Stojakovic stops Clippers

NEW ORLEANS -- A couple of time zones and nearly 2,000 miles away from the shadow cast by an owner’s vexation, matters appeared to quell for a day.

With a top-tier management rift turning public this week, the involved parties sought to bring the issue to an end -- publicly, at least -- with closed mouths and tight lips.

“As far as I’m concerned, the past is behind us, and we are trying to win ballgames,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said before the Clippers lost, 111-92, to the New Orleans Hornets on Friday at New Orleans Arena. It was their sixth consecutive road defeat.

The Clippers (13-26) went down under a barrage of Peja Stojakovic three-point baskets. He ended up with six, five of which came during a 24-8 Hornets run in the third quarter.

“Their ability to dial in the long ball really crushed us,” Dunleavy said.

There were no other comments made of Dunleavy’s own dialings.

Dunleavy said he regretted how things came out in a recent flap between himself and owner Donald T. Sterling, but another issue emerged Wednesday.

Dunleavy and team President Andy Roeser had a “miscommunication” in relaying a phone conversation between Sterling and Dunleavy that never took place.

Meanwhile, word crept to New York Knicks Coach Isiah Thomas that Dunleavy, in a long conversation with the media Tuesday, said he didn’t want the Clippers to become the Knicks, a team saddled with heavy and long contracts.

“I think he should talk about his own team,” Thomas told New York media.

Dunleavy said Friday that it was a throwaway line in a lengthy conversation and that he had told as much to Thomas in a text message.

He also said that there isn’t much concern over how the public spat between himself and the owner would affect future free-agent signings of players who could think twice about joining the Clippers if they perceive the front office is a shambles.

“If you are giving them a fair wage and it’s a good opportunity, I think that’s what they come for,” Dunleavy said of free agents.

The focus on Friday, for the most part, was on the court.

And, for most of the evening, that wasn’t a good thing.

The Clippers took a brief lead in the third quarter, 53-52, clawing back from a 13-point halftime deficit before Stojakovic heated up.

“We went up one point, then it was bombs away,” Sam Cassell said. “I think the first shot Peja made, we could have played better defense, but the next two we couldn’t play him no better.”

Stojakovic made 10 of 16 overall and finished with a game-high 26 points.

And he wasn’t the only Hornets connecting.

New Orleans made 14 of their 24 three-point shots to tie a season high.

Stojakovic tied a franchise record with his five threes in the third quarter.

The loss is the Clippers third this season to the Hornets (30-12), who are on a season-high seven-game win streak. New Orleans carries the best-winning percentage (.714) in the Western Conference.

Corey Maggette finished with a team-high 24 points in the loss, Cuttino Mobley had 20 points and Cassell added 16 points.

Chris Kaman ended with nine points and 14 rebounds but did not take a shot in the second half.

“We didn’t do a good enough job of getting him the ball and they were coming right away on the pass to him,” Dunleavy said.

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jonathan.abrams@latimes.com