The run-and-shoot offense works so far

CHICAGO -- The Clippers find out tonight if that spiffy offense made it through airport security along with the team.

In their first road game of the season, the Clippers play the winless Bulls at the United Center.

The Clippers lead the league in scoring through their first two games, averaging 117.5 points. They are second in assists a game at 26.5 and sixth in free-throw shooting at 81.4%.

On the flip side, they are giving up 107.5 points a game, the sixth most in the league.

Have the Clippers gone the way of the run-and-gun Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors?

Coach Mike Dunleavy says he can live with the numbers if the Clippers are outscoring opponents by double digits.

“I’ll take plus-10 every game,” he said.

And while the outpouring of points is positive, Dunleavy said, the team’s defense was the source of Sunday’s 115-101 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics.

The Clippers had 14 steals and Seattle had 22 turnovers. Forward Ruben Patterson secured six steals, one shy of his career high.

“We are trying to defend and get stops,” Dunleavy said, later adding: “You play a fast-paced game and the numbers are going to get up there. The best way to get a fastbreak is to get a steal. Bring it into the open court and put points on the board. If you’ve got guys that can get steals and you can win the rebound war and get boards, then you’ve got a chance to run.”

In eight exhibition games, the Clippers averaged 102.8 points. They averaged 96.1 points during the 2006-07 season.

Their 120-point outburst against Golden State in the season opener was their most since scoring 124 points in a double-overtime loss to San Antonio on April 9, 2005.

“We are capable of playing an up-tempo game,” Corey Maggette said. “We just want to establish it to win ballgames and play the right way. We need to get the ball to the open guy and make some shots. We’ve been doing that the past couple of games.”

--

First it was a head-to-head blow. Then an elbow to the face.

Chris Kaman has not been fortunate this young season.

Now the Clippers center is questionable for tonight’s game after the leg brace of SuperSonics center Robert Swift bruised Kaman’s lower left leg Sunday.

“They’ve got to be padded more,” Dunleavy said of the braces.

“You’ve got to do something. Either that, or I told them, ‘We are going to have to start wearing knee braces too . . . like gladiators.’ ”

Kaman, averaging 18.0 points and 16.5 rebounds in the first two games, said he tried to practice Monday, but his left leg stiffened.

“I’m thinking it will be OK,” he said. “It’s an important game and our first road trip. We need to get some wins on the road.”

Kaman received three stitches after catching an elbow to the face from Golden State’s Keleena Azubuike on Saturday.

And in one of the team’s final exhibition games, he bumped heads with Sacramento’s Francisco Garcia and was left woozy for a minute.

--

Brevin Knight practiced after being inadvertently hit in the nose by Cuttino Mobley and leaving in the third quarter of Sunday’s game. . . . Forward Aaron Williams (strained right calf) went through his first full practice in about two weeks. . . . The Clippers’ first three opponents (Golden State, Seattle and Chicago) are a combined 0-9.

--

TONIGHT

at Chicago, 5:30 PST, FSN Prime

Site -- United Center.

Radio -- 710.

Records -- Clippers 2-0, Bulls 0-3.

Record vs. Bulls (2006-07) -- 2-0.

Update -- The slow-starting Bulls, considered one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference, recently held a meeting to discuss how to play through trade rumors. The Clippers have won 12 of their last 14 games against the Bulls, including the last three in Chicago.

--

jonathan.abrams@latimes.com