Clippers’ Vinny Del Negro says team lacks identity

Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro confirmed what has become obvious after the first two games of the season.

He barely hesitated when asked whether the Clippers have an identity.

“Not yet. I don’t think so,” he said Saturday. “We haven’t put the time in together or the work in together to have an identity.”

This was a day after another double-digit loss, and another walkabout at a crucial juncture.

Identity? There were times when the Clippers almost seemed to vanish entirely from the proceedings, in the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday and in the third against the Golden State Warriors on Friday.

Late on rotations, getting beat off the dribble and a general malaise on defense, among other things. The Clippers feared getting caught up in a track meet of sorts against the Warriors and their worst fears were confirmed as the run-and-gun Warriors made 14 three-point baskets and shot 58% from three-point range.

“We didn’t have any defensive toughness to us to get stops,” Del Negro said. “And we didn’t move the ball well enough, got stagnant with our ball movement. You turn around and you are down and now you have to play into their hands.

“Like you said, the film doesn’t lie.”

It was all there for the viewing in a cringe-worthy film session to get ready for Sunday afternoon’s game against the Dallas Mavericks.

“We have to be honest with ourselves,” Ryan Gomes said. “We watched tape today and Coach got into us and pointed things out. We have to man up and know the mistakes we’ve made and go correct them.

“The only person you look at is yourself in the mirror. What do I need to do to change? And hopefully if I’m changing, the other 11 guys that are playing are changing also.”

Del Negro, two games into his Clippers coaching tenure, is still trying to figure out what tools he has at his disposal. Give him points for candor after the opener for admitting that he should have utilized third-year center DeAndre Jordan more against Portland.

Foye injured

Randy Foye’s significant minutes in the backcourt probably will go to someone else against the Mavericks.

Del Negro said that Foye tweaked his left hamstring in practice Saturday, and he did not expect the guard to play Sunday. He is listed as day to day. Foye played nearly 23 minutes against Portland and nearly 26 at Golden State.

Foye’s absence would mean more minutes for rookie Eric Bledsoe at point guard, and small forward Rasual Butler, who can slide over to shooting guard. Butler had a solid performance in the opener, making four three-point baskets and finishing with 16 points, but took only two shots from the field against the Warriors.

The other byproduct of Foye’s injury is that Craig Smith is expected to come off the inactive list. Smith, who has been dealing with back issues, was not active the first two games.

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

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