Clippers Are Just as Right at Home

The message was written on the grease board in the visitors’ locker room at Denver’s Pepsi Center -- “Defend our court” -- and the Clippers responded.

A day after their best road performance of the season, the Clippers on Saturday night delivered their most impressive at Staples Center in a 112-79 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

The Clippers were the sharper bunch in a matchup of teams facing each other on consecutive nights, building an 18-point halftime cushion and leading by as many as 39 -- their biggest lead this season -- in the fourth quarter while again finishing strong in their season-high fifth consecutive win and eighth in 10 games.

How good were the Clippers? They came within one point of their largest margin of victory since moving to the West Coast -- 34 points, which they’ve accomplished three times, including last season against the Indiana Pacers. The all-time franchise mark is 37.

The Clippers (25-16) matched the 1974-75 Buffalo Braves for the best start in franchise history through 41 games, improved to 16-7 at Staples Center and moved within two games of first-place Phoenix in the Pacific Division before they leave for a six-game, 11-day Eastern trip today.

Coach Mike Dunleavy emphasized that a loss on their home court Saturday would have diminished the Clippers’ effort in Denver, where they won, 105-87, on Friday night. The players got the message.

“As far as we’re concerned, it’s a [heck] of a two-game sweep,” Dunleavy said. “I don’t look at it as an easy thing to do a lot of times, particularly when you play a good team back-to-back.”

The Clippers held Denver (25-21) to sub-40% field-goal shooting in both victories. Saturday, the Nuggets shot 39.5%, which at least was better than their 35.8% Friday. Forward Carmelo Anthony led them with 16 points.

“The Clippers did a great job of packing the defense in on me,” Anthony said. “They didn’t let me get to the basket as freely as I wanted to.”

Said Dunleavy, “To play that kind of defense is really impressive to me, and I’ve got high expectations for our guys.”

And the Nuggets had won seven in a row before the Clippers visited the Mile High city.

“To hold a team under 40% from the field two nights in a row, particularly a hot team, and to do the things we did from a standpoint of both offensive execution and defensive execution ... it certainly sets the tone for us to go on the road in the right way,” Dunleavy said.

“It’s a confidence booster,” said point guard Sam Cassell, who had 17 points and four assists. “We are playing well right now.”

The usual key contributors provided the foundation for the Clippers’ second victory in three games against the Northwest Division leaders, and Denver apparently still has no answer for power forward Elton Brand.

Although Brand had only 17 points, a night after scoring 33, his all-around outing was at least as effective. The focal point of the offense, Brand recognized the Nuggets were committed to trying to limit his impact this time, so he remained patient and adjusted, finishing with eight assists -- his highest total this season -- and eight rebounds.

The Clippers had a season-high 31 assists. Cuttino Mobley scored 19 points in a balanced attack that included six players who scored in double figures.

Center Chris Kaman combined with Brand to give the Clippers a big advantage inside. Kaman scored 11 points, missing only one of his six field-goal attempts, and had a game-high 15 rebounds. In the back-to-back victories, the Clippers outrebounded the Nuggets, 91-63.

“Chris Kaman is going to be an All-Star, from what I see,” Denver Coach George Karl said. “He might not be that good now, but every week I see him, he is better, more confident and big.”

After Brand’s performance Friday, the Nuggets were determined to contain him and make others beat them Saturday. So Brand simply found teammates, and they connected on uncontested jumpers that continued to energize the Clippers and the crowd.

“We talked about the fact that they had to come get Elton,” Dunleavy said. “We had to have good spacing, move the ball and create good-opportunity shots for everyone else.”