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Maggette, Warriors crush hapless Clippers

Jan 26, 2009 - 5:49 AM By Ryan Leong PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Five players scored in double figures, led by Corey Maggette's 20 points off the bench, for the Golden State Warriors in an easy 107-92 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night.

Rookie Anthony Morrow added 17 points and Kelenna Azubuike scored 16 as Golden State concluded its season-long, seven-game homestand with a 4-3 record.

The Warriors lost three games on the homestand by a total of four points and had dropped their last two games on buzzer-beating shots.

LeBron James nailed a 19-foot, step-back jumper at the horn to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 106-105 victory on Friday. Two nights earlier, Jeff Green made a bank shot as time expired to give the Oklahoma City Thunder a 122-121 win over Golden State.

"The last couple of games our team has played really well and came up short in a matter of five seconds, so its just good to get a win tonight," Maggette said. "Coming off the bench trying to give the team a lift, that's just my job right now and I'm just glad our team came out with the win."

Rookie Eric Gordon scored 21 points while Al Thornton added 17 and Ricky Davis scored 15 for the Clippers, who lost the opener of a three-game road trip. Los Angeles has won only one road game when scoring fewer than 100 points.

"We didn't play as well and shoot the ball like we did yesterday and it was just tough for everybody," Gordon said. "We were so shorthanded and it's just tough. It's just so hard because (if) we'd be on fire, a lot of things would have to go our way for us to win a lot of games. So it's kind of tough right now."

The Clippers, who dressed only eight players, have not played with a full squad all season.

They were without former Warriors guard Baron Davis, who has missed the last 13 games with a bruised tailbone.

Also out of commission for Los Angeles was Marcus Camby (sprained left ankle), Zach Randolph (sore left knee), Chris Kaman (strained left arch) and Mike Taylor (fractured right thumb).

"It's very frustrating," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said before the game.

"We've got seven guys out right now. We've had two or three of our best players out, all season long so it's tough. And the other factor that nobody really understands with our team as well, I've lost count of how many new guys we have. We have like 14 new guys on our roster or more."

Los Angeles jumped out to a 13-5 lead but suddenly their momentum stalled. The Warriors storm back on a 23-5 run take a 28-18 lead after the first quarter.

Golden State went into the locker rooms with a 55-44 lead and expanded it to 84-64 after three quarters.

Maggette's three-point play made it 96-68 with 8:14 remaining and the Warriors pulled their starters down the stretch as they cruised to the finish.

"Well, we got a nice win but we didn't play that well I didn't think," Warriors coach Don Nelson said. "The Clippers were depleted so I don't know how much we can make out of this game. But we played well enough to win and it's good to get a win at this time, anytime."

The Clippers shot 38 percent (33-of-87) from the floor and committed 17 turnovers in losing their fifth straight against the Warriors since their last win on November 2, 2007.

"I don't even know when's the last time we played them healthy," Dunleavy said. "That's one of the things I think is part of it. Their guys played a good game tonight and they've had some good games and some tough close losses."