Clippers get a sloppy loss

It appears, again, the well-beaten and trodden-down path is ahead.

Lottery-bound instead of playoff rounds.

The Clippers suffered their second blowout defeat to the Utah Jazz in four days, losing, 109-93, in a sloppy game full of turnovers in front of 16,318 at Staples Center on Monday afternoon.

Nearly midway through the season, the Clippers (12-25) are still in search of their second winning streak of the season after starting it 4-0.

Back then, the Portland Trail Blazers were considered to be in a rebuilding mode, the Golden State Warriors were winless and the Chicago Bulls were viewed as Eastern Conference title contenders.

Fall optimism melted into winter reality.

There remains little prospect for any Clippers games against the Phoenix Suns or San Antonio Spurs come May.

Instead, it is becoming more and more apparent there will be other aspirations the following month during the NBA draft.

Such as landing Kansas State’s Michael Beasley or France’s Nicolas Batum. Or a debate between the merits of USC’s O.J. Mayo and Indiana’s Eric Gordon.

This season, so far, has been roiled by ankle rolls and torn by muscle tears. And, in an attempt to counter the injuries, the Clippers are still struggling to find an identity.

The two adjectives that were most used after Monday’s game were “tough” and “disappointing.”

Clippers guard Cuttino Mobley said the team isn’t in a hole but an “abyss.”

“It’s getting real tough,” he said. “If anything, you should be doing what you are doing now -- not looking for each other, not making plays -- you should be doing that at the beginning of the season. Not near All-Star break. You’ve got to start jelling near All-Star break.”

Again, the Jazz (24-18) was the aggressor. It won, 106-88, on Friday, and a near-replay rewound Monday.

Utah pushed its style of play, converting 20 turnovers into 29 points and scoring 66 points in the paint. It’s not as though the Jazz was clean, committing 19 turnovers itself Monday, but it was tidied up by the team’s 57% shooting from the field.

“I’m disappointed in our play,” Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “They played a more physical game than us and established a style of play and they won at it.”

The Jazz, again, finished with seven scorers in double digits.

Deron Williams ended with 18 points and 13 assists and Matt Harpring and Paul Millsap each contributed 17 points. Carlos Boozer made only four of his 13 shots for 12 points but grabbed 12 rebounds.

“It’s hard to come in and get back-to-back wins against a team,” Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan said. “I think it was good to come out and set the tempo early.”

The Jazz did, leading 54-43 at halftime, but the Clippers eventually rallied.

Al Thornton, who had 14 points, made a three-point basket to cap a 12-2 run and bring the Clippers to within four at 66-62, but that was as close as it became.

“We did the usual Clipper thing and fell apart again,” Chris Kaman said.

Said Tim Thomas: “It was another game at home and we just played them on the road. They pretty much had their way out there and for them to come here and have their way here, it is disappointing.”

Corey Maggette scored 23 points and Kaman had 17, along with 10 rebounds.

It wasn’t in the cards Monday.

“It’s hard to defend when someone’s coming at you with numbers,” Dunleavy said of his team’s turnovers.

And so, it becomes increasingly apparent eyes will once again be on the draft.

The Clippers’ staff, like those of most NBA teams, is already scouting overseas and looking at hundreds of college games on film.

Because it’s never too early to start looking ahead, where, the Clippers believe, a brighter day will come.

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jonathan.abrams@latimes.com