Clippers left with a bad tip

In a season torn between frustrating and exasperating, one script will be followed for the Clippers all the way into the All-Star break.

A win inevitably followed by a loss.

The Clippers’ latest patterned defeat came Wednesday, a 91-89 loss to the Washington Wizards at Staples Center, ended on an Antawn Jamison tip-in with 0.3 seconds remaining.

Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and now Valentine’s Day have all come and passed since the Clippers (17-33) celebrated two straight wins, a feat that hasn’t occurred since the second week of the season.

Now it only seems fitting they shuffle off to the All-Star break for rest in what appears to be a season-long Herculean effort to another run of consecutive wins.

Ultimately, it only made sense that a Wizards offensive rebound was the Clippers’ undoing.

The Wizards, who ended a losing streak at eight games, bullied their way on the boards, outrebounding the Clippers, 51-31, and 22-7 on the offensive end.

“It was only fitting we would lose the game with an offensive rebound on the other end because it was a killer for us all game long,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said.

Jamison scored a game-high 29 points and had nine rebounds. His tip came after Antonio Daniels missed a six-foot drive and Darius Songaila knocked the ball into the air.

On the other end, Tim Thomas’ inbounds pass was harmlessly tipped out of play to end the game.

Wizards rookie Dominic McGuire finished with the stat line of the night -- zero points, but 12 rebounds, seven on the offensive end.

The Clippers had a chance to end the first half of the season on a positive note after beating the Milwaukee Bucks at the end of their season-long, seven-game trip, but a sluggish opening half against the Wizards proved too much to overcome.

Clippers rookie Al Thornton finished with 24 points and nine rebounds, and Corey Maggette scored 13 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter.

“For the most part, I think they just outworked us,” Thornton said. “I think that had a lot to do with it.”

The Wizards played without injured All-Stars Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler. They received little sympathy from the Clippers, who have played the entire season without Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston.

If anything, the first half of the Clippers’ season will be marked by the injuries that caused a lack of continuity. They now have four days of rest before reconvening Monday for practice.

“Hopefully, it gives guys a chance to heal up and get their wind back,” Dunleavy said.

Chris Kaman, who hasn’t fully recovered since battling flu two weeks ago, will gladly take the time off. Kaman, who lost 15 pounds, had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

While most of his teammates will have the time off, Sam Cassell is scheduled to fly to Tallahassee to have his jersey retired at Florida State today.

“That may be the biggest honor I’ve ever got from the game of basketball,” said Cassell, who wore No. 10 for the Seminoles from 1991 to 1993. “That might touch me, especially when they drop it from the ceiling.”

As for his speech, Cassell said it would be impromptu instead of scripted. “Off the top,” he said. “I’m gonna free-style, baby.”

Arenas has been sidelined nearly the entire season after surgery on his knee.

Luckily, for entertainment purposes, his lively blog is still active and the guard recently offered his thoughts on Thornton’s non-inclusion in the rookie-sophomore All-Star game.

Arenas blogged about being subbed quickly in his own rookie-sophomore game in 2003 and then using it as motivation to earn MVP honors in the same game. He then compared it to Thornton learning of his snub two weeks ago and then scoring 33 points against the Atlanta Hawks that evening.

“So, players out there, take some of this coaching stuff and use it as motivation, like the kid Al Thornton,” Arenas wrote. . “He had the same mentality I had. They snubbed him and he went out and had 33 against the Hawks.”

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jonathan.abrams@latimes.com