Anderson Blossoms as a Spur

There’s no question that former Clipper Derek Anderson enjoyed the San Antonio Spurs’ 99-81 victory over his old team on Monday.

Anderson, who played with the Clippers last season, is having his best season as a pro. Although he had only 11 points and four rebounds against the Clippers, Anderson was coming off a four-game stretch last week in which he averaged 22.8 points and 6.3 rebounds.

“Last year, it was just a bad environment playing for the Clippers,” he said. “It’s so different here. You might lose a game but nobody points a finger. Guys stick together and that’s why I’m so happy.”

Playing defense is not something Anderson did a lot of last season, but he’s doing plenty of it now playing with the veteran-heavy Spurs. Instead of trying to go for steals like he did most of the time with the Clippers, Anderson has become a steady and more reliable defender. San Antonio Coach Gregg Popovich said that he’s finally figured out the Spurs’ defensive philosophy.

“It’s always defense and it’s always team here,” Anderson said. “Knowing that you have five guys who play defense is how we win games.”

Eric Piatkowski said he noticed a big difference in Anderson’s game.

“He’s doing great, but I don’t think it’s real tough for any perimeter player to fit in with this team,” Piatkowski said. “All you have to do is stand out there and wait for teams to double Tim [Duncan] or Dave [Robinson]. . . . But he’s playing well. I’m real happy for him.”

*

The Clippers do not have any multiple-game road trips over their final 16 games. Each one of their remaining six games away from Staples Center will be single-game trips, something that pleases Coach Alvin Gentry.

“I am just happy that we are through with [long road trips],” he said. “The rest of the way, we are one game and back home the next day. We can now try and finish up the year on a real positive note.

“We will not change anything, but we have to make sure that we give the type of effort needed to win games. We have to find out a way to be a better team every time we step out there with or without [suspended co-captain] Lamar [Odom]. We miss him, but he’s not here. We have to have people step up.”

*

Rookie Darius Miles finished with 11 points and eight rebounds against the Spurs, but he was unable to take two free throws late in the game because of a sprained right thumb.

“Somebody Jackie-Chan chopped me,” said Miles, who is not expected to sit out any games because of the injury. “There were so many hands in there. It happened early in the game and they kept hitting me [on the thumb].”