Clippers See Too Much Ainge--as Foe : Pro basketball: Sacramento guard, mentioned in Clipper trade possibilities, helps beat L.A. for second consecutive day, 99-90.

On top of back-to-back losses to the Sacramento Kings, the Clippers have had to deal with back-to-back Danny Ainge.

That is the same Ainge who has been mentioned prominently in Clipper trade possibilities, the same guy who has indicated previously he would welcome such a move rather than be a 30-year-old stuck in a three-year plan here.

The same guard who helped beat the Clippers with 29 points and 13 assists in a two-point victory Monday afternoon at the Sports Arena. And followed that Tuesday night with 30 points on 12-of-21 shooting, six assists and four steals in a 99-90 victory before 17,014 at Arco Arena.

The timing of it all. But with the trading deadline of 6 p.m. PST Thursday, it apparently would take some sudden developments for the Kings to soften their asking price of Joe Wolf and a first-round pick for Ainge.

A second loss in as many days to the last-place Kings dropped the Clippers to 21-30 and within six games of the cellar in the Pacific Division. Once 18-19, they have lost 11 of 14.

Ainge, of course, was largely to blame again Tuesday. Taking advantage of favorable matchups against smaller, less-experienced Clipper guards, he operated with relative ease inside.

Any changes for Ainge would appear to be in communication. In a radio interview Monday with Ralph Lawler on the Clipper pregame show, Ainge, coveted because he has playoff experience with Boston and can play both backcourt positions, came off like someone who would have no problem with a deal to L.A.

But some 24 hours later, he flatly said he wanted to remain in Sacramento.

“That’s the last thing I want,” he said of a trade.

“If you would have asked me a couple of months ago, I might have, although I never would have said it.”

Don Casey had nothing to say about a deal for Ainge.

“No comment,” he said. “No comment on any trade.”

Indeed, Casey has other problems to worry about, and they’re on the roster now.

After being outscored, 30-16, in the opening quarter the night before at the Sports Arena, the Clippers, again without flu-stricken Benoit Benjamin, made a much better first impression in the rematch. For a while, anyway.

They took a 20-11 lead with Charles Smith, coming off a 31-point performance, accounting for eight of the total and David Rivers six more.

But after a timeout, Sacramento, playing its second straight game without starting point guard Vinny Del Negro, who sprained his ankle at a Sports Arena practice Sunday, finished the final three minutes of the quarter with an 11-2 run. The only Clipper points in that stretch came on Ken Norman’s jump shot with 1:30 left.

Clipper problems continued in the second quarter, but there was more. As the King run reached 17-2, and the advantage 28-22, Casey’s lineup looked, well, fresh. Smith, with two fouls, didn’t play in the period, nor did Rivers.

Who did? Ken Bannister got 12 minutes, Jim Les, Tom Garrick and Joe Wolf nine each. The starters mostly rested.

“There was no statement to be made,” Casey said. “The statement is we’re grappling for points and players.”

By halftime, Sacramento, which beat the Clippers for the third time in four meetings, was ahead, 46-41.

Clipper Notes

No announcement was made Tuesday, but there is a good chance rookie guard Jay Edwards will be put back on the injured list because of tendinitis in the left knee, the same injury that sidelined him nearly all of training camp and the first 2 1/2 months of the regular season. It’s not as serious this time, but Edwards did not dress for Monday’s game against Sacramento at the Sports Arena and stayed behind when the Clippers completed the home-and-home matchup Tuesday. “The concern is that it will be (serious), if he keeps playing and practicing,” said team physician Eugene Osher, who examined Edwards Monday. “Some rest would do him good.”