Shooting Suffers but Not Effort

This will not be a record-setting exhibition season for the Clippers.

After winning four of their first six preseason games, the Clippers needed to sweep their final two to establish a team mark for exhibition victories.

That goal ended Sunday afternoon when the Clippers shot only 37.1% and lost to the Indiana Pacers, 88-82, at Evansville, Ind.

“We stayed in the game by playing defense but we just didn’t make shots,” said Coach Alvin Gentry, whose team played without injured regulars Lamar Odom (quadriceps), Tyrone Nesby (dental), Quentin Richardson (back) and Eric Piatkowski (knee).

“We scored only 34 points in the second half. The bottom line is that we didn’t shoot the ball particularly well.”

Rookie Darius Miles was one Clipper who did have a good shooting game, highlighted by a third-quarter power dunk over Indiana center Jermaine O’Neal. Miles made seven of 11 shots and scored 16 points to share team-high scoring honors with Corey Maggette, who made 11 of 14 free throws and had seven rebounds.

Jonathan Bender, who played 27 minutes mostly as a 6-foot-11 shooting guard, scored 17 points and made two key fourth-quarter three-pointers to lead the Pacers.

Sam Perkins and O’Neal added 14 points each, and Reggie Miller had 13 for Indiana, which played without Jalen Rose, Al Harrington and Travis Best because of injuries.

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The Clippers (4-3) will take today off for the team’s annual charity golf tournament in Malibu and do not play again until Friday when they complete their preseason schedule against Seattle at Staples Center.

Gentry is glad the Clippers have the extra practice time this week. He plans to send his team through two-a-day practices on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“We’ll have a whole week to work on things,” Gentry said. “We’ll get a chance to go over stuff and get ready. I’m pleased with how we’ve played.

“If we compete to the final buzzer and play with the same kind of intensity like we did [Sunday], we’ll stay in every game this season.”

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Center Michael Olowokandi returned to the lineup after sitting out three games because of a right ankle sprain. Olowokandi played 20 minutes and finished with six points and five rebounds.

“I thought Michael looked OK,” Gentry said. “I think he’s coming along slowly. I didn’t want to play him or Sean Rooks too much. Michael didn’t seem to be bothered moving around, he even finished a couple of breaks.”