[0] CLIPS LEARNING, HOLD OFF NUGGETS CLIPPERS 92, DENVER 86.

Byline: Sean Kearns Staff Writer

Sixteen days ago the Clippers lost this game. Not the one played Wednesday night at Staples Center but one similar to it in Denver.

The Clippers needed a play and didn't get it.

On Wednesday night, Lamar Odom made the play - a blocked shot of Raef LaFrentz - and the Clippers closed out the Denver Nuggets 92-86 in front of 11,251.

``I just wanted to make a play and got my hands on the ball,'' Odom said. ``We knew we had to do it. We were up. We knew we had to focus and get a win.''

It was the second time in three games the Clippers ended a game strongly. On Sunday, they ran away from the Lakers in the fourth quarter. Monday, they blew another late lead in a loss to Indiana.

The last time the Clippers played the Nuggets in Denver, L.A. watched a seven-point fourth-quarter lead evaporate. Denver won 109-108 on a three-point play by Nick Van Exel with less than three seconds left.

With 11.8 seconds left Wednesday night, LaFrentz stared an open layup in the face with a chance to cut a Clippers' lead to two. But Odom came out of nowhere to block the shot and preserve the victory.

``We should've beat them in Denver last time and we let them come back,'' said Eric Piatkowski, who finished with 14 points. ``We're learning. Tonight I thought we kept our cool down the stretch.''

The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Nuggets, who entered the game as one of the hottest teams in the NBA, wining 10 of their last 12.

``We didn't get a complete team effort down the stretch,'' Nuggets coach Dan Issel said. ``Nick (Van Exel) played terrific, but nobody else showed up and that was the difference.''

The Clippers leave today on a four-game, five-day road trip and are 13-24 overall. Last season, they didn't get win No. 13 until March 12.

Odom finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds but showed the impact of his sore left wrist, only taking one 3-point shot and going 3 of 8 from the foul line. The rest of his shots came on post-up plays or drives to the basket.

Cherokee Parks played his best game as a Clipper, scoring 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting.

``That's huge to have a guy stand out there and (hit shots),'' Piatkowski said. ``Four and five men don't want to come out of the lane in this league.''

Michael Olowokandi also provided big minutes down the stretch, contributing 12 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out.

Antonio McDyess had a huge night for the Nuggets, finishing with 29 points and 13 rebounds. Van Exel had 24 points and almost shot Denver back into the game after the Nuggets trailed by as many as 13 early in the fourth quarter.

Van Exel's 3-pointer with 43.8 seconds left brought the Nuggets within 90-86, but they would get no closer. McDyess blocked Earl Boykins' layup attempt on the Clippers next possession, then Odom closed the door with his block of LaFrentz.