Martin Becoming Marked Man

Guard Darrick Martin is making enemies as the Clippers contend for their first playoff berth in four seasons.

Orlando Magic guard Darrell Armstrong body-slammed Martin after he tried to score on a drive with 3.8 seconds to play in Thursday night’s 19-point victory at Orlando because he thought Martin was just trying to get 30 points.

Boston Celtic forward Antoine Walker took exception after Martin made a three-point shot at the end of Friday night’s 117-102 victory at Boston because he thought the Clippers already had the game won.

“It’s something to remember for next year, Darrick Martin’s shot at the end of the game,” Walker said. “That wasn’t a smart shot. That’s usually something the losing team does, but I don’t think he did it on purpose. I think it was just instinct.”

Martin says he wasn’t trying to embarrass the Celtics.

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Clipper Coach Bill Fitch, who led the Celtics to the 1981 NBA championship, thinks the Celtics, who have the NBA’s second-worst record this season, won’t be down for long.

“It’s hard times record-wise, but they put up a new building [the FleetCenter] and they’re going through some growing pains with it,” Fitch said before Friday’s victory over the Celtics. “But I think there’s potential greatness here. This franchise will never break. It will bend, but it will pop back.”