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Sliding Clippers face tough test against surging Spurs

Jan 8, 2009 - 11:28 AM LA Clippers (8-26) at San Antonio (23-11) 8:30 p.m. EST

SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Clippers are mired in their worst slump of the season. A meeting with the San Antonio Spurs will not likely provide a remedy to their drought.

The Clippers hope to snap an eight-game losing streak on Thursday when they visit the surging Spurs.

Los Angeles has come close to ending its slide in its last two games, but has fallen just short in the waning moments of each contest.

The Clippers took the Detroit Pistons to the brink on Sunday, only to fall by a single point thanks to a defensive goaltending call on the game's decisive possession.

It was more of the same on Tuesday, when Los Angeles erased an 18-point, second-quarter deficit to the Dallas Mavericks by pulling ahead in the final session.

Al Thornton knocked down three buckets in a row to give the Clippers a 101-96 advantage with 2:39 left on the clock.

But the Mavericks closed the game on a 11-1 run. Dirk Nowitzki kicked things off with a 3-pointer, Josh Howard followed with a baseline jumper to cut the deficit to one and Nowitzki put Dallas on top for good one possession later, burying a go-ahead, fadeaway jumper in the lane with 37 seconds left to seal the 107-102 triumph.

San Antonio has won each of its last three games and eight of nine overall, including a 91-84 road victory against the Miami Heat on Monday.

Tim Duncan scored 19 points and rookie George Hill added 15 off the bench for the Spurs, who were coming off Saturday's 108-106 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on the strength of Tony Parker's buzzer-beating shot.