Clippers End on High Note After Squandering Big Lead

Just when it seemed like the Clippers were ready to fold up and lose another overtime game after blowing a huge fourth-quarter lead, they stepped up to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers, 123-120, in double overtime Saturday night in front a sellout crowd of 20,001 at Staples Center.

In defeating Portland at home for the second time in three weeks, the Clippers survived a three-point basket by Damon Stoudamire to tie the score at the end of regulation and another three-pointer by Rasheed Wallace to send the game into the second overtime.

The Clippers refused to roll over, and once Jeff McInnis made two free throws with 3.1 seconds to play in the second extra period, they finally won when Steve Smith’s desperation three-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark. The Clippers have won four in a row.

Michael Olowokandi led the Clippers with 24 points and nine rebounds, but he had plenty of help. McInnis had 23 points and 10 assists, Lamar Odom had 22 points and nine rebounds and Eric Piatkowski and Corey Maggette made big plays in the overtime periods.

On the Clippers’ recent seven-game East Coast trip, Olowokandi finished on a disappointing note. He was not aggressive and struggled with early foul trouble in the last five games of the trip, scoring only 37 points.

But Olowokandi didn’t play soft Saturday night. Matched up early against Portland’s Arvydas Sabonis and then Dale Davis, Olowokandi was a force from the start. He dominated the first half, scoring 16 points on eight-of-13 shooting, and added four rebounds and three assists.

With Olowokandi scoring inside, the Clippers’ perimeter players had better looks at the basket and they responded. The Clippers, who made 53.7% of their shots in the first half, made five of nine three-pointers in taking a 51-50 halftime lead.

Although Portland had its share of spectacular plays, including Wallace’s one-handed dunk off an alley-oop pass in the second quarter, the Trail Blazers had to work to keep up with the Clippers--especially when Coach Alvin Gentry turned to his young guns in the second quarter. With rookie point guard Keyon Dooling breaking out of a funk that had hampered him the last few games, the Clippers’ second unit outran the more experienced Trail Blazers for easy baskets.

In previous games when Olowokandi played a strong first half, he usually disappeared over the final two quarters. But Olowokandi didn’t have that problem against the Trail Blazers.

In the third quarter, the Clippers began to play better half-court defense and slowly built a sizable lead behind Olowokandi, who continued to dominate Portland’s big men. Although he scored only four points in the quarter, he grabbed three rebounds and his presence continued to open things up for his teammates as the Clippers took a 74-58 lead into the fourth quarter.

Once the final quarter began, Portland went to a full-court trapping defense and the Clippers crumbled under the pressure. After building their lead to 18 points, the Clippers turned the ball over and the Trail Blazers made them pay with a three-pointer.

After not scoring a point for nearly 10 minutes spanning the third and fourth quarters, Portland made six three-point shots in the fourth.

The Clippers wouldn’t be the Clippers if they didn’t assist in Portland’s comeback. If it wasn’t Darius Miles or Odom turning the ball over, it was Dooling or Maggette missing a key free throw.

Once Stoudamire sent the game into overtime, the Clippers did not seem to have a chance against the veteran Trail Blazers, especially after Portland scored the first six points of the extra period. But with Piatkowski making two deep three-point shots along with a shot from the lane, the Clippers trailed by only 111-109 with 1:34 remaining.

After making a solid defensive stand, Maggette took over. He completed a three-point play to give the Clippers a 112-111 lead and then with 13.4 seconds left, Maggette scored on a running bank shot to put them ahead by three.