Brown Knows This Feeling

The last time the Clippers had a run like this, Larry Brown was coaching them. Don’t worry if you can’t remember that far back, neither can he.

“How many years ago was that?” Brown asked before Wednesday night’s game.

It was the second half of the 1991-92 season when Brown took over a 22-25 team, replacing Mike Schuler, and went 23-12 the rest of the way to finish 47-35, the team’s only winning season since moving to Los Angeles.

No Clipper team has been as many games over .500 since and only one--Brown’s final squad in 1992-93--finished .500.

“That was Danny [Manning], Charles [Smith], Harp [Ron Harper], Doc Rivers,” said Brown of the ‘91-’92 team. “We had Olden [Polynice], James Edwards, Ken Norman....

“That team had a pretty good future and so does this team. Unfortunately, that team didn’t stay together and hopefully, this one will.

“I’ve watched [the present Clippers] play. They’re terrific. They’re fun to watch, they’re doing great.

“There’s a lot of athletic teams in the league now but they’re way up there. And they’re young and they play with enthusiasm.

“I just think Elton Brand has made such an impact. He plays with effort, he gets you 19 and 10 or 11 rebounds every game.”

That’s progress: On arrival last season, Coach Alvin Gentry used to preach that the Clippers had to start winning most of their games at home.

After Wednesday night’s loss to Philadelphia, the Clippers have won 27 of their last 36 at Staples Center (14-6 this season, 13-3 to end last season).

Now Gentry suggests it’s time to start winning on the road.

“Believe me, I like what we’ve done,” Gentry said. “I like the fact that we’ve played well but if we’re going to be considered seriously as a playoff team, we’re going to have to win games away from home.

“It’s been great, we’ve had a great run here at home but we’re getting ready to go out and play a lot of road games. In order for us to be taken seriously, we’re going to have to win.”