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Clippers try to rebound from humiliating loss

Feb 18, 2009 - 11:29 AM Phoenix (29-23) at LA Clippers (13-41) 10:30 p.m. EST

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- After suffering an embarrassing loss on Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Clippers will get another shot at the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. Zach Randolph, on the other hand, may have already gotten in his best shot.

The Clips' veteran forward was ejected from Tuesday's matchup late in the first quarter for throwing a punch at Phoenix forward Louis Amundson. Pending league or team action, his availability for Wednesday's rematch remains up in the air.

The Suns, meanwhile, will be looking for their second win in a row to start the second half as they visit Los Angeles for the second end of the home-and-home series.

The least the Clippers could hope for, with or without their leading scorer, is a better effort this time around. In the Suns' first game under interim coach Alvin Gentry, they were more explosive than they've been all season, piling up 81 first-half points en route to a 140-100 demolition.

Leandro Barbosa scored 24 points and Amare Stoudemire - who is still a Sun for now, though his name continues to come up in trade rumors - added 23 to lead the way to an easy victory.

It was pretty much back to normal for the Clippers, who closed the first half winners of three of their last four - scoring more than 120 points in all three of those wins - before crashing back down to earth on Tuesday. Like the Suns, they have been repeatedly brought up in potential trade scenarios, with offseason acquisitions Baron Davis and Marcus Camby the most talked-about targets.