CLIPPERS NOTEBOOK : ENERGIZED IN ANAHEIM.

Byline: Gary Washburn Daily News Staff Writer

The Clippers' success in Anaheim during the regular season is right now just that - the regular season.

Clippers officials said bringing a possible playoff game to Anaheim in April has not been discussed. The Clippers are eighth place in the Western Conference and if the season ended today would play Utah in a five-game series, with at least one game at home.

The Clippers are 3-1 at the Anaheim Arena and host Orlando tonight in the fifth of their six-game schedule in Orange County. With victories over the Lakers, Suns and Sonics, the Anaheim Arena has becomequite a home-court advantage.

``I like playing there,'' Clippers coach Bill Fitch said. ``The fans really come out to see us. We can feel the energy.''

However, Tuesday night the Sports Arena provided a rare rambunctious environment with an announced crowd of 10,893 for the Houston Rockets. It was the first time all season more than 10,000 watched the Clippers in a game that didn't involve Michael Jordan.

Though the Sports Arena crowds can't compare with those at Anaheim, it appears that L.A. fans are sensing the Clippers aren't those losers from yesteryear.

``You can feel when they're behind you,'' NBA Player of the Week Loy Vaught said. ``We know some of them are here to see (opponents') players, but we sense the atmosphere.''

Beating the clock: The Clippers' decision to exercise their option on Darrick Martin for next season was a smart one.

Martin is making $347,000 this season, and had the Clippers decided to not exercise his contract he would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer. Martin, averaging 11.2 points and 14 points as a starter, could have demanded three or four times his salary as a free agent.

Martin will get an undisclosed raise next season and said he's grateful for the chance to play in Los Angeles.

``Three years ago I was in the CBA, so this is a blessing,'' Martin said. ``I feel like I have the best job in the world, starting for an NBA team in my hometown.''

Uh-oh: The Sacramento Kings, who are fighting with the Clippers for a shot at the postseason, put Kevin Salvadori on the injured list. No big deal until you realize it was to make room for Brian Grant, who was activated on Wednesday. The forward has played in just five games this season and sat out the last four months with a torn rotator cuff. That gives Sacramento an All-Star caliber player in the post and boosts its chances of gaining a Western Conference playoff berth.

The Kings are one game ahead of the Clippers. Meanwhile, of the three teams vying for two spots, Phoenix has the advantage in schedule over the Clippers and Kings. The Suns have already completed their East Coast road games while the Clippers have seven left and the Kings have three.