WASHINGTON – Elton Brand had 31 points and 13 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat Washington 102-97 Wednesday night for the Wizards’ first loss of the season.
Brand’s double-double was the 181st of his career, tying him with Loy Vaught for the Clippers’ franchise record.
Corey Maggette finished with 20 points, six rebounds and three assists. Cuttino Mobley made the go-ahead basket and added 15 points and six assists for the Clippers.
Reserve Caron Butler, who missed the previous two games with a bruised left thigh, led the Wizards with 19 points. Gilbert Arenas added 18 points and 10 assists.
Mobley’s follow shot gave the Clippers a 98-97 lead with 39 seconds remaining.
After Washington’s Chucky Atkins missed a shot from the corner, Maggette made two free throws that gave the Clippers a 100-97 lead with 23 seconds to go.
The Wizards had another chance to tie, but Arenas was called for a double-dribble with 16 seconds left. Maggette’s slam with 11 seconds left punctuated the Clippers’ victory and marked the first time in four games the Wizards have allowed more than 100 points.
Butler’s three-point play over Chris Wilcox gave the Wizards a 91-89 lead with 4:08 remaining. Mobley responded with back-to-back baskets that gave the Clippers a 94-91 lead with 3:14 left.
Brand scored nine straight points to keep the Clippers close late in the third quarter.
Jarvis Hayes and Arenas made back-to-back 3-pointers and Jared Jeffries added a layup that gave the Wizards a 65-62 lead with 7:01 left in the third. That was Washington’s largest lead of the first three quarters.
Butler picked up his third foul with 4:12 remaining in the second quarter when Maggette drew a charge that nullified Butler’s bucket.
Hayes made a 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left to tie it at 54 at halftime.
The Clippers led by as many as seven points in the first half, during which the Wizards’ largest lead was two.
Notes: Entering Wednesday’s game, nine Wizards were averaging at least 18 minutes. … Clippers guard Shaun Livingston missed the game with a lower back injury … The Wizards’ home tipoff Friday against Sacramento has been moved from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. … Wizards owners Abe and Irene Pollin are in their 42nd year at the franchise’s helm, making them the longest-tenured owners in the NBA.
AP-ES-11-09-05 2157EST
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