LOS ANGELES Clippers are learning how to hold lead down stretch

Los Angeles beat the 76ers to go 9-1 in games they have had late leads.
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Los Angeles Clippers never have been a team that consistently could hold a lead down the stretch -- until this season.
Vastly improved under new coach Mike Dunleavy, the Clippers won their fifth straight home game by beating the Philadelphia 76ers 101-98 Friday night and improving their record against Eastern Conference teams to 6-3.
"I'm still learning lots of things about them as a group, what we can do and how we respond to certain things," Dunleavy said. "We're young and inexperienced, and we're learning. We're still inconsistent, but we understand more now than we did in training camp."
The Clippers, who led by as many as 12 points in the second quarter, never led by double digits during the final 27 minutes. But they never fell behind during that stretch, either, and improved to 9-1 in games they've led after three quarters.
"We still have a long way to go," Dunleavy said. "We're not anywhere near as consistent defensively and offensively to where I want to be, but we have guys who are playing hard and giving themselves a chance to win. I like our team. I like our effort, and I like the guys that we have, and I think we can continue to grow."
Good scoring
All five starters scored in double figures for the Clippers, who shot 48.7 percent and improved to 8-1 when they shoot 45 percent or better from the field. Quentin Richardson scored 22 points, Elton Brand had 20 and Corey Maggette added 18.
"We're coming into our own and making some good decisions," Maggette said. "We've got a lot of scorers on this team and we're utilizing that a little more in the games we're winning. When you have your big three scoring more than 18 a game, you're going to win games."
The Sixers, who have lost five of their last seven, can't expect to win consistently until Allen Iverson returns from a bruised right knee.
They are 26-38 when he is not in the lineup, 4-4 this season.
"Obviously, you miss a great played like Iverson, but you can't use that as an excuse, coach Randy Ayers said. "People are going to get injured, and you have to play through that."
Final buzzer
Eric Snow shot only 5-for-14 and finished with 14 points after missing a game-tying 3-point attempt at the final buzzer.
"We need to learn how to put teams away in the first half when we are up by 10," Clippers guard Marko Jaric said. "We made it a difficult night for ourselves, but we're learning how to win games instead of losing them, and that's important."
The 76ers shot 46.8 percent from the field and were 8-for-26 in the fourth quarter. They committed 17 turnovers, which the Clippers converted into 18 points. Glenn Robinson, who led Philadelphia with 21 points, played the fourth quarter with a laceration under his left eye.
"We were right there, but we just couldn't quite get over that hump," said Robinson, who played two seasons for Dunleavy in Milwaukee. "It was a good effort and we fought hard, but we've got to take better care of the ball. We had some turnovers that we usually don't create."
Notes
Philadelphia is 0-7 in road games they've trailed after three quarters. ... The Sixers began a five-game road trip. The Clippers, who won all four games on their previous home stand, began a six-game home stand that concludes with a game against their Staples Center co-tenants, the Lakers. ... The Sixers dropped to 1-15 when they trail with 5 minutes left in regulation. When they lead with 5 minutes to go, they are 13-0.