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Maggette, Brand help Clippers edge Lakers

Apr 13, 2007 - 5:55 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Clippers know that two heads are better than one.

Corey Maggette had a career-high 39 points and nine rebounds and Elton Brand added 32 and 12 as the Clippers posted a 118-110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, who wasted Kobe Bryant's latest 50-point outburst.

Thursday's win helped the Clippers (38-40) move into a tie with the Golden State Warriors (38-40) for the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference playoff race.

Meanwhile, the Lakers (40-39) have dropped five of their last six contests and hold just a 1 1/2-game advantage over the Clippers and Warriors for seventh place in the West with just three games left to play.

A nine-time All-Star, Bryant connected on 17-of-33 shots for his ninth 50-point explosion as the Lakers fell to 6-3 when the 6-7 superstar reaches the half-century mark.

The Clippers used a game-changing 15-2 run in the fourth quarter to rally for a 109-103 advantage with 3:49 left. Sam Cassell's easy driving layup over Smush Parker capped the run.

Parker's 3-pointer from the left corner made it a three-point contest, but Maggette and Cassell combined to make 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to seal the win.