CLIPPERS FUME OVER CALL ARGUE MOBLEY SHOULD HAVE SHOT THREE FTS ON FOUL.

Byline: JOE STEVENS

Staff Writer

There's no guarantee that the Clippers would have beaten the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night, even if a last-second call had gone the Clippers' way.

But they are convinced they would have won if the officials had given them the call they wanted, and that's why they were so mad after a 92-87 loss at Staples Center that snapped their four-game winning streak.

The call in question came with 2.5 seconds left. Cuttino Mobley drove near the 3-point line and went up in the air while being fouled by Rafer Alston with the Clippers down three points. After the officials conferred, they awarded Mobley two foul shots, even though replays clearly showed he was behind the 3-point arc.

"The replays show no question that it was a 3," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "It's a bang-bang play, and it's tough for referees to call. Unfortunately, they didn't get it right.

"Again, it's tough, and that's why I'm in favor of instant replay. On a play like that, a play of the game or determining play, I'm in favor of it because everybody wants to get it right."

Mobley ended up missing the first of two free throws, then missed the second one on purpose. But the Clippers' argument is that if he had three, and wasn't livid about the call, he would have made all three.

"If you give Cat (Mobley) three free throws and he's focused on making three, then that's it," Clippers forward Elton Brand said. "If he's not focused on, 'Aw, man, they didn't give me three,' he's making all three, and we're going to overtime."

Brand then added, "But that's not the only play of the game. There were many plays. But if he gets three, he's making three."

The Clippers went scoreless in their final three possessions after leading 87-85 with 1:07 left when Corey Maggette made two free throws.

The back-breaker was when Tracy McGrady found Shane Battier, who made a 3-pointer with 53.2 seconds left to give Houston an 88-87 lead. Maggette missed a layup with 43 seconds left, Tim Thomas missed a 3-pointer with seven seconds left and then the Clippers' last gasp, Mobley's play, failed.

Mobley tried to control his anger about the play afterward, but couldn't. Steve Javie made the call, but not until conferring with Monty McCutchen.

"People make mistakes, and my thing is that Steve Javie is a great official," Mobley said. "I look up to him, and he's a fair guy and everything. He did the right thing. He asked for help, and the help didn't help him. It's as simple as that."

The Clippers' lead over Golden State for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference was trimmed to 1 1/2 games.

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Photo:

The Clippers' Corey Maggette is stopped on a drive to the basket by Houston's Chuck Hayes, left, and Yao Ming.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer