Goal Now Is to Affect the Playoffs

The dog days of the NBA season for teams out of the postseason race aren’t always as bad as they seem.

For a team like the Clippers, who have 17 games remaining and trail eighth-place Denver by eight games in the Western Conference playoff race, they’re approaching every game as a chance to improve.

“This time of the season isn’t really tough,” said shooting guard Quentin Richardson, who is averaging a career-high 17.4 points a game. “I enjoy playing the game of basketball and competing.

“Although we may not be in the [playoff picture], this is a chance for us to knock off teams heading to the playoffs. Knock them down a few spots and cost them position in the playoffs.”

One of those teams bound for the playoffs is the Dallas Mavericks, tonight’s opponent at Staples Center. The Mavericks are in a tight battle with Houston, Memphis and the Lakers, and they still have a chance of gaining home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

“That’s what you want to do: Go out and have fun and beat a team that’s going to the playoffs,” Richardson said.

“We’ve improved over the course of the season. We’ve been in almost every game competing and playing hard.... We want to finish strong and win as many games as we can.”

Richardson, who is shooting 35.7% from three-point range, has extra incentive to play well tonight. In three previous games against the Mavericks this season, he has struggled to find his touch. He has made only 30.7% of his shots from the field, substantially lower than his 40.5% for the season.

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Compared to last season, the Clippers’ attendance for home games is down 7%, with an average of 15,696. After 32 home games last season, the Clippers averaged 16,951.

One reason for the decline has been the Clippers’ brutal schedule, which has included 18 of their last 25 games away from Staples Center. Richardson is hoping that playing at Staples Center for 10 of the team’s final 17 games will give the Clippers, who are 18-14 at home, a boost.

“It’s always good to play in front of your home fans, and our crowds have been really supportive,” he said. “Ever since I’ve been here, our fan base has been pretty strong.”

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The Clippers did not practice Saturday after arriving in Los Angeles at 2 a.m. after Friday night’s loss at Memphis.

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With four more losses, the Clippers will reach their 11th consecutive losing season, four short of the NBA record set by Kansas City/Sacramento from 1984 to ’98.

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TONIGHT

vs. Dallas, 7:30

Fox Sports Net 2

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- XTRA (690/1150).

Records -- Clippers 26-39, Mavericks 40-24.

Record vs. Mavericks -- 1-2.

Update -- The Clippers have lost three games in a row and are a season-high 13 games below .500. The Clippers won the first two games of the series, including a 10-point victory at Dallas on Dec. 20. But the Mavericks pounded the Clippers last month, 116-91, with Antoine Walker scoring 21 points and Michael Finley adding 20.