Dubious Calls Not Big Problem Now

Remember how the Clippers had five technical fouls, one flagrant foul and two ejections in their season-opening loss at Utah? The young Clippers showed their age by losing their composure after numerous calls didn’t go their way against the veteran Jazz.

Much has changed since then. The Clippers still have to deal with questionable calls but because they’ve matured throughout the season, worrying about officials isn’t the problem it was last November.

“I think we’re learning that when calls go against us we can’t lose focus of the game because the refs calls are not going to change,” Coach Alvin Gentry said. “We’re learning how to play through stuff like that.”

For the second season in a row, Lamar Odom leads the Clippers in disqualifications. But this season, he’s doing a much better job staying in games after having 13 disqualications a year ago. Odom has only three disqualifications this season.

“I’ve tried to take a different mental approach to the game,” said Odom, ejected after receiving two technical fouls in the season opener at Utah. “I realize now that you can’t win with the officials and it’s nothing wrong for having them like you.

“Since then we started understanding how games were going to be called. We made a conscious effort as a team to stay away from getting into it with [officials].”