They’ll Try to Hang On Until Maggette Returns

The Clippers were excited after a 101-91 victory against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 10 in Staples Center.

At 14-5, the Clippers said they expected their record to be among the best in the Western Conference at the All-Star break. And although starting small forward Corey Maggette and backup center Zeljko Rebraca were sidelined, the team was confident it would continue to play well until they returned.

However, things have changed.

Maggette, the Clippers’ second-leading scorer with an average of 21.7 points, was supposed to return in late December, but his left foot injury hasn’t cooperated and he’s out indefinitely.

The Clippers (17-14) have dropped nine of 12 and acknowledged their first-half outlook has changed.

Instead of competing with the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and Suns for the conference’s top mark, the Clippers hope to remain in playoff contention until Maggette returns.

“It was great,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said after practice Monday at the Spectrum health club in El Segundo.

“The way we were doing it was ... we were defending every night. The field-goal percentage defense was good, we were putting points on the board and we had a lot of things going for us.

“Every game was a real game, we were in every game, and that’s the way it should be. We think we can get it back to there, but in the meantime we’ve got to post some wins. We’ve got to figure out a way.”

The Clippers don’t have a definitive timetable for Maggette’s cast to be removed, Dunleavy said, and Maggette would need to build stamina. He might sit out more than another month, and that’s more bad news for a team that hasn’t had much to smile about recently.

“Once he gets back in, he’ll give us productive minutes,” Dunleavy said. “He’s going to get to the free-throw line and he can get his rhythm that way. Where he could struggle a little bit is in some conditioning.

“You’d have him on a shorter time frame of playing right way, and he’d have to get his jump shot rhythm. That would be the biggest thing you’d have to secure, but once Corey comes back, I think he’ll be able to contribute right away.”

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The Clippers were close to signing a frontcourt player to a 10-day contract, a team source said.

General Manager Elgin Baylor and Dunleavy are interested in adding a player for practice purposes.

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TONIGHT

vs. Orlando, 7:30, FSN West 2

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 1150.

Records -- Clippers 17-14, Magic 13-18.

Record vs. Magic (2004-05) -- 1-1.

Update -- Orlando forward Dwight Howard averages 14.7 points and 12.2 rebounds.