Shorthanded Clippers Drop Eighth Straight

By BRETT POLLAKOFF

Updated 4:50 AM PST, Wed, Jan 7, 2009

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The Clippers could have packed this one in once they fell behind by 18 late in the second quarter, and no one would have blamed them. The team came into the game against Dallas more shorthanded than usual, after yesterday's transactions left them with an open roster spot, and while still playing without many of their star players. But the Clips fought all the way back to lead late in the game, only to see it fade in the last 35 seconds, which left them with a 107-102 loss when it was all said and done.

For the second straight game, Eric Gordon was sensational, and posted a career high in scoring. His 32 against Dallas came a game after he scored 31 against the Pistons, but both times the Clippers couldn't hold it together down the stretch. In Dallas, L.A. had a 101-96 lead with just over two and a half minutes remaining, but got outscored 11-1 by the Mavericks to finish the game.

The key sequence came with under a minute to play, when Dirk Nowitzki blocked an Eric Gordon drive, then hit a 10-foot jumper on the other end to give Dallas the lead for good. Nowitzki finished with a game high 34 points.

For the Clippers, Al Thornton was second on the team in scoring with 25 points, but it took him 24 shots to get there. Newly acquired Cheikh Samb made his debut, but played just three minutes and had nothing but zeroes in the box score in every single statistical category to show for it.

Once again, it was a very valiant effort by a severely undermanned Clippers squad. Moral victories don't count in the standings, but it's the only kind the Clippers seem to be able to get these days.