CLIPS SPOIL ARENAS' HOMECOMING L.A. HOLDS ON; GRANT ALUM SCORES 33 FOR WASHINGTON CLIPPERS 98, WASHINGTON 94.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

One day in the summer of 2003, Gilbert Arenas flipped a coin 10 times in order to help him decide whether to sign with the hometown Clippers or the Washington Wizards. Or so Arenas told himself.

The coin toss favored the Clippers but Arenas, a product of Grant High of Van Nuys, ignored the fates and chose the Wizards, as intuition won out over chance.

In general, it has turned out to be a good decision, but not on Friday night, as the Clippers beat the Wizards 98-94 in front of 19,239 at Staples Center.

Washington is likely headed to the playoffs and, barring a miracle finish, the Clippers aren't. However, they are showing their mettle with some impressive late-season play. The Clippers won their third consecutive game and, at 32-37, still have an outside chance to finish with a winning record.

Arenas scored 33 points and made 11 of 28 shots, but the Wizards never led. Arenas' 3-pointer made the score 90-88 but Corey Maggette followed with a jumper with 33.2 seconds left to give the Clippers a four-point lead. Maggette then made four free throws in the final seconds to clinch the game.

Wizards center Brendan Haywood is still working his way back into game shape after a knee injury, and the Clippers took advantage. Clippers center Chris Kaman made four of his first five shots and finished with eight points, and backup center Zeljko Rebraca scored 12 of his 19 points in the second quarter.

Rebraca tied his season high in points and made his first seven shots from the field. Kaman had 13 rebounds and Elton Brand added 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Clippers, who closed the second quarter with an 8-0 run and took a 52-39 halftime lead.

An Arenas free throw brought the Wizards within 56-51 midway through the third quarter, but the Clippers followed with a 9-2 run and led by double digits for much of the half.

Arenas' season has been filled with good fortune at every turn. He made the All-Star team for the first time, in just his fourth season, and came into Friday's game ranked seventh in the NBA in points per game (25.4) and fifth in steals per game (1.94).

Despite the loss, the Wizards remained one game ahead of the Chicago Bulls for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

At halftime, Arenas had scored 16 of the Wizards' 39 points. After trailing by 10 in the first quarter, the Wizards pulled within 31-30, but the Clippers scored the next five points and pulled away again.

The Clippers suffered one loss before halftime, however, as backup point guard Marko Jaric aggravated the hip pointer that cost him three games earlier this month.

Before the game, the Clippers waived veteran guard Kenny Anderson, whom they signed Feb. 28.

Coach Mike Dunleavy said Anderson, 34, asked to be released because of a lack of playing time.

``We talked and he said, 'What does it look like?' '' Dunleavy said. ``I told him that we've got our guys (Shaun Livingston and Jaric) back and hopefully back to stay. I told him it was his call if he wanted to stay.''

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) The Clippers' Quinton Ross and the Wizards' Larry Hughes battle for a loose ball Friday.

(2) The Clippers' Chris Kaman grabs a rebound in front of the Wizards' Jared Jeffries during Friday night's game at Staples Center.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) WESTERN CONFERENCE

(2) GAME RECAP