Kaman Arrives for Clippers

Chris Kaman’s return to the starting lineup last month coincided with the Clippers’ drop in the standings. They lost six of eight games after the 7-foot center reclaimed the position he’d lost because of a knee injury.

On Sunday, Kaman took a step toward reversing the trend.

In a performance that the Clippers hoped was only a preview of what’s to come, the sixth pick in the 2003 NBA draft registered season highs of 13 points and 12 rebounds in an 89-83 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

His season averages are 4.2 points and 4.7 rebounds, so the increased output in front of 16,113 in Staples Center was gladly welcomed by the Clippers, who won for the second time in three games but only the third time in 11.

He made five of eight shots, all three of his free throws.

“He’s been coming on for us, playing better in practice,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “He’s been doing well defensively, rebounding, trying to block shots. ...

“But offensively, we’ve been telling him we need him to be more assertive, be more aggressive. He’s got the game ... and I said, ‘It’s time for you to show it. We can’t be waiting on it.’ ”

Said Kaman, who sat out the season’s first 11 games while his teammates put together the winningest November in Clipper history with Chris Wilcox at center: “It’s been rough because we haven’t had a lot of time to practice.

“I haven’t had a lot of time to work on what I need to work on, but slowly but surely I’m becoming more assertive when I get the ball.”

His contributions were needed on a day when the Clippers won despite a season-high 28 turnovers, building a 24-point lead late in the third quarter before frittering much of it away, and the 76ers’ Allen Iverson’s scoring 35 points.

“Hey, baby, I don’t know anything about no ugly wins,” Dunleavy said, laughing, when it was suggested that the victory wasn’t much to look at.

Said Brand, who matched Kaman’s 12 rebounds and Corey Maggette’s 26 points, made nine of 16 shots, all eight of his free throws and blocked five shots: “Ugly, disgusting, it doesn’t matter. A win’s a win for us.”

The Clippers, 4-9 in December, weren’t about to quibble.

“Against Philly,” guard Rick Brunson said, “you get ugly wins like that. They play hard, they grind it out all the way to the end. I said the other night ... it was probably going to be an ugly win. They count the same.”

Meanwhile, for anybody who wondered why Iverson takes so many shots, his 76er teammates provided a telling answer: They can’t shoot.

Iverson made 16 of 30 shots, his teammates 15 of 47.

Kenny Thomas missed seven of 10 shots, Andre Iguodala five of six, Corliss Williamson five of six and Marc Jackson seven of nine. The Clippers, of course, credited their defense.

“Unfortunately, our turnovers allowed them to have opportunities,” Dunleavy said, “but we had a lot of good moments at the defensive end. Our coverages were good. That’s something we want to continue to build on.”

Said Brand: “We knew Allen Iverson was going to get his points, get his shots. We wanted to limit some of the other guys, which we did pretty well.”

At the other end, the 76ers weren’t able to limit Kaman.

“Good to see him hit the boards and get some points, because he’s doing it in practice,” Brand said. “Good to see him bring it out to the game floor.”

Will he bring it again?

“My comfort level’s starting to slowly increase,” said Kaman, who also had an emergency appendectomy last month. “The more minutes I get, the more I play, my comfort level gets higher and higher. I want to get to the point where I don’t hesitate. If a shot’s there, I want to take it and know it’s a good shot when I shoot it.”