CLIPPERS STREAK SNAPPED AT ONE : GOLDEN STATE 92, CLIPPERS 80.

Byline: Randy Hill

If you're planning a visit to hell, don't pack that sweater. Temperatures are normal.

Wednesday's climate also remained much the same inside the Sports Arena (which only seems like hell), where - witnessed by 6,180 - the Clippers lost to the Golden State Warriors 92-80, terminating the home team's winning streak at one in a row.

It was the Clippers' 23rd loss in 25 games; they now are on pace to complete the Cliffs Notes version of this NBA season at 4-46.

After Sunday's epiphany at Minnesota - where they finally found an `A' game at the bottom of a suitcase - the Clippers at least began Wednesday's game like a team responding to an intervention.

Behind six points from forward Maurice Taylor (he finished with 23) and a bit of backboard bullying by rookie center Michael Olowokandi (two blocked shots, three rebounds), the Clippers jumped out to a nine-point lead. Guard Eric Piatkowski capped the rally, finishing a fast break off a feed from Darrick Martin to put the Clippers ahead 13-4 with 7:07 left in the opening quarter.

The Warriors (11-15) countered with an 11-0 surge, featuring Donyell Marshall's fast-break slam to complete the run at the 5:03 mark.

Golden State - whose wounded starting forwards Jason Caffey (Achilles) and Chris Mills (ankle) were turned out in civilian clothes - limped into a three-point lead, but the Clippers limped back to tie the score at 24 when the period ended.

Taylor finished the quarter with eight points. Olowokandi (13 points, nine rebounds for the game), who snagged a career-high 16 rebounds in Minnesota, had six boards in round one.

Both teams shot in excess of 50 percent - from the field. Video from this quarter was hustled off to the Basketball Hall of Fame.

At 7:08 in round 2, prehistoric Warrior Terry Cummings (he's 38 years old, but doesn't appear to be a minute over 37) rolled to the hoop against Lorenzen Wright, who in the first half Wednesday played much like a player who had a stomach virus Tuesday. Cummings' basket gave the Warriors a 36-31 lead.

Taylor scored 11 points in the third quarter, permitting the Clippers to maintain a deficit of no more than five. Rookie forward Tyrone Nesby broke free for an old-school three-point play to tie the score at 65 with 2:24 to play. Charles Smith hit a 20-foot jumper to put the Clippers up 67-65 at 1:50, but Golden State finished the period in a rush to lead 69-67 entering the final round.

With the score tied at 71, Golden State uncorked a 9-0 run.

Warriors rookie Antawn Jamison, who scored a team-high 22 points, worked Taylor for a hoop and a foul to give Golden State a 76-71 advantage with 6:23 to play. Taylor missed on an acrobatic layup on the next possession, and the Warriors turned the rebound into a fast-break layup by Erick Dampier and a seven-point lead. A medium-break layup by John Starks at 5:32 made it nine and business as usual.