An Imperfect 10 for Clippers Forgotten With Defeat of Nets

It figured the Clippers would end their longest losing streak of the season with the type of play they should have shown all season.

Power forward Maurice Taylor was a leader on both ends of the floor. Derek Anderson and Lamar Odom scored, rebounded and played solid defense. And, supporting players such as Eric Murdock and Michael Olowokandi came through with big efforts to compliment the Clippers’ main three.

It was a combination good enough to end a 10-game losing streak Saturday night as the Clippers defeated the New Jersey Nets, 98-93, before 13,769 at Staples Center.

“Finishing plays, not turning it over as much and we were able to place pressure on the other team,” Anderson said in explaining the difference between the Clippers’ play against the Nets compared to their losing streak.

“We got contribution from all five guys on the floor all night. . . . It wasn’t even a streak. It was just our team effort. You hate to lose the way we’ve been losing. It’s not like we have the worst team in the league. We have talent as much as anybody. More or less, we finally came together for four quarters and hit shots at the end.”

Highlighted by a crowd-pleasing alley-oop dunk by Tyrone Nesby for the final basket of the game, the Clippers (11-32) have good reason to be happy about their play against the Nets (17-27), who completed a 0-4 West Coast trip.

Taylor led with a team-high 23 points to go along with eight rebounds and two blocked shots. Odom added 21 points and 10 rebounds for his 14th double-double of the season, and Anderson finished with 18 points, six assists and four rebounds.

But the Clippers also got a major game from Murdock, who fell three rebounds shy of a triple-double, finishing with 16 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.

“When we get movement, everybody gets shots,” said Murdock, who also had two steals. “Our defense was good. We knew they were going to make a run with [Keith] Van Horn and [Stephon] Marbury but we were able to maintain.

“I didn’t really know I [was close to a triple-double]. I wish I would have got it because it would have been my first one. But, I’m not worried about stats. Especially at this point of my career.”

The Clippers, who had not won since defeating the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 8, did not start off like a team stuck in a rut. They came out confident.

The leader of the Clippers’ strong early burst was Murdock, who made his fourth consecutive start in place of Troy Hudson.

Murdock, who did not get much playing time over the first two months of the season because of injuries, played the entire first half. Normally, Coach Chris Ford splits time with his point guards but Murdock was so effective, he logged 24 minutes over the first two quarters.

It didn’t matter whether New Jersey had Marbury or Elliot Perry on him, Murdock penetrated at will in scoring 11 points in the first half. Murdock also had six rebounds, six assists and two steals in the half.

But even with Murdock’s strong play and 50% shooting from the floor, the Clippers’ halftime lead was only 43-42. The Nets were able to stay close because of the scoring of Kerry Kittles, who had 12 points at the half.

Odom took command of the game in the third quarter, making Staples Center seem like one of his favorite playgrounds back in his hometown of Queens, N.Y.

After a quiet first half, Odom broke out with 12 points and eight rebounds in the third quarter.

“I just tried to find the basketball,” Odom said. “It was real easy, getting offensive rebounds, running the floor.”

The Clippers led, 69-66, at the start of the fourth quarter. Marbury, who finished with 23 points and seven assists, brought the Nets back and helped them take an 84-83 lead with 3:49 to play.

The lead changed hands several times until Taylor made a jump hook over Van Horn to put the Clippers ahead, 90-89. Anderson, who has made 21 consecutive free throws, made four in the game’s final 1:37, Taylor added a jump shot and Nesby finished with his exclamation-point dunk.

“This was a big win and it was a long time coming,” Ford said. “I just hope the next one doesn’t take as long.”