Clippers fall to the Hornets, 95-81

The last time this happened, it didn’t bode well for the future.

A sobering flashback to Nov. 24: The Clippers lost to the New Orleans Hornets, all the ignition needed to fuel a seven-game home losing streak that only recently ended on New Year’s Eve.

The Clippers can only hope the latest loss to the Hornets, a 95-81 defeat Wednesday at Staples Center, doesn’t start a similar skid. It was the Clippers’ seventh loss in their last eight games.

The pending home opponents somehow get tougher than the Hornets (21-11), who are enjoying their best start in franchise history.

The San Antonio Spurs (21-8), Orlando Magic (22-12), Dallas Mavericks (21-11) and Phoenix Suns (22-9) are all on tap in a month heavy on home games, but also daunting teams.

“Personally, we don’t do as a team a good job of making each other better,” guard Cuttino Mobley said. “Good teams make each other better.”

New Orleans outscored the Clippers, 30-17, in the third quarter to take control. The Hornets’ Peja Stojakovic hammered his point home with three straight three-point baskets in that span after missing his first four three-point attempts.

Hornets point guard Chris Paul scored 16 points and had 13 assists. He shot only three of 10 from the field but made all of his 10 free throws.

“He might be the most dangerous guy in the league right now off the dribble,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “If you relax for one bit of it. . . . “

Dunleavy, still in search of the right piece to fit the puzzle of his depleted roster, started his 17th different lineup in 30 games with forward Josh Powell on the floor at the game’s onset for only the second time this season.

But the Clippers’ sapped frontline was taken advantage of again, with David West (29 points and 10 rebounds) and Tyson Chandler (14 and 15) doing most of the Hornets’ damage in the post.

It just wasn’t to be in more ways than one.

The official game program depicted Ruben Patterson and Dunleavy with the headline, “Leading the Way: Mike Dunleavy and Ruben Patterson take the sting out of the Hornets.”

The team waived Patterson last month and the Hornets were the only ones doing the stinging, though in fairness, the programs were prepared some time ago.

Corey Maggette scored a team-high 20 points for the Clippers and Al Thornton added 15 points.

Chris Kaman and Sam Cassell combined to shoot only two for 18. The Clippers held the Hornets to shooting 41.6% from the field to their 44%, but made 12 free throws to the Hornets’ 25.

“It was one of those nights,” Kaman said. “I haven’t had one of those in a while.”

Dunleavy said Kaman did not receive the benefit of foul calls and the Hornets schemed heavily on stopping Kaman.

“They were trying to take him out of the game and it’s up to us to try to loosen that up,” he said.

Said Hornets Coach Byron Scott: “We talked about Chris Kaman very seriously. Tyson Chandler had a challenge on his hands and we had a challenge as a team.”

The Clippers ended the second quarter with a 16-4 run to finish the half tied, 41-41. Maggette had eight points and four rebounds.

West totaled 14 points and six rebounds, and Paul had four points and nine assists for the Hornets in the first half.

The Clippers have today off before two days of practice and preparation for the defending-champion Spurs in an attempt to gain some type of traction at home, where they are now 5-10.

“We’ve just got to come out and play with some intensity,” guard Quinton Ross said. “Hopefully we can come out and get on some type of streak ourselves.”

--

jonathan.abrams@latimes.com