Dismal Loss Brings Tough Day of Practice

Messages were delivered throughout the Clippers’ practice Sunday and all were in response to the team’s embarrassing blowout loss at home to Portland on Saturday.

Coach Chris Ford sent his message by having his team scrimmage for the first time in weeks because he didn’t like his players’ nonchalant attitude during and after their loss to the Trail Blazers. Ford also had his low-scoring team work longer and harder than usual on shooting drills to finish the practice.

“We needed it. We had 10 bodies today and we haven’t had that for a while,” Ford said. “They need that work.”

After 13 games, the Clippers rank among the NBA’s worst teams in scoring and shooting. The Clippers’ 91.4 points a game is 25th in the league and only Vancouver, Chicago and Golden State have a lower field-goal shooting percentage than their 41.4%.

If the Clippers didn’t know how badly they’ve been shooting before Sunday’s practice, they knew by the time they took the floor. Ford made sure the players read their statistics placed on the wall in the team’s dressing room at Veterans Sports Complex in Carson.

Maurice Taylor, who practiced for the first time since suffering a left foot sprain Nov. 14 at Vancouver, also tried to make sure his teammates understood they needed to work harder, including himself.

“It’s hard to be on the sideline talking and screaming because I’m not out there,” said Taylor, who has missed the last seven games because of his injury. “I know just because I see things doesn’t exactly mean [that’s] what is going on. . . . It was hard for me to take a vocal leadership role because I’m on the sideline and they were out there busting trying to win a game.”

*

The Clippers may have gotten Taylor back but two players sat out Sunday’s practice. Derek Anderson remained home after leaving Saturday’s game in the second half because of discomfort from a sinus infection, and Keith Closs did not practice because of personal reasons.

Anderson will be examined by an ear, nose and throat specialist and will not practice today.

Ford said he’s not sure whether Anderson’s recent concussion suffered against Milwaukee on Nov. 16 had an effect on his current problem.

“Hopefully medication will help reduce the pain and give him some rest,” Ford said. “But his sinus problems have been hanging around for a while. . . . He had sinus problems back in training camp and he was checked by some people and they thought he was having dental problems. He was taking medication for that and then suffered the concussion, so I don’t know. We’ll know further [today].”