McInnis Misseda Chance at Victory

With the score tied, 93-93, and time running out in the fourth quarter Saturday, the Clippers put the ball in the hands of point guard Jeff McInnis. The plan was for McInnis to find Quentin Richardson or Eric Piatkowski for an open shot from beyond the three-point arc.

Instead, McInnis drove along the right baseline and launched a jump shot from about 10 feet.

The ball grazed the rim before Boston’s Paul Pierce took the rebound, calling for a timeout as he fell with two seconds left.

“He drove it and got a good look at it,” Clipper Coach Alvin Gentry said after the Clippers’ 105-103 overtime loss to the Celtics. “You get that shot, you’ve got to get it in the basket. They made plays down the stretch and we didn’t. That’s the difference between a playoff team and a team that is struggling.”

Piatkowski played eight minutes and made one of three shots, a three-pointer, in his first game after being sidelined for 11 of the last 12 because of a strained right hip.

“I’m feeling good,” he said. “I’ve got to get my wind back. I’ve got to play some games. I missed two shots today that I could have knocked down. But it will all come back.”

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Darius Miles replaced Lamar Odom for the second consecutive game at small forward.

Odom is troubled by a sprained right wrist and you can count Miles among those hoping Odom returns sooner rather than later.

It turns out that Miles is uncomfortable as a starter.

“I like to come in and bring tempo,” he said. “I want to come in with ‘Q’ [Richardson, a reserve guard] and Earl [Boykins, backup point guard] and create something.”

Miles had 15 points on six-of-15 shooting, eight rebounds and eight assists in 51 minutes Saturday against Boston.

For what it’s worth, the Clippers’ biggest lead was 18 points and the Celtics’ was four. There were 11 lead changes and the game was tied 10 times.