Gordon takes over in Clippers’ 99-89 win over Kings, Kim Hughes’ first as interim coach

Clips give Hughes first win as interim coach

LOS ANGELES — Eric Gordon scored 14 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, Chris Kaman had 22 points and 16 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat Sacramento 99-89 on Saturday night to give Kim Hughes his first official win as an NBA head coach.

The Clippers had lost their first five games after general manager Mike Dunleavy gave up his dual role as coach to Hughes, his longtime assistant. Hughes coached the Clippers to a 103-94 win in New York on Feb. 4, 2008, while filling in for a flu-ridden Dunleavy, but that game is credited to Dunleavy’s record.

Newly acquired Steve Blake added 11 points and 12 assists for the Clippers, while Baron Davis missed his second straight game because of a sore lower back. Drew Gooden, acquired by the Clippers on Thursday from Washington in a three-team trade that sent Al Thornton to Washington and Sebastian Telfair to the Cavaliers, told Hughes he wouldn’t be ready to make his debut until Monday night when the Clips host Charlotte.

Coming off their most lopsided loss of the season, a 32-point drubbing at Golden State on Wednesday night, the Kings lost for the ninth time in 11 games despite converting 24 Clippers turnovers into 30 points.

Sacramento has won only one of 18 road games against Western Conference opponents this season — a 104-99 decision against Utah on Nov. 7.

Kings guard Tyreke Evans, who came in leading all rookies with a 20.2 scoring average, had 21 in a matchup of also-rans whose rosters were much different before Thursday’s trading deadline. Carl Landry had 10 points and eight rebounds in his Kings debut, after joining them along with Joey Dorsey in a trade that sent Kevin Martin and Hilton Armstrong to Houston.

Los Angeles shot 51.2 percent in the first half to build a 60-45 lead, getting 15 points and eight rebounds from Kaman. The first-time All-Star made a 19-footer at the end of a 17-5 run that increased the Clippers three-point lead to 44-29 with 6:03 left.

The Kings got as close as six with 10:39 remaining, after Andres Nocioni made a 3-pointer for his first points of the game. The Clippers responded with a 18-6 run that gave them a 95-77 cushion with 4:28 to play. Gordon helped fuel the rally with three three-point plays and a 3-point basket.

Sacramento coach Paul Westphal used his 23rd different starting lineup — giving Landry his second start in 164 NBA regular-season games and Francisco Garcia his first in three games since recovering from surgery on his right forearm.

Rookie forward Jon Brockman, who sprained his right knee during practice Friday and is expected to miss from two to four weeks.

NOTES: The Clippers are Gooden’s eighth team in eight NBA seasons — not counting the Wizards, who had him for five days before sending him packing again. … This was the third time in the last three years that Gooden, the fourth overall pick in the 2002 draft, has changed teams around the trade deadline. He was dealt by Sacramento to San Antonio last season after a failed attempt to buy out his contract. “I probably know every playbook in the league now, so they’ll probably come to me for some scouting reports,” Gooden said, joking. “Once this team and the fans see me play out there, the first thing they’ll be saying is: ‘Why does this guy keep getting traded?’ But it’s the nature of the business, and I’ve kind of been a victim of that. You talk to Dallas and other teams, and they didn’t want to give me up — but it was a business move to make the team better for them. And I totally understand that.”