CLIPPERS SINK IN `OCEAN' SUNS SHINE BRIGHT IN WIN VS. CLIPS PHOENIX 108, CLIPPERS 91.

Byline: Joe Stevens Staff Writer

A tidal wave of basketball prowess rolled into Staples Center on Saturday night. And the Clippers found themselves all wet.

The Phoenix Suns stayed hot, won their 16th of 17 games and gave the Clippers a 108-91 loss in front of 17,664.

``That team is like the ocean,'' Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. ``It's rolling in. It's going to keep rolling in. It can go back, but it's rolling. My point is that this is a team that comes in waves at you. You have to control yourself and have patience at the offensive end of the floor and not fall into the trap of playing too fast of a tempo game against them.''

It wasn't as if the Clippers lost because of falling into that trap, although they did fall into that trap. Instead, they simply ran into to a team whose shooting was scorching.

The Suns built a 19-point lead in the first quarter, a 23-point lead by halftime and showed why they have the NBA's best record at 29-4.

Steve Nash consistently found open shooters, who repeatedly made their shots. The Suns shot 46.2 percent (12 of 26) from 3-point range. Nash finished with 10 assists and 10 points.

Joe Johnson had 23 points, six assists and five rebounds, and Shawn Marion had 22 points and 11 rebounds. Although it was not official, it was pretty much over at halftime when Phoenix held a 69-46 lead. The Suns shot 58.8 percent (10 of 17) from 3-point range in the first half, and former Clippers guard Quentin Richardson was 4 of 5 from 3-point range in the half. He finished with 19 points.

Nash had nine assists in the first half. Every Suns starter, other than Nash, scored 10 or more points in the half.

``I think they're the most complete team we've faced,'' said the Clippers' Bobby Simmons, who scored a game-high 22 points and had 11 rebounds. ``Any team can get hot and make shots, but I just think they're as complete of a team as there is right now.''

With the Suns so hot, what could the Clippers do?

The best they could do in the second half was to trail by 14 points with 4:10 left in the fourth quarter.

``We just didn't shoot the ball well,'' the Clippers' Corey Maggette said. ``We didn't play particularly bad, and I think we still have some momentum.''

The big problem, as it frequently is for the Clippers, was turnovers. They finished with 16 that Phoenix turned into 18 points. Eleven of those turnovers came in the first half. The Clippers tried matching the Suns' small, speedy lineup, starting guard Quinton Ross in place of center Chris Kaman. But that move was hardly significant against Phoenix.

If the Clippers have any wish, it could be that Saturday night's blowout loss is not a sign of things to come as their schedule turns into what Dunleavy terms a ``monster.'' Their next six games come against Seattle twice, Miami, Sacramento twice and San Antonio.

Joe Stevens, [phone]

joe.stevens(at)presstelegram.com

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Photo:

The Clippers' Corey Maggette tries to shoot over Suns defenders while falling Saturday at Staples Center. He finished with 15 points.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

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