Ewing plays a key role in stretch

Daniel Ewing delivered off the bench Tuesday night in the Clippers’ 103-89 victory over the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.

Ewing scored 11 points in the fourth quarter and his three-point basket with 1:18 remaining helped seal a key road victory for the Clippers in their bid for the Western Conference’s eight and final playoff berth.

The second-year guard provided a spark for the Clippers on a night Sam Cassell was inactive because of back spasms, and his teammates appreciated his timing.

“Daniel stepped up,” Elton Brand said. “On the three, they were double-teaming me, so I swung it around to him.

“He looked at it and knocked it down without hesitation. That’s what we need out of everybody right now.”

Coach Mike Dunleavy went with Ewing at point guard over Jason Hart for most of the fourth quarter because of Ewing’s long-range shooting, and the moved paid off.

“Daniel came in and did a great job, hitting some big shots for our team,” Corey Maggette said. “He put us in position to win the game.”

That was his intention, Ewing said.

“Going down these last games that we have, we need everybody right now,” he said. “In the first half, I got into foul trouble and I wasn’t really able to do much. In the second half, I knew I had to have an impact on the game somehow.

“Defensively, I had a pretty good impact. Offensively, I made some good plays and knocked down some open shots. Coach had confidence in me down the stretch and I came through for us tonight.”

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Tim Thomas suffered a bruised left elbow in the third quarter after blocking a shot and landing on a TV camera.

Thomas, who did not play in the fourth, said he might have X-rays done today. He is listed as day to day.

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Fewer than 200 tickets, priced at $25 and $30, remained available for Friday’s game against Utah, a team spokesman said.

For Saturday’s game against Washington, the Clippers had fewer than 750 tickets at $30 and $35.

TONIGHT

at Milwaukee, 5 PDT,

FSN Prime Ticket

Site -- Bradley Center.

Radio -- 710.

Records -- Clippers 31-36, Bucks 25-41.

Record vs. Bucks -- 1-0.

Update -- The Clippers are 2-3 on a trip that ends tonight. Elton Brand scored 25 points and Cuttino Mobley contributed 22 in a 115-96 victory over Milwaukee on Jan. 23 at Staples Center.

jason.reid@latimes.com