CLIPPERS NOTEBOOK : NEXT STRETCH OF GAMES LOOKS OMINOUS.

Byline: Gary Washburn Daily News Staff Writer

Now comes the hard part.

After toiling through the first 12 games on the schedule, including Saturday's tough 98-96 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Clippers will really find out their fate with the next several weeks.

First come games with Chicago, Miami and Utah. After New Jersey, Charlotte and a three-game trip to Chicago, New York and Cleveland are next.

``I told you guys to look at that part months ago,'' Clippers coach Bill Fitch said. ``I'm glad you noticed that stretch. You haven't seen anything yet.''

Fitch is unhappy with the schedule, especially the strange road trips. The Clippers kick off the new year with a trip to Houston, San Antonio, Washington, Toronto and Minnesota. Usually teams make either all Eastern Conference or Western Conference road trips.

The club then makes a seven-game East Coast trip in late March and early April, when most teams have already finished their trans-continental traveling.

``It's ridiculous,'' Fitch said. ``The places they send us, when they send us, I have never seen before.''

Bench breaks again: Make Saturday's loss the second game in a row in which the bench has failed to provide shooting support.

Besides Stanley Roberts, who plays starter minutes, the bench shot 10 of 27 against Minnesota, helping the club to another sub-50 percent shooting night (45.3). Lamond Murray and Terry Dehere, who have been dependable shooters lately, combined for 2 of 15 from the field. Dehere missed a wide-open 3-pointer late in the game that would have given the Clippers the lead.

``I probably hurried it,'' Dehere said. ``If I had to do it all over again, I'd take it again and it would be a different outcome.''

Dehere has struggled with his 3-point shot so far this season, missing 15 of 20.