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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Despite playing what Eric Piatkowski called
"very stupid basketball" in blowing an 18-point fourth-quarter
lead, the Los Angeles Clippers had reason to celebrate two
overtimes later.
|  | | Portland's Rasheed Wallace gets the sure basket against the Clippers. |
Jeff McInnis scored seven points in the second overtime as the
Clippers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 123-120 Saturday night
for their first four-game winning streak since 1997.
"We just had to win that game, no matter what," said Lamar
Odom, who had 22 points. "The big thing was we didn't get too high
and we never let ourselves get too low. We stayed level the whole
game."
The Trail Blazers forced both overtimes on desperation
3-pointers by Damon Stoudamire and Rasheed Wallace.
"I can't tell you how low and how bad I felt when Damon split
two guys and shot a double-pump 3-pointer," said Piatkowski, who
had eight points in the first overtime. "I just wanted to look up
in the air and ask somebody why."
But that emotion was replaced by elation five minutes later when
Portland's Steve Smith missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the
game.
The Clippers mobbed each other on the court, while the sellout
crowd of 20,001 cheered wildly.
"Our team is great," said first-year Clippers coach Alvin
Gentry, whose tie was off by the first overtime. "I was ecstatic
with the way we hung in there."
Michael Olowokandi, consistently hitting his hook shot, led the
Clippers with 24 points. McInnis added 23 points and 10 assists.
Wallace led the Trail Blazers with 35 points, but picked up his
NBA-leading 28th technical of the season in the third quarter for
comments made to referee Hue Hollins.
Wallace ignored reporters in the locker room and let loose with
a stream of obscenities after entering the shower.
Bonzi Wells added 23 points before fouling out in the first
overtime, while Scottie Pippen had 17 points and 11 assists in his
second game back after right elbow surgery.
"Hard-fought game that we probably didn't deserve to win,"
Pippen said. "We're not playing hard enough to do any damage."
Portland led 120-116 in the second overtime before the Clippers
scored seven straight to end the game. Stoudamire missed, Smith
fouled Piatkowski, then Detlef Schempf missed a hook shot before
Smith's 3-point attempt went awry.
"It's just about believing in yourself and laying the past to
rest," Olowokandi said.
The Clippers improved to 2-8 in overtime this season and beat
the Pacific Division leaders for the second time this season.
"It felt good, but to tell you the truth, I'm starting to
expect to win games now," Piatkowski said.
In the first overtime, the Trail Blazers scored the first six
points for a 107-101 lead. But Piatkowski scored eight in a row,
including two 3-pointers, and rookie Corey Maggette put the
Clippers ahead 112-111 on a three-point play after drawing Wells
into his sixth foul.
Wallace missed a layup and McInnis grabbed the rebound and fed
Maggette for a jumper that gave the Clippers a 114-111 lead with
13.4 seconds left.
Wallace hit an open 3-pointer and Maggette's 23-footer clanked
off the rim at the buzzer to force the second overtime tied at 114.
Trailing 97-89 in regulation, the Blazers outscored the Clippers
9-2 to draw within one with 42 seconds left. Wells scored and then
stole the ball in the corner and called a timeout as he was
double-teamed. Wallace scored over Cherokee Parks to draw within
one.
Rookies Keyon Dooling and Maggette each made one of two free
throws to keep the Clippers ahead 101-98. But Stoudamire,
sandwiched between two defenders, hit a 3-pointer to tie the game
at the regulation buzzer.
"I know we played very stupid basketball," Piatkowski said
about blowing the 18-point lead. "We weren't smart at all to let
them get back in the game, but that shot to go in, I was
dumbfounded."
Maggette scored the Clippers' first five points of the fourth
quarter, when they led by 18. But Pippen hit two consecutive
3-pointers as the Blazers began whittling their deficit to single
digits.
The Blazers set a franchise record for a third-quarter low with
eight points while the Clippers scored the final 16 points of the
period for a 74-58 lead.
"It's a disappointing loss," Portland coach Mike Dunleavy
said. "We just didn't play well for three quarters and when you do
that it gets tough. But we showed great heart in coming back."
Game notes
Los Angeles hadn't won four straight since Feb. 23-28,
1997. ... Portland dropped a half-game behind idle Utah for the
Western Conference lead. ... The Clippers' three previous wins came
on the road against Chicago, Cleveland and Detroit. ... Los Angeles
had its fifth sellout of the season. ... Odom is the only NBA
player to lead his team in scoring, rebounding, blocks, steals and
minutes played. ... The Clippers won the first meeting, 90-89, on
Feb. 3 at home.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Portland Clubhouse
LA Clippers Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 106
Washington 99
Charlotte 86
Philadelphia 85
Miami 75
New Jersey 70
Chicago 90
Vancouver 75
San Antonio 107
Dallas 104
Denver 85
Atlanta 82
LA Clippers 123
Portland 120
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