Odom Can’t Do It Alone

Sometimes, the bounces just don’t go your way.

The Clippers battled back from bad shots, bad calls and bad turnovers only to suffer a couple of bad breaks in the final minute and lost, 86-83, to the Seattle SuperSonics Saturday night before 12,271 at Staples Center.

Eric Piatkowski had an opportunity to tie the score at the buzzer, but when his desperation fadeaway three-point attempt fell short, the Clippers’ modest two-game winning streak came to an end despite another huge game from Lamar Odom, who finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.

The Clippers hurt themselves with 30 turnovers.

“We got open shots at the end, we just didn’t have them fall for us,” guard Tyrone Nesby said. “It’s tough because we played so hard. . . . We got ourselves in trouble by not playing with energy to start the game.”

With Jeff McInnis sidelined because of a knee injury and rookie Keyon Dooling too raw to handle Seattle’s Gary Payton, Odom played most of the fourth quarter at point guard and almost carried the Clippers to their first three-game winning streak since last December.

“They wanted to get the ball in my hands and for me to draw as many people as I can to me,” Odom said. “When I missed that last finger roll, that’s a play I wish I could have back.”

After defeating the New York Knicks and Vancouver Grizzlies, the Clippers knew Seattle was not going to take them lightly. Especially since the Clippers have shown signs of an inside-outside game with Odom and Michael Olowokandi being productive down low.

So when Seattle opened the game with aggressive double-teams in the post, the Clippers were ready. Odom and Olowokandi did not panic when trapped and both players passed the ball back out to the perimeter.

Corey Maggette, the Clipper with the least playing time this season, was called on early Saturday night. When Nesby picked up two quick fouls, Coach Alvin Gentry turned to Maggette instead of Piatkowski or rookie Quentin Richardson.

As if he was making up for lost time, Maggette had five rebounds, four points, two assists and three turnovers in 10 minutes. It was Maggette’s longest stretch of play since the second-year swingman played 18 minutes in an overtime loss to Utah on Nov. 18.

Seattle led, 22-17, after one quarter with Payton creating all sorts problems with his penetration. McInnis, who has been slowed because of flu the last few days, suffered a bruised right knee early and even though he continued to play, he was no match for Payton, who had 15 points in the first half and finished with 25 points, six assists and five rebounds.

The Clippers’ main source for points in the first half was Odom, who has been on a tear the last three games. Odom had 12 points in the first half and helped keep his team within four points at halftime, 44-40, despite 17 turnovers in the first two quarters.

Payton continued to carry the SuperSonics in the second half and the Clippers had to rely on Dooling to try and slow him after McInnis went to the bench early in the third quarter. Payton loves to attack rookies and he scored seven points in the quarter to help give Seattle a 63-56 lead heading into the fourth.

After exchanging baskets with Seattle to open the final quarter, the Clippers moved Odom to point guard and slowly chipped away at the SuperSonics’ lead. The Clippers’ cut the deficit to 78-76 after a three-point basket by Nesby with 2:08 remaining.

Odom had a chance to give the Clippers their first lead of the second half but a three-point play opportunity turned into two free throws when his layup fell off the rim with 1:11 left. Following free throws by Payton and Rashard Lewis, Nesby missed a three-point shot and then Lewis made another free throw to give Seattle an 84-80 lead with 10 seconds remaining.

The Clippers made the final score close when Piatkowski made a three-pointer with 5.6 seconds left, but they fell short when he missed his last attempt.

Gentry was upset with a call by the officials that took away a basket by Nesby in the final two minutes. He also was disturbed because officials did not call fouls when Clipper players were battling near the basket.

“We’re disappointed because our guys played so hard,” Gentry said. “We should be afforded the same things as everyone else . . . that’s all I will say about it. . . . But when you look at our turnovers, you can’t win an NBA game with 30 turnovers.”