Bryant's nine 50-point games this season are the most in the NBA since Wilt Chamberlain scored at least 50 nine times in the 1964-65 season. Chamberlain averaged a record 50.4 points three years earlier.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Clippers (38-40), who are tied with Golden State for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Western Conference. Both trail the seventh-place Lakers by 1 1/2 games.

Maggette, whose previous career high was 38 points, also had eight rebounds and nine assists, and Brand, who scored 22 of his points after halftime, had 12 rebounds and seven assists.

Clippers guard Sam Cassell returned after missing four games because of back spasms, and scored eight of his 12 points in the fourth quarter.

Bryant shot 17-of-33 from the floor and made all 15 of his free throws. He also had nine rebounds. But he was held scoreless after making two foul shots to give the Lakers a 102-92 lead with 8:46 remaining.

The Clippers outscored the Lakers 26-8 after that.

"Both of us are desperate for this kind of win," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said beforehand. The Clippers were more desperate, and it showed down the stretch.

Smush Parker had 19 points and eight assists and Maurice Evans scored 11 for the Lakers, who lost for the seventh time in nine games.

After Bryant scored his last points, Brand made a three-point play to trigger a 10-0 run that Maggette capped with another three-point play, tying the game with 6:34 to play.

Andrew Bynum's foul shot put the Lakers back on top before Tim Thomas' 3-pointer with 5:41 left gave the Clippers a 105-103 lead -- their first since early in the second quarter. Baskets by Thomas and Cassell made it 109-103 and completed a 16-1 spurt.

A 3-pointer by Parker -- the Lakers first basket in nearly six minutes -- drew the Lakers within three, but three foul shots by Maggette extended the Clippers' lead to six points with 2:04 to go, and the Lakers weren't closer than five after that.

Bryant, who played all 48 minutes, scored 13 points during a 19-6 run in the first four minutes of the third quarter, giving the Lakers a 74-57 lead. But the Clippers responded with a 13-2 spurt to draw within six. Bryant had 44 points and the Lakers had a 93-86 lead entering the fourth quarter.

The Lakers led by 11 points before settling for a 55-51 halftime lead. Bryant had 25 at that stage and Maggette had 22 including nine in the last three minutes of the second quarter.

The Clippers made 11 of their first 12 shots for a 23-12 lead. But they missed 17 of their next 19 and were outscored 24-7, leaving them trailing by six points early in the second period.