Richardson Is Golden Against the Nuggets

During a timeout in Wednesday night’s game at Staples Center, Keyon Dooling playfully batted at Quentin Richardson’s jersey, as if to touch his Clipper teammate would burn his hands.

So hot was Richardson that when he had a pass deflected on a fastbreak, the ball flew right into the hands of teammate Chris Wilcox for a net-rippling dunk.

With his fists-to-forehead celebrations seemingly running together at times, Richardson rang in a happy Q year by scoring a career-high 44 points, leading the Clippers to a 120-104 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

He scored 18 points in the first quarter and 20 in the second half, when the Clippers made 62.5% of their shots and outscored the Nuggets, 68-48, to reach a season-high point total and end a two-game losing streak.

He made 17 of 30 shots, five of nine from beyond the three-point arc. He scored on bank shots from the wing, follow shots and tip-ins, long, arching jumpers and an alley-oop dunk over his shoulder. He took 10 rebounds.

And when he scored his 39th and 40th points on a driving, twisting left-handed layup, also drawing a foul while pushing the Clipper lead to 111-99 with 1:53 to play, he triumphantly flexed his muscles for the crowd of 14,350.

Returning to the bench for a timeout, a grin creasing his face, he balled his right fist and raised the four fingers on his left hand, signifying 40.

Eclipsing his previous career high of 36, set in a November loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Richardson became the first Clipper to score as many as 40 points since April 16, 1994, when Dominique Wilkins scored 42 against the Lakers.

“You just feel like everything you put up there is going to hit,” he said, trying to explain his offensive outburst. “The rim looks real big to you.”

Coach Mike Dunleavy knew what to do with his hot hand.

“Feed it till it cools,” he said.

It never did, though Richardson seemed miffed that he’d blown a fourth-quarter layup. He’d had an early inkling it was going to be a good night.

“I hit my first little bank shots,” he said of his first two baskets, which wiped out a 6-2 Nugget lead. “That’s when I felt I had it going.”

He made 10 of 16 shots and scored 24 points in the first half, but his teammates made only 11 of 33 and the Clippers trailed at halftime, 56-52.

The Nuggets, who scored 15 of their first 21 points on layups, dunks or free throws, made 55% of their shots in the first half, but they cooled off in the face of more aggressive Clipper defense in the second half.

Richardson stayed hot.

He made a long three-point shot 13 seconds into the third quarter, sparking a 13-2 run in which the Nuggets missed four of five shots and had three turnovers.

The Clippers, ahead to stay, continued building their lead right to the end, Richardson finally leaving to a standing ovation in the final minute.

“I thought in the second half, we played with much better purpose defensively,” Dunleavy said. “And we were able to get the ball into Q’s hands.

“He took care of the rest.”

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To make room on the active roster for center Predrag Drobnjak, Olden Polynice was again put on the injured list, the Clippers saying it was because of a neck strain. “Everybody says, ‘Stay with it; it’s a long season,’ ” said Polynice, on the injured list for the third time in two months. “But I want to earn my living. I hope people realize what’s going on.” ... Melvin Ely, put on the injured list last week because of influenza, has returned to practice and is eligible to be activated Saturday but has lost 15 pounds. “We’ve got to see what we need to do to get him stronger ... before he can play,” Dunleavy said. Said Ely: “I’m not that far off.” .... With the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show opening Friday at the adjacent Convention Center, the Clippers are asking fans attending games Saturday and Sunday to allow an extra 15-30 minutes getting to the arena to accommodate potential traffic delays.