CLIPPERS LIKE THIS BRAND LATE CLUTCH PLAYS PROVIDE SEASON SWEEP OF CHICAGO CLIPPERS 83, CHICAGO 78.

Byline: Joe Stevens Staff Writer

``Losing in the final minutes'' has become the theme this Clippers season. So any game in which they escape with a victory in the final minutes provides some semblance of hope.

On Sunday, they had an extra reason to be hopeful: Elton Brand scored on consecutive jump shots and made a critical block in the final three minutes to lead the Clippers to an 83-78 victory over the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center.

Brand has been one of the most consistent players in the NBA, averaging 19.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, but he is not known as a clutch player. He certainly was clutch against his former team Sunday.

``That's the ultimate final step: guys running at you, and you feel like you're a clutch player at the end of games,'' Brand said. ``We need that on this team. We need someone to step up and make shots.''

The Clippers apparently aren't comfortable holding leads and let a 15- point second-quarter advantage disappear in the third. Chicago held a 75-70 lead with 5:48 to play, and the Clippers appeared to be letting a victory slip away.

Unlike so many of their close losses, the Clippers responded in crunch time. They went on a 9-0 run, capped by two of Brand's jump shots, to go ahead 79-75 with 1:45 left.

The Clippers held the Bulls to 11 points in the fourth quarter, with Chicago's only points in the final 5:48 coming on a 3-pointer by Ben Gordon with 1:28 left.

Gordon nearly tied it at 81, but his 3-pointer was just off with 8.9 seconds to play.

``Our guys did a better job of jumping out on our pick and roll coverage better,'' Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. ``Other than the one on Gordon, when we were a little bit soft.''

The Clippers swept the series with Chicago this season and improved to 9-1 in their past 10 meetings. They led 51-39 at halftime after frequently being presented with mismatches. The Bulls even used a lineup with three guards 6-foot-3 or smaller: Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and Chris Duhon. They constantly pressured the Clippers and forced 17 turnovers.

``They just fight you and make you do things you don't want to do,'' said Rick Brunson, who scored 11 points with eight assists and seven rebounds. ``That's going to go a long way in the playoffs. We caught them on the end of trip, but it was a quality win for us.''

Brand led the Clippers with 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Corey Maggette added 19 points.

The Bulls' Eddy Curry repeatedly dominated Chris Kaman inside and finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and five blocks. Curry struggled in the fourth quarter, scoring just two points on 1-of-5 shooting.

Unlike the Bulls, the Clippers (28-35) are not poised to make the playoffs. They are a long shot to finish .500; they'll have to go 13-6 to do so.

There no longer is a reasonable goal of the playoffs, and it can be difficult to figure out exactly what they're playing for, other than pride. At least on Sunday, Brand might have shown his crunch-time game is developing.

``He has such a low-post presence, and, also, he can shoot the jumper,'' Maggette said. ``And I think most people don't even really respect the jumper, and he shoots it all the time and still shoots 50 percent from the field. It's just good to see him do stuff like that, man.''

Joe Stevens, [phone]

joe.stevens(at)presstelegram.com

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Photo:

Clippers forward Elton Brand shoots over Chicago's Eddy Curry during L.A.'s victory Sunday at Staples Center.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

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