ESPN NBA

Finally healthy again, the Los Angeles Clippers managed to end a long road losing streak on Monday.

Now, they have to visit the best team in the Eastern Conference.

The Clippers look to build on their first win in 10 road games when they face the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.

Corey Maggette and Chris Kaman both returned on Monday and the Clippers (15-30) beat the New York Knicks 103-94. Maggette scored 19 points after missing four games with the flu, and Kaman had 15 and nine rebounds after sitting out a total of five games with a shin injury and the flu.

However, the Clippers were without coach Mike Dunleavy, who stayed at the team hotel because he was sick. Assistant Kim Hughes took over in his absence.

"I was surprised at how they played," Hughes said of Maggette and Kaman. "They both played wild and took bad shots in that second period. Obviously, Chris did a very good job of defending in the low post."

The win was Los Angeles' first on the road since a 98-91 victory on Dec. 14 in Memphis. The nine-game road slide was the Clippers' longest since Feb. 4-28, 2005.

With Staples Center preparing to host the Grammy Awards, the Clippers will be playing the fourth of a seven-game trip. They won at Madison Square Garden on Monday by outscoring the Knicks 52-34 in the second half.

"It is basketball. Guys make runs," Kaman said. "We just did a better job in the second half. We just played better than they did."

The Clippers have won three straight against the Celtics -- but Boston (36-9) is a different team this season than the one that finished 2006-07 with the worst record in the East. After acquiring Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in the offseason, the Celtics have a three-game lead over Detroit in the race for the conference's best record.

However, Garnett -- who is averaging 19.2 points and a team-high 9.9 rebounds -- missed his fourth straight game Tuesday with an abdominal strain and will likely sit this one out as well. Garnett also is doubtful for Friday's game in Minnesota, which would be his first visit back there since the Timberwolves traded him to Boston last summer.

Without their All-Star center, the Celtics lost for the third time in six games, falling 114-113 in Cleveland. Ray Allen scored 24 points and Paul Pierce added 19 for Boston, which has won four of five at home.

"We're not going to use the Garnett thing as an excuse," coach Doc Rivers said. "He's not going to be around for the next couple of games. I'm not going to allow them to use that."

Pierce was also battling a flu bug that has been working its way through Boston's roster.

"Our defense was awful," Rivers said. "When you shoot 57 percent and lose, that's a tough one to swallow."