CLIPPERS AVOID SLIP THEY HOLD ON DESPITE POOR FOURTH QUARTER CLIPPERS 95, CHARLOTTE 87.

Byline: Joe Stevens Staff Writer

The Clippers faced the Charlotte Bobcats, a team with a much worse record, a team that mathematically they are ``supposed to beat.''

If that were the case, the result played out according to the Clippers' plans Monday night, but it was far from perfect.

Elton Brand had another impressive night with 35 points and 10 rebounds to help the Clippers recover from a season-high 23 turnovers in a 95-87 victory in front of 15,273 at Staples Center.

The Clippers were on their way to a blowout, leading by as many as 21 points in the third quarter. But they wobbled in the fourth quarter with seven turnovers and were outscored 24-16 in the period.

``They came back, and we fell into that old trap: Get a big lead and take a quick shot,'' Brand said. ``It's a lesson we've learned many times.''

Added Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy: ``We fell into classic fool's gold. We came down in transition four or five times in a row and shot jump shots that were open, but with no rebound coverage. And when you miss, that's as good as a turnover.''

Still, it's not as if the Bobcats, who at 15-43 have the worst record in the NBA, had a great chance to pull off a miraculous comeback. They pulled to 89-83 with 1:42 left when Brevin Knight split the Clippers defense for a layup, but that was as close as they got.

Brand answered Knight's layup with a jump shot with 54.5 seconds left to put the Clippers up eight and effectively end the Bobcats' hopes. But the fact that the Clippers needed Brand and their other starters in the final minute was a sign that everything did not work out as planned.

``It was raining out, a little gloomy,'' Clippers guard Cuttino Mobley said. ``To tell you the truth, I wanted to rest early.''

Should the Clippers have been concerned that Charlotte pulled to six points down the stretch?

``I wasn't worried at all,'' Mobley said. ``Losers worry.''

For Vladimir Radmanovic, who played his fifth game with the Clippers after spending the first part of the season with sub-.500 Seattle, the win over Charlotte elicited statements about how happy he is to be in Los Angeles.

``I wish I came here before,'' said Radmanovic, who had 10 points and nine rebounds. ``It's all about putting pieces together, and now we have almost everything with E.B. playing the way he's playing and everyone else contributing.''

Sam Cassell contributed 18 points and 11 assists, and Mobley added 14 points as the Clippers won a second consecutive game.

Mobley continues to play with a taped index finger on his shooting hand. But apparently, that hasn't hindered his scoring because he has averaged 20.2 points in the past six games.

``I just want everybody to stop talking about my finger,'' Mobley said. ``There isn't anything soft about me. The only thing soft about me is that I love my son to death.''

Spanning the end of the second quarter and beginning of the third quarter, the Clippers rocked the Bobcats with a 22-2 run to go up 67-46 with 8:56 left in the third quarter.

--Clippers notes: Chris Kaman missed Monday's game with a sprained ankle. He also is expected to be out Wednesday. ... Corey Maggette will be re-evaluated today, and there is a chance he could be cleared to return to full-contact practice. ... Quinton Ross missed a sixth consecutive game with a sore lower back and is not expected to return to practice until late in this week.

Joe Stevens, [phone]

joe.stevens(at)presstelegram.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) The Clippers' Elton Brand Shoots over Charlotte's Primoz Brezec in the first half of Monday's game.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

(2) The Clippers' Daniel Ewing (3) defends Charlotte's Raymond Felton, right, in the first half.

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