LOS ANGELES, March 13 (Ticker) -- While the Los Angeles Clippers continue to muscle their way into the playoff race, the Washington Wizards continue to fade away without Michael Jordan.

Michael Olowakandi and Elton Brand controlled the inside while Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles provided their usual spark off the bench to lead the Clippers to a 96-75 rout of the Wizards.

Olowakandi had 22 points and 11 rebounds and Brand collected 19 and 15 for the Clippers, who extended their winning streak to a season-high four games and moved within 1 1/2 games of the Utah Jazz for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.

"Going into the season, I really did have a lot of confidence that we would be capable of making the playoffs," Olowokandi said. "Depth is a luxury this team enjoys and that could make the difference for us."

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NBA TV highlights from Wizards-Clippers: 56k | 300k Quentin Richardson was one of six Clippers in double figures. Noah Graham NBAE/Getty Images

"Even without Michael Jordan playing tonight, it still was a great win for us," Brand said.

The Wizards suffered their fifth straight loss, slipped to 2-7 without the injured Jordan and fell two games behind Charlotte for the final Eastern Conference playoff berth.

To give a strong indication of the strength of each conference, the Wizards were no match for the Clippers, who raced to an 15-6 lead in the first 4 1/2 minutes, built the advantage to 17 in the second quarter and led by as many as 22 in the fourth quarter.

"This team, the Clippers, I am just so impressed with how good they are defensively," Wizards coach Doug Collins said. "I hope what our guys are learning is the passion that you have to play with to compete at this level. But I can't believe how good they are defensively."

Miles had 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including a pair of dunks off alley-oop passes from Richardson, who added 11 points and three steals.

"We want to make the playoffs and we're trying our best," Miles said. "We're playing our best ball right now."

Richard Hamilton led the Wizards with 21 points. But centers Jahidi White> and Brendan Haywood and forwards Christian Laettner and Popeye Jones could not handle Olowokandi and Brand inside and combined for just 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Brand converted a three-point play and a tip-in and Olowokandi had a pair of dunks as the Clippers raced to a 15-6 lead. A 9-0 run later in the quarter on a hook by Olowokandi, a 3-pointer by Doug Overton, a 10-footer by Brand and a layup by Richardson increased the advantage to 28-12.

The Wizards scored the final six points of the quarter on baskets by Jones, former Clipper Tyrone Nesby and Tyronn Lue.

"We came out flat and let the Clippers get on a role," Nesby said. "They maintained a great level of play throughout the game and we were never able to withstand that."

The Clippers shot 59 percent in the quarter, connecting on 13-of-22 shots.

Richardson and Brand combined for nine points in a 17-8 second quarter run which opened the lead to 53-36.

After the Wizards pulled within 62-53 on a jumper by Courtney Alexander with 6:03 left in the third quarter, Olowokandi hit a hook shot in the lane as the Clippers responded with a 14-7 spurt.

Miles hit a 19-foot jumper and converted an alley-oop pass from Richardson, who capped the run with a running jumper in the lane to give the Clippers a 76-60 lead with 12 seconds left in the quarter.

"Darius Miles is a highlight film waiting to happen," Collins said. "I have a feeling that he could be a Dennis Rodman-type of defender as well."

The Clippers built their biggest lead at 86-64 on a layup by Richardson with 7:50 left.