CLIPPERS GET IT RIGHT RARE L.A. VICTORY PROMPTS AWKWARD VISIT FROM STERLING CLIPPERS 110, MILWAUKEE 104.

Byline: Joe Stevens Staff Writer

The Clippers finally held onto a fourth-quarter lead, which brought a buzz and owner Donald T. Sterling into their dressing room.

Corey Maggette scored 23 points and Elton Brand had 20 points and nine rebounds as the Clippers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 110-104 on Wednesday in front of 15,709 at Staples Center.

The Clippers have won three of their past 12 games and hadn't won at home since an ugly 77-75 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 29. Before that, the Clippers hadn't won at Staples since they beat the Sacramento Kings on Jan. 18.

The only thing more rare than Clippers victories are Sterling sightings in the dressing room.

The mysterious owner, who refuses to grant media interviews, sometimes pops in to congratulate his team after quality victories. There is no official tally, but it had been an exceptionally long time since Sterling shook the hands and patted the backs of his players.

In a profoundly awkward moment, Sterling's congratulatory rounds started with Lamar Odom. The owner and 6-foot-10 forward had a brief exchange about contracts, instigated by Odom.

``I love you, and I'm proud of you,'' Sterling said.

``But Mr. Sterling,'' Odom responded, ``it starts with you.''

Then the two had a short chat. Odom's message was: ``Keep this team together.'' Sterling's was: ``Don't worry, of course.''

The 23-year-old forward then started talking wedding bells as a metaphor for the team's problems.

``If we lost all 82 games, that doesn't matter,'' Odom said. ``He's got to marry somebody. He's got to get married. We can be married 40 years, then get a divorce.''

Odom was talking about giving long-term deals to players on the team, which Sterling hasn't done with any of the his key players. That includes Elton Brand and Michael Olowokandi, the latter of whom is counting the days before he's a free agent this summer.

``Donald Sterling has to marry one of us to keep us together,'' Odom said. ``... We want to play basketball in L.A.. Nobody wants to go anywhere. People want things to change.''

Against the Bucks, things changed for one game.

``The Season from Hell,'' as coach Alvin Gentry calls it, probably will find the Clippers buried in the Pacific Division's cellar until April. But at least they maintained a late lead.

They have blown 17 fourth-quarter leads.

``This is a great win for us,'' Gentry said, ``because for us, any win is a great win.''

Of course, the Clippers (19-34) made it difficult on themselves, almost blowing an eight-point lead - 99-91 with 4:32 left - in the fourth-quarter.

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Milwaukee's Ray Allen is fouled by the Clippers' Sean Rooks during L.A.'s 110-104 victory Wednesday at Staples Center.

Ric Francis/Staff Photographer/Associated Press