New-look Clippers beat Sonics

SEATTLE – Sam Cassell kept saying these weren’t the same old Los Angeles Clippers.

Showing a new level of resiliency, Cassell led a rally from 13 points down in his first game with the Clippers, as Los Angeles beat the Seattle SuperSonics 101-93 on Wednesday night.

Cassell won a duel with Seattle’s Ray Allen, scoring 35 points, as the short-handed Clippers rallied in the fourth quarter.

“Like I was saying the whole training camp, this is not going to be the old Clipper team from the past,” Cassell said. “We’re going to play hard for 48 minutes. … We executed when we needed to down the stretch and we made shots.”

Cassell made three 3-pointers in the final 5 minutes, leading the Clippers’ 37-point fourth-quarter charge. His pull-up 18-footer with 1:43 left gave the Clippers the lead for good and spoiled Bob Weiss’ debut as Seattle’s coach.

The 37 points for Los Angeles eclipsed its highest scoring quarter from all of last season of 35.

Cassell was 14 for 26 from the floor, including 15 points in the fourth quarter, and added 11 assists. Elton Brand had 15 points and James Singleton added 14 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

“Sam is a monster,” Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. “That’s what he does, he makes big shots.”

Allen scored 31 points on 11-of-21 shooting. Rashard Lewis added 18 for Seattle, but no other Sonics’ player reached double figures. It was Seattle’s first loss in a home opener since 1997 when they were beaten by Dallas.

Down 87-82, Cassell made consecutive 3-pointers to give the Clippers an 88-87 lead with 3:41 left. Allen and Quinton Ross exchanged free throws, before Cassell’s third 3-pointer. Allen missed a 3-pointer at the other end, and Cassell answered with his jumper. He added another fall-away jumper and two free throws in the final 18 seconds for good measure.

“I can’t do 82 games like that,” Cassell said. “But if it takes me hitting shots down the stretch to prevail my team to win … I did what I had to do.”

Los Angeles played without starting forward Corey Maggette, still hampered by a left hamstring injury. Maggette averaged 23 points in four games against Seattle last season. Ross started in Maggette’s place and finished with 10 points, but it was Singleton who made the biggest contribution.

In his first NBA game, the former Murray State standout came up with key baskets, scoring eight points and pulling down six rebounds in the fourth quarter.

“We wanted it more. We just kept playing hard no matter how many points we were down,” said Singleton, who played the last two seasons in Italy.

Seattle led 57-55 midway through the third quarter, when Allen ignited a 14-3 run to build Seattle’s lead back to double-digits. Allen made two 3-pointers, Lewis added another, and Vladimir Radmanovic capped the run with an emphatic fastbreak dunk, giving Seattle a 71-58 lead.

Nick Collison scored to open the fourth quarter, giving Seattle a 77-64 lead. From there, the Clippers scored 16 of the next 18 points. Ross’ two free throws gave the Clippers their first lead at 80-79 with 7:23 left.

“I thought we shot ourselves in the foot,” Weiss said. “I thought we had a chance to put them away in the third, but we had too many turnovers. And then Sam came in and took over in the fourth.”

While the Clippers sizzled in the fourth quarter, Seattle went cold, making just 4 of 17 shots, 2 for 11 on 3-point attempts.

“We just stopped playing, plain and simple,” Allen said. “Offensively, I don’t know what to say.”

The Clippers shot nearly 70 percent in the first quarter and 57 percent in the first half, using the hot shooting to overcome an early 16-4 deficit and pull even at 50-50 at halftime.

Notes

Weiss put C Vitaly Potapenko on the inactive list before Wednesday’s game, choosing instead to use newcomer Mikki Moore because he played last year with the Clippers. Moore did not play. … Los Angeles was also without Shaun Livingston (back) and Walter McCarty (thumb). … French rookie C Johan Petro started for Seattle, and scored six points in the first five minutes before picking up two fouls. He played just 13 minutes and had 8 points.

Clippers 101, Supersonics 93

Percentages: FG .500, FT .731. 3-Point Goals: 4-12, .333 (Cassell 4-7, Mobley 0-5). Team Rebounds: 10. Team Turnovers: 18 (16 PTS). Blocked Shots: 10 (Kaman 3, Brand 2, Mobley 2, Wilcox, Cassell, Singleton). Turnovers: 18 (Kaman 5, Brand 3, Ross 3, Mobley 3, Wilcox 2, Cassell, Ewing). Steals: 8 (Rebraca 2, Cassell 2, Brand, Wilcox, Mobley, Singleton). Technical Fouls: Coach Dunleavy, 9:00 third.

Percentages: FG .412, FT .680. 3-Point Goals: 10-27, .370 (Allen 5-10, Lewis 4-6, Ridnour 1-2, Collison 0-1, Brunson 0-1, Murray 0-2, Wilkins 0-2, Radmanovic 0-3). Team Rebounds: 13. Team Turnovers: 19 (16 PTS). Blocked Shots: 4 (Lewis 2, Collison, Petro). Turnovers: 19 (Murray 3, Petro 3, Evans 2, Allen 2, Collison 2, Ridnour 2, Wilkins 2, Lewis, Radmanovic, Brunson). Steals: 9 (Evans 2, Allen 2, Ridnour 2, Wilkins 2, Murray). Technical Fouls: Evans, 4:08 first.

A – 16,515 (17,072). T – 2:23.