Pacers beat Rockets; Yao Ming had 24, 13 rebounds (Agencies) Updated: 2005-11-21 09:22 The 8-2 start is the best 10-game stretch for the Clippers at any point of a
season since 1978-79, when they were based in San Diego. It also is the first
time the Clippers have started 4-0 at home since 1991-92. A victory Wednesday
night against Toronto would equal the best home start in franchise history, set
in 1983-84.
Baron Davis had 21 points and 13 assists for the Warriors, who have lost five
straight to the Clippers — including a four-game sweep last season in which they
were held to an average of 87 points. Jason Richardson scored 20 points —
including a breakaway 360-degree dunk — but hardly put a dent in a 17-point lead
the Clippers built in the third quarter.
Brand, Maggette and Mobley all reached the 20-point mark before the third
quarter ended. Mobley's 3-pointer capped an 18-4 run that made it 85-68 with
3:56 left in the period.
The Warriors opened the fourth with a 13-4 spurt that closed it to 98-92 with
7:41 to play. The Clippers made only one of seven shots in the quarter to that
point — a 3-pointer by rookie Daniel Ewing — but Cassell and Mobley each hit a
pair of free throws to restore the double-digit lead, and Cassell added a
fadeaway baseline jumper for a 104-92 cushion with 4:49 left.
The Warriors got no closer than 12 points after that.
Coming off an emotional 97-91 victory over their Staples Center co-tenants,
the Lakers, the Clippers used 18 points from Brand and 14 from Maggette to take
a 61-57 halftime lead. Golden State led by as many as eight before the Clippers
pulled ahead for good on a layup by Zeljko Rebraca that gave them a 48-46 lead
with 4 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter. Rebraca had 17 points and a
career-high 16 rebounds in the previous meeting last Jan. 19.
Davis recorded nine assists during a 5:14 span of the first quarter,
engineering a 20-9 run that gave Golden State a six-point lead. The two-time
All-Star also managed to squeeze in 10 points during the
period.
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