Clippers hit another low

At last someone their own size.

Well, that was the theory, anyway.

Even before Baron Davis and Marcus Camby were injured in the preseason, the Clippers looked at the seven Western Conference playoff teams they would play to open the season and saw trouble.

Wednesday night’s game wasn’t one of those.

With Sacramento here, on the second night of a back to back, with its star, Kevin Martin, out, the Clippers expected to win this one but they lost it, too, playing lethargically, defending infrequently and falling, 103-98.

Baron Davis, who had just noted there was “definitely a disconnect” between him and Coach Mike Dunleavy, also had a disconnect from Beno Udrih, the King he was supposed to be guarding, who outscored him, 30 points to 12. That was a career high for the Kings’ point guard.

Here’s a fun fact: The Clippers could have had Udrih a year ago, after San Antonio cut him.

The Spurs’ Brent Barry called friends on the Clippers to recommend Udrih, who had only a $300,000 contract. The top brass wasn’t interested and Udrih wound up in Sacramento.

“I’m still learning the system, learning what Coach wants,” said Davis after the game, sounding a more conciliatory tone. “At the same time, I’m trying to be patient with everything. He’s been very patient with me. . . .

“Our team is a work in progress. It’s like a crash course, me trying to learn everything he wants from me as well as from other guys. It’s definitely a challenge, but it’s something I’m willing to grasp.

“This is a different system from where I came from so I have to continue to study to do what he wants me to do out there. . . .

“He [Udrih] had a good game. He got off to a good start, which, usually, I don’t let point guards do. He pretty much had his way with me. . . . It’s one of those games where I just didn’t have it.”

The Kings had their own schedule crunch, opening with four games in the East, losing them all, then winning two games at home before losing to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night.

“We’re trying to be respectable and win as many games at the same time,” Sacramento Coach Reggie Theus said before the game. “That’s a tough job. We have to compete and that’s the main thing.”

Of course, it helps when you have your best player and aren’t on the second night of a back to back against a team that has been off for two days.

“The schedule’s kind of weird,” Theus said. “Every time we come to L.A., it’s on a back to back. And they’ve been off, what, two days?

“But the guys played well last night and they’re young, so hopefully their legs will prevail.”

Their legs certainly prevailed in the first half. The Clippers came out lethargic, the Kings lively in a contrast seen clearly in the point guard matchup in the first quarter:

Beno Udrih 10, Baron Davis 2.

Nothing improved for the Clippers in the second or third periods, by which time the Kings led, 81-69. Sacramento still led, 97-89, with 2 minutes 55 seconds left, but consecutive three-point baskets by Cuttino Mobley and Ricky Davis got the Clippers back in it.

With 1:27 left, Al Thornton hit one of two free throws to cut it to 100-98. Then Udrih -- who else? -- hit a 20-foot shot, effectively ending the game and settling the question of which team is merely struggling and which is flat on its back.

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mark.heisler@latimes.com