Clippers Seeking a Safe Harbor After an 0-4 Trip

It’s a good thing Los Angeles is known for having good weather because the Clippers return home after getting caught in a storm Tuesday night.

The Bucks rained jump shot after jump shot and the Clippers didn’t do anything to protect themselves, losing, 112-91, to complete an 0-4 trip before 15,267 at the Bradley Center.

Ray Allen made five three-point baskets and had 32 points and Glenn Robinson had 29 points and 12 rebounds to lead the hot-shooting Bucks, who made eight shots from behind the arc and 55.3% of their field goals overall to extend their winning streak to five games.

“There was no hesitation tonight,” said Allen about the Bucks, who are 20-6 since Nov. 26, “We played a tough game throughout. We passed the ball and found the open man. We played together and that is why we won. . . . We’re learning to keep leads and play defense.”

If only Allen and Robinson were making baskets that would be one thing, but they had plenty of help. Sam Cassell had 20 points and 14 assists and Lindsey Hunter added 13 points off the bench for Milwaukee, which had an eye-opening 31 assists.

“It’s incredible to have four guys who had as many points as they did and you can say they all played unselfish,” the Clippers’ Cherokee Parks said about Allen, Robinson, Cassell and Hunter, who combined to score 94 of the Bucks’ 112 points.

“They were unconscious. I don’t think there are too many teams that are going to beat a team that shoots nearly 56%. The bottom line is that you have to make these guys drive and make their big men take shots. Their big men are not involved in their offense. We didn’t do that.”

Rookie Quentin Richardson had 15 points and seven rebounds to lead the Clippers, who shot 42.4% and had five players score at least 11 points.

The Clippers tried to keep pace but quickly learned that trying to match the Bucks jump shot for jump shot is basketball suicide.

Allen ate up any defender or defense the Clippers used against him. He made three three-point baskets and scored 17 points in the first quarter alone when the Clippers were still in the game and then watched his teammates break it open in the second.

With Allen scoring only three points in the quarter, Hunter scored 10 points and Cassell and Robinson combined for 12 as Milwaukee rolled to a 54-40 halftime lead.

“They have a talented team that can really can score in bunches,” rookie point guard Keyon Dooling said. “They were on their game. . . . A lot of times we were playing good defense and they still made shots.”

If the Clippers weren’t convinced of Milwaukee’s shooting ability, the Bucks gave them another taste in the third quarter.

With Robinson making seven of eight shots and scoring 15 points, the Bucks ripped through the Clippers by shooting 80% from the field and outscoring them, 42-30.

It was garbage time for the Clippers the rest of the game.

“Milwaukee is a heck of a basketball team,” Clipper Coach Alvin Gentry said. “They have a lot of veteran guys. Glenn Robinson is having his best all-around season. He’s had some good offensive years but he’s trying to guard on defense and doing a great job passing the basketball.”

So after leaving Los Angeles on a high following an impressive victory over Denver, the Clippers return searching for answers.