NBA notes: Clippers win preseason battle of L.A.

The Associated Press • Published October 10, 2008

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FRESNO, Calif. – Rookie Mike Taylor was 9-of-12 from the field and scored 20 points to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 107-80 preseason victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.

It was the Lakers' worst preseason loss since a 31-point defeat to the Golden State Warriors in 2005 and it kept the Lakers (0-2) winless this preseason. Lakers star Kobe Bryant played 24 minutes and finished with 12 points and three assists. He left midway through the third quarter and did not return.

Baron Davis, who signed the Clippers in the offseason after spending the past three seasons with the Warriors, played 17 minutes and finished with 12 points and seven assists.

Ricky Davis had 17 points for the Clippers (1-1), who led by as many as 13 points in the first half and began distancing themselves again early in the fourth after the Lakers got as close as 79-74 on Jordan Farmar's 3-pointer. Farmar, who finished with 12 points, was one of five Lakers in double figures.

Reserve forward Vladimir Radmanovic led the Lakers with 14 points.

Ricky Davis, who signed as a free agent with the Clippers in the offseason after playing for the Miami Heat, scored 13 points in the first half and was 3-of-5 from behind the arc.

A predominantly Lakers crowd came out to see a rare NBA game in the central San Joaquin Valley. It was the first time the Lakers lost in Fresno, where the team also played in 2004 and 2006.

Taylor led the Clippers' charge in the second half, scoring 16 points. He played with the Idaho Stampede in the NBA Development League last season. Clippers reserve forward Steve Novak was 4-of-6 on 3-pointers and finished with 12 points.

The Clippers were assessed three technical fouls. Clippers reserve guard Jason Hart and the Lakers' Radmanovic were called for a double technical late in the first quarter. Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy received a technical foul in the third quarter.

And rookie DeAndre Jordan was called for a technical after hanging on the rim and yelling after completing a monstrous one-handed dunk in the fourth quarter.

Clippers center Marcus Camby, acquired in a trade with the Denver Nuggets in the offseason, traveled with the team and was in uniform, but did not play. Camby has been recovering from flu-like symptoms during training camp.

• BLAZERS' FERNANDEZ AND PRZYBILLA SIDELINED: Guard Rudy Fernandez and center Joel Przybilla will not travel with the Portland Trail Blazers for today's game in Kansas City against the Atlanta Hawks.

Fernandez sprained his left ankle in the Blazers' 110-95 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. Przybilla has bronchitis.

The team also said that small forward Martell Webster had surgery Thursday to repair a stress fracture in his left foot. He will likely miss eight to 10 weeks.

Webster was injured in the exhibition opener, a 110-81 victory over the Sacramento Kings.

• LAYUPS: The Minnesota Timberwolves signed free-agent center David Harrison on Thursday. The 7-foot Harrison, selected by the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2004 draft out of Colorado, appeared in 189 games in four seasons with the Pacers, averaging 5.0 points and 2.9 rebounds. ... Matt Barnes scored 21 points and Alando Tucker added 19 as the Phoenix Suns beat the Utah Jazz 96-89 in a preseason game. ... Gerald Green scored 18 points to lead six Dallas players in double figures, helping the Mavericks beat the Chicago Bulls 110-102 in a preseason game.