Clippers’ Ship Is Sinking With Sixth Loss in a Row

Clipper Coach Alvin Gentry had made up his mind long before Wednesday night’s tip-off against the Seattle SuperSonics. He was going to teach Lamar Odom, his leading scorer and rebounder, a lesson even if it hurt Gentry and the Clippers as much as it hurt Odom.

Gentry took Odom out of the starting lineup for missing Tuesday’s practice.

“Even if it means keeping us from winning the game,” Gentry said, “it will be better for us over the long-term. And better for him too.”

Maybe so, but it was mighty painful over the short term.

With Odom on the bench until 7:35 remained in the third quarter, the Clippers lost to the SuperSonics, 114-110, in overtime at Staples Center in front of 13,174.

The Clippers still would have won if:

* They hadn’t blown an eight-point lead with 2:08 remaining in regulation.

* They hadn’t given up a game-tying give-and-go--the pass going from Rashard Lewis to Desmond Mason--to even the score at 100 with 1.5 seconds remaining. The Clippers inbounded the ball but were unable to get a shot off before the buzzer sounded.

There were other lost opportunities to ponder, business as usual for a Clipper team that has lost six in a row to drop to 13-30.

Odom’s benching resulted in an even bigger rarity: a starting role for Eric Piatkowski.

Given his first start of the season, Piatkowski responded with a season-high 30 points, but, be assured, the shot he saw in his nightmares Wednesday was the free throw he missed with 3.9 seconds remaining that would have forced the SuperSonics to go for a three-point shot at the end of regulation.

Piatkowski, who led all scorers, made nine of 18 shots from the field. The missed free throw was the only one he failed to connect on in eight tries.

Gary Payton was Seattle’s leading scorer with 26.

The SuperSonics won the rebound battle, 50-41, led by Patrick Ewing’s 15.

Piatkowski was a factor right from the beginning.

A seven-year veteran, Piatkowski responded to his unfamiliar spot in the starting lineup with seven first-quarter points to help rally his team from an early eight-point deficit to a 26-22 lead by quarter’s end.

And still Odom sat.

Vin Baker, Seattle’s veteran power forward, was unstoppable in the second quarter despite the best defensive efforts of Michael Olowokandi and Sean Rooks. Baker spun, hooked and slammed his way to 17 second-quarter points, making eight of nine shots.

That wasn’t enough to put him in the SuperSonic record book. The team mark for points in a quarter is 25 by Bob Rule in the 1969-70 season.

But it was enough to keep Seattle in the game, the Clippers’ halftime lead sliced to 54-53.

And still Odom sat.

He finally entered with his team ahead, 65-63, and he was called for a 24-second violation.

Yelled a fan from the stands, “He already pulled the 24-hour violation.”

It didn’t appear to matter until the SuperSonics staged their fourth-quarter rally.

In the overtime, Lewis and Payton each scored five points to lead the charge.

Odom scored seven of his team’s 10 points in overtime to finish with 16 in 25 minutes. Teammate Jeff McInnis finished with 20.

In improving to 24-21, the SuperSonics pulled off a back-to-back L.A. sweep, having beaten the Lakers Tuesday night in Seattle.

“The Clippers outplayed us tonight until the last three minutes of the game,” Seattle Coach Nate McMillan said.

Gentry wasn’t so kind.

“It was a bad loss,” he said. “What can you say? Another game we played well enough to win and we found a way to lose. It’s unfortunate to go through that time and time again. It’s disheartening.”

But perhaps worth it over the long haul.