Clippers Stumble and Do the Splits

Well, this one sealed the deal. The Clippers are unquestionably performing a halting version of the NBA playoff shuffle, taking one step backward, two steps forward and one step backward during the first four games of their season-high seven-game trip.

Cha-cha-cha-cha.

That adds up to two victories and two losses after the Clippers dropped a 101-94 decision Saturday into the laps of the more aggressive and efficient Atlanta Hawks in front of a crowd of 14,994 at Philips Arena.

Next stop, Boston, where the Clippers face the Celtics today, less than 24 hours after squandering a 13-point third-quarter lead against the Hawks and a chance for their first three-game winning streak on the road in almost a year.

How the Clippers will play against the suddenly reeling Celtics is anyone’s guess.

So far on this trip, the Clippers have beaten up on the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs, two of the league’s elite teams, but have fallen to the Hawks and the Memphis Grizzlies, two of its weaker clubs.

All things considered, a 2-2 record isn’t surprising. Coach Alvin Gentry wasn’t impressed with a split of the team’s first four games, however. He knows the Clippers let games they could have won slip away. He knows that with greater energy and execution, they could be an unthinkable 4-0.

“They just outplayed us,” Gentry said of the Hawks, who ended a six-game losing streak, “and that was the difference in the game. It’s typical of our team. We take two steps forward and one back. Until we play with consistency we’re going to go through games like this for the rest of the season.”

The Clippers could have moved two games above the .500 mark with a victory against the Hawks. Instead, they returned to it with a 24-24 record.

And to think, they appeared to be in control after taking a 63-50 lead on Elton Brand’s layup midway through the third quarter. The Hawks, playing one night after losing to Michael Jordan and the Wizards at Washington, had accomplished little.

Soon enough, the game turned in Atlanta’s favor and the Clippers could not respond. The Hawks closed the quarter by outscoring the Clippers, 23-6, turning a 13-point deficit into a 73-69 lead to start the fourth. Three-point baskets from DerMarr Johnson and Jason Terry to start the final period extended the Hawks’ run to 29-6, and the Clippers were all but finished.

Terry led the Hawks with 30 points, making four of six three-point attempts, and Shareef Abdur-Rahim scored 27.

Eric Piatkowski scored 22 points for the Clippers, but had only seven after halftime. Brand had 19 points and 11 rebounds and Michael Olowokandi had 18 points and 14 rebounds.

“We’re going to have to find a way to stop doing this,” Piatkowski said. “We’re beating the tough teams. It’s the games we should be winning that we’re losing. Once we get up on a team, we’ve got to crush them.”

The Clippers had few problems with the Hawks at the start. They executed their half-court plays flawlessly, scoring from inside and outside. They ran when fastbreaks were available. They played suffocating defense.

And by halftime, the Clippers led, 51-42.

They simply couldn’t sustain their momentum beyond the midway point of the third quarter. The Hawks roared to life, making five of six three-point tries in the third, and took the game from the Clippers.

“We can’t win if we don’t play with a lot of passion and at a high level,” Gentry said, echoing comments of earlier this season. “The Hawks played with more passion and more energy. They made shots. Obviously, that helps. We didn’t react well after they made their run. Teams are going to make runs when they are at home.”

Dallas on Tuesday and San Antonio on Thursday made strong fourth-quarter runs at the Clippers. The difference was that the Clippers had the lead against the Mavericks and Spurs and never surrendered it.

Against the Hawks, the Clippers played from behind in the fourth quarter. Several times, they seemed poised to rally, but they never drew closer than five points--at 96-91 with 1:56 to play.

“We talked [after the game] about how losing this game takes away from what we did in Texas,” Gentry said. “This could have been the start of a great road trip, but we didn’t get it done tonight.”