Clippers Run Out of Options

This is the way it is when your power forward, your small forward and your shooting guard are sitting out because of injuries, unable to save their teammates from themselves.

Considering all the Clippers were missing Friday, their 87-76 loss to the Phoenix Suns before a grumpy crowd of 15,970 at Staples Center was predictable.

“We were not shorthanded,” Clipper Coach Alvin Gentry insisted after the game. “They had five guys and we had five guys [on the floor]. We expect them to perform.... You’ve got to make shots. We didn’t make any shots. We had open shots.”

Soon, perhaps only a few days after their Christmas break, the Clippers will be at full strength again. Maybe then their shots will fall, their defense will be tighter and their competitive fire will be rekindled.

It probably won’t be long before Elton Brand’s strained right calf will be sound again, although he won’t play tonight against the Denver Nuggets. Lamar Odom’s badly sprained right ankle is about as good as it’s going to get, and he’s expected to be back Dec. 28 for a game against Golden State after an 11-month layoff. Eric Piatkowski’s lower abdominal strain most likely will be better soon.

Until then, the Clippers must soldier on, as they did without much success Friday against the Suns. The Clippers couldn’t shoot, couldn’t defend and couldn’t win, as Phoenix took control after a 12-0 run to start the second quarter.

“That was very difficult to watch,” said Brand, speaking on behalf of the injured Clippers after the game. “It hurts missing the game, period. But being down by 20 in the third quarter hurts too.”

Here’s how bad it was: The Clippers (11-16) didn’t pass the 50-point barrier until Wang Zhizhi made a three-point field goal with 9:55 remaining in the game. By then, the Suns led, 71-52, and were well on their way to improving their record to 15-11.

Or so it seemed.

With reserves from both teams in the game, the Clippers fought back. Wang had 13 of his 16 points in an 11-minute span and helped to trim the deficit to 75-60 with a free throw with 5:51 left. Wang finished with six-for-11 shooting in 17 minutes.

Marko Jaric, who led the Clippers with 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, cut the Suns’ lead to 75-62 with a dunk with 5:32 to go.

Suddenly, Staples crackled with energy.

Another Jaric field goal got the Clippers within 75-64, but the Suns kept a double-digit lead the rest of the way. Amare Stoudemire all but ended the Clipper comeback with a rebound and a thunderous dunk, then blocked Tremaine Fowlkes dunk attempt at the other end, which led to Shawn Marion’s dunk and an 83-69 lead.

“I’m glad we fought back,” said Brand, the Clippers’ leading scorer and rebounder. “But it was tough to watch.”

Without Brand for the first time this season, Gentry turned to rookie Chris Wilcox as his starting power forward. The Clippers lost that matchup.

Stoudemire, the high school standout the Suns selected ninth (one spot behind Wilcox) in last June’s draft, ended up scoring 18 points, including a soaring dunk over Michael Olowokandi in the third quarter, and took 11 rebounds.

Marion had 20 points, and Stephon Marbury added 16.

Stoudemire worked over Wilcox on the low block, particularly in the first half. Stoudemire had nine points on four-for-seven shooting and took six rebounds in 20 minutes in the first half. Wilcox had six points on two-for-four shooting and one rebound in 13 minutes in half.

“He doesn’t have the body of an 18-year-old,” Gentry said of Stoudemire. “He plays with confidence. He plays extremely hard. They’ve got themselves a heck of a ballplayer.”

The Clippers stayed close through the first quarter, believing they had tied the score, at 23-23, after Quentin Richardson’s layup at the buzzer. After a video review, the shot was nullified and the Clippers were outscored, 25-12, in the second quarter.

The Suns outshot the Clippers, 45.6% to 35.8% by game’s end and outrebounded them by 47-39. Olowokandi scored two points in 28 minutes.