Beatable Opposition Is Now Debatable

There are five games to be played before the Clippers reach the All-Star break next week, five games in which to rekindle a flame that seems to grow weaker with each loss.

Weeks ago, tonight’s game against the Chicago Bulls seemed like a slam dunk. Now, the Bulls have a better record than the Clippers, and have won two in a row. The Clippers have lost three consecutive games.

At Christmas, the Clippers were 12-16 and within striking distance of a .500 record and a playoff spot. Since then, they have gone 4-12, tumbling to last place in the Pacific Division with a 16-28 overall record.

The Bulls are 17-27 and in the middle of the pack in the Central Division.

After Chicago, the Clippers play host to the Phoenix Suns and rookie standout Amare Stoudemire, whose dunk over Michael Olowokandi earlier this season ranks as one of the season’s best. Certainly, it has been replayed often enough on cable highlight shows, ending with the awestruck reaction of Phoenix point guard Stephon Marbury.

Next, the Clippers travel for games against the Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons before getting a much-needed break.

The Raptors and Knicks seemed like pushovers just last week, but now nothing is certain except uncertainty for the Clippers.

“We’re kind of a frustrated team, but we bring on our own frustrations,” Coach Alvin Gentry said.

For example, Gentry said, “A lot of our turnovers are unforced errors. They’ve got to be turnovers where people are making great defensive plays [against the Clippers]. You can’t defend against turnovers.”

There’s no question that the Clippers’ troubles started in training camp, when key players such as Olowokandi and forwards Elton Brand and Lamar Odom and guard Quentin Richardson sat out because of injuries.

In fact, the Clippers have yet to have their top 12 players fit for the same game.

“I was hoping we would have it for that Laker preseason game in Bakersfield,” Gentry said, referring to the team’s exhibition opener in October.

*

TONIGHT

vs. Chicago, 7:30

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- XTRA (1150), KTNQ (1020, Spanish).

Records -- Clippers 16-28, Bulls 17-27.

Record vs. Bulls -- (2001-02) 2-0.

Update -- The Bulls are coming off victories over Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets, and Michael Jordan and the Washington Wizards. They are a poor road team, having won two of 22 games away from Chicago. This is the first game of a five-game trip for the Bulls. Jalen Rose leads Chicago with averages of 23.1 points in 41 minutes. Tyson Chandler, sent to Chicago in the deal that brought Brand to L.A. in the summer of 2001, is averaging 7.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in 20.4 minutes.