Long Losing Streaks Are Norm

Going on streaks is something the Clippers have mastered this season. Unfortunately, they’ve been going on losing streaks.

And the bad thing is that they haven’t been the small variety of three or four. The Clippers have had three double-digit streaks and another of nine, and if they lose to Phoenix Tuesday, they will match their longest drought of the season at 13 games.

“I’ve never been on a team with a losing streak like this before,” said point guard Jeff McInnis, the former North Carolina player who joined the Clippers last month after spending most of the season in the Continental Basketball Assn.

The Clippers tied an NBA record by losing 17 consecutive games to open the season a year ago but still fell short of their all-time franchise losing streak of 19, done twice.

But this season’s team seems to have too much talent to be the worst team (14-62) in a parity-filled NBA.

“We have talent on this team and it seems almost every game we are in it and then something happens. . . . a missed free throw here, a bad shot there and we have a bad quarter and that kills us,” said McInnis, who has been with the Clippers for 18 games. “We are working hard, trying hard and I think that’s pretty much all you can ask for I guess.”