Clippers Follow Familiar Pattern Down the Stretch

So what else is new?

The Clippers, who rarely finish what they start, collapsed against the Boston Celtics Friday night at the Sports Arena.

Leading by nine points in the third quarter, the Clippers were outscored, 23-6, during an 8 1/2-minute run that spanned the third and fourth quarters. They lost for the third time since the All-Star break, 97-96, in front of 7,951 at the Sports Arena.

“I guess that’s why they only give us seven timeouts or we’d be calling them every two times up and down the floor,” Clipper Coach Bill Fitch said.

“How many turnovers did we have? We had six turnovers in the first half and 14 in the second half. That’s the whole story.”

The Clippers had a chance to win, but James Robinson, who missed a jump shot in the final minute of Wednesday night’s 110-104 loss to the Washington Wizards, missed a jump shot from the free-throw line just before the buzzer.

“I’d take that shot any time we can get it,” Fitch said. “He had a wide open look.”

Robinson, who had eight fourth-quarter points, was consoled by rookie forward Maurice Taylor after missing the shot.

The Clippers, who have been decimated by injuries, were forced to play the final 4:45 without forward Rodney Rogers, their leading scorer.

Rogers, who scored a career-best 34 points in his last game, left the game because of an ankle injury. Rogers had 12 points and three rebounds.

The Clippers, who trailed, 92-82, with 4:49 left, outscored the Celtics, 14-4. The Clippers tied it at 96-96 when Lorenzen Wright made a free throw with 31 seconds left.

However, Antoine Walker made a free throw with 16 seconds remaining to give the Celtics a 97-96 lead.

Wright, who averaged 16.4 rebounds in December before missing seven games because of ankle and knee injuries, is cleaning the glass again.

He had 17 rebounds and 16 points in 44 minutes.

Wright, who tied his career best with 22 rebounds in his last game, had 14 rebounds in the first half as the Clippers took a 52-46 lead.

Wright had eight points and eight rebounds in the first quarter. He said he has recovered from the injury.

“I’m not thinking about the injury, that’s gone,” Wright said. “I’m just trying to get some wins. I thought we were going to get one tonight.”

Wright, who started the season at forward, has replaced Stojko Vrankovic as the Clippers’ starting center.

“He’s going to be a total player,” Fitch said. “He’s playing a position that’s not his natural habitat, but he played it well. He’s probably going to be playing forward the rest of his career unless he bulks up and grows 10 pounds.”

Guard Brent Barry missed all five shots in 22 minutes as a point guard.

Barry, who missed the final six games before the All-Star break because of knee and ankle injuries, had one rebound, three assists and three points.

“He was playing the one a lot of the time, but he played 22 minutes and contributed,” Fitch said.

Taylor, who had only two points in his last game, was much more effective, getting 17 points and 10 rebounds.

“The knee was bothering me, but they needed me out there,” Taylor said. “I’m not helping them sitting on the sideline. I had to play through it. It hurt every time I ran.

“But they needed me. Whatever doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.”