ROCKETS HAMMER CLIPPERS HOUSTON 96, CLIPPERS 77.

Byline: Randy Hill Staff Writer

As a parting gift for showing up to be smeared by the Lakers on Sunday, the Houston Rockets were allowed to stick around for another day and take a few swings at the Clippers.

The Clippers - absolute sweethearts at hospitality - led with their chins.

Trating prosperity like a grenade, the home team saw its winning streak ended at one Monday, snuffed by a 96-77 Rockets victory in front of 12,940 at Staples Center.

If you only see one Clippers game this season, feel blessed for missing this beauty. The Clippers missed almost everything, shooting a franchise-low 26.8 percent from the field. No Houston starter reached double figures in scoring, but the Rockets rolled, getting 63 points from their bench.

The program included a pterodactyl routine from Maurice Taylor (12 points, 3 rebounds), who acknowledged a round of boos by flapping his arms as he strolled to the bench.

The Clippers even lost their built-in alibi. Rookie Lamar Odom is dragging a sore right shoulder around Staples these days and wasn't expected to play. But Odom, who didn't start, did suit up and competed like a healthy citizen, contributing 20 points and 10 rebounds.

But he and his teammates squeezed off 47 shots in the opening half and had a 25-percent success rate (a dozen went in), to trail 58-36 at intermission.

Beer should be this cold.

Taylor momentarily sabotaged his free-agent audition by missing 13 of his 17 field-goal attempts before he was jeered on the way to his seat at 7:30 of the fourth quarter. Michael Olowokandi missed 5 of his 6 shots and Eric Piatkowski bricked 6 of 7. Derek Anderson missed 10 of his 13 offerings and Tyrone Nesby was a toasty 5 of 15.