Clippers Dropped by Nets

With the noteworthy exceptions of Bruce Springsteen, saltwater taffy and a Princeton degree, the New Jersey Nets might be about the best thing the Garden State has to offer.

The Nets proved during a 108-89 victory Thursday over the Clippers before a crowd of 15,039 at Continental Airlines Arena that they can defeat the opposition in so many different ways that it boggles the mind.

The Nets whipped the Clippers from the inside and outside, scoring 50 points from the paint. They outrebounded the Clippers, 52-35. They also beat the Clippers up and down the court for easy baskets.

As ever, point guard Jason Kidd orchestrated the whole thing for the Atlantic Division-leading Nets. He had seven points, 11 assists, nine rebounds and zero turnovers in 28 minutes, proving once again that the Nets got the better of an off-season trade that sent Stephon Marbury to the Phoenix Suns.

But there was a good deal more to the Nets’ third consecutive victory and fourth in the last five games.

Where to begin?

How about guard Kerry Kittles, who scored 16 of his 18 points in the third quarter and made the Clippers pay for a lack of defensive intensity by sinking six of eight shots? Center Todd MacCulloch scored 17 points, making seven of eight shots and three of four free throws.

The Clippers maintained contact until the third quarter, then faded under the Nets’ suffocating pressure. Kittles scored 12 points in a row for the Nets and the Clippers began a rapid descent, trailing by 72-63 midway through the third.

New Jersey led, 28-23, by the end of the first quarter and by 58-52 at halftime. Kidd swished a three-pointer, then stole the ensuing inbounds pass and fired a three-pointer while falling out of bounds that narrowly missed at the halftime buzzer.

The loss was the Clippers’ third consecutive to begin a six-game trip and 11th in 13 road games this season.

“When we play at home, our fans are there and we don’t want to embarrass ourselves and we want to play well,” center Michael Olowokandi said, trying to explain the Clippers’ road woes. “When we go on the road, we just think it’s all going to work out somehow. Our defense has been atrocious. The game isn’t just shooting the ball. It is half of the game, but the defensive side is more important than the offensive and we pay no attention to it.”

No one could smother Kittles, whose jump shot gave the Nets a 62-59 lead and started his remarkable run. He made a three-point basket moments later, then another. He scored on a drive to the basket, then added a layup to extend New Jersey’s advantage to nine points.

“Twelve points in a row? That’s ridiculous,” Clipper forward Elton Brand said. “Granted, Jersey is a good team. They shouldn’t have blown us out like that. [But] they passed the ball around and played well. It was a team effort tonight.”

The Nets’ lead would swell to 21 points before the Clipper reserves chipped away in the fourth quarter. Lamar Odom scored 14 points to lead the Clippers, who fell to the .500 mark at 18-18. Brand added 13 points and 11 rebounds and Olowokandi had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

And the hits kept coming for the Clippers.

Guard Corey Maggette, already nursing a sore left knee, hurt his right knee and was forced from the game in the third quarter. He hopes to play tonight against the Hornets at Charlotte, the Clippers’ fourth game in four cities in five nights.

“Honestly, I think I’ll be ready,” said Maggette, limited to five points in 12 minutes.

Maggette was perhaps the one player who could have silenced Kittles, who carved up shooting guard Eric Piatkowski. Maggette gave his knee a try, but lasted only one possession before returning to the bench.

No one said the road would be easy, and the Clippers claim they were prepared for this grueling trip, but Olowokandi seemed more annoyed than anyone else that the same problems cropped up Thursday.

“We definitely should have had a wakeup call after the second loss on this trip,” he said, referring to Tuesday’s lackluster defeat against the Washington Wizards.

“Our mental preparation has to be a lot different. I don’t think we’re there as a team yet.”