vs.	Sunday, December 31, 2006 | Los Angeles, CA Final: CLIPPERS 90, KNICKS 80
SCORE BY QUARTERS 1 2 3 4 T Knicks (13-20) 22 16 17 25 80 Clippers (14-16) 28 23 23 16 90 Photo Gallery | Recap | Box Score

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 31 (AP)
When he wasn't scoring, Elton Brand was making it difficult for the New York Knicks to put points on the board.

Brand had 32 points and tied his career high with eight blocked shots, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 90-80 victory over the Knicks on Sunday.

"Our defense is what we prided ourselves in last year, and that's what kept us in ballgames,'' Brand said. "So we've got to be out there blocking shots, deflecting balls and rebounding. That's how we win.''

The Knicks never led in their fifth straight road loss. They shot 29.5 percent in the first half, 34.5 percent for the game, and had 16 shots blocked by the aggressive Clippers.

"I don't think it had anything to do with our legs being tired. We were just poor with our execution,'' Knicks center David Lee said. "We don't have one of those guys who's going to score 50 points on his own, so we need to really work hard, execution-wise, and have all five guys in the right spots and moving the right way.''

Brand scored 15 points in the first 7:17 of the game and didn't make another field goal until his tip-in of Cuttino Mobley's missed 12-footer with 7:09 left in the third quarter. But Brand blocked seven shots during that drought, helping the Clippers increase their 13-point halftime lead to 62-45.

"Whenever we tried to move the ball to the weak side, we had poor spacing. And when we drove the ball, it was contested and we had to take tough shots,'' Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said. "It's tough right now because we don't have a lot of shooters on the floor.''

Mardy Collins returned to the Knicks' lineup after serving a six-game suspension and scored 11 points in 22 minutes. It was the rookie guard's flagrant foul against Denver's J.R. Smith that triggered a brawl at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 16, resulting in the ejection of all 10 players on the court at the time and additional suspensions for teammates Nate Robinson (10 games), Jared Jeffries (four) and Jerome James (one).

"Anytime you sit out for a number of games, you always want to get back out there and play,'' Collins said. "The NBA decided that six games was enough, so I just had to deal with it. We're still short-handed at guard, so it's time for me to get some playing time, show people that I'm not that type of player, and I can actually play basketball the right way.''

New York is 4-3 since the brawl.

"We were a pretty united group before the brawl, so we didn't need an artificial stimulus to unite us,'' Thomas said. "I'm not going to give that the credit instead of the players' hard work and what they've been able to do. They're better men than that, and they don't need to be artificially stimulated to stay together.''

Collins' return allowed the Knicks to rest three-time All-Star guard Steve Francis, who was limited to just 46 minutes of playing time over the previous three games because of tendinitis in his right knee.

"It ain't cool sitting on the sidelines wearing suits, but I can't just keep dragging on with an injury that's not helping myself or helping my team,'' Francis said. "I was trying to hold off until one of the other guards came back, either Nate or Mardy. So I'm definitely grateful that Mardy was able to come back today.''

Chris Kaman had 13 rebounds for the Clippers, who have won four of their last five games following a six-game losing streak. The victory was their fourth straight over New York and eighth in the last 11 meetings.

Eddy Curry had 15 points for the Knicks, who are 0-8 against the Clippers at Staples Center.

Brand's 18-footer gave Los Angeles its biggest lead, 82-58, with 8:10 to play. The Knicks got as close as 84-74 when Collins drained his third 3-pointer of the game to cap a 16-2 run with 3:38 remaining. Brand foiled the comeback with a dunk and a 17-footer that gave the Clippers a 90-74 lead with 1:32 left.

"We were 3-0 on the homestand and we're getting our swagger back,'' Brand said. "There's no better time than now, going back east for six games. "Since I've been here, this trip every year has been kind of a make-or-break stretch for us to make the playoffs.''

Dunleavy CLIPPERS HEAD COACH MIKE DUNLEAVY: On the game... “I was pleased with the way we played defensively. Our deflection numbers were great and we contested their shots. We held them to 34 percent shooting from the field. I wasn’t pleased with our turnovers offensively. So many of our turnovers were careless, and weren’t forced by aggressive defense. We just didn’t make high percentage plays. Overall though I was pleased with our performance, sweeping our home stand and giving us momentum on our road trip.” On the play of Aaron Williams... “Aaron has been very solid for us, especially on the defensive end. Always getting good position and rebounding the ball. Offensively he reads the court well and that helps.” On the upcoming road trip... “It was important to sweep the home stand and I told the players that. We’re carrying momentum into our road trip, we just need to stay healthy and gain even more speed as we move forward.” On the play of Elton Brand... “He had it going form the outside today. I was a little disappointed with the team because we didn’t get him the ball more often. Whenever you have anyone with a hot hand you have to feed him the ball.” Maggette CLIPPERS FORWARD COREY MAGGETTE: On winning three in a row... “It was important in general just to get some wins. Losing gets you down and out, but we made a big run, a big push for this team and hopefully we can just move on from there and go out to the east coast and do a better job.” Brand CLIPPERS FORWARD ELTON BRAND: On tonight’s game... “It’s good to have a good day statistically, but more importantly, it’s a win. A much needed win. Three and 0 on the home stand. We’re getting our swagger back. There’s no better time than now because were going east for six games.” On the Clippers' defense... “Our early season woes came about because of our defense. Our defense was what we prided ourselves in last year and that’s what kept us in ball games. The offensive will come along. We have to be out there deflecting balls, blocking shots and rebounding.” On winning three games in a row... “We definitely set a goal to win these three games. We fielded questions about it, ‘is it over?’ and things like that. It’s far from over. As you see, teams can get on a run and that’s what we’re doing right now.” On the upcoming road trip... “For my career, this has been a make or break stretch for the playoffs. I remember one year we went east and we got slaughtered and those playoff hopes were gone. Last year we went east and we went 4-2 or 5-1 and that put us right in there and kept us in it. We’re looking forward to this trip.” Thomas KNICKS HEAD COACH ISIAH THOMAS: On today’s game... “It was disappointing when you shoot the way we shot tonight. We are not shooting well and putting the ball in the hole; you’re not going to win in the NBA.” On the team offense... “It’s tough right now because we don’t have a lot of shooters on the floor. Teams have found out that by double-teaming Eddie (Curry) you’ll leave some guys open who are just not knocking down shots right now. When you are not making shots, then you are just spiraling downhill.” On the play of his team... “Our spacing was bad and consequently whenever we tried to move the ball to the weak side we had poor spacing, and when we drove the ball it was congested and we had to take tough shots. Our spacing is bad because we are just not knocking down shots.” On the team offense... “They scored 90 points. If they score 90 points and we make our shots, it should be good enough to win that game. If you do not make shots you are not going to win.” Curry KNICKS CENTER EDDY CURRY: On the Clippers' defense... “It seemed like they were coming from everywhere tonight. I was a little out of my rhythm. Now I just have to go to practice to work out some things.”

POINTS REBOUNDS ASSISTS STEALS BLOCKS Brand (32) Kaman (13) Livingston (7) Singleton (2) Brand (8) Curry (15) Lee (9) Marbury (8) Collins (2) Frye (1) James

8 Clippers forward Elton Brand tied his career high with eight blocked shots. Brand's previous season high was five blocked shots, which he recorded on December 20th during L.A.'s 98-96 loss to the Toronto Raptors.