Laker Game Not Soon Forgotten

On the day after, the Clippers kept talking about Friday’s loss to the Lakers.

“That was the wildest game I’ve ever been in,” Coach Alvin Gentry said. “One team went on a huge run, then the other.”

Gentry just as easily could have been speaking of the scuffle near game’s end between Clipper center Michael Olowokandi and Laker center Shaquille O’Neal. Both players received their second technical fouls of the game and were ejected with 19 seconds to play.

“Any time we play them, we want to play our best,” Gentry said. “Any time they play us, they want to show they’re superior.”

So it wasn’t surprising to Gentry that Olowokandi and O’Neal almost came to blows late in the Lakers’ victory.

“Emotions run high,” Gentry said. “Michael’s not the type of guy who is going to back down.... There are a whole lot of blows delivered on offense when you play them. In a competitive game, guys are going to compete. I don’t want to see fights, but Michael is a man too. You also have to understand how Michael works.”

Gentry wasn’t the least bit concerned that the Clippers had expended too much energy and emotion Friday against the Lakers and would have nothing left Saturday for the Seattle SuperSonics. He wanted no part of questions about a possible Clipper-Laker first-round playoff matchup, however.

“Any time you play the Lakers it’s going to be an emotional game,” he said. “Now we’ve got to channel those emotions in Seattle’s direction.”

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The Clippers were without Keyon Dooling, Corey Maggette and Lamar Odom because of injuries. The SuperSonics were without Vin Baker, Calvin Booth, Rashard Lewis, Vladimir Radmanovic and Earl Watson.

“We’ve got the Injury Bowl right here,” Gentry said.

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Tremaine Fowlkes, who has replaced Maggette, who had replaced Odom as the Clippers’ starting small forward, was named to the National Basketball Development League all-star team. Fowlkes was a member of the Columbus (Ga.) Riverdragons before the Clippers signed him to a 10-day contract Feb. 23.

“If you look at Tremaine, he brings a lot of what Corey gave us,” Gentry said. “He’s a good defender. He’s a good competitor. Plus, he allows us to bring Darius [Miles] in off the bench. That’s important too.”

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Seattle’s team bus got a flat tire and the players didn’t arrive at Staples Center until 6 p.m.

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Elliott Teaford