(My Sportsbook) - Yao Ming had finally arrived in the NBA. After a three-game span during which he averaged 17.4 points per game, the Houston Rockets faced the Los Angeles Clippers.

Los Angeles snapped a two-game skid with a 90-89 victory over the Houston Rockets. Elton Brand scored 26 points and pulled down 15 rebounds, and Michael Olowokandi played great defense against Yao.

"I thought everybody did a good job," Los Angeles coach Alvin Gentry said of his team's defense against Yao. "He has gotten some big numbers the past four or five games."

The victory was just the Clippers' second in their last seven games.

Brand is a certified stud and a double-double waiting to happen each and every night. Why the Clippers haven't locked him up long term is a mystery that would stump both Sherlock Holmes and Dick Tracy. Olowokandi seems to be a classic late-bloomer. He's never quite lived up to his potential -- until now.

Olowokandi has blocked 30 shots this season, moving him into third place on the Clippers' career list with 478. He has blocked more than 100 shots in each of the past three seasons. Other areas of his defensive game have also improved, and Brand's presence has benefited him greatly.

Of course, it's hard to get too excited about a team that has dropped five of its last seven contests. Tuesday night, the Clippers take on the suddenly- surging Jazz, who have won four straight games.

Olowokandi was held out of practice Monday with a sore left knee, but he is expected to be in the starting lineup Tuesday against Utah.

The Jazz have historically owned the Clippers. This is the first meeting of the season between the teams. Utah has won 14 straight and 17 of the last 18 meetings between the squads. The Jazz have a 73-50 edge in the all-time series.

Utah, an aging Western Conference powerhouse, is only at .500 after its four-game surge.

"It's good for us to get back to .500. That was one of our goals," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "We had a tough early schedule, but so do many other teams."

The Clippers will be facing a confident Jazz squad on Tuesday night.