Clippers Rout Trail Blazers, 91-71

Elton Brand stayed around to talk Sunday night.

The Clipper forward beat an uncharacteristically hasty retreat after Saturday’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, disgusted with the Clippers’ inertia and unwilling to hang around to discuss it with reporters.

One night later, he was only too willing to chew the fat after scoring 21 points, taking 14 rebounds and helping the Clippers end a four-game losing streak with a 91-71 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

“That’s what we needed; that’s how we need to play,” he said of the Staples Center blowout. “Yesterday was embarrassing; that’s not what we’re about. It was embarrassing not only for us but the fans. We didn’t give the effort ... and most of the fans were wearing my jersey, walking out sad.

“It hurts, so tonight I was like, ‘I’m going to give all I’ve got, and hopefully we can get a win.’ At least they’d see us trying. At least we’d give the effort.”

The Trail Blazers, who were playing their fourth game in five nights, have lost five of six and were without leading scorer and rebounder Zach Randolph.

The NBA suspended Randolph for one game after Randolph swung at Raja Bell of the Utah Jazz in Saturday night’s 91-70 Portland victory.

But the slumping Clippers needed a victory over anybody.

They’d lost six of seven, 11 of 14 and hadn’t defeated a Western Conference opponent since Jan. 23, when they beat the Jazz, 93-82.

They opened the third quarter with a 19-6 run, extending a 50-41 halftime lead to 22 points. Their lead reached 23 points in the fourth quarter.

The Trail Blazers, in becoming only the second Clipper opponent to score fewer than 80 points, could muster only 30 in the second half, when they made only 27.3% of their shots, a Clipper opponent low for a half.

“The defense was great,” Brand said. “We stifled them.”

Corey Maggette scored 18 points and, one day after establishing a career high with seven assists, upped it to nine. Chris Kaman, who had 10 points and 11 rebounds Saturday for his first double-double since Dec. 9, had 12 points and nine rebounds. Reserve guard Keyon Dooling scored 12 points in 23 minutes.

“I’m extremely pleased with the way we played,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “We did a nice job at both ends of the floor. I thought it was one of our better passing games, thought we moved the ball nicely and got high-percentage shots.”

Only a sprained back suffered by Quentin Richardson in the third quarter, forcing him to leave the game, put a slight damper on the postgame revelry.

Richardson fell to the floor under the basket, taking Shareef Abdur-Rahim’s legs out from under him, the Trail Blazer forward landing on the Clipper guard.

Richardson did not return, but afterward said he was OK.

“I don’t think it’s that bad,” he said.

“It’s just real sore. Jay [trainer Jasen Powell] said it’s going to be real sore later on, like in the morning it will be pretty painful, but it will be all right....

“It felt like when you get your back cracked -- but not in a good way.”

Earlier, Brand talked about his early exit Saturday.

Though he first attributed it to having people to meet, he said, “I was definitely upset. You can’t help but be discouraged ... when you don’t give the effort.”