Baron Davis hits buzzer-beating jumper, pushes Clippers past Celtics 92-90

Baron’s buzzer-beater leads Clips past Celtics

LOS ANGELES — Baron Davis hit a long fallaway jumper at the buzzer, and the Los Angeles Clippers dramatically snapped the Boston Celtics’ nine-game road winning streak with a 92-90 victory on Sunday night.

Rajon Rondo scored 20 points for the Celtics, but missed two potential go-ahead free throws — actually three, including another that was waved off — with 1.5 seconds left in just the Celtics’ second loss in 16 games.

Davis had 24 points and 13 assists for the Clippers, who snapped a three-game losing streak when Davis took an inbounds pass with a second left, pivoted and jumped backward for a perfect 22-footer. The shot gave Los Angeles its only lead of the second half.

Rasual Butler hit a dramatic tying 3-pointer off a drive-and-dish pass from Davis with 8.5 seconds left.

Kevin Garnett had 12 points and eight rebounds while playing mostly on the perimeter with a sore back for the Celtics, whose three-game winning streak ended two days after their impressive Christmas victory over the Orlando Magic. Boston manged just two points in the final 3:30 of its second straight road loss to the Clippers, who got 27 points and 12 rebounds from Chris Kaman.

Ray Allen scored 13 points for the Celtics, who played without injured star Paul Pierce for the second straight game. The Celtics hadn’t lost on the road since Nov. 14 at Indiana.

The loss also left the Lakers alone atop the overall NBA standings at 24-5.

Eric Gordon scored 15 points for the Clippers, who narrowly avoided dropping a season-worst six games below .500 with a thrilling comeback in front of their first sellout crowd of the season. Staples Center was filled with a large percentage of Boston fans, yet the home team rebounded from its worst loss of the season in Phoenix on Friday with a stellar finish.

Los Angeles trimmed the Celtics’ lead to two points in the final four minutes, but wasted two chances to tie it on Gordon’s traveling violation and Davis’ turnover in the paint. DeAndre Jordan also badly missed two free throws with 1:34 to play, but the Celtics did nothing on the offensive end.

In the final seconds, Davis drove the lane and dished to Butler for a wide-open tying 3-pointer. Rondo then blew past Davis, who clearly hacked him on the arm during a layup attempt. The game clock expired during the play, but officials put 1.5 seconds back on the clock after video review.

Rondo missed the first free throw off the back of the rim, and he then missed another shot long — but the officials waved it off, saying the other players weren’t set in their lanes. Given a third chance, Rondo still couldn’t connect, clanging his shot in and out.

Boston coach Doc Rivers doesn’t expect Pierce to join the Celtics on their four-game road trip, keeping him home to rest his infected right knee. Rivers said the Los Angeles native’s condition fluctuates, and nobody is certain whether Pierce will play even when the Celtics return home.

Marcus Camby was inactive for the Clippers after aggravating his hyperextended left knee in their Christmas night loss at Phoenix. Coach Mike Dunleavy isn’t certain when he’ll be back.

NOTES: Tony Allen replaced Pierce in the starting lineup for the second straight game, while Jordan filled in for Camby in his first start of the season. … The Clippers won a two-point decision over the Celtics at Staples Center last season. … Rapper/actor Common and electro-hop band LMFAO watched the game near courtside.