Clippers hope to maintain momentum

A case can be made that the Clippers are at a key juncture in their bid to make the NBA playoffs this season.

With the season not yet half over, the team is now only two games under .500 after a slow start and has won four of its last five games.

The Clippers also have won three consecutive games -- including their win against the Lakers on Wednesday night, their first against the reigning NBA champions in more than 2 1/2 years.

At issue now is whether the Clippers can maintain that momentum and avoid stumbling back into mediocrity.

“This is a very important stretch for us and we need to come out and have a sense of urgency,” Clippers forward Craig Smith, whose 12 points and six rebounds off the bench helped lift the Clippers over the Lakers, said after practice Friday.

It won’t be easy. The Clippers next face Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat on Sunday at Staples Center.

Then come road games against Memphis and New Orleans on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by the Lakers again Friday and then LeBron James and the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers next Saturday at Staples Center.

“We’re right there in that position; we can’t really afford to come off these big wins and fall back with a tough loss,” Smith said.

“We’ve got to keep building, keep climbing the ladder. That’s what it felt like in practice today, that guys are ready to take the next step.”

Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy agreed this is “a major stretch [of games] for us, and what it comes down to is that we’ve got to have the focus and consistency” they’ve had in recent wins.

“We’ve got a lot of positives to go off of, but it doesn’t mean anything unless you carry through with it,” he said. “You’ve got a group of teams coming up that are all good.”

And the victory against the Lakers was merely one more win, Dunleavy said.

“If we feel any bit good about ourselves -- about being around L.A. and listening to people tell you, ‘Wow, you guys beat the Lakers, you’re great’ -- that is not accurate,” he said.

“We beat the Lakers and that was good; we are not great,” Dunleavy said.

“We’re still a team that’s fighting to get to where we need to be.”

More at ease

Forward Rasual Butler, who joined the Clippers this season from New Orleans, said he continues to feel more at ease with the team, although he is not yet satisfied with his play.

“I’m never satisfied, to be honest with you,” said Butler, who is averaging 10.6 points a game, a shade below the 11.2-point average he had last season with the Hornets.

“I always feel like I can improve, I always feel like I can do better,” he said.

“I’m definitely excited that I’m getting more comfortable and I’m finding my stride here with this team.

“It was a little frustrating early on, but [I had] new teammates, new system. Now I just want to keep giving them some positive minutes and help us win games.”

And finally

The Clippers said that as of Friday about 1,000 lower-level tickets remained for Sunday’s game against the Heat.

james.peltz@latimes.com