Defense at Its Worst in Loss

The Clippers played their final exhibition game Friday night against Seattle and Alvin Gentry coached as if the regular season had already began.

For the first time, Gentry started Lamar Odom and Darius Miles at small forward and shooting guard respectively, and cut down his rotation. The Clippers responded with their worst defensive game of the exhibition season.

Veteran point guard Gary Payton scored 23 of his game-high 29 points in the third quarter to lead the SuperSonics to a 109-99 victory before 10,204 at Staples Center.

The Clippers, who finished with a 4-4 exhibition record and play their season opener at Utah Tuesday, struggled against the SuperSonics, who gave heavy minutes to veterans Patrick Ewing, Vin Baker and Payton. After leading by seven points at halftime, the Clippers were shut down in the second half when Seattle turned them into a halfcourt team.

Rookie Quentin Richardson was strong off the bench with 19 points to lead the Clippers. Center Michael Olowokandi had 17 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots. Point guard Jeff McInnis, who has struggled with his shooting, had his best scoring exhibition game with nine points on four-of-seven shooting.

Odom and Miles did not play well together at times but they combined to make 10 of 20 field goals and score 29 points.

“It’s still a little bit experimental because we have Lamar and Darius at two and three,” Gentry said about the Clippers’ starting lineup, which he may stick with against the Jazz. “We’re going to have to see if this combination works out. Someone will have to defend a two-guard.”

If Friday’s game is any indication, the battle for playing time among the team’s swingmen will be interesting. Tyrone Nesby, a part-time starter the past two seasons, played only 13 minutes, and Corey Maggette played only four after picking up three fouls, all in the first half.

“I’m not sure that until we get 15 to 20 games into the season that we are going to know exactly what our rotation is going to be any way,” said Gentry, who does not plan to use more than nine in his rotation.

“We have guys who are so close. . . . We have to see how guys do when they have an opportunity to get out there when it really counts.”

Rashard Lewis scored 16 points and Ewing had 15 for Seattle (4-4), which had six players score in double figures.

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With veteran Eric Piatkowski cautious about testing his surgically repaired left knee, free agent Earl Boykins sidelined because of a bruised left fibula, and Keith Closs on the suspended list, the Clippers had only 12 players in uniform.

With the team facing roster decisions this weekend, it’s likely they will keep two players on the injured list. Piatkowski is a candidate, but he plans to play in today’s open scrimmage at Staples Center and Gentry realizes that the Clippers need his outside shooting.

“He’s waiting to play in the scrimmage,” Gentry said about Piatkowski. “Then we can kind of get an indication with him running up and down playing in a game situation on what we need to do.”

Because the Clippers do not have to make a decision on Closs, who has improved his conditioning but is still suspended, the team may opt to place free-agent big man Zendon Hamilton and Boykins on the injured list.

Hamilton played 13 minutes in the second half and had nine rebounds.