CLIPPERS ARE IN THE BOOKS --- 0-17 START : LAKERS 94, CLIPPERS 75.Byline: Randy Hill On the same day the Lakers made a blockbuster trade, the Clippers made little more than bitter history. By bowing 94-75 Wednesday night in front of 17,505 at the Forum, the Bad Dream Team tied the 1988 Miami Heat's NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= record for consecutive losses (17) to open a season . . . locked out or otherwise. The Clippers will go for sole possession of this uncoveted space on record-book row tonight when the Sacramento Kings visit the Sports Arena. ``This one feels as bad as it did last night,'' said Clippers forward Maurice Taylor Maurice De Shawn Taylor (born October 30, 1976 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American professional basketball player at the power forward position. He was most recently with the NBA's Sacramento Kings, released on January 23, 2007. , who was referring to Tuesday's loss to the Lakers but could have been describing the aftermaths of defeat No. 15 or No. 14 and so on. ``In the fourth quarter, we played as bad as we can play.'' Given their history, that should cause a tremor. The Lakers, riding a 29-16 fourth quarter to their ninth straight victory since that teeth-gnashing 0-for-3 road trip, were a few hours removed from mailing popular guard Eddie Jones and misunderstood backup center Elden Campbell Elden Jerome Campbell (born July 23, 1968 in Los Angeles, California) is an American former professional basketball player who played center in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Campbell played college basketball at Clemson University. to Charlotte, N.C. ``It's been an interesting team to watch from that standpoint (changes),'' Lakers forward Rick Fox said. `` `As The Lakers Turn, ' I guess. It's like a soap opera soap opera Broadcast serial drama, characterized by a permanent cast of actors, a continuing story, tangled interpersonal situations, and a melodramatic or sentimental style. . Let's hope for a happy ending.'' Yeah, let's. Wednesday's opening was hideous. The Lakers coughed up the ball 16 times in the opening half, allowing the Clippers - whose tired rope-a-dope strategy threatened to work for the first time since last April - to achieve a lead of nine points in the first quarter, and an unsettling un·set·tle v. un·set·tled, un·set·tling, un·set·tles v.tr. 1. To displace from a settled condition; disrupt. 2. To make uneasy; disturb. v.intr. margin of 11 in the second. ``Last night was ugly,'' Lakers point guard Derek Fisher Derek Lamar Fisher (born August 9 1974 in Little Rock, Arkansas) is an American professional basketball player with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was with the Utah Jazz but asked to be released from his contract to care for his 10-month-old daughter, who has cancer. said. ``Tonight was ugly.'' Each Kodak moment from the Clippers provoked a chant of ``Eddie! Eddie!'' from sarcastic fans, but rookie Lakers coach Kurt Rambis Darrell Kurt Rambis (born February 25, 1958 in Cupertino, California) is an American former professional basketball player and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. demonstrated timely courtside court·side n. The area immediately bordering the official court of play, as in tennis or basketball. savvy, countering the first chorus by sending fan darling Dennis Rodman into the lineup. The Clippers, who trailed 35-34 at intermission, were unseasonably cold (even by their standards), nailing an icy 22.9 percent of their field-goal attempts in the first half. The Lakers shot a blistering 29 percent - 17 percent when Shaquille O'Neal's sizzling siz·zle intr.v. siz·zled, siz·zling, siz·zles 1. To make the hissing sound characteristic of frying fat. 2. To seethe with anger or indignation. 3. 6-of-13 effort is subtracted. O'Neal bullied the Clippers' three-headed center - Lorenzen Wright Lorenzen Vern-Gagne Wright (born November 4 1975) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. After being selected seventh overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1996 NBA Draft out of the University of Memphis, the 6'11" (2. , Michael Olowokandi Michael Olowokandi (born April 3 1975 in Lagos, Nigeria), nicknamed The Kandi Man is a Nigerian professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He currently is a free agent. and Keith Closs Keith Mitchell Closs (born April 3, 1976 in Hartford, Connecticut) is an American professional basketball player. The 7-foot 3-inch player from Central Connecticut State University played three seasons as a backup center for the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles - into an evenly distributed nine first-half fouls. He also kept the game close by missing five of the resulting nine free-throw attempts. O'Neal finished the game with 31 points and 13 rebounds. Fox had 15 points off the bench, and rookie Ruben Patterson Ruben Nathaniel Patterson (born July 31, 1975 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American professional basketball player in the NBA. He has signed with the Los Angeles Clippers after playing the final year of a six-year contract with the Milwaukee Bucks. hopped off the injured list for nine. Kobe Bryant managed two early turnovers, three quick fouls and was scoreless in a six-minute, first-half cameo. He scored nine points in the second half. Rodman, who provided six rebounds in the first half, added some theater for the histrionically starved Forum crowd at 7:35 of the third quarter. While sitting on the floor in front of the Lakers bench, he was assessed his second technical foul - and an ejection - by referee Joe Crawford. As he was cheered to the escape tunnel, Rodman peeled off his jersey, then lobbed it into the crowd. ``I'm not particularly happy about him getting ejected,'' Rambis said of the forward's bad timing. ``But I know Dennis didn't want to get the second one (technical).'' Meanwhile, the Clippers - for two nights in a row - refused to throw in the towel before having a chance to cry into it. Forward Lamond Murray (a team-high 21 points), who's been in a colossal slump, started burying 3-pointers. His bomb from the right wing put the visitors up 52-47 with 6:12 left in the third. The Lakers countered when Robert Horry's lob for O'Neal went through the hoop for an excuse-me 3-pointer. The Clippers, who have been doing just enough to lose, took it from there. Also: The Clippers, who almost brought Glen Rice to L.A. in a deal for Danny Manning a few years ago, didn't make any trades Wednesday. They did bring Michael Olowokandi (ankle) and Pooh Richardson (ankle) off the injured list, replacing them with point guard Sherman Douglas (groin) and rookie forward Brian Skinner (knee). RUN AT FUTILITY The Clippers' loss Wednesday ties them for the NBA record for most losses to start a season. They can eclipse the mark with a loss at home today against Sacramento. 17: 1988 Miami Heat 17: 1999 Clippers 16: 1994 Clippers CAPTION(S): Photo, Chart PHOTO (Color) The Clippers' Maurice Taylor can't watch as his team ties an NBA record by losing to the Lakers. Tom Mendoza/Daily News CHART: RUN AT FUTILITY (see text) Daily News |
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