Gentry Hungers for Better Shooting

With his wife out of town because of a family emergency, Coach Alvin Gentry sent his two young sons to their nanny’s home for Thanksgiving dinner and hunkered down at Staples Center, trying to make sense of the team’s struggles.

“I haven’t eaten all day,� he said. “It’s a lot easier to eat when you’re 10-5 [as the New Jersey Nets were before Thursday’s game against the Clippers] than when you’re 5-10 [the Clippers’ record].�

After watching miles of videotape and crunching numbers, Gentry came up with an obvious solution.

The Clippers must play better and put the ball in the basket more often in the fourth quarter if they hope to escape from the slump that’s threatened their playoff hopes.

The Clippers had a lead in the fourth quarter in 12 of their first 15 games but faded down the stretch because of careless play with the ball and a failure to shoot well enough to win.

“The bottom line is we’ve got to make plays,� Gentry said. “We’ve got to make free throws. We’ve gotten great looks at the basket. We’ve just got to step up. We’ve got to get the ball in the basket at the end of games.�

They were much improved Thursday against the Nets, making 10 of 18 shots in the fourth quarter and scoring 34 points.

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Ralph Lawler called his 1,800th game as the voice of the Clippers. Lawler, in his 24th season with the team, has broadcast 1,391 consecutive games.

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TONIGHT

at Sacramento, 7, Ch. 5

Site -- Arco Arena.

Radio -- KXTA (1150).

Records -- Clippers 6-10, Kings 12-5.

Record vs. Kings -- 0-1.

Update -- The Pacific Division-leading Kings will be without Mike Bibby (foot), Peja Stojakovic (heel) and Hedo Turkoglu (wrist).