Time to Turn Over a New Leaf

When the Clippers are bad, they are very bad. When they are messy, they are very messy. Nothing this season has been as unsightly as the Clippers’ inability to maintain control of the basketball.

“We gave up 35 points off our turnovers,” Coach Alvin Gentry said, referring to the team’s 22 turnovers, which led to 35 points for Portland during the Trail Blazers’ 112-88 romp Friday over the Clippers at the Rose Garden.

“There’s no way we can turn the ball over that much and give up 35 points and still expect to win. We talk about it all the time, but we aren’t getting better at it. We haven’t played good basketball the last two games.”

In addition to Friday’s defeat at Portland, the Clippers committed 19 turnovers Thursday during a 101-80 loss to the Orlando Magic at Staples Center.

The Clippers maintained control during victories earlier in the week against the Magic and the Miami Heat, finishing a four-game trip with a 2-2 mark. In losses to the New Jersey Nets and Philadelphia 76ers to start the trip, they committed 23 turnovers in each game.

“Straightening it out means playing hard and not turning the ball over,” Gentry said. “It’s something we’ve had problems with all year. It’s something we’ve got to get corrected.”

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The Clippers did not practice Saturday, in keeping with Gentry’s philosophy of giving his players a day off after they play on consecutive nights.

Orlando-Portland was the first of 19 sets this season of games on back-to-back nights. They have another set today against the Seattle SuperSonics and Monday against the Golden State Warriors at Oakland.

Last season, the Clippers were 11-9 in the first game of those played on consecutive nights, but only 5-15 in the second.

TODAY

vs. Seattle, 12:30, Channel 5

Site--Staples Center.

Radio--KXTA (1150).

Records--Clippers 3-6, SuperSonics 7-2.

Record vs. SuperSonics (2001-02)--1-3.

Update--Nobody expected Seattle to be this strong to start the season, but an impressive 111-97 victory Friday over the Sacramento Kings put the SuperSonics alone in first place in the Pacific Division. The SuperSonics are off to their best start since 1999-2000, when they opened with a 9-2 mark. After losing their first game to the Clippers last season, the SuperSonics took the next three.

Tickets--(800) 462-2849.