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Celtics finish LA tour with bout against the Clippers

Mar 12, 2012 - 2:51 PM (Sports Network) - Boston will finish up its two-day tour of Hollywood by taking on the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on Monday.

The C's were in the same building on Sunday, opening a key eight-game road trip by falling to the Lakers, 97-94. Kobe Bryant scored 26 points in that one, including the go-ahead jumper with 41.7 seconds remaining, as the Lakers survived.

Bryant tallied 10 points in the final frame for the Lakers, which closed the game on an 8-0 run. Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo, meanwhile, both missed potential game-tying three-pointers in the final 15 seconds.

Rondo had 24 points and 10 assists for the Celtics, who had won six of seven coming in.

"We had a lead and gave it up at the end. They made shots and we didn't, we need to be tougher. I thought Kobe made big shots at the end and turned the game," Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said.

After Andrew Bynum's hook in the paint with 15.5 seconds to go made it 97-94, the Celtics were looking to get Ray Allen the ball for a three-point attempt, but he was unable to spring free for an open shot.

Pierce's long three-pointer from the top of the arc was blocked by Bryant. The loose ball came to Kevin Garnett and he found Rondo on the right wing, but the point guard's shot fell harmlessly off the front of the rim.

"I stayed right with Ray, we knew he was going to shoot. It was great we controlled the game at the end," Lakers forward Pau Gasol said.

Allen finished with 17 points. Garnett tallied 14 and Pierce ended with 13 for the Celtics, who are now three games behind Philadelphia in the Atlantic Division, thanks in large part to their 5-11 road record.

Boston will finish its long trek with visits to Golden State, Sacramento, Denver, Atlanta, Milwaukee and Philly.

After the Lakers-Celtics tilt, the Clippers took the floor for the back end of a day-night doubleheader at Staples Center, falling to the Warriors, 97-93.

The Clips rallied from 21 down in the third quarter and from 14 behind in the fourth, tying the game on Blake Griffin's dunk with around 4 1/2 minutes remaining. But they were never able to take the lead.

Griffin ended with 27 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers while Chris Paul chipped in 23 points. Randy Foye added 16 points for the Clips but the team missed 16 of 35 free throws and fell one game behind the Lakers in the Pacific Division.

"We have to start the game better and we have to play smarter," Paul said. "We had a good opportunity when we tied it up and I feel bad we couldn't get it done."

The Clippers halted a two-game skid to Boston with a win in Beantown last March.