RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) _ On the day they took a step toward establishing a new identity, the lowly Los Angeles Clippers couldn't escape their old one.

The Charlotte Hornets got double-figure scoring from six players and shot 55 percent in a 115-87 victory over Los Angeles on Friday night, the Clippers' 15th consecutive loss on the road.

The game came a few hours after Los Angeles announced it was hiring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as an assistant coach.

``It's been a long season, and we need something,'' Clippers rookie Lamar Odom said.

What Los Angeles needs is improvement in its frontcourt. Abdul-Jabbar, who planned to join the Clippers for tonight's game in Chicago, will attempt to help a team that is continually outplayed down low, as was the case again Friday. The Clippers were outrebounded 52-32 and allowed Charlotte's starting front line to get a combined 45 points and 27 rebounds in limited playing time.

``We pretty much did what needed to be done,'' said Derrick Coleman, who had 17 points and nine rebounds.

All five starters scored in double figures for Charlotte in a game that matched one of the NBA's best home teams against the club with the worst road record in the league.

Eddie Jones added 16 points for the Hornets, who rested their starters for the final six-plus minutes on the way to improving to 21-4 at the Charlotte Coliseum.

``Right now I think we're firing on all cylinders,'' Charlotte coach Paul Silas said after the Hornets won for the fifth time in six games. ``I like where this team is at.''

Los Angeles interim coach Jim Todd can't say the same thing about the Clippers, who haven't won on the road since before Christmas.

``We need to get better defensively,'' Todd said. ``You just have to keep the guys working together.''

The Clippers trailed by as many as 30 in the fourth quarter and dropped to 3-25 on the road.

``You're not going to win too many games when you shoot 40 percent,'' Todd said. ``And unfortunately we got killed on the boards.''

Maurice Taylor had 22 points for the Clippers, playing the third game of a seven-game road swing. Odom added 16 points, but nine came in the second half after the outcome had been decided.

The end came early for the Clippers after they made nine of their first 12 field-goal attempts, including three consecutive dunks, building a 20-14 lead that prompted the Hornets to call a timeout.

When the Hornets came back on the floor, they harassed Los Angeles into misses on its next 10 field-goal attempts, clearing the way for a 17-2 run that put Charlotte ahead to stay.

The Hornets built the lead to 11 at halftime and stretched it to 18 early in the third quarter.

Los Angeles cut it to seven midway through the quarter but Charlotte quickly pulled away again, going up by 12 heading into the fourth, when the Hornets outscored the Clippers 31-15.

Notes: Of the Clippers' 41 losses, 27 have been by double digits. ... Jones missed his first foul shot of the game, ending a string of 18 in a row. ... The Clippers fell to 0-7 on the road against Central Division teams. ... The Hornets made a season-high 48 field-goals and improved to 9-0 when shooting at least 50 percent. ... Los Angeles reserve guard Eric Murdock sat out with a sprained left ankle. ... Coleman has scored in double figures in 16 consecutive games.