The Streaks Go On, 103-99

One coach has a perfect record. The other’s record is perfectly awful. And neither expected to be in that situation Tuesday.

Laker Coach Kurt Rambis recorded his seventh consecutive victory in the Lakers’ 103-99 triumph over the Clippers at the Sports Arena and moved within two of Buddy Geannette’s record of nine consecutive coaching victories to start an NBA career, set in 1947 with the Baltimore Bullets. Coach Chris Ford’s Clippers tied a franchise record with their 16th consecutive loss to start a season and inched within one of the NBA record in that category, set in 1988 by the Miami Heat.

Rambis, who took the coaching job after Del Harris was fired, could never have anticipated such success. Ford, fired by the Milwaukee Bucks after compiling a 36-46 record last season, suspected he would face a test with the young Clippers but never envisioned it reaching record proportions.

“It’s not easy for everyone involved,” said Ford, whose career record has dropped below .500, to 291-299. “It’s something that you hope never happens, but here we are. Instead of pointing fingers we have to stick together and get closer. Winning’s easy. Losing is tough at any level.”

Rambis empathizes with Ford.

“I’ve been on losing ballclubs, so I know how it wears on you emotionally and physically,” Rambis said. “It’s tough to continue and work hard and look at things down the road, instead of focusing on what’s happening to you right now. They have a talented ballclub. . . . They have guys who can flat-out play. If we just look at their record and mail it in, we’re in for a headache.”

The headaches on Tuesday belonged to the Clippers, whose scrappiness kept them close but wasn’t enough to conquer the bigger, more experienced Lakers. Whether the Clippers’ deficit was 10, as with slightly more than three minutes left in the second quarter, or a mere two, at 49-47 with eight minutes left in the third quarter, Ford never stopped yelling encouragement or reminding players about their defensive assignments. He knows he can’t give the slightest hint of surrender because players will pick up on it and he will lose them.

“If I show signs of throwing it in, what’s that going to do for the team?” Ford said. “[When he was hired] you know what could possibly happen, but you’re always hoping you can make a difference. It’s never easy, but you can’t get frustrated. You’ve got to stay positive and keep encouraging the players and make sure they keep trying to battle.”

So far, he has found ways to praise and prod.

“He’s still trying to motivate us and get the chemistry going,” forward Maurice Taylor said. “When we start to get that chemistry, I think we will fare well with the players we have in this locker room. . . . I think he’s handled it pretty well. Nobody wants to go through a situation like this.”

Ford hasn’t lost his poise in public, at most betraying his tension by yelling, “Will somebody move!” after a missed offensive rebound or folding his arms more tightly across his chest. Guard Darrick Martin wonders how Ford has stayed so cool.

“He’s been very good,” Martin said. “Me, I’d probably be throwing chairs about now. I’m not the most pleasant person to be around at home. He sort of has to be calm among the storms.”

The storms have included injuries, an overtime loss at Phoenix, a double-overtime defeat at Vancouver and the nightly reminder of how weak their bench is. Ford has tried changing the starting lineup, changing the rotation of substitutes, changing strategies, not changing and, probably, praying.

“All of the above. A, B, C, D and E,” he said of the options he has tried. “When you’re in the midst of a losing streak you try them all. You keep searching and hope you find the right thing.”