Frustrations Mount Over Playing Time

If winning has a way of soothing potential problems, then losing has a way of digging them up.

With the Clippers, who suffered their second consecutive defeat Sunday, 96-87 to the Boston Celtics, playing time has been an issue since training camp. And with each defeat, it becomes worse.

“We absolutely do not have a rotation,” shooting guard Eric Piatkowski said. “We have guys who don’t play for a couple of games and then are all of a sudden starting. You don’t know what to expect. You have to stay ready on the sideline at all times.”

Coach Alvin Gentry said before the season that it is going to take time before the Clippers settle on a rotation. Gentry likes to coach based on matchups but sometimes, he does it on feel.

That’s how Corey Maggette can go from not playing one night--as he did Friday at Toronto--to playing a lot the next--as he did Sunday when he played 19 minutes and scored 13 points against the Celtics.

“I don’t want to rock the boat but it is hard to understand what the train of thought is,” Piatkowski said. “You can make a few good plays in the first half and then think you may get some quality minutes in the second but that is not the case. What you do in one half or what you do the game before doesn’t really mean anything.

“Hopefully, nobody is getting down and frustrated by it. But the younger you are, probably the more frustrating it can be on you.”

TODAY

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* Site--Madison Square Garden.

* Radio--KXTA (1150).

* Records--Clippers 5-13, Knicks 11-7.

* Record vs. Knicks--1-0.

* Update--The Clippers enjoyed their best victory of the season when they handed New York a 78-74 defeat at Staples Center on Nov. 15. Allan Houston matched a career-high 37 points in the Knicks’ victory over Minnesota on Saturday. The Clippers, who have a 1-6 road record, have not won at New York since March 5, 1996.