CLIPPERS LOOKING TWO GOOD EASY VICTORY OVER ATLANTA GIVES THEM A 2-0 START FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1990-91.

Byline: Joe Stevens Staff Writer

The Clippers' players, coaches and front-office staff have implored writers not to group this season's squad with the ones of the past that have had only one winning season in the 24 years that Donald T. Sterling has owned the franchise.

Granted, it is mighty early in the NBA season, but the Clippers provided another sign that this team could be different than the past losers: They started the season 2-0 for the first time since the 1990-91 season.

The Clippers blasted the Atlanta Hawks with a 92-77 home-opening victory in front of 16,813 Friday night at Staples Center.

The Clippers had the victory so much in hand that every starter, except for Quinton Ross, didn't play in the fourth quarter, while Atlanta stayed with most of its starting crew. Cuttino Mobley was one of those starters who sat in the final period, and he finished with a game-high 19 points.

Not only have the Clippers gone 15 years without starting 2-0, but this is just the third time in Clipper history that they won their first two games.

The Clippers looked stronger than the rebuilding Hawks at practically every position. Atlanta signed former Phoenix Suns guard Joe Johnson to a five-year, $70 million deal, and he finished with 10 points and seven assists. Rookie Salim Stoudamire led Atlanta with 15 points, and that was far from enough to keep Atlanta in the game.

Leading by 13 in the first quarter and having a 56-40 advantage at halftime, the Clippers eased into their home schedule with excellent contributions from their reserves, too. Chris Wilcox had 14 points on 7 of 8 shooting and six rebounds, and rookie James Singleton constantly out-worked Hawks to finish with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Hardly any areas stuck out as problems for the Clippers, who outrebounded the Hawks and were much more efficient on offense. The Clippers shot 44.2 percent, while Atlanta shot just 34.8.

By the third quarter, the Clippers led by as many as 25, after Elton Brand made a free throw to take a 74-49 lead. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Clippers led 76-51.

With Minnesota at Staples Center tonight, the lead was what the Clippers needed to rest veteran point guard Sam Cassell with Brand, Chris Kaman and Mobley.

All of it looked fantastic, but according to coach Mike Dunleavy, the Clippers haven't really accomplished that much. Winning a home opener is nice and all, but he wants the team to improve on its 27-14 home record from last season.

``Twenty-seven wins is a nice number, but the elite teams in the league, they go for 30,'' Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. ``And that's what I'd like for our guys to shoot for. You have to set high goals in order to reach high goals, and we'd like to get 30 here at home.''

In addition to playing well at home, Dunleavy also preaches the importance of defense, and the Clippers started their home schedule playing superb defense. They held Atlanta to 2 of 17 shooting (11.7 percent) to start the game and to 4 of 22 shooting (18.2 percent) in the first quarter.

--Notes: Corey Maggette (strained left hamstring) and Walter McCarty (cut right thumb) remained inactive for Friday's game and are questionable for tonight's game. The Hawks were without Al Harrington, who was out with a sprained left ankle.

Joe Stevens, [phone]

joe.stevens(at)presstelegram.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, 2 boxes

Photo:

(color) The Clippers' Elton Brand scores past Atlanta's Esteban Batista.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) UPDATES

- Joe Stevens

(2) CLIPPERS vs. MINNESOTA