Clippers say good riddance

The Clippers can now firmly slam, lock away and claim amnesia for much of the previous 365 days.

It was not a kind year and they will look to put it past them, starting early with a 91-82 New Year’s Eve victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, a Midwest tonic that has soothed many an ailing team.

The Clippers ended a six-game losing streak and a seven-game skid at Staples Center, but needed a 15-0 run at the onset of the fourth quarter to topple the Timberwolves, who have only one road win this season.

Still, Chris Kaman said the struggles in the first three quarters, where the Clippers trailed by 11 points entering the fourth, were frustrating.

“It felt good,” said Kaman, who had 16 points and 16 rebounds for 24th double-double of the season. “But it was like the two worst teams in the league playing each other. Nothing against them, but we had nine wins and they had four. There’s not really a whole lot of wins there.

“They weren’t that good, so we were able to beat them. And we aren’t that good either. It’s just disappointing. Even though you have a win and some guys have a decent game, it’s frustrating. We’ve got a good team, a good group of guys, but we don’t play the way we are capable of playing.”

A rundown of 2007’s put-downs:

Feb. 26: Shaun Livingston, point guard of the future, suffers a knee injury that leaves his future in doubt.

April 18: The Clippers lose the season finale to the New Orleans Hornets, but their playoff fate is sealed earlier in the day when the Golden State Warriors beat the Portland Trail Blazers for the Western Conference’s final playoff spot.

Aug. 3: Forward Elton Brand ruptures an Achilles’ tendon.

Dec. 21: Reserve forward Paul Davis suffers a season-ending torn knee ligament. The next day, Tim Thomas is injured, meaning Brand’s backup and backup’s backup are sidelined.

Said Coach Mike Dunleavy: “2007 was not a good year for us from the standpoint of all the injuries that we’ve had and we certainly would like that to change, there is no question about that.”

The Clippers (10-19), who missed their 14 three-point tries, showed a gut check Monday with their late run against the Timberwolves (4-26).

The defense clamped down with Brevin Knight and Kaman leading the effort. The Clippers made eight of their 13 fourth-quarter shots and 16 free throws, and the Timberwolves made only four of their 22 shots from the field.

“It’s a good way to get rid of the year,” Dunleavy said. “Bring in the new one . . . a healthy new year.”

Cuttino Mobley had 18 points and Corey Maggette had 17, despite tweaking his right ankle.

“It’s good to get a win,” Maggette said. “The best thing was, we did this as a team. We just didn’t rely on one aspect of our game.”

Minnesota probably looked to see whether former teammate Kevin Garnett stuck around after the Boston Celtics beat the Lakers on Sunday.

Since trading Garnett in the off-season, the Timberwolves have been stuck at the bottom of the NBA’s rung.

Still, they took advantage of the Clippers’ depleted frontline early with Al Jefferson (23 points, 15 rebounds) and Ryan Gomes (17 points, 15 rebounds) finishing with double-doubles.

Coach Randy Wittman said his team committed a “calamity of errors.”

“We had no direction, no leadership,” he said. “We have mismatches on the inside that we do not even recognize.”

The Clippers recognized them as the antidote they needed heading into the new year.

“Just because January 1st is [today], I’m not sure that’s going to make it end,” Dunleavy cautioned. “But I hope that’s the case. I hope everything has run its course.”

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