Two Years Added to Gentry Pact

Not much was expected in August when Alvin Gentry was named coach of the Clippers, considering he began his tenure with a roster of five players under 21.

But after leading the Clippers to a 31-51 record--including victories in 13 of their final 16 home games--and more than doubling their victories from the previous season, Gentry was rewarded Thursday when the team picked up the option for the final two years of his four-year contract.

“It’s a reflection of our appreciation of the job that he’s done and our confidence in the continued good job he will do,” said Andy Roeser, executive vice president.

Gentry, who has a 119-144 record as a coach with Miami, Detroit and the Clippers, wasn’t surprised.

“It’s done and I think it’s great,” he said. “I love the fact that they feel committed to not only the players but to the coaches as well. But I have a long way to go before I catch [Laker Coach] Phil [Jackson].”

Clipper captain Lamar Odom said it’s a sign that the franchise is committed to winning.

“This helps everyone’s mentality because we now know he is going to be with us,” Odom said. “That was the problem with the team my rookie year. We didn’t know if [Maurice Taylor] was coming back, or [Derek Anderson] or who was going to be the coach.

“Now we know and can focus on what we have to do.”