MAIN MENU

LOS ANGELES – On a night when there was plenty of rewards at stake, the Clippers went out and played one of their worst games this season.

A six-minute scoring drought in the fourth quarter was just one of the glitches as the Clippers fell flat on their face in a 101-87 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, disappointingly taken in by a sellout crowd of 19,060 on Saturday night at Staples Center.

A victory would have given the Clippers a two-game bulge over the Timberwolves in the Western Conference playoff race. A victory would have left the Clippers just a game behind the Denver Nuggets, who hold the seventh seed. And by beating Minnesota, the Clippers would have taken the season series, 2-1, and held the tie-breaker advantage, should the teams finish tied.

Instead, the Clippers created havoc of their own, with a season-high 26 turnovers, which led to 32 Minnesota points. The Clippers' ballhandling, passing and other assorted miscues were so horrid that by halftime they had more turnovers (15) than field goals (14). Their four-game winning streak ended as they again fell under .500 at 21-22.

"It was just unbelievable,'' Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "Our decision-making tonight was off the charts bad. I can't think of what we were trying to do, in some instances, when we turned the basketball over.''

A valiant effort defensively was the only support that kept the Clippers in the game through three quarters. A switch in the second half to a zone defense allowed the Clippers to plug up the lane, which, before that, the Timberwolves were able to penetrate at will. But Minnesota made an adjustment to that strategy by bringing All-Star forward Kevin Garnett out to the high post, to help spread the court and aid in the ball movement.

"I thought the use of the zone got us back in the game,'' Dunleavy said.

Trailing, 72-69, entering the fourth quarter, the Clippers scored the first five points to take their first lead since early in the first quarter. But Shaun Livingston's basket, with 7:21 remaining in the game, was the last field goal the Clippers scored until Shaun Livingston made a basket with 1:18 left. In that stretch, Minnesota outscored the Clippers, 21-6.

Elton Brand led the Clippers with 25 but was scoreless in the fourth quarter.

Appropriately enough, the Clippers committed their last turnover with two seconds left in the game, summarizing a night of missed opportunities.

"That's why to go out and take careless chances with the basketball baffles me,'' Dunleavy said. "You have to play so much smarter than that."

Surgery for Rebraca

The anticipation of the Clippers getting center Zeljko Rebraca back in action is gone. Rebraca was expected to return this month after being out since before training camp because of a pinched nerve in his back. Instead, Rebraca will undergo a microscopic surgical procedure Tuesday on his lower back.

Back specialist Robert Watkins will remove herniated disc fragments that were discovered by team physician Tony Daly during an examination Jan.17. Rebraca might be out for the season.

"It's disappointing. We were hoping to get him back this month,'' Dunleavy said.

Rebraca missed much of last season because of a recurring irregular heartbeat.

"This is so difficult but maybe it's the best decision, because I don't want to be in a lot of pain every few days,'' Rebraca said.

No deal

Clippers owner Donald T. Sterling would like the trade speculation regarding swingman Corey Maggette to end, and he has expressed those views to Dunleavy and to Elgin Baylor, the Clippers' vice president of basketball operations. The NBA trading deadline is Feb.22 and it is unlikely Maggette will be dealt.

However, several NBA insiders have stated that the Clippers would have traded Maggette by now if the right offer had come along.

Dunleavy repeatedly has said that the only reason why the Clippers initially contacted teams was at the behest of Maggette's agent, Rob Pelinka, after Maggette said it might be best for him to play somewhere else where his skills were more appreciated and his minutes more consistent.

"We're not moving him,'' Dunleavy said before Saturday's game. "We explored it ... there's nothing that interests us.''

See more at www.ocregister.com