Style Lessons Come Hard

There’s a difference between being a running team and a highlight team.

Hopefully, the Clippers learned that after being defeated for the fourth time this season by the Dallas Mavericks, 111-93, on Sunday.

“We try to run on every team, not just the Clippers,” said forward Dirk Nowitzki, who scored all 22 of his points in the first half. “That’s our game and we know that’s how we get easy baskets. We also know the Clippers are a team where everyone goes to the offensive glass. They have a lot of high-flyers and they try to make a lot of dunks.”

In losing for the 11th time in a row to Dallas, the Clippers again got caught up playing the Mavericks’ up-tempo style. But without Lamar Odom, who sat out his second game after being suspended for violating the league’s anti-drug program, they were run off the court.

“When they are playing defense, there are rebounds all day,” power forward Cherokee Parks said of the Mavericks. “Their guys are taking off as soon as a shot goes up. . . . They play like a really good rec team. Everyone is relaxed. They play together and it looks like they are having a lot of fun. . . . They are so different than any other team in the league.”

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The Clippers definitely did not play smart on Sunday. Although they had only 13 turnovers, a low total for them, the Clippers failed to execute a game plan that called for them to keep Dallas under 100 points.

“We came out of timeouts and turned the ball over or didn’t even get a shot up,” said Quentin Richardson, who led the Clippers with 15 points off the bench.”

Added Corey Maggette, who had his second double-double in two games: “We needed to play harder. . . . We didn’t play up to our potential as a team.”

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Jim Todd, who finished last season as the Clippers’ interim coach, attended Sunday’s game and said he’s feeling much stronger after having cancer surgery four months ago. Todd, who hopes to return to coaching next season, had been helping out with the Dallas coaching staff. He has also spent time with Milwaukee and Portland this season.

TONIGHT

at San Antonio

5:30 PST, Channel 9

* Site--Alamodome.

* Radio--KLAC (570).

* Records--Clippers 22-43, Spurs 43-19.

* Record vs. Spurs--0-2.

* Update--The Clippers will end their three-game Texas trip tonight against the Spurs, who have won the the last 12 games between the teams. The last time the Clippers won at San Antonio was Jan. 5, 1997. The Spurs have won six games in a row and have the second-best home record in the league at 24-6.