Clippers’ Best Shot Not Good Enough to End Seattle Skid

The Clippers were primed to steal a victory from the Seattle SuperSonics on Friday night. With less than a minute remaining and trailing by a point, rookie Lamar Odom had the ball on the right wing with Seattle veteran Horace Grant guarding him man-to-man.

Odom was not playing his best game as a pro, but he had some success beating Seattle’s double-teams by driving the baseline on Grant. But instead of beating the SuperSonics’ big man to the basket again, Odom let go a jump shot from the corner and missed. Game over.

The Clippers’ Eric Piatkowski fouled Seattle’s Brent Barry fighting for the rebound of Odom’s shot and the SuperSonics were able to hang on for a 98-93 victory before 14,439 at Key Arena.

The loss ended a modest two-game winning streak for the Clippers, who dropped to 4-8, with two of the losses coming to Seattle (10-3).

“Plain and simple, I settled for a 15-foot jump shot when I should have tested the defense and tried to get to the hole,” said Odom, who had the worst fourth quarter of his short pro career by missing all four shot attempts and committing one of his team-high six turnovers.

“It was one of those plays where if you make it, of course it’s a great shot. But if you miss it, it’s a bad shot. If I could do it again, I would drive on the defense.”

The Clippers again showed heart in taking the SuperSonics to the wire. Seattle, which improved to 5-0 at home, was led by Vin Baker’s 24 points and Gary Payton’s 20 points and 11 assists.

But the SuperSonics needed the heroics of Barry, a former Clipper, who finished with 14 points and seven assists. Barry made four of six three-point attempts, including three in the fourth quarter. It was Barry’s three-point basket after his two free throws in the final 45.2 seconds that secured Seattle’s 10th consecutive victory over the Clippers.

“I was very surprised that Vernon [Maxwell] swung the ball because he has a tendency to hold on to it and shoot it,” Barry said. “But it’s funny. . . . in the timeout [after Barry’s final three-point basket] Vernon said something like, ‘I recognize when my shot’s not going in. Good shot, Brent.’ ”

Most of the first half belonged to the SuperSonics, who frequently took advantage of mismatches nearly every time down the floor. If it wasn’t undersized forward Ruben Patterson, who finished with nine points and six rebounds, using his quickness to beat a larger Clipper defender off the dribble, it was Baker making shots from the perimeter against a scrambling Clipper half-court defense.

Maxwell, who finished with 13 points, also gave Seattle a boost off the bench. Maxwell ran off 10 points in the first half and helped the SuperSonics open a 46-38 lead with 3:06 remaining in the second quarter.

But the Clippers rallied behind Derek Anderson, who helped the Clippers to a 13-1 run to take a 51-47 lead at halftime.

In making seven of his first 11 shots, including three of four three-point attempts, Anderson had 20 points, four rebounds and two steals in the first half alone. He scored the Clippers’ first 10 points.

But in the second half, Anderson missed eight of his 10 attempts.

“I don’t have my legs yet,” said Anderson, who sat out three games last week because of a mild concussion. “This is only my second game back. The other night I had 20 and couldn’t finish the game. Same thing tonight. I have to get my wind. Put in some extra work, but it is coming around.”

Seattle opened the second half with a run to take a 58-55 lead, but the Clippers stayed close behind center Michael Olowokandi, who had 16 points and six rebounds. Olowokandi scored six points in the third quarter, but fouled out with five minutes left in the game.

“My offensive rhythm was definitely there,” said Olowokandi, who made eight of 11 shots from the field but did not attempt a free throw. “But the foul calls. . . . right now I am at a loss on what I need to do. I don’t think I am being as aggressive as I need to be on the defensive end. I’m afraid of picking up fouls but they are still coming. I don’t think I’ve upset any refs. . . . Things definitely need to change.”

Olowokandi and his teammates do not get much time to figure it out because tonight they play host to the Portland Trail Blazers.