LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The return of Elton Brand has turned things around for the Los Angeles Clippers.
Brand had a season-high 27 points and 13 rebounds and Marko Jaric scored 15 of his season-high 19 points in the fourth quarter as the Clippers rolled to a 108-90 victory over the New Orleans Hornets.
Brand missed more than a month with a fractured foot before coming back December 5. He has returned to form in less than two weeks, leading the Clippers to three straight wins.
"We're buying in to wanting to win," he said. "Coach Dunleavy's having us prepared every night each and every game for every situation."
After totaling only 41 points on 12-of-33 shooting in his first three games - all losses - Brand is averaging 22 points and 12.3 rebounds and shooting 57 percent (25-of-44) in his last three. He made 9-of-18 shots in this one, 9-of-10 free throws and grabbed seven offensive rebounds.
"Brand played his best game of the year tonight," Dunleavy said. "When he went down with the injury, other guys got playing time. Now that Brand is back, we are making good strides."
The Clippers led throughout, but pulled away in a dominant second half, when they shot 56 percent (22-of-39), including 5-of-7 from 3-point range, and made 10-of-12 free throws.
Los Angeles had a 55-49 edge with 8 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter before scoring 24 of the next 34 points. Brand had six and Corey Maggette five of his 13 during the stretch.
Doug Overton capped the burst with a jumper to give the Clippers a 79-59 cushion with 76 seconds remaining.
Los Angeles made it a laugher in the final six minutes, using a 16-4 run to take its first 29-point lead at 105-76 with 2:02 left.
The Hornets struggled after halftime, managing only 44 points on 14-of-40 shooting.
"I am very disappointed about how we played," New Orleans forward Jamaal Magloire said. "We let the game slip away in the second half and did not play collectively as a team. We came out dull and let them get a run and we were not able to recover."
Magloire had 17 points and 10 rebounds and P.J. Brown added 16 and 13 for New Orleans, which had its four-game winning streak snapped.
Baron Davis scored 16 points but made only 7-of-22 shots, including 2-of-11 3-pointers. The Hornets were 2-of-21 from the arc.
"We didn't have any energy," Davis said. "We got our butts kicked. It was just one of those nights."
New Orleans also had its four-game road winning streak snapped, losing for just the fifth time in 15 games away from home this season.
