Clipper Shots Don’t Fall in One-point Loss to Nets

If you enjoy high-scoring NBA games, featuring great shooting and passing, then Monday night’s matchup between the Clippers and the New Jersey Nets was not for you.

In the end, the Clippers missed a little more than their counterparts and the result was an 86-85 victory for New Jersey before 9,803 at Staples Center.

The Clippers shot only 38.8% from the field and made 14 of 23 free-throw attempts.

With starting point guard Jeff McInnis in street clothes because of a bruised left knee and rookie Keyon Dooling getting his first start, the Clipper offense showed about as much movement as a line at the DMV and the Nets were not much better as the teams combined to make only 67 of 164 field-goal attempts.

But the Nets had point guard Stephon Marbury, who entered the game as the league’s second-leading scorer at 28.2 points per game, and he made enough plays to give them their third consecutive victory.

“I thought [Dooling] did a good job but obviously, he was playing against the best point guard in the NBA and it is hard to defend that guy,” Clipper Coach Alvin Gentry said.

“But when you hold a team to 86 points, you should probably win the game. . . . We keep coming close. It is a little bit discouraging in that I want something tangible for these guys. They are working so darn hard.”

Marbury made 12 of 24 shots and finished with a game-high 28 points and nine assists. Rookie forward Kenyon Martin, the top pick in last June’s draft, had 19 points and 15 rebounds, and veteran Johnny Newman hurt his former team with 13 points, including a key three-point basket and 13-foot jump shot in the final minutes.

For the Clippers, who have now lost two in a row after a two-game winning streak, Lamar Odom led a late rally and finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds and four assists.

“Character is what got this team the victory tonight,” Martin said. “We played hard down the stretch and beat a good team.”

Dooling didn’t have one of his better games but he didn’t play bad. He made only one of seven field-goal attempts but he had only one of the Clippers’ 21 turnovers.

“I was a little nervous at the beginning but I got into it,” Dooling said. “Some nights our shots are not going to fall. . . . We always try and make up for it with our defense.”

To help with their thin backcourt, the Clippers activated Earl Boykins, who had been on the injured list because of a bruised right knee. To make room for Boykins, power forward Zendon Hamilton, who saw his first action of the season in Saturday’s loss to Seattle, was put on the injured list because of a bruised knee.

Boykins did not play against New Jersey because Gentry used Odom at the point when Dooling was not on the court. On defense, Darius Miles or Quentin Richardson guarded the Nets’ point guard.

The Clippers had a chance to take a big lead early because of the strong inside play of center Michael Olowokandi. With a size advantage over New Jersey big men Evan Eschmeyer, Jim McIlvaine and Aaron Williams, Olowokandi had his offensive game working and the Clippers looked to him often. Olowokandi responded with 14 points and five rebounds in the first half.

But New Jersey held a 41-39 lead at halftime, thanks to the Clippers’ 35.9% shooting. Other than Olowokandi, who made six of 10 field-goal attempts, the Clippers made only eight of 29 shots during the first two quarters.

The third quarter was a disaster. Instead of picking up their level of play after a lethargic first half, the Clippers came out with less even intensity.

“They came out and made more shots than us and pushed their lead up,” backup center Sean Rooks said. “We just couldn’t fight ourselves out of the hole.”

The Nets used a 12-2 run to take a 64-54 lead heading into the fourth quarter and then relied on Marbury to carry them home. Marbury scored seven points over the final 12 minutes, including a huge three-point basket and three free throws down the stretch.

“We have to make sure that we don’t get down,” Gentry said. “Over the course of an NBA season, it always seems to even out in close games. You win your share and lose your share. Hopefully, we have a little nice run of winning close games.”

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