Jaric Grabs Bragging Rights, but Brand Is Cautious

The standings don’t show it, but Marko Jaric believes it.

“Right now,” the recently reactivated Clipper point guard said Tuesday of the Lakers, “I don’t think that they are a better team than we are. Obviously, they have a lot of talent; they play good basketball. But I still believe that we are a better team and we’re going to show that sooner or later.”

For the Clippers, of course, sooner would be better.

They open the second half of their schedule tonight against the Lakers, the second game in a five-game stretch in which the Clippers play four at home before leaving next week for an eight-game trip.

With a seven-game trip also looming in early spring and 23 of the Clippers’ last 37 games on the road, the clock is ticking on their playoff hopes.

They and the Lakers are among five teams ostensibly vying for the last three playoff spots in the West. The Clippers, at 19-22 alone among the five with a record below .500, are 0-8 against the other four, 0-2 against the Lakers.

And so, Coach Mike Dunleavy said of tonight’s game: “It’s real important for us. Anybody you’re playing that’s directly in front of you in the standings, it’s important to get that win. ... We’re trying to catch up.”

Elton Brand is confident, but he’s not ready to echo Jaric.

“I don’t speculate on who’s better ... until you beat a team,” he said of comparisons between the Lakers and Clippers. “If we lose [to them] two times or three times, we’re not better than that team. ...

“There’s not a big gap, and if we can win some games maybe we can show we’re better. But until we do that ... “

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Jaric, who scored nine points in 23 minutes Monday night in his first game since Dec. 19, was limited in practice Tuesday because of soreness in his right foot. He had sat out the previous 17 games because of a stress fracture.

He was glad to be back.

“It’s exciting,” said Jaric, whose minutes are expected to be limited for now. “I’m back alive, basically. I was on the sidelines for a month and it was tough for me, watching the team and knowing that I can’t help.

“Now that I’m back I’m trying really to [stay under] control. Sometimes, I want to do too much, but I’m not in position now because my foot is not 100% ready.”