GRANT'S TIP LIFTS LAKERS LAKERS 116, CLIPPERS 114.

Byline: Sean Kearns Staff Writer

No Kobe. No Shaq. Almost a problem.

Horace Grant's tip-in with 4.2 seconds left Saturday night gave the Lakers a 116-114 victory over the Clippers before a raucous crowd of 20,327 at Staples Center.

Shaquille O'Neal fouled out with 1:27 left in the fourth quarter and Kobe Bryant was ejected after picking up his second technical late in the third quarter.

``That's the best chance we're going to get,'' Darius Miles said. ``We get Shaq out of the game. We get Kobe out of the game.''

It was a seesaw game in a divided Staples Center with Lakers and Clippers fans cheering plays and booing calls. The crowd was the second largest for an NBA game in California.

Lamar Odom's shot on a drive at the buzzer was blocked by Robert Horry to extend the Lakers' win streak over the Clippers to 16 games. The Clippers are 0-5 in overtime games this season.

Late in the fourth quarter and early in overtime, the Lakers looked like the Chicago Bulls - that is, the current Chicago Bulls minus Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson.

But Horry carried the Lakers with nine of his 13 points in overtime. It offset a 27-point effort by Eric Piatkowski, who had seven in overtime.

``I think going into overtime we felt pretty confident but you've got to play the entire five minutes,'' Piatkowski said. ``It hurts because I think a lot of the guys on the team wanted to win tonight. The guys were fired up before the game in the locker room.''

The Clippers were upset about a no-call on the final play, after which Odom sat on the floor holding his hand. Clippers coach Alvin Gentry had no comment on the referees after the game.

Clippers vice president of basketball operations Elgin Baylor watched the tape of the final play in the Clippers' video room after the game and asked a reporter to come in and watch.

``He got both hands on him,'' Baylor said. ``You think that's not a foul?''

O'Neal led the Lakers with 29 points and 15 rebounds. Bryant had 17 points but was held scoreless in the second half. Miles had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers.

After the game, O'Neal was asked if the Clippers had earned his respect.

``No,'' O'Neal said. ``They played well. They played hard. They hit some shots but I wouldn't take it that far.''

The Lakers had a chance to put the Clippers away in the fourth quarter but Rick Fox hit 1 of 4 free throws in the final minute. His two misses with 8.3 seconds kept the score at 103-101.

Fox blocked Odom's jump shot with less than five seconds left. Miles grabbed the loose ball but his shot went off the backboard to Sean Rooks, who tipped the ball in with .5 seconds left to tie the game 103-103.

Ron Harper's shot at the buzzer didn't hit the rim.

It was another fourth-quarter comeback for the Clippers. The Lakers led 80-75 heading into the fourth quarter despite the ejection of Bryant.

Referee Rashan Michel called Bryant for his second technical foul with 1:52 left in the third quarter. Bryant talked to Michel as the teams were going to a timeout. After the exchange, Michael called the technical.

Bryant went back to talk to Michel further after the call but Grant and Harper guided him back to the Lakers' huddle.

Bryant then went to the locker room.

Bryant was hit with his first technical with 10:29 left in the second quarter. He thought Corey Maggette fouled him on a jump shot and argued the call.

It was Bryant's first ejection this season.

``He called a technical,'' Bryant said. ``That was horrible. I called him pathetic. I let my emotions get the best of me.''

Staff Writer Howard Beck contributed to this report.

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