Clippers Fight Off Rockets In OT

April 24, 1999 / 4:13 AM EDT / CBS/AP

The Los Angeles Clippers had come close to winning their last three games. Instead, they lost them all by a combined nine points.

The same scenario began playing itself out Friday night when they blew all of a 19-point lead against Houston, a team that had won nine straight against the Clippers.

But this time Maurice Taylor and Troy Hudson wrote a different ending for the Clippers, who held off the Rockets 106-101 in overtime. Taylor scored a career-high 29 points, including seven in overtime.

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"It's good to see the players get rewarded for their effort and not fall short at the end," Los Angeles coach Chris Ford said.

The Clippers were outscored 32-21 in the fourth quarter, and they needed a 3-pointer from Hudson with eight seconds remaining to force overtime. Hudson had missed a similar shot in a 97-94 loss at Vancovuer on Wednesday.

"I knew once I got the ball, I couldn't be nervous," Hudson said. "I had a lot of confidence going into the shot."

Charles Barkley led the Rockets with 24 points. He hit a 3-pointer to draw them within three with five seconds left in overtime, but Eric Piatkowski hit two free throws to seal the Clippers' eighth win of the season.

"Maurice Taylor was kicking my butt all over the place and we couldn't stop anybody," Barkley said. "It was a tough loss. Just very frustrating."

Scottie Pippen, playing for the first time since his arrest Thursday on a drunken driving charge, had a triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. His 14-foot jumper with 27 seconds left in regulation gave Houston its first lead since the opening quarter.

"The positive is that we didn't lay down and made a comeback," Houston coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "The negative is why are we having to come back?"

Hakeem Olajuwon, who had 18 poits and 12 rebounds, put Houston ahead 89-86 with 13 seconds left on a 3-pointer just his fourth of the season before Hudson hit a 3 from in front of the Los Angeles bench to tie the game.

The Rockets led twice in the five-minute overtime, but were outscored 11-5 over the final two minutes to lose at the Sports Arena for the first time since Feb. 9, 1995.

"You don't ever think you're going to lose a game when there's time on the clock, but it goes through your head like, `Man, I hope we don't lose this game,"' Hudson said. "We showed great composure at the end. We came through and stayed mentally tough, that's a big plus for a young team."

Piatkowski added 28 points and Michael Olowokandi grabbed 14 rebounds for the Clippers. Olajuwon fouled out for the Rockets with 3:17 left in overtime.

"When we lost Dream (Olajuwon) out of the lineup, that really took a little bit out of us," Pippen said. "Not only do you lose your shotblocker, but you lose an intimidator. He's the backbone of our defense."

The Rockets, trying to stay ahead of the Lakers for fourth place in the Western Conference, stumbled for the second straight game. They lost 109-95 to Dallas at home Wednesday night, a team they had beaten 11 straight times.

"I know we can't make it to the playoffs, but if we can stop somebody else from going, I love it," said Clippers forward Tyrone Nesby, who had 13 points and 10 rebounds. "All I can do is shatter people's dreams."

The Clippers, who had lost three straight, led nearly the entire game and were up by 16 points when Houston started its comeback. The Rockets outscored the Clippers 22-6 over the final 4:56 of regulation, including 12 straight. Barkley's two free throws gave the Rockets their first lead since the opening quarter, 89-86, with 13 seconds left.

After Hudson's 3-pointer tied the game, Pippen tossed a crosscourt pass to rookie Bryce Drew, whose left foot slid out of bounds for a turnover with 1.5 seconds left. Hudson's off-balance jumper fell short at the buzzer to force overtime.

In overtime, Pippen scored Houston's first three points and Barkley tipped in his teammate's missed free throw as the Rockets led 94-92. But Piatkowski kept the pressure on with his third 3-pointer of the game. Michael Dickerson's basket would give Houston its last lead at 96-95 with 2:29 left.

"We just allowed them to get too many shots," Pippen said. "Piatkowski hit a big three in overtime. Stuff like that really drains you when you've been in a dogfight the whole game."

The Clippers opened the fourth quarter by scoring 10 straight points, including a 3-pointer by Piatkowski and a three-point play from Nesby for a 78-59 lead.

Houston rallied with less than five minutes remaining, scoring 12 straight, including five by Drew, to close within four points. Barkley made two consecutive steals, and Dickerson capped the rn with a fast break slam dunk off a pass from Barkley.

Olajuwon was called for a technical foul with 2:30 remaining. Piatkowski made the free throw and Taylor, who had been fouled, hit both free throws as the Clippers led 86-79.

Pippen then hit three of four free throws on two straight trips to the line to draw Houston within four. Taylor's inbounds pass was intercepted by Olajuwon, who turned it back over with a pass out of bounds.

The Rockets outscored the Clippers 12-1 over the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth to get within two points.

But the Clippers answered with a 12-3 spurt of their own to go up 56-45. Taylor was hot in the quarter, scoring eight straight at one point, and hitting half of the Clippers' 12 baskets in the period, including their final two for a 68-57 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Notes: Pippen was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated Thursday in Houston. "I'm letting it go and playing basketball," he said before the game. "I don't think it's important to discuss legally anything in my personal life." His arraignment is set for next Thursday. ... Tomjanovich was denied his 350th career victory. ... Clippers guard Darrick Martin went on the injured list prior to the game with a strained left knee. He's missed the last six games. Center Keith Closs was activated from the injured list, where he had been since April 3 with patella tendinitis in his right knee. ... Rockets guard Brent Price, activated from the injured list a day earlier, did not dress because of intestinal flu.