CLIPPERS CLOMP PAST WARRIORS : CLIPPERS 82 GOLDEN STATE 78.

Byline: Gary Washburn Daily News Staff Writer

The Clippers barely lost this battle of ineptitude and found out they're not the worst team in the Western Conference.

An early 21-point lead, thanks to 17 points by Brent Barry and a 61-percent shooting first quarter, was only a teaser. This game was a perfect example of why the Clippers can't put an opponent away and have won just five games.

If it wasn't the Golden State Warriors, the Clippers would have lost again. Instead, they won 82-78 on a putrid effort in front of 11,380 at the Anaheim Arena.

The Clippers were simply pathetic after taking a 33-13 first quarter lead. After that, they scored just 49 points, making 16 of 56 shots (28 percent). Only a missed putback by Golden State's Joe Smith with 18 seconds left prevented the listless Warriors from tying the game.

The Clippers survived behind 23 points by Barry (remember he had 17 in the first quarter) and a career-high 17 rebounds by Lorenzen Wright. But this can't be encouraging for a team facing a four-game road swing starting Saturday, a team which had hoped to move on to Minnesota with a dominant victory.

The Clippers owned a 77-70 lead with three minutes left before two Smith jumpers made it interesting. The Clippers never trailed but had that 21-point lead trimmed to under five several times.

Desperation was the theme. The Clippers realized a team on their level is finally on the schedule and a win was mandatory if they are to even approach 10 wins before February.

The Clippers are coming off a stretch of games with Seattle (twice), Atlanta, San Antonio (twice), New Jersey and Utah, all expected to make the playoffs. Their luck with scheduling has been bad. They embark on a four-game roadtrip starting Saturday to Minnesota, Boston, Chicago and the Lakers.

``We need a win as badly as possible,'' guard Eric Piatkowski said before the game. ``We're desperate and we have to win this game. This is a team we think we can beat. We're at home, we play well here and we need it.''

It's been a frustrating stretch for the Clippers. They had lost four straight before Thursday's game and fallen to the bottom of the Pacific Division.

It didn't help that the Warriors, who were supposed to be pathetic without Latrell Sprewell, have won four of six and become somewhat respectable. Golden State had even won four straight at home, something the Clippers could only dream about with a 3-10 record at the Sports Arena and Anaheim.

Fitch was concerned about the Warriors, especially since his club has been explosive lately - in the wrong sense. First, it was Keith Closs' criticism of Fitch on Sunday in Seattle, then Maurice Taylor's ejection after jawing with Vin Baker on Tuesday. And finally, there was the argument between Barry and Pooh Richardson at Wednesday's practice.

As Barry scored 17 points in the first quarter, including several transition baskets, other Clippers shot well, too, making 14 of 21 shots - a season high for one quarter -and the home team jumped out to a 33-13 lead.

But being the Clippers, they responded with an 10-point second quarter, allowing Golden State to make a 24-7 run to climb to within 43-39 at halftime. The Warriors rallied without forward Donyell Marshall, who left in the first quarter after falling on his back under the basket.

The Clippers made 4 of 20 shots in the second quarter and watched any chance of an easy blowout, something they haven't had this season, evaporate.

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