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Kaman's double-double leads Clippers past Grizzlies

Dec 15, 2007 - 6:17 AM MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Chris Kaman continued his new and improved ways.

Kaman scored 23 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as the Los Angeles Clippers posted a 98-91 victory over the struggling Memphis Grizzlies on Friday.

Corey Maggette also scored 23 points and Cuttino Mobley scored 17 for Los Angeles, which has alternated wins and losses in its last four games following a seven-game losing streak.

Kaman has done yeoman's work without frontcourt partner Elton Brand, who continues to be out with an Achilles injury suffered over the summer.

"I'm glad we got in here and got a win, our guys played hard," Kaman said.

In his fifth season out of Central Michigan, the 7-foot, 265-pound center had posted career highs of 18.4 points and 13.7 rebounds entering Friday's contest, besting his previous highs of 12.0 and 9.6 from two years ago.

"(Kaman) has been our anchor," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "Every night, teams are throwing double- and triple-teams at him, and he's learning to deal with them. He"s moving the ball better and creating open shots for guys. He's been real positive for us."

He was also a decisive part of the victory over the Grizzlies on Friday.

With the Clippers leading by two points at the start of the final quarter, Kaman, who shot 9-of-16 from the floor, scored six of Los Angeles' first 10 points in the fourth to help give it a 76-70 advantage with 6:39 left.

"It's been a challenge handling the added attention from opponents," Kaman said. "Every game I get something different, but I'm starting to adjust. Tonight, I felt like the Grizzlies let off a little bit in the second half, so I started to go at them."

Los Angeles was also successful on the defensive end, causing Memphis to turn the ball over 25 times.

"We did a great job defensively as a team tonight," Maggette said. "We were able to trap the ball and get it out of the hands of guys who normally make those shots."

"We were just trying to do too much, whether you call it careless or forcing it in there," Grizzlies coach Marc Iavaroni said. "We are throwing some really strange passes. That falls on the guys who are in leadership positions with the ball."

Kaman, who had his 18th double-double and ninth game of 20 or more points, nailed two free throws with 69 seconds remaining to up the Clippers' margin to 89-84. Maggette hit a pair of free throws with 20 ticks on the clock to ice the game.

Mike Miller scored 23 points and Hakim Warrick scored a season-high 20 for Memphis, which has dropped a season-worst six in a row.

"There are a lot of inconsistencies, that's why we have the losses," Warrick said. "We have to become more consistent."