Frustration Level ‘a Little High’

The atmosphere in the Clippers’ locker room after their game against Minnesota was totally different than it was when they last played at Target Center.

In early November, the Clippers played with only eight players due to injuries and defeated Minnesota, 89-85. On Thursday, the Clippers lost by 25 points and the game wasn’t even that close.

“I would say the frustration level is a little high, collectively,” said interim Coach Jim Todd, who dropped to 0-11 since replacing Chris Ford. “We have to decide which way we are going to go.”

The Clippers were horrible on their 0-7 trip. Except for a tough loss at Chicago and a nice fourth-quarter comeback at New York, the Clippers weren’t close in any game.

“We have 26 games left,” Todd said. “We have some home games against teams we feel we have a chance to beat.”

The Clippers will play 17 games at Staples Center over the next eight weeks, starting with a six-game home stand that opens against Atlanta on Saturday.

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Center Keith Closs made his second start of the season when Michael Olowokandi was sidelined because of soreness in his left knee.

Olowokandi, who sat out a game in December because of knee problems, said he had been trying to play through his injury until the swelling got too painful.

“It’s the same knee that was sore before,” Olowokandi said. “When I first was injured, I didn’t pay proper attention to it and it became worse.”

With Olowokandi out and second-year big man Brian Skinner limited to only 11 minutes because of his nagging left ankle injury, the Clippers were thin in the middle.

Closs played a season-high 30 minutes and made all four of his shots, but he had only four rebounds.