That ‘Other’ Team Is Hot

If the Clippers played in another city, they would be the toast of the town. Owner Donald Sterling would be the grand marshal of the local parade, Coach Alvin Gentry would have his own TV show and stars Elton Brand and Lamar Odom would be hounded with endorsement offers.

But in Los Angeles, the Clippers have had to fight for recognition, struggle to crawl out from under two big shadows--those of the cross-town Lakers and their own dismal past.

It’s a struggle they are slowly winning, with raw excitement, with multidimensional offense, and now, the final touch, stifling defense.

Defense was the key Saturday night at Staples Center where the Clippers beat the Sacramento Kings, 101-85, in front of 18,964.

True, forward Chris Webber didn’t play for Sacramento, held out because of tendinitis in the left ankle. But the Kings still had Vlade Divac and Mike Bibby and Doug Christie and Peja Stojakovic and Scot Pollard.

But none of them could prevent Sacramento from shooting 41% from the floor and tying their season-low point total.

This is a team that arrived at Staples with a 19-8 record, but left looking as beaten as the Clippers used to look season after season.

“We are getting better and better defensively,” Gentry said. “We are doing it by not doubling in the post. Each guy knows he is responsible for his own.”

In increasing their season record to 15-11, their home record to 14-5, their record in December to 8-2 with their 10th in their last 13 games--yes, this is Los Angeles’ other team we are talking about--the Clippers had plenty of offense of their own.

Elton Brand led the way with 26 points, making 11 of 16 from the floor. Quentin Richardson added 20, including five of eight on three-point shots. Brand also had a game-high 13 rebounds, backed up by Michael Olowokandi and Darius Miles, who had 11 each.

“We are confident,” said Richardson, whose two three-pointers late in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach. “If we come out to play, we can play with anybody.”

He’ll certainly get no argument from the Kings.

Sacramento got 19 points each from Christie and Bobby Jackson, but it was Divac’s struggles that best illustrated how long a night it was for the Kings. He had 12 points and 12 rebounds, but he finished the night in the Sacramento locker room, banished there by referee James Capers after receiving his second technical.

The final technical came in the fourth quarter, with Divac on the bench, grousing about a call.

Or maybe he was still frustrated over failing to stop the newest Clipper offensive powerhouse-Olowokandi.

Olowokandi began the game looking like the best center in town.

He scored on a hook shot. Hit from the baseline. Rammed through a dunk. Made a jumper. Connected on two free throws.

With five minutes to play in the first quarter, the Clippers had 10 points. And Olowokandi had all 10.

Not bad for a guy whose career high for a game is 27.

Divac, who has been slowed by a sprained right foot, was unable to keep up, even with occasional defensive help.

Not only was Olowokandi hitting his shots, but the boards with authority.

On one play, he outmaneuvered Pollard and stretched his 7-foot, 270-pound frame across the baseline to pull in the ball.

Olowokandi got only three more points the entire game, but he had clearly illustrated the depth of this Clipper team.

Still, old perceptions die hard.

With 1:25 to play and the Clippers ahead 98-85, Gentry became angry on the sidelines, rushing over to slam his hand down on the scorer’s table while screaming, “Run the clock. Run the bleeping clock.”

It seems there was actually only 1:18 to play, but the clock had been inadvertently left off.

The situation was cleared up and the Clippers went on to victory.

Afterward, Gentry was sheepish about his behavior.

“I just wanted it to be over,” he said. “I’m a typical coach. I never relax until the game is over.”

In the old days, that lost seven seconds probably would have hurt the Clippers.

But those days appear to finally, mercifully, be over.