It’s Hard to Say Goodbye

As odd as a snowstorm in April, hundreds of fans descend upon the lobby at Staples Center early Monday evening, surrounding several stunned basketball players with outstretched arms.

The wide-eyed Clippers shiver.

“What are we supposed to do?” asks a young security guard.

“We’re not supposed to do anything,” says his smiling veteran partner.

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It is the last home game of the season for a team that is 24 1/2 games out of first place.

Their howling fans have just done the wave.

It is a meaningless finish to a season for a team that, with a victory, will be 19 games under .500 with one road game to play.

The Clippers on the bench have just joined in that wave.

“Amazing,” said Eric Piatkowski. “This is amazing.”

You want amazing? After the Clippers defeat the playoff-bound Phoenix Suns, 100-80, folks flood the floor and Darius Miles does a hip-hop dance on the press table.

“I’ve been shocked,” said Coach Alvin Gentry.

It is a team-record 11th sellout, adding to a team-record season attendance total. Players greeting those fans at the gates are swarmed. People trying to talk at courtside are screaming.

You want more amazing? A Clipper crowd actually cheering for the Clippers.

“They like us,” said Lamar Odom.

Yes, they really, really like you.

In front of the 19,347 Monday, the Clippers offered the sort of blustery, heart-felt goodbye that makes you want to beg them to stay.

The playoff-jostling Suns were playing for the win. The kids were playing for the memories. It was no contest.

Miles jamming from behind his 19-year-old back. Michael Olowokandi blocking shots like he should be blocking shots. Odom spinning under the basket in the sort of extended layup that left the oohhhing fans gasping for breath.

The Clippers fashioning a 13-3 season-ending record at Staples. All while playing as if they had no idea what will happen next.

“That’s the reason the Clippers are so much fun,” said fan Jeff Speer, 24. “You don’t know whether they are going to win or lose. But you know it’s going to be fun.”

So much fun, Piatkowski dunked for the second time this season. So much heat, fans brawled behind the Clipper bench in the rich-guy seats.

“Ever seen that?” asked one observer. “A fight at a Clipper game?”

The Clippers don’t have a postseason, but they have a buzz. In a place like this, that is the next-best thing.

“I remember times at the old arena, I was actually afraid I was talking too loud, like the person in the 10th row could hear me,” said longtime team broadcaster Ralph Lawler. “I don’t have that problem anymore.”

Not that expectations have soared around here, but when a fan badly missed a promotional half-court shot, he was booed.

It ended, of course. Miles stepped down from the table Monday night and the fans were shooed from the court and the floor was changed and all notion of the Clippers was swept away.

As happens seemingly every spring, the Lakers will now turn this into a one-team town. But for the first time in forever, it seems there is room for two.

“Our goal is not to take the Laker fans,” said Gentry, who has had the best season of any 31-win coach in recent memory. “Our goal is to get fans who are looking for a team to call their own. We have seen this year that those fans are out there.”

So what happens now?

The last time the Clippers caused anyone to raise their eyebrows like this, it was the spring of 1997, and Bill Fitch’s team was being swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Utah Jazz.

That team’s leaders were Malik Sealy and Bo Outlaw. The next season, both were on different teams.

That team needed a point guard. The next year, it still needed a point guard.

That team won 36 games. The next year, it won 17.

So what happens now?

The first thing that happens is nothing. Because of either contracts or league rules, this young team virtually will be intact next year, and when is the last time the Clippers have experienced that?

The next thing that happens is up to owner Donald Sterling. This is where it gets tricky. This is where every other Clipper dream has vanished.

The team needs a power forward. It will have a high draft choice that can be packaged for one. There are also forwards who can be bought, including--don’t laugh--Chris Webber.

Why not? He likes this town. He likes the buzz. It is now Sterling’s turn. Nobody is holding their breath. But maybe this once . . .

Walking from the arena late Monday, Sean Rooks stopped to shake hands with a security guard.

“That was awesome,” Rooks said.

It surely was. Hurry back.

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Bill Plaschke can be reached at his e-mail address: bill.plaschke@latimes.com.