Team Needs to Be More Spaced Out

Positioning continues to be a problem for the Clippers in their half-court offense.

Too many times, players are either standing around or moving closer to the ball. By not spreading things out, the Clippers have become a much easier team to defend. It’s one reason they have lost five in a row.

“Our spacing on the court is terrible,” point guard Jeff McInnis said. “It’s something you learn when you get older. In college, you can just stand anywhere. In this league, you can’t do that.”

Coach Alvin Gentry said the Clippers’ poor shooting has something to do with their ineffective half-court offense.

“The reason why teams have breakdowns with spacing is because people are not comfortable enough to shoot that perimeter shot,” Gentry said. “If teams are going to double-team Michael [Olowokandi], we have to swing the basketball and make perimeter shots. You have to be willing to take that shot. Spacing is the most important thing in the NBA.”

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In the Clippers’ three-point loss to Boston on Thursday, they were outrebounded for the sixth time in seven games. Veteran big man Sean Rooks said it’s because the Clippers’ defense is not as good as it was earlier in the season.

“The way we’re playing our defense, we’re giving up high-percentage shots and that causes us to scramble a lot more,” Rooks said. “Breakdown on defense has a lot to do with rebounding. It makes everything drop a little bit.

“Some guys like myself have to pick it up. But you also have to look at Derek Strong and Brian Skinner, who are two real good rebounders, and they are not really playing that much. It’s a thing that we need more energy to play better team defense.”

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The Clippers do not play again until Wednesday, when they face Seattle at Staples Center. During this break, Lamar Odom will be restricted to noncontact drills in order to recover from a sprained left wrist. . . . Rookie point guard Keyon Dooling was not at practice Friday because his fiancee is expecting the couple’s first child. . . . Swingman Corey Maggette, who is on the injured list, did not practice because he is still experiencing symptoms from a mild concussion he suffered at Atlanta on Jan. 13.