Losses Pile Up for the Clippers

The Clippers’ eighth consecutive loss came largely because of Erick Dampier.

Dampier had a career-high 25 rebounds and 16 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to their seventh consecutive victory, 105-77 over the Clippers on Sunday night.

“Every opportunity we had to make them miss [Dampier] just created opportunities for them by getting to the glass,” said Clipper Coach Mike Dunleavy, who split the four-game season series with his son, Mike, a Warrior forward.

Dampier had his sixth game with at least 20 rebounds this season and the 25 were the most in a non-overtime game in the NBA this season.

“Things are just now coming together for us,” said Dampier, averaging career highs of 12.4 points and 11.9 rebounds. “Everybody is going out there and leaving it on the floor, and I am just trying to get my hands on every ball.”

Dampier has hinted he might opt out of the last two years of his contract and test free agency this summer.

“The Warriors gotta do something,” teammate Jason Richardson said. “He is one of the top two or three centers in the league. He worked on his game, is healthy and he is showing that he is a force.”

Richardson scored 20 points and rookie guard Mickael Pietrus added 17 for the Warriors.

Corey Maggette led the Clippers with 21 points.

The seven-game winning streak is the Warriors’ longest since April 1994, when they won eight in a row. Golden State has won the seven games by an average of 16 points and have held opponents under 90 points in all of the wins, the longest run in franchise history.

The Warriors went on a 9-2 run to close out the first half and take a 54-42 lead.

Dampier had a putback and a dunk as the Clippers had no answer for him inside. Dampier scored 10 points and had 16 rebounds, 10 on the offensive end before halftime.

“Damp is playing with a purpose, obviously,” Golden State Coach Eric Musselman said. “He is playing at as high a level as anybody in the league right now.”

Golden State outrebounded the Clippers, 29-16, in the first half.

Richardson and Dunleavy made three-pointers to put the Warriors up, 67-52, midway through the third quarter, and Richardson’s alley-oop dunk with 1:35 left in the quarter gave Golden State a 77-58 lead.

“Guys are playing for pride,” Richardson said. “It’s just too bad that it’s pretty much too late to make a playoff run.”