Martin Shows a Hotter Hand

Guard Darrick Martin, who had missed 16 of 19 shots in his previous two games, broke out of his slump in Thursday’s three-point victory at New Jersey.

Martin made six of 10 shots and scored a season-best 20 points as the Clippers defeated the Nets, 119-116.

“I knew [the slump] wouldn’t last,” Martin said. “It was just a passing thing.”

Martin got off to a good start, making four of his first five shots, two of them three-pointers, and scoring 11 points in the first quarter. He even had a rare four-point play when he was fouled by Kendall Gill after making a three-point shot in the first quarter.

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Forward Lorenzen Wright has missed seven of the last eight games because of knee and ankle injuries, and he says he’s frustrated.

“It’s real hard sitting on the bench watching,” Wright said. “I fidget and start talking to people, trying to keep my mind off the game because I want to play so badly.”

TONIGHT

at Washington

* 4 p.m. PST

* Fox Sports

West 2

Site--MCI Center.

Radio--KEZY (95.9 FM), Lite (92.7 FM).

Records--Clippers 10-29, Wizards 20-20.

Record vs. Wizards (1996-97)--0-2.

Update--Forward Lamond Murray has averaged 19.4 points and 8.4 rebounds in his last five games. The Clippers have lost 14 of 15 games against Eastern Conference teams this season. Guard James Robinson has averaged 9.5 points, 3.5 assists and 17.5 minutes in the last two games after not playing in five of the previous six games.