Corey Maggette will sit out the Los Angeles Clippers game against Portland on Saturday night with a chest contusion.

Maggette, coming off 19 points and seven rebounds in a win over Sacramento on Friday night, was injured in the second half against the Kings, but still finished the game.

Luther Head hit a 3-pointer with 12.2 seconds left and Yao Ming deflected a pass and created a game-sealing steal as the Houston Rockets beat the Los Angeles Clippers 109-105 on Wednesday night.

Elton Brand scored a season-high 37 points for Los Angeles and drove for a dunk with 1:01 left that put the Clippers up 105-104.

Yao was whistled for an offensive foul barreling down the lane, but Brand missed a shot from the wing to give Houston another chance.

Tracy McGrady, who led the Rockets with 21, drew the defense to him and found Head wide open in the corner for the go-ahead 3-pointer.

Jason Hart's 10-day contract with the Clippers expires following Wednesday's game against Houston, but it is certain that he either will be signed to another 10-day contract or signed for the remainder of the season.

Shaun Livingston, who might sit out the 2007-08 season, is guaranteed $4.4 million next season. The Clippers had planned to offer Livingston a multi-year contract this summer, but it's now unclear when, or if, Livingston will return.

The Clippers, however, remain committed to the third-year player.

"We feel that he's young enough, the doctors will get him into position and he'll work hard enough, so he'll be back playing for us," Dunleavy said. "Shaun knows what he has to do."

The Los Angeles Clippers today announced that guard Shaun Livingston underwent successful reconstructive surgery on his left knee this morning at St. Vincent?s Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. Livingston will start an intensive two week rehabilitation program in Birmingham before returning to Los Angeles to continue his rehabilitation.

The procedure took three hours to complete and was performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews of the Alabama Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham. Assisting were Dr. Bill Clancy of Aspen, Colorado and Clippers team physician Dr. Tony Daly.

Livingston was injured during the first quarter of the Clippers win over the Charlotte Bobcats on February 26th at STAPLES Center, when he suffered tears to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL) and lateral meniscus.  Livingston also suffered a patella dislocation, in addition to a tibia/femoral dislocation.  Livingston was transported to Centinela Medical Center in Inglewood immediately following the injury, where he had an MRA (Magnetic Resonance Arteriogram) that showed no arterial bleeding.

The Los Angeles Clippers today announced that guard Shaun Livingston will undergo reconstructive surgery on his left knee on Tuesday, March 13th at St. Vincent?s Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. The surgery will be performed by orthopedic surgeon, Dr. James Andrews of the Alabama Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center located in Birmingham.

Andrews will be assisted by Dr. Bill Clancy of Aspen, Colorado and Clippers team physician Dr. Tony Daly.

During the first quarter of the Clippers win over the Charlotte Bobcats on February 26th at STAPLES Center, Livingston suffered tears to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL) and lateral meniscus.  Livingston also suffered a patella dislocation, in addition to a tibia/femoral dislocation.  Livingston was transported to Centinela Medical Center in Inglewood immediately following the injury, where he had an MRA (Magnetic Resonance Arteriogram) that showed no arterial bleeding.

The reconstructive surgery is designed to repair Livingston?s knee in one procedure. Livingston is expected to remain in Birmingham, prior to returning to Los Angeles to begin a rehabilitation program.

The Los Angeles Clippers today signed free agent guard Jason Hart, it was announced by Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor.
The Clippers will be Hart's fifth NBA team, as the point guard was placed on waivers by the Sacramento Kings on March 1.

A six-year NBA veteran, Hart appeared in 13 games with Sacramento this season, averaging 3.3 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 7.7 minutes per game. He played in 66 games in 2005-06 in his first season with the Kings, averaging 3.3 points and 1.1 assists.

In a related move, the Clippers released guard Will Conroy. Conroy was signed to a 10-day contract on February 28, 2007.

ony Daly, the Clippers physician who had used an eight- to 12-month time frame predicting Shaun Livingston's return from a knee injury, said he hopes it can be more like six to eight months, while conceding, "It's an inexact science."

"His age is in his favor, 21," Daly said before Wednesday's game with Seattle. "The fact that I've seen him work hard through the other injuries he's had ? I've seen him work."

Livingston tore three ligaments and cartilage in his left knee and also dislocated it when he landed awkwardly after a missed layup Monday against Charlotte.

Calling it the first such injury he's seen in 24 years as team physician, Daly is seeking second opinions.

"Most of the people I've talked to said fix everything at once," he said.