CLIPPERS SAVE FACE; OT WIN COMES AFTER SQUANDERING A 19-POINT LEAD : CLIPPERS 106 HOUSTON 101.Byline: Randy HillAccording to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. unsubstantiated reports, the Great Clipper in the Sky looked down at the Sports Arena on Friday, shook his mighty worried head and said this: ``When are they gonna bulldoze bull·doze v. bull·dozed, bull·doz·ing, bull·dozes v.tr. 1. To clear, dig up, or move with a bulldozer. 2. To treat in an abusive manner; bully. 3. that place?'' He also mumbled something about how his team's passive-regressive behavior has put him on the bad side of the Great Bookie in the Sky. His predicament was created when Clippers coughed up a 19-point, fourth-quarter lead against the Hall of Fame-heavy Houston Rockets and dragged an 89-89 tie into overtime in front of 13,855 at the House of Famine. The Clips were saved from premature humiliation when Troy Hudson Troy Hudson (born March 13 1976 in Carbondale, Illinois) is an American professional basketball player, currently a reserve point guard for the Golden State Warriors in the NBA. His contract with the Wolves was bought out on August 3, 2007. nailed a 3-pointer with eight seconds to play, and the team followed up with a 106-101 overtime victory. Along the way, the Clips, obviously looking ahead to tonight's rematch with 8-36 Vancouver, managed to invite their fourth consecutive defeat. Like kids picking at their food, the Clippers have developed a disturbing skill at not finishing. Before the date with Houston, they had lost three games by a combined nine points. Friday, they led 21-16 after the opening quarter, with Maurice Taylor Maurice De Shawn Taylor (born October 30, 1976 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American professional basketball player at the power forward position. He was most recently with the NBA's Sacramento Kings, released on January 23, 2007. (six points) and rookie center Michael Olowokandi Michael Olowokandi (born April 3 1975 in Lagos, Nigeria), nicknamed The Kandi Man is a Nigerian professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He currently is a free agent. (four points, four rebounds) staying alive in the turf war with Houston's Springfield-bound frontcourt. Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (born Akeem Abdul Olajuwon on January 21, 1963) is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). , who spent part of the pre-game dispensing a some low-post wisdom to Olowokandi (they both were born in Lagos, Nigeria), schooled Olowokandi for eight points in the period. With customary bench contributions from Lamond Murray Lamond Maurice Murray (April 20 1973 in Pasadena, California, U.S.) is an American former professional basketball player who last played with the National Basketball Association's New Jersey Nets. (six points) and Lorenzen Wright Lorenzen Vern-Gagne Wright (born November 4 1975) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. After being selected seventh overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1996 NBA Draft out of the University of Memphis, the 6'11" (2. (five points, four rebounds), the Clippers looked feisty in round two. The Clippers built 13-point leads on three occasions, but a late 6-0 run put the Rockets within six (44-38) at intermission. Round three featured Taylor taking Charles Barkley, also on the Hall of Fame short list, on a one-way trip to the woodshed wood·shed n. A shed in which firewood is stored. intr.v. wood·shed·ded, wood·shed·ding, wood·sheds Slang To practice on a musical instrument. Noun 1. . Taylor, loading up with the complete arsenal of spins, jump hooks and face-up jumpers, scored 12 points in the quarter that ended with a 68-57 Clippers lead. Anyone who's watched the home team expected the final period to get a bit dicey. But Clipper guard Eric Piatkowski's 3-pointer at 10:25 of the fourth quarter pushed the advantage to 73-59. Tyrone Nesby the Good Clipper in the Sky followed with a swoop and scoop that he converted while being fouled. His free throw made it 76-69 with 9:47 left. That's when the Clippers decided to fold like a lawn chair. The Rockets moved to within winning distance with a 12-0, then pulled to within 86-85 on a 3-pointer by Olajuwon at the 1:03 mark. Scottie Pippen, Hall of Famer No. 3, drilled a 20-footer to give Houston the lead with 27 seconds left. Barkley added two free throws, before Hudson became the hero. CLIPPERS vs. VANCOUVER Time: 8 p.m. at the Sports Arena. TV/Radio: Fox Sports West 2; KCTD-AM (1540). Clippers (7-35) update: The good news? They still haven't lost to Vancouver at the Sports Arena this season (one loss went into double overtime at the Pond). Will the Clips find a way to slow down Grizzlies The name Grizzlies may refer to:
Grizzlies (8-35) update: Three of their victories came against the Clippers. - Randy Hill CAPTION(S): Box Box: CLIPPERS vs. VANCOUVER (See text) |
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