Atmosphere Is Good as Clippers Prepare

Earlier than expected and against an unscheduled opponent, the playoffs started Sunday night for the Clippers.

At least in atmosphere and approach. They will take that much out of their 109-108 overtime loss to the Lakers as a positive experience, preparation for the postseason that will begin in earnest Friday against the Utah Jazz at Salt Lake City.

That’s three losses in the last four games for the Clippers, streaking in the opposite direction not so long ago. The victory was by three points at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the NBA’s worst team.

So are they ready for what will be the first trip to the playoffs for four-fifths of the starting lineup?

“We’d better be,” said James Edwards, heading to the postseason for the fifth consecutive year, “or it’s going to be a short playoffs.”

Said Danny Manning, who had 34 points to tie the Clippers’ season high: “We’ve got three days to practice and get better. This was a win we wanted badly, needless to say.

“It was definitely a game with playoff atmosphere. It was a fun game to play in. Because of the atmosphere--I don’t mean the outcome of the game.

“The crowd tonight was not as hostile as the way it will be at the Delta Center. But this was a nice steppingstone for us in a sense--having to go out and win a close game with something on the line.”

The Clippers had defensive letdowns during the second half and overtime, but at least they did not look tight in the regular-season finale. That was a key problem against Sacramento and Minnesota earlier in the week, when the playoff berth was still in doubt.

Friday at Golden State, they looked passive early in the game.

Sunday, in what everyone agreed was an important game for the Clippers even though they had nothing at stake in the standings, they lost leads.

This is not the tone they wanted to set at the conclusion of the franchise’s best season since moving from Buffalo.

“We had a chance to put them (the Lakers) away,” Edwards said. “When you have a team like this on the ropes and don’t put them away, you’re asking for trouble.”

But Doc Rivers is not concerned. Also a playoff veteran, he says the Clippers are ready for the playoffs despite the recent slump, noting they played with emotion and intensity.

“I think we proved that (Sunday),” he said. “This team should absolutely be ready because this was like a playoff game.”

It starts for real Friday against a team the Clippers lost three of four against. Ready or not.