Clippers’ second-half rally clips Sonics
SEATTLE – Elton Brand dominated the interior, scoring 30 points, and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied from an 18-point first-half deficit for a 101-97 win over the Seattle SuperSonics on Friday night.
Brand shot 10 for 20, and his short jumper in the paint with 2 minutes, 6 seconds left gave the Clippers a 97-93 lead. He added 15 rebounds and made all 10 of his free throws.
Chris Kaman added 20 points and 12 rebounds to help the Clippers overcome a 54-36 second-quarter deficit and pull even with idle Memphis for fifth in the Western Conference. Both teams are 46-33.
Ray Allen continued his climb toward the NBA’s 3-point record with 33 points, including five 3s, but Seattle’s offense was stagnant in the second half. Allen struggled under the defensive pressure of Quinton Ross.
Allen made all five of his 3-pointers in the second quarter, part of a 24-point first half, but was only 4 for 12 in the second half. Seattle was held to 31 points in the second half and had a three-game home win streak snapped.
Allen has 254 3-pointers on the season, 12 behind Dennis Scott’s single-season record of 267 set in the 1995-96 season. George McCloud is second with 257. Seattle plays two of its final three on the road.
The Clippers took the lead for good at 94-93 on Ross’ two free throws with 3:08 left. Kaman added a free throw before Brand’s jumper.
Mikki Moore tipped in an Allen miss with 1:09 left to get Seattle within 97-95. Sam Cassell, who had missed his previous four shots and hadn’t taken an attempt in the fourth quarter, made a 20-footer over Earl Watson with 55 seconds left for a 99-95 lead.
Allen made a baseline jumper and Cuttino Mobley missed with 18 seconds left. Seattle ran a play for Allen, but his 3-pointer under pressure from Ross missed and Kaman got the rebound. He was fouled and made both free throws.
Mobley scored 18 points and made his first seven shots. Cassell added 14.
Watson and Rashard Lewis each scored 20 for Seattle.
The Sonics played without forward Chris Wilcox, who sprained his right foot in Wednesday’s loss to New Orleans.
Wilcox didn’t participate in a shootaround in the morning and turned his thumb sideways before the game. Wilcox went through some drills, but did not suit up. Nick Collison started in his place.
Allen ignited a 19-4 run early in the second quarter that pushed Seattle’s lead to 18. He made four 3-pointers during a 3-minute stretch and scored 14 of the 19 points. Seattle shot 60 percent in the first half and made 9 of 16 3-point attempts.
Los Angeles scored the first eight points of the second half and then slowly chipped away the deficit as Seattle went 6 minutes without a field goal, missing 10 straight shots.