CLIPPERS NOTEBOOK : HAPPY TO BE HOME, CLIPPERS EYE PLAYOFFS.Byline: Gary Washburn Daily News Staff Writer Compared to the journey just completed, driving to Carson for a short Monday practice was like going to Disneyland for the Clippers. After a seven-game road trip ended with three consecutive wins, the Clippers returned to Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. for the first time in two weeks. The Clippers (34-41) are back in much better position to clinch their first playoff spot in four years and continue the quest tonight at home against Houston (51-24). The Clippers left for the road 2-1/2 games ahead of Sacramento; they return four games up with a magic number of three to clinch a postseason berth. Coach Bill Fitch's goal was to ``keep our heads above water.'' The team not only did that but picked up 1-1/2 games when it appeared an 0-7 trip was not out of the question. ``The goal is still the same,'' Fitch said. ``We've put ourselves in a position to do it, but by no means are we there. We've got a tougher schedule than the (Kings).'' Sacramento (30-45) saved itself from near elimination with a victory over Seattle at home on Sunday, snapping a seven-game losing streak. The Kings have two more games with winning teams - at Lakers, vs. Utah - while the Clippers have four, including two matchups with Houston and one at Seattle. The first step is tonight against Houston, and the Clippers are just glad to remain alive after one of the longest road trips in team history. ``We just have to keep winning,'' guard Malik Sealy Malik Sealy (February 1, 1970 – May 20, 2000) was an American professional basketball player from 1992 until his death in an automobile accident. Sealy played eight seasons in the NBA for the Indiana Pacers, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Detroit Pistons, and the Minnesota said. ``With what we've been through, one of the longest trips in NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= history, I don't think we can go through anything tougher. So we're ready for anything.'' The Clippers are two games behind In sports, the phrase games behind, often abbreviated as GB in tables, is a common way to reflect the gap between a leading team and another team in a sports league, conference, or division. Phoenix with seven to play and would love to avoid a first-round playoff matchup with streaking Utah. The Suns face Minnesota, the Lakers and Utah in the next nine days, meaning the Clippers have an opportunity to make it interesting. ``Right now, we have the opportunity to close it out and hold our own destiny,'' said forward Loy Vaught Loy Stephen Vaught (born February 27, 1968 in Grand Rapids, Michigan) is a retired American basketball player who spent ten seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Los Angeles Clippers. , the only remaining active Clipper clipper, type of sailing ship, designed for speed. Long and narrow, the clipper had the greatest beam aft of the center; the bow cleaved the waves; and the ship carried, besides topgallant and royal sails, skysails and moonrakers—a veritable cloud of sails. to play in a playoff game Noun 1. playoff game - one game in the series of games constituting a playoff game - a single play of a sport or other contest; "the game lasted two hours" playoff - any final competition to determine a championship for L.A. ``We can't relax. We have to have the same attitude as we did when we left for the road. It's not over by a long shot.'' CLIPPERS vs. HOUSTON Tipoff: 7:30 p.m., Sports Arena TV/Radio: Fox Sports West 2; KGIL-AM (540, 1260). Clippers (34-41) update: In their first home game in two weeks, the Clippers don't want to lose the momentum of three straight road wins, but Houston is a tough team to open a three-game homestand against. L.A.'s magic number for clinching a playoff spot is three, but the Clippers have a much tougher schedule than Sacramento. The last time the Clippers faced Houston, Matt Bullard Matthew Gordon Bullard (born June 5, 1967 in West Des Moines, Iowa) is a retired American basketball player in the NBA, who went undrafted after graduating from University of Iowa in 1990. He went to Valley High School in West Des Moines in Iowa. burned them down the stretch with three 3-pointers. Rockets (51-24) update: Houston, looking to get the No. 3 playoff spot, is in the midst Adv. 1. in the midst - the middle or central part or point; "in the midst of the forest"; "could he walk out in the midst of his piece?" midmost of a three-team battle with the Lakers and Sonics. Since it will finish behind Utah in the Midwest, Houston cannot get the second seed. CAPTION(S): Box Box: CLIPPERS vs. HOUSTON (see text) |
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