Clippers beat Pistons 97-91 for 3rd straight win after Hamilton misses 3 FTs in final seconds

Kaman, Gooden help Clippers get by Pistons

LOS ANGELES — Chris Kaman had 21 points and 15 rebounds, Drew Gooden added 20 points and 13 boards and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Detroit Pistons 97-91 on Wednesday night.

Rasual Butler hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 25 seconds left for the Clippers, who have won three straight following a six-game losing streak. They completed a two-game season sweep of Detroit after losing the previous 13 meetings.

Los Angeles also won 104-96 on Nov. 27 at Auburn Hills, Mich., against a Pistons squad missing Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Ben Gordon because of injuries.

Hamilton, whose season has been marred by ankle and hamstring injuries that have limited him to 30 games, had 21 points after averaging 30.5 over his previous four games. He made three 3-pointers in the final 4½ minutes, but missed all three free throws after getting fouled on a 3-point attempt that rimmed the basket and fell out with 7.9 seconds to play.

Hamilton was just 2 for 8 from the line. He missed on his first attempt with 47 seconds left in the second quarter, ending his streak at 51 consecutive free throws made — 11 shy of the franchise record held by Joe Dumars, who is currently the Pistons’ president of basketball operations.

Neither team led by more than four points in the fourth quarter until Gooden sank a pair of free throws with 6.1 seconds remaining.

After Baron Davis hit a 3-pointer to give the Clippers an 85-82 lead with 4:48 remaining, Hamilton responded with back-to-back 3s 40 seconds apart to put Detroit back in front with 3:49 to play. Eric Gordon sank two free throws at the other end and Kaman hit a 15-footer to give Los Angeles an 89-88 edge with 2:33 left.

Kaman made one of two from the line before Hamilton’s 3-pointer gave the Pistons their final lead, 91-90 with 44 seconds on the clock. Butler responded with his clutch 3-pointer and added a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left.

The Clippers used their 13th different starting lineup, with Gooden getting his first start since joining them in a trade last week with Washington. He had nine points in the opening period along with seven boards — equaling the most rebounds by a Pistons opponent in a quarter this season. But Detroit scored nine straight points late in the first half to take a 49-37 lead, its biggest of the game.

NOTES: The NBA record for consecutive free throws made is 97, by Minnesota’s Micheal Williams. The league mark for consecutive free throws made in the same season is 78, by Houston’s Calvin Murphy in 1980-81. … Hamilton finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. … The Clippers have scored fewer than 100 points in 15 of their last 16 games. The only exception was a 132-102 loss at Golden State. … The Clippers swept the Pistons for only the second time in the last 18 seasons. They didn’t face each other during the lockout-shortened 1998-99 campaign. … The Clippers failed to record any fast-break points for the second straight game, after averaging 13.9 over their previous 55 contests this season.