Taylor Sidelined After Foot Injury

Maurice Taylor will not play tonight at Milwaukee and is questionable for the remainder of the Clippers’ five-game road trip because of a mid-foot ligament sprain in his left foot, suffered Sunday in a loss to Vancouver.

With Taylor out, Coach Chris Ford is left with Brian Skinner and Anthony Avent as the team’s power forwards with rookie Lamar Odom an option when the Clippers go to their small lineup.

“It depends on who we are playing,” Ford said. “We have Milwaukee up first, so we’ll look and see what the matchups are going to be. If they go small, we may use [Odom at power forward].”

Skinner, a second-year big man from Baylor, has been solid as a backup to Taylor and center Michael Olowokandi this season.

Skinner is averaging nine points, six rebounds and just under two blocked shots in this role, but he realizes that more will be expected from him with Taylor sidelined.

“I’m going to have to step up my level of play, not necessarily to make up but to compensate for [Taylor’s] loss,” said Skinner, who had eight points and six rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench against the Grizzlies.

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In his three-year career, Taylor has missed 10 games because of injuries and even though he may be sidelined for a few games, he’s glad it’s not for the rest of the season.

“When it first happened, I swore I had broke my foot,” said Taylor, hurt late in the first quarter. “The way I came down, it was instant pain. I went up for a block shot and . . . just came down awkwardly.”

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Clipper point guard Eric Murdock, who has struggled with tendinitis in his right knee, said that he felt better after playing 18 minutes against Vancouver but he still is not 100%.

“I just want to get to the point where I’m not even thinking about it,” said Murdock, who has sat out three games because of the injury.

TONIGHT

at Milwaukee, 5 PST

* Site--Bradley Center.

* Radio--KXTA (1150).

* Records--Clippers 1-5; Bucks 4-3.

* Record vs. Bucks (1999)--Did not play.

* Update--Dating back to last season, the Clippers have lost seven in a row on the road and and are 3-32 away from home since March 18, 1998. After a 3-0 start, the Bucks have lost three of four. Sam Cassell, Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson lead Milwaukee in scoring. Cassell ranks among league leaders in points (23.2) and assists (9.6). Robinson is shooting 60% from behind the three-point line.