Road Woes an Obstacle

As January turned to February, the Clippers turned their backs on a month in which they were 7-10 despite playing 10 games in Staples Center.

Ahead lies a month in which they’ll play 10 of 13 on the road, starting with tonight’s game against the Atlanta Hawks in Philips Arena, the third game of an eight-game trip leading into the All-Star break.

The Clippers, 115-106 winners Saturday over the Orlando Magic, haven’t won consecutive road games since November, a trend they’ll probably have to stop if they plan to remain in playoff contention into March.

If they can stay fairly close into next month -- they’re 4 1/2 games behind the eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference -- “that’s when it gets fun,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said.

Last season, the Phoenix Suns finished eighth in the West with 44 victories. If that’s the standard this season, the Clippers will need a 24-13 finish, with only 15 of those games being played in Staples Center.

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Dunleavy, asked why reserve center Predrag Drobnjak had been in the doghouse before scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter Saturday night: “I don’t have a doghouse.” Drobnjak, who opened the season as a starter, played 13 minutes against the Magic, the same number he had played in the Clippers’ previous five games, two of which he sat out entirely because he was never called upon.

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His teammates like what rookie Matt Barnes brings to the Clippers. “We’re definitely looking forward to him getting more than a 10-day [contract] and being a part of this ballclub,” Elton Brand said Saturday after Barnes contributed seven points, six rebounds and six assists against the Magic.

Barnes’ second 10-day contract expires after Friday’s game at Washington, after which the Clippers will have to sign him through the end of the season or release him.