LOS ANGELES -- Emeka Okafor did a number on Chris Kaman in the low post at both ends of the court, keeping the 7-foot center's numbers down and keeping the New Orleans Hornets in the game long enough to pull out a victory.
Okafor, the only player to start all 68 games for the injury-depleted Hornets, had 14 rebounds and 12 points to help them beat the Los Angeles Clippers 108-100 on Monday night. The victory snapped a seven-game road losing streak and completed a four-game season sweep.
"Kaman is an All-Star, but Meke is one of the best defenders in this league," Hornets rookie Darren Collison said. "Meke is big and physical, and he can go with pretty much any center in the league. So whenever he steps up to the challenge, this is what we're going to get out of him. We were definitely conscious of Kaman, but most of the credit goes to Meke. He really did a good job of sizing him up and making it tough for him."
David West scored 24 points to help New Orleans notch its 13th straight victory over the Clippers since a 100-90 loss on Jan. 8, 2007, in Oklahoma City, which was the Hornets' temporary home for one season because of the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.
Kaman missed 10 of his first 11 shots and was 3 for 15 overall with just eight points in 31 minutes against the Hornets -- the same team that ended his career-best streak of six straight 20-point games on Nov. 9 in Los Angeles.
"He just couldn't hit a jump shot tonight. That was basically it," teammate Eric Gordon said. "He missed so many shots, but that happens sometimes. When you miss that many shots, you put yourselves out of it and it gives them a lot more opportunities. Luckily we were still in the game."
The Clippers led 50-46 at halftime despite Kaman's horrendous shooting, as Rasual Butler, Drew Gooden and Baron Davis all reached double digits. Kaman's only points in the half were the result of a short turnaround hook shot with 11:50 left in the second quarter. He didn't make another basket until Davis set him up for a dunk with 7:43 left in the third.
Gordon also struggled, missing all seven shots from 3-point range. He was 3 for 12 overall with 10 points after missing the previous five games with a groin injury.
"I was moving around pretty good and getting to the rim, but my timing was off on my jumper," Gordon said. "I hadn't been shooting that much in the past week because they kept me off the court and told me to rest it. That's why I was rusty on my jump shot."
The lead changed hands five times early in the fourth quarter before the Hornets went on a 15-2 run and opened a 102-89 lead with 4:03 remaining. Morris Peterson broke an 87-all tie with a 3-pointer, reserve Marcus Thornton added two more 3s during the rally and West capped it with a 19-footer.
Collison, New Orleans' first-round draft pick out of UCLA, had 18 points and 14 assists. James Posey, who wasn't able to travel with the team to Phoenix because of flulike symptoms, rejoined them at Staples Center but didn't play.
The Clippers lost their eighth straight game overall and 10th in their last 11. Davis had 18 points and 17 assists after getting in early foul trouble.
"Some guys are playing hard, but we're not getting the collective effort out of everybody night in and night out," Davis said. "It's hard to win is you don't have 15 guys focusing on winning.
"We're going through a tough stretch, so I'm just trying to encourage my teammates and be as positive as I possibly can, as well as focus on my game and getting back to what I am and what I should be doing out there," Davis added. "I just come to the arena and play hard, try to constantly improve and build for next year. Hopefully I can set some type of example."
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
