Schedule Doesn’t Get Much Easier

Mike Dunleavy so enjoyed the festivities surrounding the All-Star game over the weekend that the Clipper coach idly suggested this week that the game should be played in Staples Center every year.

But then he was reminded that, if that were the case, the Clippers probably could look forward to a long string of midseason road games every year.

“Oh, yeah,” he said. “[Forget] that.”

Leading into the All-Star break, the Clippers played 10 of their last 11 games on the road, capped by an eight-game trip, leading into four of five on the road to start their post-break schedule, starting with tonight’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers in the Rose Garden.

“I don’t know how you compare it to what everybody else has had,” Dunleavy said, “but we’ve had a tough schedule from the standpoint of travel, between [opening the season in] Japan and 14 days on the road prior to the All-Star break.

“I feel like the toughest part of our season, travel-wise, is over. We’ve got some trips left, but it’s not the same as what we’ve been through.”

On Thursday, the Clippers will play their first game in Staples Center since Jan. 27, but Friday they’ll fly out again to start a three-game trip at Milwaukee.

They’re 7-18 on the road, only two of the victories against opponents that still have winning records, the last Dec. 20 at Dallas.

*

Though his averages of 20.1 points and 11.7 rebounds place him among the NBA’s top 20 in scoring and top five in rebounding, Elton Brand is not listed among the league leaders because he has not reached the league minimums to qualify. After sitting out 13 games early in the season because of a broken foot, he’ll need to average nearly 20 points and 11.2 rebounds in the Clippers’ last 31 games to qualify for the season-end listings.... According to the NBA’s efficiency ratings, which take into account several statistical categories, Brand is the third-most efficient player in the league behind Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan. Shaquille O’Neal is seventh, Kobe Bryant 25th and Corey Maggette 26th.... Bobby Simmons practiced again but probably won’t be activated before Saturday, or maybe not until next week, Dunleavy said.

TONIGHT

at Portland, 7, ESPN2

Site -- Rose Garden.

Radio -- XTRA (690/1150).

Records -- Clippers 22-29, Trail Blazers 24-28.

Record vs. Trail Blazers -- 0-1.

Update -- Maggette scored 32 points for the Clippers last month in a 103-96 overtime victory over the Trail Blazers at Staples Center, but the Clippers haven’t won at Portland since April 11, 1999, a string of eight consecutive losses.