What a Difference a Day Makes for Taylor

Clipper rookie forward Maurice Taylor had nightmares after he missed 10 of 12 shots in Tuesday night’s loss at Sacramento.

“When I woke up today, that’s all I could think about,” Taylor said. “It was probably the worst game that I’ve played in my career.”

Taylor came back Wednesday night with a career-best 25 points in 31 minutes as the Clippers won for the fourth time in five games, defeating the Vancouver Grizzlies, 110-102, before 4,107 at the Sports Arena.

“I was in more or a rhythm tonight,” said Taylor, who made nine of 18 shots. “Coach [Bill Fitch] could say last night was a nightmare for me, but there’s nothing like going through it. I was missing every single shot I threw up and I was determined not to play that way.”

Taylor scored 12 points in the fourth quarter to help Fitch win his 936th game and pass Dick Motta as the third-winningest coach in NBA history.

Fitch, who has a record of 936-1,066 in 25 seasons, downplayed the milestone.

“The most important game in my life has always been the next one,” Fitch said. “If you guys [the media] didn’t even mention that in the paper I wouldn’t care.

“I don’t follow that stuff. I found out today that I [recently] coached my 2,000th game.”

Worth following for Fitch was the play of the Clipper reserves, who outscored their Vancouver counterparts, 54-18. Rookie center Keith Closs, who put his hair in braids, had 12 points and guard Eric Piatkowski had 17.

“I think [Dennis] Rodman’s hair is better than Keith’s hair,” Piatkowski said. “But if he plays that way every night I don’t care.”

Said guard Brent Barry, who had 22 points and nine assists, of Closs’ new look: “Remember the cabbage patch kids.”

Closs made all of his six shots in the second quarter as the Clippers outscored the Grizzlies, 37-22, to take a 55-46 halftime lead.

The Clippers shot 66.7% in the second quarter, making 16 of 24 shots. Rodney Rogers also had seven points in the quarter, making three of four shots.

But Fitch put struggling starting center Stojko Vrankovic back in for the third quarter and the Grizzlies cut the Clippers’ 14-point lead to 77-75 going into the fourth quarter.

“Coach, put in Closs before they catch up,” a fan yelled at Fitch.

However, it was Piatkowski who took charge, making three of four shots and scoring eight points in the first three minutes as the Clippers took an 89-79 lead.

Piatkowski said the Clippers have learned from their collapses in the fourth quarter of several games earlier this season.

“The fourth quarter was when we really picked up the intensity,” Piatkowski said. “Every time they hit a shot and thought they were getting back into the game, we hit a three or threw down a dunk.”

Fitch felt Vrankovic, who had two points and seven rebounds, did a good job of checking center Bryant Reeves, who had 13 points and eight rebounds in the Grizzlies’ 119-113 victory over the Clippers on Nov. 11 at Vancouver.

“Stojko did a good job of matching up and kept Reeves from tearing it up,” Fitch said.

Reeves, who has flu, had eight points and six rebounds in 35 minutes, missing five of nine shots.