Clippers are inactive on several fronts

Regardless of whether the Clippers acquire Allen Iverson, this much seems clear: They need to make a move quickly.

Because even if the disgruntled star guard isn’t the answer to their problems, the Clippers appear to be in need of outside help in a season that became more frustrating for them Sunday after a 108-103 loss to the Houston Rockets in front of a sellout crowd of 19,060 at Staples Center.

The third sellout crowd of the season often expressed its disappointment as the Rockets sent the reeling Clippers to their fourth consecutive loss amid ongoing Iverson trade reports. Fans held up signs, encouraging the Clippers to “Bring A.I.” and “Get Iverson,” presumably figuring a four-time scoring champion would help the team.

Although Philadelphia’s demands for Iverson might be too high, the Clippers could pursue other deals in an effort to bolster a group that isn’t getting the job done. In fairness to the Clippers, Sam Cassell sat out Sunday because of a heel injury, and Tim Thomas did not play after suffering a bruised elbow early in the first quarter, further weakening a team that hasn’t shot well from the perimeter.

Acquiring an efficient long-range shooter could help the Clippers, and adding a new face to the locker room might help to improve team chemistry, which several players said could be better.

But that’s for later.

For now, the Clippers must do more with what they have, or there might not be anything left to salvage if reinforcements arrive.

“Something has to give,” Elton Brand said. “Either a trade is going to happen, or we need to take it upon ourselves to step up and win some basketball games.

“Tim is a shooter, we have confidence that he’ll knock down the shots, but he’s hurt. Sam is a midrange shooter, but he’s hurt. Like I said, something has to give.”

The Clippers (10-13) are last in the Pacific Division, seven games behind the first-place Phoenix Suns. The Rockets (15-9) had lost three in a row, including to the Lakers on Friday in double overtime, since Tracy McGrady has been sidelined because of back spasms, but their formula of Yao Ming and efficient three-point shooting worked well against the Clippers.

Houston made eight of 17 three-point shots, making the Clippers pay for double-teaming Yao, who still finished with 32 points on 12-for-18 shooting from the field. Yao also made eight of nine free throws, grabbed 10 rebounds and had five assists.

Chris Kaman has not fared well against Yao, but he had a solid 20-point, 11-rebound performance Sunday. Shaun Livingston also continued his impressive play lately with 21 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

But in a troubling trend for the Clippers, Brand, who had 19 points and nine rebounds, took only three shots in the second half while being double- and triple-teamed. The Clippers, who shoot only 29.4% on three-pointers, missed four of six against Houston.

That’s not enough of an outside threat to ease things inside for Brand.

“You look at Yao, he’s a double-team guy, and our double-team guy is E.B.,” said Livingston, who the Clippers have refused to include in proposals for Iverson. “We’ve got to help him out. We’ve got to make it easier on him, and we’re just not doing that.”

So now what?

“We have to play with a sense of urgency ... that has to be the main point of emphasis for every guy on this team right now,” Livingston said. “We have to see where we’re going. We’re not headed up because we’re not winning, and that’s just reality, but we have to understand where we’re at right now and do something.”

jason.reid@latimes.com