Kings’ Touch Rips Clippers

Mike Dunleavy had a chance to take the easy way out.

A well-chosen word from the Clipper coach undoubtedly would have brought a second technical foul and sent him on his way, sparing him the displeasure of watching the NBA’s hottest team dismantle his callow club.

But Dunleavy, showing a sense of responsibility if not a slightly masochist bent, bit his lip and stuck around until the final horn sounded Monday in a 125-100 loss to the Sacramento Kings in front of 17,325 at Staples Center.

“My job is ... not to get frustrated and leave,” he said.

Still, the temptation to pull the plug must have been great.

After losing three games last week by a total of five points, each time squandering an opportunity to tie the score or take the lead in their final possession, the Clippers spared themselves the aggravation against the Kings. They got blown out early, the Kings using an 18-2 first-quarter run to take control and send the Clippers to their most lopsided defeat since losing, 95-64, to Minnesota on Jan. 15, 2003.

The NBA’s highest-scoring team made 62.5% of its shots in the first quarter, 58.3% in the second, 58.8% in the third and scored more points in the first 36 minutes, 103, than the Clippers did in the full 48.

“We didn’t come with the intensity, the willpower, the sense of urgency that we needed,” said forward Elton Brand, who led the Clippers with 24 points. “It’s really embarrassing. We just got blown away [and] didn’t bring it at all....

“We weren’t in this [game] after the first quarter.”

Quentin Richardson was back in the lineup, his sprained right hand taped, but the Clipper guard missed 14 of 22 shots en route to 18 points.

“He was just OK,” Dunleavy said of Richardson, who had sat out four of the previous five games. “I’m glad to have him out there ... but he was a little rusty, and his shot selection wasn’t that great.”

The Clippers, their playoff hopes rapidly fading, lost for the third time in a row. They’ve lost six of eight since beating the Lakers on Jan. 4. At 16-22, they’re six games below .500 for the first time this season.

“We did everything wrong,” point guard Marko Jaric said of their latest defeat. “There was no one part of our game that we did good.

“You can only dream to win playing as bad as we did.”

Six players scored in double figures for the Kings, winners of five in a row and nine of 10 and leaders of the Pacific Division with a 29-9 record, the NBA’s best. Their 125 points, 71 first-half points, 56.3% shooting, 49 field goals, 10 three-point baskets and 38 assists all were season highs for a Clipper opponent.

They made 10 of 17 three-point shots, Peja Stojakovic draining five of seven on his way to 31 points. Sixth man Bobby Jackson scored 19 points, making three of five from beyond the arc, and Vlade Divac and Mike Bibby each scored 15.

“I don’t know if we can play better offensively than we did today,” King Coach Rick Adelman said. “You certainly don’t get much better effort than we had in the first half with 23 assists. It was fun to watch a game like that.”

For Adelman, maybe, but not for the Clippers.

“I’m disappointed with the amount of open looks they got,” Dunleavy said. “We were trying at times to switch [but] switch means [you] switch and deny; it doesn’t mean switch and give them an open shot....

“If you let them get easy shots early, they’re going to get on a roll. You let them find the target, they’re going to catch fire.”

And if they catch fire, somebody’s going to get burned.

Monday, it was the Clippers.

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Former UCLA forward and Sacramento native Matt Barnes, signed Sunday to a 10-day contract, played 20 minutes for the Clippers in his NBA debut, scoring four points and taking eight rebounds. “I’m going to dive on the floor, rebound, whatever it takes,” said Barnes, who was cut previously by the Cleveland Cavaliers and Seattle SuperSonics and had played 1 1/2 seasons in the minors.... In the second quarter, after a fan yelled, “Bibby, you’re no good,” the King point guard rubbed his fingers together and answered back, “I make more money than you.”