Having ventured out of Staples Center just once so far this year,

the Clippers are 1-9. Thank goodness for the transplanted Seattle

SuperSonics, now known as the Oklahoma City Thunder -- their 1-10

record is the worst in the Western Conference.

The Clippers next embark on a three-game road trip to Oklahoma

City, Philadelphia and New Jersey.

The Clippers won two out of three last season against the former

Sonics, and the Clippers won both meetings against New Jersey.

However, Philadelphia beat the Clippers at Staples Center and at

Wachovia Center.

"It may be good for us to go into a hostile environment," point

guard Baron Davis said after the team's latest loss. "It forces us to

pay attention and focus in on what we have to do as a team. I look

forward to it."

For team togetherness and conquering adversity, an extended road

trip often is the perfect potion for a struggling team. And, indeed,

the Clippers have dug themselves into a deep hole to start this season.

"Tell me about it," center Chris Kaman said. "It's a long season,

but I've been through this position before with a team and it's not

fun. At the end of the year people are at each others' throats, and

it's not pretty."

SPURS 86, CLIPPERS 83: When the Clippers needed a defensive stop,

they could not come up with it. Roger Mason hit a pull-up

three-pointer with 8.4 seconds remaining to send the Clippers to

another unhappy finish. The Clippers have lost the last nine meetings

with the Spurs. San Antonio won despite the absence of injured players

Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.