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Clippers hold off Hornets for second win of season

Nov 23, 2010 - 6:55 AM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Eric Gordon scored 27 points and hit two game-sealing free throws with 4.7 seconds left, and the Los Angeles Clippers snapped a lengthy losing streak to the New Orleans Hornets with a 99-95 victory at Staples Center.

Blake Griffin added 24 points and 13 rebounds for the Clippers, who ended a 14-game skid to the Hornets. The last Los Angeles win against New Orleans came on January 8, 2007, when the Hornets were displaced to Oklahoma City due to Hurricane Katrina.

"We weren't smooth at the end, but we got it done," said Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro. "Give my guys credit, they played hard. A great win for us. I'm happy for the guys."

Al-Farouq Aminu contributed with 16 points, while DeAndre Jordan had 12 for Los Angeles, which prevailed despite shooting 17-of-34 from the free throw line. The Clippers snapped a nine-game losing streak to improve to 2-13.

David West scored 30 points and hauled in 10 rebounds for the Hornets, who lost for just the second time in 13 games this season. Chris Paul had 14 points and six assists, and Marco Belinelli posted 14 points as well.

"They were aggressive. They manhandled us," said Hornets head coach Monty Williams. "We didn't play with a sense of urgency. They beat us."

New Orleans played its first game with new acquisitions Jarrett Jack, Marcus Banks and David Anderson, all of whom were picked up in a trade with Toronto. Jack was the only one of the three who played, and he scored 12 points.

Griffin grabbed a pair of offensive rebounds and made a layup from in close to tie the game at 93-93 with 1:17 left, though he missed the free throw after a foul was called.

New Orleans was called for a shot clock violation on the ensuing possession, and Ryan Gomes' putback layup off a Gordon miss provided Los Angeles with a two-point lead with 37.7 seconds remaining.

Belinelli missed a potential go-ahead three at the other end, and the ball went out of bounds to the Clippers, who added a point to their lead on Gordon's trip to the free throw line for a 96-93 contest.

Trevor Ariza drove to the basket to cut into New Orleans' deficit and was fouled, but missed both free throw attempts. Paul, though, gave the Hornets some hope by stealing the ball away from Rasual Butler, leading to a pair of Jack free throws for a 96-95 game with 14.8 seconds remaining.

Brian Cook went to the line for the Clips and made only one for a two-point advantage, and West tried to tie the game in the closing seconds with a layup.

His shot was off the mark, but Jack grabbed the rebound and dished to Paul in the corner. Paul dribbled past one defender, but threw an errant pass off West's shins underneath. The ball went out of bounds to Los Angeles, and Gordon sealed the game with two free throws.

New Orleans held a 37-33 lead after the opening quarter and went up by 11 with 1:44 to go in the second on a West hook shot.

Los Angeles scored the final nine points of the half to pull to within 57-55 at halftime; Gordon appeared to tie the game with a baseline jumper at the buzzer, but replays showed he let go of the ball a bit too late.

The game remained close in the third, and Clippers took a 77-73 lead to the fourth. Los Angeles led by as many as six in the final stanza before the exciting ending.

Game Notes

New Orleans fell to 1-1 on a four-game road trip that also visits Utah and Portland...The season series is tied, 1-1...The Hornets had won their previous three games...New Orleans shot 15-of-23 from the free throw line.