Maggette scored 13 of his 15 points in the decisive first quarter and Brand collected 22 points and a season-high 19 rebounds as the Clippers defeated the Hornets for the first time in more than five years, 89-78.
Starting at guard, the 6-8 Maggette made 5-of-7 shots in the first quarter as he created matchup problems for Charlotte's small backcourt of Baron Davis and David Wesley and helped Los Angeles to a 29-21 lead.
from Hornets-Clippers: 56k | 300k  Elton Brand tallied his 15th double-double of the season with 22 points and 19 rebounds against the Hornets. Catherine Steenkeste/NBAE/Getty Images |
"They're very athletic. They play hard," Hornets coach Paul Silas said. "The first quarter was our undoing, when they ran on us and almost scored 30 points."
The Clippers never trailed thereafter, leading by 15 points on two occasions. However, the Hornets closed to 65-58 after three quarters and within 82-76 with 2:52 to play on a three-pointer by Davis, a Los Angeles native.
Charlotte could have gotten closer, but Davis missed two free throws with 2:01 remaining. A minute later, Brand sealed it with a jumper from the right side.
"We had a chance to pull to four points and then I think the pressure would have been on them," Silas said. "But we just couldn't get it done. They converted when they needed to and they didn't."
"We're getting a lot more confidence now, especially late in games, that we can finish teams off," Brand said. "We know they were going to come with a run, but I wasn't too worried about it."
Brand made 10-of-12 shots as he overpowered defensive stalwart P.J. Brown and Robert Traylor in the post. In his last three games, he has averaged 23.3 points and 15.3 rebounds. He has led the Clippers on the boards in 14 straight contests.
"Elton Brand gives them a go-to presence which they didn't have in the past. That really helps," Silas said.
Lamar Odom had 14 points and seven assists for the Clippers, who snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Hornets dating to Dec. 3, 1996.
"Elton's carrying us," Odom said. "He's playing like an All-Star and we're gonna grab his coattails."
Wesley scored 18 points and Davis added 16 and 10 assists for the Hornets, who fell to 2-3 on a six-game road trip that concludes Tuesday in Denver.
"I felt like it was my fault," said Davis, who got tickets for 40 family members and friends. "I blame myself for all the losses we have. I could have played a lot better. I could have shot the ball a little better and played better defense. They were a lot more focused tonight than we were."
Odom scored six points and Maggette four in a 10-0 surge that gave the Clippers the lead for good at 18-9 with 5:18 left in the first quarter. Maggette added a three-pointer, dunk and a pair of free throws before the end of the period.
A three-pointer by Quentin Richardson capped a 7-0 run at the outset of the second quarter that gave LA a 36-21 lead. Charlotte got within 51-41 at halftime.
Brand's layup at the 8:55 mark of the third period made it 60-45 before the Hornets began chipping away, closing to 67-62 with 9:31 remaining on a dunk by Lee Nailon, who scored 10 points.
Charlotte had a chance to get closer, but Wesley threw away a pass. Odom made a basket before Earl Boykins hit a jumper and fed Brand for a layup and a 73-62 lead with 7:59 left.
"It's been kind of a shaky ride with us down the stretch and we started to miss shots," Maggette said. "We needed a little defense and a little 'O' and that's what pulled us through."
"In the NBA, leads can disappear quickly and you have to be able to stop teams when you need to," Clippers coach Alvin Gentry said.
The Clippers shot 43.5 percent (37-of-85) while holding the Hornets to 36.5 percent (27-of-74). Elden Campbell scored 15 points for Charlotte.
Los Angeles (10-10) has reached .500 for the fourth time this season. It has yet to climb above the break-even mark.