Gentry: No Reason for Trade

The NBA’s trading deadline passed Thursday afternoon and, as expected, the Clippers did not make a move. Others did, but the Clippers decided against trading for trading’s sake.

“It would be ridiculous for us to trade our seventh man for someone else’s seventh man,” Coach Alvin Gentry said before the 3 p.m. PST deadline came and went. “Why trade any of our starters unless it’s for somebody else’s All-Star? It’s important to keep our team together and build on what we have.”

The Clippers would have preferred to have played a slower tempo than they did in Thursday’s loss to the Orlando Magic.

Instead of passing the ball inside to power forward Elton Brand, they settled for quick jump shots from the outside, however. The Magic excelled in a fast-paced game, racing to a lead that grew to as many as 27 points in the second half.

“Orlando is just like us in that they’re really tough at home,” guard Eric Piatkowski said. “They are more up-tempo here and get out on the break. They play with a lot of energy and confidence.”

Gentry put it this way: “They seduced us into shooting quick shots. If they’ve got Pat Garrity on Elton Brand, then we’ve got to pound it inside and we didn’t do it.”

One night after holding the Miami Heat to 71 points, the Clippers gave up that total to the Magic less than four minutes into the second half.

The Clippers’ defensive effort against Miami was their best this season.

The Clippers have given up 119 points two other times this season.