
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Vladimir Radmanovic wasn't sure he'd even play against the Los Angeles Clippers 90 minutes before making his Charlotte debut.
The ex-Lakers forward not only became the Bobcats' NBA-high 23rd player Monday night, his 13 points and three fourth-quarter 3-pointers propelled Charlotte to a 94-73 win over the road-weary Clippers.And as coach Larry Brown continues to tinker with his roster, he may have found an answer to the team's shaky outside shooting with Radmanovic, acquired Saturday from the Lakers for underachieving Adam Morrison and reserve Shannon Brown.
"It was so funny trying to talk to him through stuff," Brown said of Radmanovic, who had yet to practice with his new teammates. "We invented plays, but I was really happy that he struggled early and then had the confidence to come back and knock down some shots.
"It gives us another guy who has length and athleticism."
Emeka Okafor had 19 points and 16 rebounds for the undermanned Bobcats, who were missing starters Gerald Wallace (rib, lung) and Raja Bell (groin).
So they turned to Radmanovic, who had wanted out of Los Angeles after falling out of favor with coach Phil Jackson, to end a five-game losing streak.
Radmanovic fired up an early air ball, but eventually got comfortable in the fourth quarter. After Baron Davis' jumper cut Charlotte's lead to 67-63, Radmanovic hit two long jumpers during a 15-2 run. He added another 3 to put Charlotte ahead 88-70 with 4 minutes left.
"It took me a while to get that second wind, but overall I felt pretty good in there," Radmanovic said.
Zach Randolph had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Eric Gordon scored 17 for the Clippers, who had won two straight but fizzled in the fourth quarter in the finale of a seven-game road trip.
"The last game of a trip, I've been around a long time, I know how these games can be tough," center Marcus Camby said. "Especially right before the All-Star break, you tend to lose a little focus. Your mind is elsewhere."
The Clippers were outscored 27-12 in the fourth quarter, with several key players struggling.
Al Thornton shot 3-for-13, Camby was 3-for-8 and Davis 1-for-7 in his return to Charlotte, where he began his NBA career with the Hornets.
"We didn't attack and play at the level we've been playing at the last two games," Davis said. "I thought our offense got complacent and stagnant."
76ers 108, Suns 91
At Philadelphia, Thaddeus Young scored 25 points and Marreese Speights had a career-high 24 points to lift the 76ers to their third straight win.
Andre Iguodala scored 22 points and Samuel Dalembert grabbed 11 rebounds to help the Sixers (26-24) move two games above .500 for the first time this season.
Amare Stoudemire shrugged off persistent trade rumors and scored 19 points for the Suns.
Grizzlies 85, Hornets 80
At Memphis, Tenn., O.J. Mayo had 22 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for his first double-double, while Mike Conley scored 18 and handed out eight assists to lead the Grizzlies over the short-handed Hornets.
The Hornets shot 29.5 percent after the Grizzlies held Toronto to the same mark Saturday. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it marked the first time in more than 49 years that a team has held consecutive opponents under 30 percent shooting from the field. The last time was Dec. 19-20, 1959, when the then-St. Louis Hawks held Philadelphia to 26.9 percent and Detroit to 29.9 the next night.
Peja Stojakovic scored 23 points to lead the Hornets, who were without their top three players in Chris Paul, Tyson Chandler and David West. Paul and Chandler were out with injuries, while West was suspended for the game after his flagrant foul against Minnesota's Mike Miller on Sunday.
Bucks 124, Rockets 112
At Milwaukee, Charlie Villanueva scored 25 points, grabbed eight rebounds and sparked a big second-half run as the Bucks snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Rockets.
Aaron Brooks scored a career-high 23 points for Houston, which had won three of the previous four, but gave up more than 104 points in its fifth straight road game.