---

InsideHoops.com NBA News

CLIP NOTES

BREAK OUT THE BROOMS: The Clippers completed a season-series sweep over Milwaukee for the first time since the 1996-97 season with their 105-103 win at the Bradley Center on February 21. The win was also the Clippers first victory in Milwaukee in six seasons, having last won at the Bradley Center on February 23, 1997. With their 102-100 victory over Boston on February 19, the Clippers also swept the season series with Boston for the first time since the 1996-97 season and snapped a three-game home losing streak to the Celtics. Los Angeles has now swept four season series this season versus Milwaukee, Boston, Atlanta and Orlando.

SIMMONS RETURNS: The Clippers welcomed back small forward Bobby Simmons to the lineup on February 21 at Milwaukee. Simmons, who missed 17 games after spraining his left hip versus Miami on January 16, came off the bench to score 12 points on 4-6 shooting in 21 minutes in his return while also playing a key role down the stretch in the Clippers 105-103 victory. Prior to his injury, Simmons had established himself as the team's sixth man, seeing minutes at three different positions in the Clippers rotation.

BRAND TOPS 30 AGAIN: Elton Brand scored 31 points and had 10 rebounds, five assists and four blocks to post his second consecutive 30-point game in the Clippers 105-103 win at Milwaukee on February 21.

CLIPS SNAP ROAD SKID: With their 105-103 victory at Milwaukee on February 21, the Clippers snapped a five-game road losing streak. Los Angeles had won three consecutive games on the road from January 31 to February 4 before losing five consecutive from February 6-18.

EB LEADS THE WAY: Elton Brand scored a season-high 39 points and had 11 rebounds and six blocked shots to lead the Clippers to a 102-100 victory over Boston on February 19. Brand's 39 points are the most he has scored in a Clipper uniform, with his career-high of 44 points coming as a member of the Chicago Bulls on April 13, 2000 at Washington.

MR. CLUTCH: Eddie House hit a 19-foot jumper to break a 100-100 tie to give the Clippers a two-point victory over Boston at STAPLES Center on February 19. House also beat the first quarter buzzer with a three-point field goal and has become the Clippers clutch shooter at the end of games and quarters.

This Week’s Opponents:

DALLAS MAVERICKS -- Tuesday, February 24, American Airlines Arena, 5:30 p.m. (PT)

TV: KTLA, Radio: XTRA 690/1150 AM

Tomorrow will be the third of four meetings this season between the Clippers and Mavericks as Los Angeles will look to extend its winning streak over Dallas to three games after winning the first two meetings this season. Los Angeles rallied from a 22-point deficit to defeat Dallas 100-99 on a game-winning jumper at the buzzer by Glen Rice at STAPLES Center on December 10. Corey Maggette, Quentin Richardson and Elton Brand all scored 20 or more points to lead the Clippers to a 115-105 victory at Dallas on December 20. Maggette has led the Clippers in scoring in both meetings with Dallas this season, averaging 28.0 points in the two games. Los Angeles is looking to win both games in Dallas for the first time since the 1993-94 season, which was also the last year that the Clippers swept the season series from the Mavericks.

All-Time Series: Dallas 61-40 (LAC Breakdown: Home: 24-26, Road: 16-35)

NEW ORLEANS HORNETS -- Wednesday, February 25, New Orleans Arena, 5:00 p.m. (PT)

Radio: KRLA 870 AM (@ 7:00 – tape delayed)

The Clippers will return to action on Wednesday evening when they play the third and final game of this road trip in New Orleans versus the Hornets at 5:00 p.m. (PT). Wednesday will be the second and final meeting of the season between the Clippers and Hornets as Los Angeles will look to sweep the season series with the Hornets for the first time since the 1991-92 season. Elton Brand scored 27 points as the Clippers outscored New Orleans 61-36 in the second half to post their largest margin of victory this season in a 109-80 win at STAPLES Center on December 15. The two teams have split their two meetings in each of the last two seasons as the Clippers won 94-90 in the first meeting between the two teams in New Orleans on December 9, 2002.

All-Time Series: New Orleans 19-12 (LAC Breakdown: Home: 8-8, Road: 4-11)

NEW YORK KNICKS -- Friday, February 27, STAPLES Center, 7:30 p.m. (PT)

The Clippers will return home to face the New York Knicks at STAPLES Center on Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. Friday will be the second and final meeting of the season between the Clippers and Knicks. Los Angeles will look to earn a season series split with New York after the Knicks won the first meeting of the season, 110-104 at Madison Square Garden on February 8. Stephon Marbury scored 42 points to lead New York, in his first game versus the Clippers as a Knick. Marbury scored 40 points versus the Clippers as a member of the Phoenix Suns on December 29 and is averaging 37.3 points per game this season versus the Clippers. Corey Maggette led the Clippers with 28 points in the February 8 game at the Garden. The Clippers will look to extend their home winning streak over the Knicks to five games, as New York has never defeated the Clippers at STAPLES Center. All-Time Series: New York 63-37 (LAC Breakdown: Home: 23-25, Road: 14-38)

DETROIT PISTONS – Sunday, February 29, STAPLES Center, 12:30 p.m. (PT)

The Clippers will finish their week and the month of February by hosting Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and the Detroit Pistons at STAPLES Center on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. Sunday will be the first of two meetings between the Clippers and Pistons this season with the second and final meeting this season scheduled for March 31 at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Clippers will look to extend their home winning streak over the Pistons to four games with a win. The two teams have split their two meetings in each of the last two seasons. Elton Brand averaged 17.5 points per game versus Detroit last season while Rip Hamilton led the Pistons with 17.5 points per game in the season series.

All-Time Series: Detroit 56-30 (LAC Breakdown: Home 21-22, Road 9-34)

CLIPPERS IN THE COMMUNITY

February 28 - The 2004 Clippers Foundation Charity Basketbowl Challenge will take place on Saturday, February 28, at Keystone Lanes in Norwalk. The entire team will be on hand to bowl with sponsors with proceeds going to the Clippers Foundation and to Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Clippers Foundation exists to foster and support community outreach programs and activities with positive educational, civic, environmental and humanitarian values that benefit and enhance the quality of life primarily for children in greater Los Angeles. Seeing over 300,000 patient visits a year, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles has been rated Best Pediatric Hospital on the West Coast for 11 consecutive years by U.S. News and World Report.