Players: Gentry Is Not to Blame

Let the soul-searching begin.

Corey Maggette was quick to absolve Coach Alvin Gentry after the Clippers lost Sunday for the sixth consecutive game. He wasn’t alone in accepting the blame for the Clippers’ lousy play.

“You can’t blame the coach,” Maggette said after the Clippers lost to the San Antonio Spurs. “Everybody always blames the coach, but we [the players] have to take responsibility. Of course they’ll come down on the coach. He’s the coach. But it’s our fault we’re not hitting our shots. He can’t go out there and shoot them for us.”

The Clippers’ recent slump and 12-22 overall record have fueled speculation that Gentry’s days are numbered, although a team official has said repeatedly that Gentry will not be fired.

“It’s on our shoulders, not the coach’s,” Andre Miller said when asked about Gentry, whose contract expires at season’s end. “We have to play off each other and make plays for each other and we’re not doing that. As a team, we’re not shooting well at all. Right now, we’re not playing good defense, we’re not rebounding, we’re not playing with energy.”

Miller has faith, however.

“I still think we’re a good team,” he said. “Right now, we’re not getting the effort and we’re not winning. There’s no reason we should have a losing record at home. Teams are beating us like it’s their home court.”

The Clippers fell to 7-12 at Staples Center.

“Early in every game, I think we have to be a little more intent on what we need to be doing instead of hoping it works out,” Michael Olowokandi said. “We have the right pieces here. We need to work better together. It’s easy to panic at this stage, but I’m feeling optimistic that things should turn around.”