve both been up. I’m very happy for him,” said Tyrone Nesby, who had 12 points off the bench. “For him to start and play good, hit some big shots. That’s what we needed.”

Center Michael Olowokandi had 16 points and 10 rebounds, his fifth double-double of the season, and Derek Anderson added 16 points and five assists for the Clippers.

Anderson, however, is doubtful for tonight’s game against the Lakers because of a left ankle sprain he suffered late in the fourth quarter.

The Grizzlies, who defeated the Clippers by 20 points at Vancouver a month ago, have not been one of the best road teams. Since they entered the NBA for the 1995-96 season, the Grizzlies are 18-140 away from home and have won only two of their last 35 road games.

The Clippers knew all about Vancouver’s traveling woes.

“We wanted this victory. We wanted to end our nine-game losing streak and get over the hump,” Hudson said. “We came out with a lot of intensity from the start, trying to come out with a win.”

After being swept on a three-game trip, which followed a disappointing 0-5 homestand, the Clippers started fast in front of their smallest home crowd of the season.

To say assists have not come easily for the Clippers would be an understatement. But they came out passing to the open man against the Grizzlies and it paid off early.

The Clippers jumped to an 11-point lead with Taylor and Anderson doing most of the damage. They combined for 17 points and the Clippers led, 29-22, at the end of the first quarter.

Behind Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who finished with 24 points and 16 rebounds, Vancouver stayed close in the second quarter but a buzzer-beating dunk by Nesby sent the Clippers into the locker room at halftime ahead, 59-49.

Early in the second half, it appeared the Clippers were in jeopardy of losing control of the game when Vancouver scored easy points inside to trail, 62-58.

The Clippers quickly regained control with six points from Olowokandi and three-point baskets by Nesby and Hudson.

After leading by nine at the start of the fourth quarter, the Clippers limited Vancouver to four-of-19 shooting the rest of the way to secure the win.

“We were aggressive, but not overly aggressive,” Olowokandi said. “Hopefully we can continue this trend and carry it throughout the season.”