Clippers Win Game 3

Yahoo Sports: LOS ANGELES (AP) — Elton Brand scored 24 of his 32 points in the second half and had 11 rebounds as the Los Angeles Clippers stopped a season-high, five-game losing streak with a 102-83 win over the Lakers on Friday night.

Cuttino Mobley scored 22 points and Vladimir Radmanovic had 19, including five 3-pointers, for the Clippers. The Clippers have taken two of three from their crosstown rivals as they seek to make the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons.

Kobe Bryant scored 39 points, but 25 were in the first half and he had just one point in the decisive third quarter.

Chris Mihm was the only other Lakers player in double figures with 11 points.

Brand took control of the game with 16 points in the third quarter.

After Smush Parker’s 3-pointer gave the Lakers their only lead of the game at 51-50 with 9:45 to play in the quarter, the Clippers went on a 27-9 run that featured 10 points from Brand.

Brand dunked over a pair of defenders, had a three-point-play a minute later, and had another dunk to put the Clippers up 77-60 with 2:59 to go in the quarter.

Radmanovic made a 3 in the final minute of the period to give the Clippers their biggest lead 81-62.

The Lakers opened the fourth quarter with four straight points, and Bryant’s 3-pointer midway through the period pulled them within 12, but they would get no closer. Bryant scored 13 in the fourth quarter.

Lamar Odom, who had scored 20 and 19 points in his last two games and seemed to be showing up as the second-option the Lakers had hoped, had just eight points Friday night against his former team.

The Lakers failed to make a field goal in the first seven minutes of the game and the Clippers raced to a 12-1 lead that featured 3-pointers by Mobley and Radmanovic.

The Clippers led by as many as 11 in the second quarter. They took their first double-digit lead at 31-21 on Daniel Ewing’s fast-break dunk with 9:19 to play in the first half.

Brian Cook fouled Sam Cassell hard earlier in the second quarter, and Bryant and Mobley jawed with each other in the ensuing scuffle. Both were called for technicals.

The Lakers look to bounce back from a terrible game against the Boston Celtics on Sunday. As always, we have live Gameday coverage in our ClubLakers.com Forums!

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