Clippers Get a Lift, Not a Win

There were merely flashes Saturday night, brief glimpses of what once was and what could soon be again.

In the end, the Clippers had to settle for decidedly mixed results during a 99-92 loss to the Golden State Warriors before a crowd of 18,499 at Staples Center.

Lamar Odom played basketball for the first time in 11 months, showing off hook shots, perimeter jumpers and smooth drives to the basket, hanging in midair and drawing fouls. He rebounded the ball easily and found open teammates.

But Odom also tossed up an airball or two, bricked a couple of key free throws late and got caught out of position more than once on defense.

Judging by Saturday’s loss, the Clippers (12-18) still have issues, but getting Odom back in action solved one of them. By game’s end, he had 21 points on seven-for-19 shooting, eight rebounds and two assists in 37 minutes.

“I wanted to win that game in the worst way,” Odom said after the Clippers were outscored, 9-3, in the final 1:01. “We lost and that’s the bottom line. Of course, I felt a little dead-legged for the most part. It’s my first time playing ball in 11 months. It’s something I have to fight through.”

Asked what he believed he needed to improve, Odom said, “Shooting. Everything.”

Antawn Jamison led the Warriors with 28 points, fouling out with 1:09 remaining. Gilbert Arenas scored 23 points. Golden State almost let a 19-point lead in the third quarter slip away in the game’s final minutes.

Andre Miller had 23 points, 11 assists and six rebounds for the Clippers.

Corey Maggette added 18 points in his second game since returning from arthroscopic knee surgery. Elton Brand was held to two points on one-for-five shooting and had six rebounds in 42 minutes, one game after tying his season high with 29 points in a 108-95 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Clipper Coach Alvin Gentry was furious after the game, not the least bit encouraged by the return of his most versatile player.

“We played [lousy],” he said, “and that’s the bottom line. They deserved to win. They played harder and they rebounded the heck out of the ball. We got some good shots and we can’t make a shot. You’re not going to beat anybody shooting 38% in this league. Everybody is going to play a zone against us until we make shots.”

Odom sat out 71 games and 344 days since last playing Jan. 18, 2002, when he went 24 minutes against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Staples. He played only 29 games last season because of the wrist and ankle injuries and because of an eight-game suspension for violating the NBA’s drug policy.

The Clippers were 31-40 while he was sidelined.

Hours before tipoff against the Warriors, Odom walked into an empty Staples Center wearing a 1960s-era blue-and-white Laker jersey with Elgin Baylor’s No. 22 on the front and back.

With no restrictions placed on Odom’s participation by the team’s medical staff, Gentry started the 6-foot-10 small forward. Odom received thunderous cheers from the crowd during the pregame introductions.

“They say he can play as much as he can play,” Gentry said. “He didn’t say anything to me about starting. I decided I was going to start him.”

Michael Olowokandi won the opening tip, Odom chased down the ball, flipping it behind his back to Miller before it went out of bounds. Odom then lined up a jump shot from the right wing that missed.

He would miss three more shots before making his first basket since going on the injured list last Jan. 24.

Whether it was nervous energy or perhaps just plain old rust, Odom shanked his first four shots before swishing a three-pointer over former Clipper Earl Boykins, who stands all of 5-5.

Near the end of the half, Odom zipped through the lane with the ball in his left hand and Arenas on his right hip. Odom lifted the ball toward the basket, Arenas fouled him and the ball swished through. Odom made the free throw and the Clippers were within 47-41.

Boykins’ three-pointer at the halftime buzzer gave the Warriors a 50-41 lead. The Clippers led only once in the first half, using a 9-0 run to go ahead, 38-37.