Elusive Momentum Sought

By ending a 10-game losing streak with a five-point victory over the New Jersey Nets on Saturday, the Clippers were given Super Bowl Sunday off by Coach Chris Ford.

The win completed a stretch of 11 games in 20 days, including seven on the road for the Clippers, who play games against Golden State on Tuesday at Staples Center and at Phoenix on Wednesday.

“It’s a good thing to break that streak and to do it at home,” rookie Lamar Odom said. “Then to get a day off, to rest.”

After losing 14 of 15 games, the Clippers realize a one-game winning streak is nothing to brag about. But with three of their next four games against sub-.500 teams in Golden State, Dallas and Chicago, the Clippers are hoping to gain some momentum heading into the All-Star break.

“We have to approach our win [over the Nets] as just another game,” Odom said. “We have to come right back and play another one the same way.”

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Less than two weeks ago, veteran Eric Murdock was buried so deep on the bench, he only played six minutes in a blowout defeat to the Jazz at Utah. Over the last four games, Murdock has started at point guard and looked like the player the Clippers expected when they traded for him during the off-season with the Nets.

Murdock had one of the best games of his nine-year NBA career with 16 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds against New Jersey.

“He did an outstanding job for us, offensively and defensively,” Ford said. “He ran the offense just as we needed him to. If we continue to stick to the offensive plan, we will continue to have a good chance to win games.”