Late Breakdowns Take an Early Toll

The Clippers are winless after two games, and fourth-quarter breakdowns have contributed to their problems.

They started quickly against the Phoenix Suns on Friday and the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday at the Sports Arena, racing to double-digit first-quarter leads. But the Clippers were unable to maintain their high energy level or their level of execution on offense.

The Clippers shot 33.3% in the fourth quarter against the Suns, missing 14 of 21 field-goal attempts. They lost, 110-100.

They failed to get a field goal in the final 8:30 against the Trail Blazers, losing, 82-74. The Clippers scored 16 points in the final quarter, only six more than Portland point guard Kenny Anderson.

“The thing that’s painful about it is that we’ve been so close,” forward Loy Vaught said. “We just have to do it for the whole game.”

True, the Clippers opened the season with games on consecutive days, including the first on the road. And Coach Bill Fitch’s training camps aren’t vacations.

But fatigue can’t be used as an excuse at this point, can it?

“We should not be tired,” Fitch said. “We will be doing this for the next 80 games.”

*

The Clippers may have gambled by renouncing the rights to Malik Sealy, last season’s starter at shooting guard.

But their decision to start Brent Barry is paying off big so far. The third-year guard leads the team in scoring, averaging 19 points. Barry is shooting 43% from the field, and he’s averaging seven rebounds.

Don’t pencil Barry’s name in for the All-Star game quite yet, but he’s off to a nice start.

“Brent is a little more aggressive this season,” Portland forward Brian Grant said. “He is taking the ball to the hole more, and he’s extremely athletic.”

*

The Clippers took Sunday off. They are scheduled to resume practice today and will play the Houston Rockets on Wednesday at the Sports Arena.