 Quentin Richardson takes to the air for a rebound against the Knicks. Robert Mora/NBAE/Getty Images |
The Knicks have lost their first six road games, matching their worst start since 1985. They have lost 10 consecutive road games since April, when they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center.
The Clippers, meanwhile, have turned into one of the NBA's better home teams. They have won five of seven games here this season and 18 of their last 23 overall.
Los Angeles squandered double-digit leads in the second and third quarters before dominating the fourth. Richardson was 5-of-5 from the floor in the final period and Earl Boykins scored seven of his 11 points in the last 12 minutes as the Clippers pulled away.
Richardson and Boykins led the Los Angeles bench, which outscored New York's reserves, 37-15. Darius Miles contributed six points and eight rebounds.
"Our bench played great today, we got a big lift from Richardson and Boykins," Los Angeles coach Alvin Gentry said. "That's what we need to get us over the hump in these tight ballgames."
Jeff McInnis and Eric Piatkowski added 14 points apiece for the Clippers, who made 5-of-9 three-pointers and outscored the Knicks, 28-14, at the free-throw line.
"We are a great defensive squad, but right now we are not," New York guard Allan Houston said. "Just because we have New York on our chest doesn't mean we are supposed to play great defense."
Latrell Sprewell scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half for New York and Houston had 19 but just two in the fourth quarter. Kurt Thomas added 11 points and 11 rebounds and Clarence Weatherspoon chipped in 10 and 10 for the Knicks.
Los Angeles took control with a 16-3 run late in the second quarter, turning a two-point lead into a 46-31 cushion with 1:17 to go. Brand, Boykins and Piatkowkski each scored four during the spurt and the Clippers had a 46-36 halftime lead.
Houston opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer to spark a 6-0 burst as the Knicks pulled within four. The Clippers led, 51-44, with 9:08 left, but New York scored 14 of the next 19 points and took a 58-56 lead on a jumper by Sprewell with 5:19 to go.
"None of that fire is gone, we knew they wouldn't give up," Brand said. "We knew they would be tough and they would battle. We just outbattled them at the end."
McInnis tied it with a pair of free throws and Brand gave the Clippers the lead with a three-point play with 4:28 remaining.
"We let that 10-point lead slip, but we held it together and grinded it out," Brand said. "That's what we have to do. We need to win games like that."
New York tied it, 61-61, on a jumper by Othella Harrington and Houston's technical foul shot with 4:07 left, but Richardson drained a short jumper to spark a 6-0 run and give Los Angeles the lead for good.
The Knicks shot just 43 percent (34-of-79), made 14-of-16 free throws and committed 18 turnovers.
"We are having trouble making shots on the perimeter," New York coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "We have got to find a way to put a lineup out there with a balance of offense and defense."
New York has won 25 of the last 30 meetings with the Clippers but has lost the last three in Los Angeles.