Clippers Climb Over .500 By Dissolving Magic

Lamar Odom and Corey Maggette combined for 40 points as the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Orlando Magic, 100-92, to climb above .500 for the first time in more than five years.

Odom was 7-of-11 for 19 points and had 10 assists before fouling out with 5:04 left. Maggette was 7-of-12 for 21 points as the Clippers moved above .500 for the first time since they were 6-5 on November 21, 1996.

The Clippers entered the fourth quarter down, 76-75, but Maggette made a pair of free throws to give them the lead for good. Los Angeles scored the first nine points of the fourth and began the final period on a 20-4 run.

After Quentin Richardson hit a 3-pointer with 5:43 to go to build a 95-80 lead, the Magic went on a 12-1 burst but couldn't get closer than four points.

Richardson scored 16 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, and Jeff McInnis also had 16 for Los Angeles.

Tracy McGrady had 47 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in the loss. He had 40 points and 11 rebounds in the Magic's 107-104 defeat to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night, which snapped a four-game winning streak.

Darrell Armstrong contributed 15 points and Mike Miller and Horace Grant registered 10 apiece for Orlando.

McGrady shot 10-of-14 and had 26 points by halftime, when the game was tied at 51-51. Grant had eight points and eight rebounds, and Miller added eight points through two quarters.

Corey Maggette scored 21 points and the Los Angeles Clippers overcame a 47-point game by Tracy McGrady in a 100-92 victory over the Orlando Magic on Monday night.

Quentin Richardson scored nine of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and the Clippers improved to 11-10, the first time that Los Angeles has had a winning record this late in a season since March 5, 1993.

The Clippers were 29-28 under Larry Brown in 1993 and advanced to the playoffs with a 41-41 record. Los Angeles advanced to the playoffs in 1996-97 under Bill Fitch, but never went over .500 after starting out 6-5.

The Clippers, one of two winless road teams in the NBA, improved to 11-5 at Staples Center and are off to their best home start since 1974-75, when they were the Buffalo Braves (13-3).

Elton Brand, the Clippers' scoring leader, had a season-low six points and two rebounds in 26 minutes. But Lamar Odom picked up the slack with 19 points and 10 assists.

McGrady had his second straight 40-point game, and third of the season, finishing two points below his career high. But it wasn't enough for Orlando, which lost for the third time in 14 games against the Clippers

It was the first time in 21 games this season that the Clippers didn't have at least one 20-point scorer.

Center Sean Rooks, benched by Clippers coach Alvin Gentry in the previous game for missing Saturday's practice, took over for the ineffective Brand with 1:30 left in the third quarter.

Los Angeles opened the fourth with a 20-4 run that included a pair of three-point plays by Richardson and a three-point play by Rooks.

Orlando scored eight straight points, including a pair of free throws that narrowed the gap to 95-90 with 1:02 remaining.

Darius Miles extinguished the comeback, blocking back-to-back layups by McGrady and Darrell Armstrong in the final minute.

After squandering a 16-point lead in their loss at Atlanta on Saturday night, the Magic built a 33-20 lead early in the second quarter, but squandered that advantage in a span of seven minutes.

Orlando settled for a 51-all halftime tie, despite 26 first-half points from McGrady.

The Clippers tied it at 39-all with a 19-6 run, fueled by 3-pointers from Maggette, Richardson and Odom -- and capped by Miles' dunk with 3:30 left in the half.

Rooks hit a 19-footer that gave Los Angeles its first lead, 45-44, with 1:40 left.

McGrady, Miller and Grant did all the scoring for the Magic during a game-opening 25-12 run, which included 11 points by McGrady.

Lamar Odom scored a season-high 19 points and dished out 10 assists to lead the Los Angeles Clippers past the Orlando Magic, 100-92, at the Staples Center. Corey Maggette added 21 points for the Clippers, who have won two straight and four of their last five.

Tracy McGrady led all scorers with a season-high 47 points and 11 rebounds for Orlando, which fell for the second straight game, despite a furious comeback in the final minutes.

Los Angeles came out red-hot in the fourth quarter and started the stanza with a 20-4 surge to take a 90-85 lead on a Quentin Richardson three-pointer with 5:43 left in the game.

Orlando then scored 10 straight points to pull within five and could have come closer if not for the young Darius Miles. The Magic had the ball, trailing by five with just under a minute to play. McGrady drove towards the hoop, but had his shot put back by Miles. Darrell Armstrong then picked up the loose ball and had his shot swatted away by Miles.

The Clippers got the rebound and hit their free throws down the stretch to secure the eight-point victory.

Miles finished the game with eight points, seven rebounds and three blocks to help the Clippers pass the .500 mark for the first time in five years. It also is the latest in the season Los Angeles has been over the .500 mark since the 1992-93 season.

Orlando raced out to a 19-10 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the opening period. The Magic held their nine-point lead and carried a 27-18 advantage into the second quarter.

After a Troy Hudson basket gave the Magic a 12-point advantage, 35-23, the Clippers reeled off a 12-2 run to pull within 37-35. McGrady had 15 points in the stanza for the Magic, who were even with the Clippers, 51-51, heading into the locker room.

McGrady led all scorers with 26 points, while Corey Maggette had 11 points to pace the Clips.

Orlando outscored Los Angeles 25-24 in the third and took a 76-75 lead into the final 12 minutes. McGrady continued to lead all scorers with 38 through three. He has now topped the 30-point plateau 32 times in the last two seasons.

Orlando out rebounded LA 42-39...Armstrong had 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists...LA's Elton Brand was limited to six points in 24 minutes...Orlando leads the all-time series 15-10...Richardson finished with 16 points.