Clippers beat Thunder, 98-88

OKLAHOMA CITY Gordon answered a right-handed dunk by Kevin Durant by scoring the first six points in a 10-0 run, and the Clippers led 87-73 after Mardy Collins' steal and two-handed runout jam.

Gordon finished with 22 points, Baron Davis scored 19, and Marcus Camby added 13 points and 15 rebounds as all of the Clippers starters' reached double figures. Los Angeles has won three straight for the first time since starting last season 4-0.

Durant led Oklahoma City with 23 points, and Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox scored 13 apiece. The Thunder are now 1-12 under interim coach Scott Brooks, the same record they had when P.J. Carlesimo was fired.

Randolph continued his strong play since being traded by the New York Knicks on Nov. 21. He had averaged 26 points in his first eight starts with Los Angeles, and hasn't been kept below 21 points in any them.

Coach Mike Dunleavy said Randolph has slid into the role formerly filled by Elton Brand before he made a surprising exit to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason. Randolph provided a strong start for the Clippers, then came through again when the Thunder challenged in the second half to finish with his 15th double-double of the season.

Russell Westbrook gave the Thunder their only two leads of the second half with a pair of free throws and then a coast-to-coast layup that made it 59-58, but then Randolph and Camby went to work inside.

The post tandem scored three of Clippers' next four baskets off of offensive rebounds, and Davis used a crafty pump fake to get Durant off his feet for a foul with 1.8 seconds left in the third quarter. Davis cashed in on all three free throws to push the lead to 70-65.

His 3-pointer from the top of the key extended the Clippers' edge to 77-69, and then Gordon provided the finishing touches.

The Clippers led 15-4 after Randolph hit a hook shot in the lane to cap a 13-0 run early on, and the edge stretched to as many as 14 before Oklahoma City started its comeback in the second period.

Nick Collison, Durant and Desmond Mason each had a dunk, and Wilcox jammed twice during a 17-4 run that pulled the Thunder within 34-33.

Davis scored the Clippers' next seven points to protect the lead, and Los Angeles was up 50-48 at halftime.

Notes: Brooks said he got the following advice from Nuggets coach George Karl, who started his coaching career 2-19 with Cleveland: "Hang in there. Continue to teach and believe and work." Brooks was formerly an assistant to Karl in Denver. "I have a great relationship with him. He's an incredible coach that I've learned a lot under," Brooks said. ... Wilcox, who missed two games with a dislocated left ring finger, had that finger taped to his middle finger in his return. ... The first three shots of the game didn't touch the rim. Damien Wilkins and Durant bracketed airballs for the Thunder around Wilkins' block of Al Thornton's jumper in the lane.


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