Clippers End 31-Game Losing Streak in Utah

Corey Maggette took one final rebound from a pack of Utah Jazz players Wednesday, dribbled away from trouble and threw the ball the length of the court at the final buzzer, watching its flight until he was swarmed by back-slapping teammates.

Clippers 96, Jazz 89 certainly had a nice look to it.

Never mind that the Clippers nearly blew a 10-point lead in the final 70 seconds. Or that the Clippers missed free throws and handled the ball as if it were toxic in the closing moments of a game they once led by 17 points.

Any victory was a good one.

After all, the Clippers had lost 26 consecutive regular-season games at Salt Lake City, dating to April 18, 1989, 31 consecutive games including five playoff losses. They also had lost 22 regular-season games in a row at the Delta Center. And they had lost 15 in a row overall to the Jazz.

Maggette was 10 years old the last time the Clippers won at Salt Lake City -- a 95-92 victory at the old Salt Palace with 24 points from Charles Smith for a Don Casey-coached team. Elton Brand was 9, Lamar Odom 10, Andre Miller 13 and Sean Rooks 20.

“Big victory for the organization,” Maggette said after finishing with 13 points and nine rebounds to help the Clippers win for only the fourth time in their last 13 games.

“Big, big victory for the team’s morale,” Brand said after leading the Clippers with 24 points, on 10-of-19 shooting, and 10 rebounds.

“We had lost four in a row here, that’s the way I felt about it,” Coach Alvin Gentry said. “That’s the only stretch I know of. Other than that, I wasn’t here and these guys weren’t around. That’s the way we look at it.”

Utah had won seven in a row at home, dating to Dec. 28. When it was announced that center Michael Olowokandi had suffered a bruised right thigh Monday against the Lakers and would not play Wednesday, Utah’s chances to extend its dominance over the Clippers grew.

“Call him doubtful for Friday,” athletic trainer Jasen Powell said when asked about Olowokandi’s status for the Clippers’ game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the second stop on their four-game trip.

Olowokandi’s absence simply cleared the way for Brand to work over the Jazz in the low post, another rare sight. Brand won the head-to-head battle with Karl Malone, who had 23 points on 10-of-19 shooting and eight rebounds in 43 minutes. Brand also took apart Malone’s backup, Tony Massenburg.

The Clippers outrebounded the Jazz, 50-39.

They built a 52-37 lead by halftime, racing to the locker room after Odom’s jumper at the buzzer. Odom’s hook seconds into the third quarter gave them a 54-37 lead.

They braced for the anticipated charge from the Jazz, and it came with a sudden fury that trimmed their lead to 56-49 with 8:16 remaining in the third. After a timeout, the Clippers regrouped, built the lead to double-digits again and awaited the next Jazz rally.

The Clippers then went 5:13 without a point midway through the fourth quarter, but Miller’s jump shot and Maggette’s sweeping reverse layup halted Utah’s 10-0 run.

At the end, the Clippers staggered but held the lead. They made only 10 of 16 free throws in the final 2:17 but kept the Jazz from drawing closer than 93-89 after John Stockton scored two of his 14 points.

Miller, who had 16 points and seven assists, and Keyon Dooling, who had two points in 11 minutes, muzzled Stockton until very late.

“We knew they weren’t going to coast home,” Gentry said. “They were going to make a run at us. We knew they would make several runs. Over the last three games, we’ve been able to take timeouts and regroup and make some plays and stave off the rallies other teams have made against us. We did it again tonight.”

As ever, Brand led from the inside and Miller from the perimeter.

Significant contributions also came from unexpected sources, including Rooks, who filled in for Olowokandi and scored 10 points on five-of-five shooting in 27 minutes. Wang Zhizhi replaced Rooks when he got into foul trouble and scored 12 points, with seven rebounds, in a season-high 26 minutes.

“We played together,” Miller said. “Everybody got involved. Guys came off the bench and stepped up. We played hard and just rolled to the end. We’re playing well. Everybody’s contributing.”