It Could Get Much Worse Before It Gets Much Better

Two weak efforts have created a bad atmosphere for the Clippers, who do not play again until they face the Lakers on consecutive nights next week.

After blowout defeats at Denver and Houston, the Clippers have time to decide how they are going to start the new year.

“I would not say [the Clippers have played] with a lack of heart but I would definitely say a lack of emotion . . . ,” rookie Lamar Odom said. “We have to step up now before this gets really ugly. We are not losing by five points or closer.”

Shooting guard Eric Piatkowski, in his seventh season with the Clippers, has seen this before.

“I think we can still get it back but it stinks to have to play the Lakers two in a row to begin the year, because they are playing better basketball than anyone in the league right now,” he said.

“It’s going to be tough. It’s not going to be easy games but I can’t think of anything better than to go in and knock those guys off.”

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Coach Chris Ford’s bad back has improved but his eyes may still be hurting from watching his team’s poor defensive effort in losses to the Nuggets and Rockets.

“It’s our inability to defend one on one,” Ford said. “Our perimeter guys are not doing a good job at all keeping people in front of them. When you can’t defend individually, you have to try and double-team. But then they continue to beat us with interior passing for layups and dunks.”

The Clippers do not have any defensive specialists and Ford sounded like a coach who has run out of options.

“There’s not too many things you can do,” he said. “You can double-team or you can play straight up. We haven’t done either well.”

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The Clippers may get a boost when Derek Anderson, the team’s leading scorer, returns to the lineup next week. Anderson has been sidelined the last eight games by a severe ankle sprain.