Newest Target Is Club Record

The race is on.

With 20 games left, the Clippers must win at least 13 to reach a franchise-record 50 victories. The goal is attainable for the Clippers, who are accustomed to making strides this season.

“Each time we take a step, we just keep on going to the next thing,” co-captain Elton Brand said. “Everything we’ve done has been big for us, we really haven’t been in this position before, and, yeah, it’s great. But you just want to keep it going.”

The 1974-75 Buffalo Braves set the top mark in team history at 49-33. The Braves went 46-36 in 1975-76, the franchise’s second-best record.

“From the first day of camp, I said this team could win 50, and we’ve got a chance to do it,” co-captain Sam Cassell said. “We’ve had our ups and downs, we’ve gone through some things with all the injuries, but my guys never give up.”

*

Teams often charge season-ticket holders for the four playoff rounds and either refund money for games not played or apply the remainder toward the next season’s packages. Clipper season-ticket holders were offered the option to pay a minimum deposit of 20% by March 24, and only be billed for the playoff games the team actually plays.

“It gets us around the awkwardness of billing fans for the maximum 16 playoff games,” said Carl Lahr, senior vice president of marketing and sales. “A lot of fans think the likelihood of most teams playing all 16 games is pretty much a longshot.”

TONIGHT

at Phoenix, 6 PST, ESPN

Site -- US Airways Center.

Radio -- 1150, 830.

Records -- Clippers 37-25, Suns 44-19.

Record vs. Suns -- 1-1.

Update -- The Clippers, who have won four in a row, trail the first-place Suns by 6 1/2 games in the Pacific Division.