LAKER-CLIPPER REPORT

Old perceptions apparently die a difficult death. So says power forward Elton Brand, a Clipper for only 23 games, but already wise to the image of his team.

“Last year, if you had said the Clippers would have a three-game winning streak and the Lakers had a two-game losing streak [going into a game against each other], it would have been unbelievable,” said Brand, acquired during the off-season from the Chicago Bulls.

“Things are changing, but it’s slow. I still see a Clipper stigma out there.”

Brand told a story of watching TV hours before the Clippers played host Monday to the Orlando Magic.

“They said it was a matchup of two struggling teams,” Brand said. “We had the same records [10-10] and we [the Clippers] had won six out of eight.”

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As expected, shooting guard Eric Piatkowski was sidelined because of a strained right hip flexor. Piatkowski played eight minutes late in the Clippers’ victory Wednesday against Seattle, but aggravated the injury during Thursday’s practice.