On the Road, There’s No One They Can Take Lightly

The Clippers traveled east and tried gamely to put their 21-point loss Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks behind them with a light workout Sunday night at Rhodes College.

The Clippers get another crack at the Mavericks on Tuesday at Dallas. First, though, they find themselves in the unusual position of being the stronger team while on the road. Tonight, they play the Memphis Grizzlies, losers of seven in a row, in the first game of a season-high seven-game trip.

“They’ve beaten the Lakers,” Coach Alvin Gentry said, when asked how tough the Grizzlies are at home. “They’re good enough to have played everyone close down to the wire. They have had some good wins here. If we don’t play at a high level, we won’t beat this team.”

The Clippers are 3-14 on the road.

“At some point, we’re going to have to start winning some games on the road,” Gentry said. “We have to play with confidence. When we play with confidence, we are a good team.”

*

Guard Keyon Dooling continues to make strides in his comeback from a badly sprained left ankle. He hopes it won’t be long before he’s participating at full strength. At present, he says he’s running at only about 70%.

“It feels pretty good today,” said Dooling, injured Nov. 14 against the Chicago Bulls. “I can shoot. I can plant my foot. I can do pretty much everything, except with speed. I have a hard time starting and stopping.”

TONIGHT

at Memphis, 5 PST

Site--The Pyramid.

Radio--KXTA (1150).

Records--Clippers 22-22, Grizzlies 12-31.

Record vs. Grizzlies--1-0.

Update--The Clippers were 5-7 on the road against the Grizzlies when they called Vancouver their home. This is the Clippers’ first game in Memphis since the Grizzlies relocated during the off-season. The Clippers won the first game between the teams this season at Staples Center, 108-92. Pau Gasol, a 7-foot rookie forward, is averaging 17.2 points and 8.7 rebounds. He had 26 points in the Grizzlies’ loss Saturday against the Bulls. Reserve guard Quentin Richardson had a career-best 31 points, tying the team record with seven three-point baskets, in the Clippers’ loss to Dallas.

Elliott Teaford