Abdur-Rahim, Lapses Are Too Much for Clippers

Eventually, the Clippers will win this season. The odds of them losing all 50 games of this shortened campaign are extremely thin no matter how many ways they discover to lose.

On Wednesday night, it was their lack of rotation on defense and poor free-throw shooting down the stretch that cost the Clippers against the previously winless Vancouver Grizzlies.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim broke out of an early season funk with 35 points and rookie Mike Bibby did the same with 18 points and 12 assists to lead Vancouver to a 105-99 victory before 14,818 at General Motors Place.

The loss was the third in a row for the Clippers.

“Guys have to find out their role on the team, even myself,” guard James Robinson said. “I know [today] I plan to sit down with the coaches and break the film down and find out how I can make myself stronger on the offense . . . We all have to figure out how to make the system work more powerfully.”

The way they did last Sunday in their loss to Chicago, the Clippers dug a hole for themselves early with uneven defense. If Vancouver was not able to score early off a wide-open shot, the Clippers found a way late in the shot clock to still give the Grizzlies points.

One time it may have been a big man slow to rotate and the next could have been a guard giving up the middle of the lane with penetration. The bottom line was that the Grizzlies, who entered the game shooting only 33% as a team from the floor, made six of their first eight shots and did not trail the entire game.

“We battled back but we made a lot of mistakes defensively,” Clipper Coach Chris Ford said. “We hung tough, we found ways of getting back in the game and made it interesting at the end but it’s the little things that are hurting us.”

Abdur-Rahim had gotten off to a horrible shooting start this season. He made only eight of 29 shots in the first two games. Against the Clippers, he got his game back.

Whether he was driving to the basket, finishing a fastbreak or simply standing on the outside shooting his soft jumper, Abdur-Rahim gave the Clippers fits. His shooting was still a little off in making nine of 20 attempts but he was deadly on the line in making 16 of 17 free throws.

“Obviously, Reef had a breakout game,” Vancouver Coach Brian Hill said. “[Vancouver media] were giving him a hard time, but it was just a good performance.”

Bibby also had a strong game after being criticized for his early shooting problems. With Lee Mayberry sidelined because of a broken ankle, Bibby is counted on by Vancouver to log heavy minutes.

Lamond Murray led the Clippers with 21 points and added nine rebounds. Rookie center Michael Olowokandi had a strong second half and finished with 17 points and nine rebounds. But as a team, the Clippers made too many mental errors.

After trailing by as much as 13 early in the first quarter, the Clippers stayed within striking distance for the rest of the game. But every time they made a run, they self-destructed.

In the third quarter, Vancouver’s lead had been cut to 65-60 following two free throws by Olowokandi but rookie forward Felipe Lopez, who had eight points off the bench, drove the lane for an easy layup.

In the fourth quarter, the Clippers closed to 78-74 after a basket by Tyrone Nesby but on Vancouver’s next possession, Abdur-Rahim made a three-point basket to put the Grizzlies ahead by seven.

The Clippers’ final run came in the game’s final minute when after Lorenzen Wright scored on a rebound putback, they trailed, 100-97. Vancouver, however, was able to score on free throws by Bibby and Bryant Reeves after the Clippers failed to get a defensive rebound.