Corey Maggette scored 39 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and dished out 9 assists while Elton Brand finished with 32 points, 12 boards and 7 assists to lift the Los Angeles Clippers (38-40) past the Los Angeles Lakers (40-39) 118-110. The Clippers overcame a 50 point performance from Kobe Bryant to draw even with the Golden State Warriors for the final spot in the Western Conference playoff picture.
The Lakers carried a 93-86 lead into the fourth quarter and after two jumpers from Bryant, a three-pointer from Sasha Vujacic and a pair of free-throws from Kobe the Lakers lead was ten. Within two and a half minutes that ten point lead was gone as the Clippers ran off ten straight to even the score at 102-102.
Andrew Bynum hit one of two from the foul-line to give the Lakers a one point advantage but the Clippers ran off another seven in a row to take a six point lead.
Smush Parker pulled Lakers within three with 3:23 left on the clock but they could never draw any closer as they score just four points the rest of the way.
The win moved the Clippers even with Golden State for the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoff race. The Clippers hold the tie breaker over the Warriors and would face the Dallas Mavericks in the first round if the playoffs started today.
The Lakers are holding on to the seventh seed, 1 ½ games in front of the Clippers and Warriors.