Clippers are share holders

As in days of yore, Los Angeles rules the Pacific Division. Unlike in days of yore, this time it’s both local teams.

After allowing an average of 105 points in their first three games against the freewheeling Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets, the Clippers held off the young Portland Trail Blazers, 102-89, Monday night in Staples Center to win their third game in a row, moving into a first-place tie with the Lakers at 3-1.

“It wasn’t a masterpiece,� said Coach Mike Dunleavy, “but it was a win.�

For the second game in a row, Corey Maggette, who has agreed to give this sixth-man thing a chance, led the Clippers in scoring. This time he had 20 points, 12 of them in the fourth quarter as they pulled away.

“That’s what we said, he’s out there against second-line guys and they have to guard him,� said Dunleavy. “It’s not an easy chore.�

Four more Clippers scored in double figures. In an upset, Elton Brand was not one of them. He scored eight points, missing six of eight shots.

For the young season, Brand is averaging 14.8 points on 12.3 shots a game.

The Clippers’ first three games were wide open. Monday they faced a Portland team that clogged the middle and dared them to make outside shots.

“In a way there’s nothing you can do about it,� Dunleavy said of Brand’s quiet night. “There’s nobody in the game, especially a post player, you can’t take away if you want.�

The Trail Blazers, a very early surprise at 2-1 before Monday, made it a game early with Zach Randolph scoring 16 of his 35 points before halftime.

Portland led for most of the second quarter but the Clippers ended it on a 10-2 run, with Sam Cassell scoring six of those points, and then opened the third period with an 11-5 run to open a 10-point lead.

Then they started the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run, punctuated by Maggette’s steal and dunk to make it 78-60, and held off the Trail Blazers the rest of the way.

“I think it’s similar,� Portland Coach Nate McMillan said before the game, comparing his team’s goals to what the Clippers have achieved. “What we’re trying to do, they’ve done. Mike has come in and ownership has gone out and signed people. They started with young guys and then they brought in veterans. It’s a process for them. Now you can see the results of what they’ve done the last couple of years.�

Of course, the Clippers are a little further along in the process. The Trail Blazers went 21-61 last season but began this one impressively, coming from 12 points behind opening night in Seattle to win, then coming from 16 points behind to beat the Timberwolves.

They were still scrapping in Monday night’s first half. Randolph went to the bench with two fouls 2:37 into the game and the Clippers eased out to an early 14-9 lead but Portland came back behind second-year point guard Jarrett Jack, who scored 10 points by halftime.

With Randolph coming back into the game in the second quarter, and scoring 16 points by the half, the Trail Blazers led by as many as five points.

Portland led, 40-36, but Cassell scored six points and the Clippers went on a 10-2 run to go into halftime with a 46-42 lead.

[email protected]