Clippers Have Their Moments but Lose

No question, there were moments of indecision for the Clippers in their home opener Saturday at Staples Center.

There were times when their attention seemed to wander from the task at hand. They frustrated their coach and a sellout crowd of 19,445 again and again. By night’s end, the Clippers left little doubt but that they are a work in progress, displaying flashes of brilliance to go with occasional lapses in judgment during a 110-108 overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Larry Hughes sank two free throws with 2.1 seconds left in overtime to give the Warriors their first victory in three games. The Clippers are winless in three. So, if they weren’t a polished squad, then it’s clear there’s plenty of time for the Clippers to sort things out. After all, this was merely Game 3 of 82 this season for the NBA’s youngest team (average age: 24.8).

Forgive the Clippers if they built a 14-point lead in the second quarter, but couldn’t polish off the Warriors. The Clippers were awesome and awful at times Saturday. The Clippers were terrific at the start, untouchable during a torrid, 18-3, run in the second quarter and downright pedestrian in the third and fourth en route to their second consecutive overtime game.

Golden State’s Antwan Jamison almost single-handedly kept his team within striking distance, slipping around the Clipper big men repeatedly for baskets in the second half. Jamison led the Warriors with 29 points and 19 rebounds.

On a night when a double-digit lead seemed safe, the Clippers appeared to have things in control by entering the fourth quarter with an 81-76 lead. The Warriors drew close down the stretch, pulling within 94-93 with about 3 minutes to play.

Elton Brand’s layup and two free throws from Quentin Richardson, who had a career-best 26 points, gave the Clippers a bit of breathing room. But Erick Dampier countered for Golden State. The Clippers’ Jeff McInnis missed a jumper at the other end, but Darius Miles rebounded and they called a timeout with 26.4 left. But the Clippers bungled a chance to put the game away, turning the ball over on a 24-second violation.

Golden State made the Clippers pay, Jason Richardson’s short jumper sending the game to overtime tied, 98-all. In overtime, Chris Mills banked home a shot from the key and added a three throw after Darius Miles fouled him 24 seconds into the five-minute extra period. The Warriors couldn’t hold the lead, however. Corey Maggette made two free throws with 21.6 left for the Clippers, tying the score, 108-108. But Brand fouled a driving Hughes and Hughes calmly hit both free throws.

Brand had another steady game for the Clippers, scoring 19 points and taking 11 rebounds. Lamar Odom had his best game of the season, adding 18 points. The atmosphere at Staples was positively electric compared to that of the half-empty Compaq Center in Houston and the cavernous Alamodome in San AntonioThe Clippers, riding the emotion of the crowd, built a 10-2 lead in the opening minutes. But it didn’t last long as the Warriors chipped away and took the lead, 25-24, on Erick Dampier’s jump shot in the key with 2:13 left in the first quarter. Golden State led, 29-28, at the quarter after Bob Sura’s driving layup with 30.6 seconds left.

The Warriors promptly went to pieces to start the second quarter. Or perhaps more accurately, the Clippers ripped them to pieces. When Clipper Coach Alvin Gentry turned to his reserves, they responded with a flurry unlike anything they could muster in the opening two games. Richardson, Keyon Dooling and Darius Miles keyed an 18-3 run to open the second quarter, very nearly turning the game into a runaway by halftime.

Soon enough, Gentry returned his starters to the court and the burst of energy faded even as the Clippers maintained a 59-49 halftime lead.