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Wizards end four-game skid, topple struggling Clippers

Feb 5, 2013 - 6:53 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Martell Webster scored 21 points on 5-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc to lead the Washington Wizards to a 98-90 victory over the shorthanded Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.

Nene and Garrett Temple each scored 15 points and John Wall added 13 points and eight assists for the Wizards, who snapped a four-game skid.

"Listen, we played enough games this year without players. Don't give me any about who was here and who wasn't here. This is a game and we won," Washington head coach Randy Wittman said.

Emeka Okafor chipped in nine points with 14 rebounds and Trevor Ariza added 10 points off the bench in the win.

Jamal Crawford poured in 28 points and Eric Bledsoe scored 17 points and dished out nine assists for the Clippers, who played without All-Stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

"It's frustrating because we're giving back a lot of what we had built up in the season. But you can't control the injuries, you can't control the schedule, you can't control so many guys being out. We can't use that as an excuse," Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro said.

Los Angeles, which has dropped three straight, has been without Paul (knee) for eight straight games and 11 of their last 13 contests overall. Griffin strained his left hamstring during warmups prior to Monday's tilt. He had played in 197 straight games before the injury.

DeAndre Jordan scored just seven points but pulled down a career-high 22 rebounds in the setback.

The Wizards led 72-66 entering the fourth quarter, but the Clippers opened the final period with a 13-8 swing to make it 80-79 with 5:39 remaining.

Washington, though, scored the next seven points to take an 87-79 lead five minutes later, and Los Angeles couldn't get closer than six the rest of the way.

The Wizards led 24-16 after the first quarter and took a 51-46 lead into the break.

The Clippers tied the game twice in the third, but Washington closed the frame on a 7-1 run to take a 72-66 lead into the final stanza.

Game Notes

Washington beat the Clippers for the first time since Jan. 31, 2008 ... Wizards guard Bradley Beal missed his fourth straight game with a wrist injury ... Washington shot 58.3 percent (7-for-12) from 3-point range and held the Clippers to just 4-of-17 shooting from behind the arc ... The Clippers' 20 turnovers marked the fifth time this season they have had 20 or more giveaways.