CLIPPERS ARE OVERDONE CELTICS WIN IN DOUBLE OVERTIME BOSTON 134, CLIPPERS 127.

Byline: Joe Stevens Staff Writer

The Clippers have seemed destined for overtime in this young NBA season. On Monday night, they squandered a 14-point lead and again found themselves playing extra basketball, and they lost 134-127 to the Boston Celtics in double overtime.

It was the third time in their past four games that the Clippers went to overtime. This one was in front of 16,007 at Staples Center.

After leading by as many as 14 points and by 12 in the fourth quarter, the Celtics tied it 109-109 with 8.7 seconds left when Ricky Davis made two free throws.

For the Clippers' final shot, Corey Maggette drove to the basket and got his shot blocked by Tony Allen.

Kerry Kittles made a key jump shot, right before the shot clock expired, to give the Clippers a 107-103 lead with 1:38 left in regulation. But that did not hold up.

Davis had a hot hand for the Celtics, scoring 19 points in the fourth quarter.

Maggette had 31 points, six rebounds and six assists, and Elton Brand had 22 points and 13 rebounds in regulation.

The Clippers led by double digits the majority of the fourth quarter and were up 102-90 with 5:59 left. Boston continually whittled the lead and pulled to 103-101 with 3:10 left, when Davis made a 3-point shot.

Before the start of the game, Celtics guard Paul Pierce, a native of Inglewood, walked over to public-address announcer Eric Smith and said, ``The name's Paul Pierce. Get your tongue warmed up.''

Pierce came out with 19 first-half points and finished with 33 points on 12 of 17 shooting in 27 minutes in regulation.

Foul trouble reduced Pierce's playing time. He was assessed his fourth foul with 5:47 left in the third quarter. Eighteen seconds later, he was whistled for a fifth foul.

Without Pierce, the Celtics were left without their most potent scoring threat. But the Clippers didn't take advantage.

Pierce fouled out with 3:35 left, when the Clippers' Rick Brunson took a charge against him.

The Clippers led 85-77 heading into the fourth quarter. Through three quarters, their biggest lead was 66-52, less than a minute into the second half.

Boston then struck back with a 10-0 run to pull to within 66-62 with 7:27 left in the third quarter, less than two minutes before Pierce ran into his foul trouble.

The Clippers had one of their best all-around halves to open the game, and led 62-52 going into the break. The 62 points were the most they've scored in any half this season.

Having a full lineup was a possible reason for their success, as Dunleavy started Mikki Moore at center, after he had 18 points and 14 rebounds in his first career start Saturday against the Lakers.

Against the Celtics, Moore wasn't as big of a factor, but he did the little things. In the first half, Brand and Maggette took care of some of the big things: scoring and rebounding. Maggette scored 21 first-half points, and Brand had 17 points and nine rebounds in the half.

After playing 12 of their past 13 games at Staples Center, the Clippers start a modest two-game trip to Utah tonight and Minnesota on Friday. The Clippers wanted to try to make certain to win this one before that trip.

``You always place an emphasis on getting a win, particularly when you're getting ready to go on the road, against a team you have a better record than,'' Dunleavy said.

Joe Stevens, [phone]

joe.stevens(at)presstelegram.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Forward Chris Wilcox goes in for a slam dunk over Al Jefferson on Monday.

(2) The Clippers' Elton Brand is fouled by Boston's Raef LaFrentz going to the basket at Staples Center on Monday night.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

Box:

CLIPPERS at UTAH

- Joe Stevens