Yes, well, that was pretty depressing. An absolute must win game and, despite a monster evening from Elton, the Clippers managed to fritter it away, in overtime, no less. Three straight losses after that feel good win over the Lakers at Staples, the pinnacle of what seemed at the moment such a dramatic turnaround. And now we’re in the shit again. Do other teams jockeying with the clips for playoff position just want it more? Are our guys just playing sloppy, or soft? The fire seems to be there, but the execution, the execution, especially in the crunch, seems to be lacking. An extra turnover here, a botched defensive assignment or missed box out there, and games are won and/or lost.

And here we are, full, or at least, semi, circle. Back at home, this time for a “road” game against our down the hall nemeses once again. But that’s a different story. I guess it’s my job to still look back on this putrid mess of what occurred at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City. Another TERRIBLE third quarter. The clips came out of the half up 12, and then got outplayed to the tune of 29-14 in the squad’s least favorite period. The 4th was better, and even displayed a late Clipper rally to come back from 4 down with just a minute and a half left, led by Elton, who scored twice in the last 10 seconds including the tying shot with a second left, to put the game into overtime. Only problem with overtime was that Charlotte, er, New Orleans, er, Oklahoma City jumped out to a 7-0 lead about as quick as you could say Burt Baccaract, and thus was the cause’s uproar shut down for yet another night of dire pontification and acceptance that our fair clippers must submit to the whims of fate AND win out, and still might not make the postseason, for the dubious honor of getting bushwhacked by what may be the best team in the league in the Dallas Mavericks.

Not exactly cause for celebration any way you look at it. A win in this game still gave us a shot at the 7 seed and Phoenix, and maybe that’s still a possibility, but a dimmer one. We’ll see. Maybe the Clips will sweep the next 5 & things will shake out where they need to and Gloomy Gusses like myself will be happily wrong. Time (not much of it, though) will tell.

Your humble correspondent, keith el otro, signing off.

btw, I posted this at clipsnation as well; read it & weep; gratzi...