Clippers Rise to Occasion to Beat Suns

PHOENIX - The Los Angeles Clippers had to beat the best of the Phoenix Suns, if not the Suns at their best, to keep their playoff hopes alive with one game to go.

Elton Brand scored 21 points to lead six Los Angeles Clippers in double figures and Los Angeles beat the Suns 103-99 on Tuesday night.

Jason Hart made two free throws with 7.8 seconds left to seal the win and deprive the Suns of a 62nd victory in their regular-season finale. That would have tied the franchise record.

Los Angeles needs to win Wednesday night at home against New Orleans and have Golden State lose at Portland to get the No. 8 seed in the West and a first-round playoff date with Dallas.

While Dallas, with the No. 1 playoff seed locked up, rested its stars in a game at Golden State on Tuesday night, Suns coach Mike D'Antoni stuck with his regular rotation, despite being assured the West's No. 2 slot.

Still, the Los Angeles Clippers pulled away to win in the fourth period.

Leandro Barbosa scored 22 for the Suns, including a 3-pointer that cut the Los Angeles Clippers' lead to 99-97 with 32.2 seconds left. Raja Bell added 17 points, including four 3s. Bell finished tied with the injured Gilbert Arenas for most 3-pointers in a season at 205. Boris Diaw also scored 17 for Phoenix.

Tim Thomas, who resurrected his career last season in Phoenix, then signed a lucrative deal with Los Angeles, added 18 points for the Los Angeles Clippers, including 4-of-8 3-pointers.

He also made a crucial play in the final 10 seconds when, with the Los Angeles Clippers leading 99-97, Corey Maggette missed a jumper. Thomas tipped the rebound into the Los Angeles backcourt to Hart, who was fouled and made the clinching free throws.

Amare Stoudemire had 16 points for Phoenix. Steve Nash scored only six, but had 12 assists. Hart scored 16, Quentin Ross 15, Maggette 13 and Sam Cassell 11 for Los Angeles.

Down 69-63, Phoenix outscored the Los Angeles Clippers 11-2 to finish the third quarter and go up 74-71 entering the fourth. Diaw scored four and Bell made his fourth 3-pointer of the night during the run.

A 7-2 spurt put Los Angeles up 95-90 after Quentin Ross made one of two free throws with 2:11 to play, and Stoudemire's goal-tending call on a shot by Hart put the Los Angeles Clippers ahead 97-92 with 1:22 to go.

Notes:@ The Los Angeles Clippers have the tiebreaker against the Warriors. ... Stoudemire was the only Phoenix player to appear in all 82 games this season. ... Quentin Richardson holds the Suns' franchise record record for 3-pointers in a season, 226 in 2004-05. Bell's total this year ranks second. ... The Suns lost their final two regular-season games. ... The Los Angeles Clippers had a 20-10 advantage in offensive rebounds.

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