Clippers tidy up home before hitting the road

The objective was clear for the Clippers, who are goal-oriented these days.

The Clippers set out to sweep a three-game homestand before beginning a six-game, 10-day Eastern trip, saying anything less would be unacceptable with the tough road ahead.

Mission accomplished.

The Clippers were efficient from the outset Sunday afternoon in completing an important item on their to-do list, defeating the New York Knicks, 90-80, in front of 18,717 at Staples Center.

The Clippers shot 50.8% from the field, led by 24 points in the fourth quarter, and have won at least three games in a row for only the second time this season. They limited the Knicks (13-20) to 34.5% shooting and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half despite committing 19 turnovers.

Elton Brand continued to provide what the Clippers needed.

Brand made 13 of 18 field-goal attempts and scored a game-high 32 points, and matched his career high with eight of the Clippers’ season-high 16 blocked shots. The single-game team record is 19.

And the Clippers (14-16) moved to within two games of a .500 record, their next big target in trying to get it together again.

That’s not glamorous stuff for a group that aspired to much loftier goals before the season, but the Clippers have accepted reality.

“We came to the realization of not being shocked anymore as the days went on,” said Shaun Livingston, who had 15 points and seven assists in a solid performance.

“We were shocked when we went on those five- and six-game losing streaks.... That was tough because we didn’t expect to be in that position.

“But we’ve set goals as a team, and we’re determined to get out of this. We’ve still got a long way to go, but what you’re seeing is what we’re trying to do.”

The Clippers acknowledged it helped to have played the Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings and Knicks -- teams with a combined record of 36-54 -- on the homestand. Of course, with their performance this season, the Clippers don’t take anything for granted.

“I was pleased with the way we played defensively,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “Our deflection numbers were great, we contested their shots and held them to 34.5% shooting from the field. But I wasn’t pleased with our turnovers.

“Many of our turnovers were careless, and weren’t forced by aggressive defense. We just didn’t make high-percentage plays. Overall, though, I was pleased ... with sweeping our homestand and giving us momentum on our road trip.”

The Knicks have helped to bolster the confidence of many opponents.

It seemed the Clippers weren’t concerned about New York’s perimeter shooting, especially after watching the Knicks shoot 29.5% in the first half. The Knicks missed 12 of 15 three-point attempts.

“It was disappointing when you shoot the way we shot,” Coach Isiah Thomas said. “It’s tough right now because we don’t have a lot of shooters on the floor. Our spacing is bad because we are just not knocking down shots.”

As for the Clippers, Brand said: “We set a goal to win these three games. We fielded questions from the media like, ‘Is it over?’ It’s far from over.

“As you see, teams can get on a run, and that’s what we’re doing right now. We’re getting on our run.”

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jason.reid@latimes.com

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KEYS TO THE GAME

* The New York Knicks aren’t very good. The team’s roster was poorly assembled, and the Clippers exploited the Knicks’ many weaknesses.

* Elton Brand is in a groove. New York’s post players couldn’t handle Brand, who made 13 of 18 shots from the field and scored a game-high 32 points.

* The Clippers’ determination. They set a goal of sweeping the three-game homestand and came out focused again.

--JASON REID