Schedule Turns Advantageous

The Clippers’ 3-7 start will not make the San Antonio Spurs shake in their sneakers, but with six of their next seven games at Staples Center, the Clippers have an opportunity to at least gain more respect around the league with a few more wins.

In breaking down the seven games the Clippers have lost, four were defeats that could have easily been victories:

* Experience was to be the difference in a five-point loss to San Antonio as the defending NBA champions pulled away down the stretch after the game was tied late in the fourth quarter

* In a 20-point defeat at Vancouver, the Clippers dominated the Grizzlies in the first quarter and then lost team leader Maurice Taylor, who left the game because of a left foot sprain. The Clippers were never the same after his injury and lost.

* In a loss at Milwaukee, the Clippers were primed for an upset before Derek Anderson, who had 27 points and seven rebounds in the first three quarters, was knocked out of the game seconds into the fourth quarter because of a mild concussion.

* After missing 14 of their first 15 shots, the Clippers found themselves in position for a victory at Toronto late, despite playing with nine players because Tyrone Nesby returned home to be with his wife, who had a baby. But the Raptors took advantage of the Clippers, playing the fourth of five games in seven days, to win by six points over their tired opponents.’

“This team has a lot of character,” swingman Eric Piatkowski said. “We started the road trip on a real bad note. . . . Then we came back to get a big victory at Minnesota and then finished the trip with a win [at Washington]. A lot of times teams have a let down on the last game of a long trip like that but we came in and played well.”

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The Clippers did not practice Sunday but they hope to have a full roster at today’s workout because Taylor, Anderson and Nesby are expected back.