Disaster Averted After Recent Victory

The Clippers, who recorded a season-high 106 points in a 12-point victory over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night at the Sports Arena, were smoking hot after the game.

They returned to find their locker room filled with smoke when some clothes stacked on top of a dryer began smoldering.

“We caught it just in time,” Clipper equipment manager Pete Serrano said.

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The Clippers have been unable to maintain second-half leads this season, blowing them in four of their last five games.

They squandered a seven-point fourth-quarter lead in an 89-80 loss at New York on Dec. 7 and wasted a 14-point third-quarter lead in a 100-95 loss to the Dallas Mavericks last Tuesday.

They blew a 14-point third-quarter lead in Thursday night’s 97-94 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, and a 17-point third-quarter lead against the Kings.

“We keep letting teams back in games,” Clipper guard Brent Barry said. “We need that killer instinct and right now we don’t have it. We need 12 guys every night to win.”