Win Really Hits the Spot for Clippers

Sometimes the Clippers toyed with the Milwaukee Bucks. At other times the Clippers appeared vastly inferior to the Bucks. At the end, though, the Clippers simply shot them down.

Jeff McInnis’ three-point basket from straight away with 1.5 seconds remaining made the Clippers 86-83 winners Saturday over the Bucks before a crowd of 19,232 at Staples Center, a franchise-record fifth sellout in a row and the ninth this season.

The Clippers built an 18-point lead in the first half, but watched it slip away slowly and steadily in the second. Milwaukee led several times late, but never by more than three points.

Lamar Odom’s driving scoop shot erased the Bucks’ final lead, giving the Clippers an 81-80 advantage with less than a minute to play. Corey Maggette’s twisting layup moments later extended the lead to 83-80.

But Tim Thomas swished a three-pointer over Odom from the right wing on the Bucks’ next possession, tying the score and setting up a dramatic final 14.5 seconds for McInnis and the Clippers.

“Honestly, I just shot it, man,” McInnis said when asked if he knew the ball was going in when it left his hands.

The Bucks appeared to have the Clippers bottled up. Odom had the ball on the left wing and attempted to drive to the hoop, but Buck defenders surrounded him. They also left McInnis alone out front. Odom whipped a pass to McInnis, who made only his third shot in nine attempts.

“I got to the right spot and he found me,” McInnis said of Odom. “I didn’t know quite where I was, but I knew if he found me I’d have to shoot it. I didn’t know if it was a two or a three.”

After calling their final timeout, the Bucks set up a play with 1.5 seconds left.

Michael Redd came around a screen, but his three-point attempt fell short at the buzzer. The Clippers pulled out their second nail-biter in as many nights. Friday, they defeated the Nuggets at Denver, 82-80.

In defeating the Bucks, the Clippers withstood 24 points from Ray Allen and 20 from Sam Cassell. All of Cassell’s points came in the second half. Odom had 18 points to lead the Clippers.

“It’s a great sign,” McInnis said of finding ways to win two in a row late. “We would have lost a game like this one in the past. I think it’s a sign we’re maturing as a team.”

The Clippers beat a hasty retreat from Denver, where they didn’t exactly swell with confidence after stealing away with a victory Friday. Relieved was perhaps the only way to describe them.

Saturday, back in town to face Central Division leader Milwaukee at Staples Center before hitting the road again for a six-game trip, the Clippers seemed at ease. They rocketed away from the slow-starting, injury-ravaged Bucks, leading by 28-12 at the end of the first quarter.

The Clipper lead would grow to 18 points, the last time at 38-20. Milwaukee chipped away, mostly on Allen’s late second-quarter surge, and trailed by 42-34 at halftime.

Allen made a three-point basket, scored on a drive to the hoop and made a jump shot to get the Bucks close in the final minutes of the second quarter. Thomas’ three-pointer got them closer.

Allen, Cassell and Glenn Robinson each sat out Milwaukee’s loss Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Allen, who has tendinitis in his left knee, missed seven games, but was in the starting lineup Saturday. Cassell, suffering from a sprained neck, also started. But Robinson was sidelined for his third consecutive game because of a bruised left though.

Those three are the Bucks’ leading scorers.

Against the Clippers, the Bucks needed all the help they could get. Allen did his best in the first half, keeping them within the same zip code by scoring 11 points on four-of-12 shooting.

Cassell helped rally Milwaukee in the third quarter, scoring 16 points on seven-of-eight shooting. Milwaukee still trailed, 64-57, to start the fourth, but went on an 8-0 run to take the lead.

“We knew they were going to make a run at us,” Clipper Coach Alvin Gentry said. “But this win gives us confidence we can come up with a play and win. Lamar made the play. He created a shot for Jeff and Jeff made it.

“It was a great win for us against a quality team from the East.”

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The Road Awaits

With their win over Milwaukee on Saturday, the Clippers are 16-7 in home games. Their 2-8 road record isn’t as impressive as they embark Monday on a six-game-in-nine-day road trip. A look:

DATE AND TEAM: RECORD

Monday at Philadelphia: 14-19

Tuesday at Washington: 17-14

Thursday at New Jersey: 21-11

Friday at Charlotte: 14-18

Jan. 13 at Toronto: 18-14

Jan. 15 at Minnesota: 23-9