Clippers Rally, but the Ending Is Familiar

It is an act that stretches from the ancient days in the San Diego Sports Arena to the depressing days in the L.A. Sports Arena to these exciting new days in Staples Center.

No matter the coach, no matter the players, no matter the location, no matter the story line, the Clippers will always find a way to write an unhappy ending.

Saturday night was a perfect example.

After the Phoenix Suns blew past them for 3 1/2 quarters, the Clippers rallied from an 18-point third-quarter deficit and a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to force an overtime period only to lose, 95-89, in front of a crowd of 13,510.

But for the Clipper faithful, this was not a night for hand-wringing. This time, the cup truly looked half full because there was much to give Clipper Coach Alvin Gentry hope. Lamar Odom scored a team-high 20 points and had 11 rebounds, rookie Darius Miles, known more for his defense than his offense, came off the bench to score 13 points in 21 minutes, rookie Keyon Dooling had 13 points in 20 minutes and Eric Piatkowski had 13 points in 21 minutes.

But in the end, the Clippers (4-10) couldn’t find a way to shut down the two dominant members of the Phoenix front court, Shawn Marion (26 points and 10 rebounds) and Cliff Robinson (25 points).

“We keep digging ourselves into a hole,” Gentry said. “We dig ourselves out and we keep falling back in the same hole.

“A loss is a loss. It doesn’t matter.”

The emotion of the moment had hit Gentry. But before the game, talking about his first year at the helm of the Clippers, he had taken a more realistic, long-term view.

“I didn’t expect to make the playoffs this season,” he had said. “We want to work on turning around some attitudes this year and build for the future.”

It was the future that appeared to be in evidence at the end of the game.

The Clippers trailed by 17 with 8:47 to play at 71-54.

From that point on, the Clippers put on a 20-4 run to pull within a point with 3:14 to play.

Piatkowski’s two free throws with 1:24 left tied the score, 78-78.

After a Marion jump shot put his team back on top, Dooling streaked through the center of the court to deliver an electrifying layup that again knotted the game.

With 46 seconds to play, Robinson buried a jumper. Advantage Phoenix.

With 38.2 seconds, back came Dooling with a finger roll. Tied again.

Former Clipper Rodney Rogers had a chance to end the game in regulation only to have his shot blocked by Sean Rooks.

But in the overtime, the Clippers’ inexperience let them down. In the closing seconds, Rogers, Robinson and Jason Kidd all came up with crucial steals.

“Losing is starting to numb my soul,” Odom said. “We got to find a way to win. We are getting desperate. We start to lose it in the third and fourth quarter and we want to break this myth about the Clippers always losing.”

The Clippers scored the first five points of the game, but were caught at 7. By the end of the first quarter, they were down by 16 at 30-14.

It looked like another long night for owner Donald Sterling and his courtside party.

Through most of the first three quarters, the Suns looked as if they could put the Clippers away whenever they wanted. They would hit the accelerator--Robinson roaming through the key with elbows flashing, Jason Kidd streaking down the court and firing a bullet pass, Marion hitting deadly jumpers from the corner--then pull back into cruise control only to have the eager, determined Clippers appear in their rear view mirror.

“It’s hard to stop them,” Miles said, “because they have so many offensive weapons. Our main focus is to try and stop Robinson. We keep coming up short in these games.”

Dooling chose to see that cup as half full.

“We’re just one step away,” he said. “We just need to keep playing hard and everything will come together.”

Maybe so, but for now, it’s the same old story.

With the same sad ending.