Elton Brand left the Clippers at the altar during the offseason, choosing to leave the team at the last possible minute to sign a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. This was after Brand had given a verbal commitment to coach (and de facto general manager) Mike Dunleavy, and after the team replaced the loss of Corey Maggette by going out and signing Baron Davis. Brand hasn't spoken to Dunleavy or Davis since, but tonight he was able to have the last word by hitting a jumper to give his new team the win by a count of 89-88.
The Clippers were playing short handed, after making a deal today that sent Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley to the New York Knicks in exchange for Zach Randolph. Even so, the team managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, as they overcame an early 14-point deficit to take a seven-point lead with just over three minutes left in the game. But after a couple of turnovers gave the Sixers life, Andre Miller -- another former Clipper -- hit a rare three-pointer to cut the L.A. lead to one, before Brand was able to get the game winner the next time down.
With Mobley and Thomas out of the picture, L.A. was forced to start the gawdawful Ricky Davis alongside Baron in the backcourt, and he predictably did absolutely nothing, contributing just two points and committing three turnovers in 19 minutes of action. Al Thornton played all 48 minutes, and had a solid game with 22 points and nine boards. But the Clippers really let one get away, even with Baron supposedly there to add veteran leadership in tight games down the stretch. And the loss couldn't have come in a more painful way for the Clippers, getting taken out tonight by the man who left the team under some dubious circumstances last summer.
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