Team Geared Up for Challenging Stretch

Now that the Clippers have survived their longest trip of the season--seven games in 10 days--and finished with three consecutive victories against teams with losing records, they have to face Pacific Division-leading Portland and Sacramento twice each over their next five games with up-and-coming Dallas in the middle.

First up are the Trail Blazers tonight at Staples Center. Portland is expected to have both Rasheed Wallace and Scottie Pippen back in the lineup after both sat out the Clippers’ home victory over the Trail Blazers this month.

But the Clippers are playing and talking like a young team ready for the challenge, thanks to their recent success.

“It was a good trip, but we had an opportunity to have a great trip if we found a way to win those overtime games against Miami and New Jersey,” Coach Alvin Gentry said.

“But, with as many heartbreaking losses that we’ve had, our guys have not let the season play out. It would be easy to cut back because we only have [25] games left. We haven’t done that at all. I think we are headed in the right direction and we just have to keep the boat steered that way.”

After tonight the Clippers, who have won six of their last 11, will play Dallas on Monday at Staples Center and then at Sacramento on Tuesday. They will play the Trail Blazers at Portland on Thursday, followed by a home game against the Kings on Friday.

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The East Coast swing was a major learning experience for rookie point guard Keyon Dooling. He got a chance to match up with many of the league’s best guards, from Miami’s crafty veteran, Tim Hardaway, to Cleveland’s second-season standout, Andre Miller, but Dooling will best remember going against Philadelphia’s Allen Iverson and New Jersey’s Stephon Marbury in successive games.

“They are similar but very different at the same time,” Dooling said. “Iverson is score first. Even though Steph scores a lot, he is still thinking pass first. They are both impossible to stop. All you can do is just try and play them hard. Iverson is off the ball a lot, but Steph always has it.”

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With only scattered single tickets remaining for tonight’s game, the Clippers are expecting their fifth sellout of the season, which would top last season’s total of four.

TONIGHT

vs. Portland, 7:30

Fox Sports Net 2

* Site--Staples Center.

* Radio--KXTA (1150).

* Records--Clippers 19-38, Trail Blazers 38-17.

* Record vs. Trail Blazers--1-0.

* Update--The Clippers defeated Portland, 90-89, on Feb. 3 in a game the Trail Blazers played without Wallace (suspension) and Pippen (injured right elbow). The Clippers have the league’s highest-scoring bench, averaging 37.5 points, and have outscored their opponents’ reserves by more than 12 points a game.

* Tickets--(800) 462-2849.