Dunleavy’s Man-Hunt

More than two months into his second season as coach of the Clippers, Mike Dunleavy is still looking for a go-to guy, a player who can take over games in the fourth quarter and deliver victories.

“I can’t say that we have anybody on our team that you can just tag and say, ‘OK, I’m going to give you the ball against everybody in the NBA at your position and we’re going to dominate,’ ” the coach said.

“You can say that about very few people in this league,” he continued, naming Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant, among others. “Certain guys really have that ability. We haven’t found that yet. We haven’t found the combination or the guy. We don’t have that potential physical matchup yet. We don’t have a point guard that you can say, ‘I’m going to give you the ball out there like [Allen] Iverson and you can break them down.’ ... We don’t have a dominant player in the low post. ...

“We’re still searching for that.”

How about Elton Brand?

“Elton’s got the best chance,” Dunleavy said. “But there are a lot of players who have a chance to play him straight up because he’s not an oversized guy at his position. He might get a good shot; he may get defended well.”

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Though several highly regarded teams are struggling as the season nears the halfway point, Dunleavy predicted that a record above .500 would be required to make the playoffs in the Western Conference. The Clippers, at 16-17, are only a half-game out of eighth place in the West.

Last season, the Denver Nuggets reached the playoffs with a 43-39 record. The Utah Jazz (42-40) and Portland Trail Blazers (41-41) were left out.

TONIGHT

vs. Seattle, 7:30, FSN West 2

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- XTRA (690/1150).

Records -- Clippers 16-17, SuperSonics 25-8.

Record vs. SuperSonics -- 1-1.

Update -- Assistant Dwayne Casey will coach the SuperSonics in the absence of Nate McMillan, who was scheduled to arrive today in Raleigh, N.C., after the death of an aunt.

Tickets -- (800) 462-2849.