Things Could Be Even Better

If the Clippers had made the necessary plays to win instead of the ones that led to three close defeats to Denver, Sacramento and Vancouver last week, they would be 9-2 over their last 11 games.

The Clippers have won two in a row but their streak would be more impressive if they could have turned around a losing streak that saw them drop three games by a combined nine points. The Clippers only other losses since April 8 have been against the league’s top two teams, Utah and Portland.

Shooting guard Eric Piatkowski’s scoring has been a key for the Clippers’ late-season run.

“I was telling people that our win over Houston could be looked upon as a hump game,” Piatkowski said. “We were able to come back and finally win a close one and I saw that as the turning point. . . . We now can try and finish the season on a nice roll and go into the off-season on a positive note.”

TONIGHT vs. San Antonio

7:30 p.m., Channel 9

* Site--Sports Arena.

* Radio--KXTA (1150). * Records--Clippers 9-35, Spurs 31-12.

* Record vs. San Antonio--0-2.

* Update--The Spurs have defeated the Clippers five consecutive times, including two easy victories this year. The Clippers have won two games in a row for only the second time this season and the last time they won three consecutive at the Sports Arena was March 1997.

* Tickets: (213) 745-0500.