Sonics come up a bit short against Clippers

LOS ANGELES — Playing a game of catchup after a dismal second quarter put them deep in a hole, the Sonics were finally finished off by a second-year guard who came off the bench.

Yuta Tabuse, who spent his rookie season in Phoenix, scored all of his eight points early in the fourth quarter in a 94-92 victory over the Sonics before 10,449 Thursday at Staples Center.

Tabuse's contribution was a reflection of the scoring depth the Clippers showed in a game where none dominated but five scored in double figures, led by Elton Brand's 14 points.

It was in sharp contrast to the Sonics, who had little scoring production outside of forward Rashard Lewis (25 points) and guard Ray Allen (19). With one game remaining in the preseason and the questionable status of center Vitaly Potapenko hovering over them, the Sonics (2-5) have their share of questions, including where they will find a balanced offense.

"I'm looking for a lot more balance," Sonics coach Bob Weiss said. "We need a consistent third scorer."

Allen was limited to one point in a dismal second quarter effort in which the Sonics shot just 23 percent and were outscored 20-10 by the Clippers, who shot 46 percent in the first half and committed only seven turnovers.

Though the Sonics shot nearly 50 percent in the second half and committed only six turnovers after committing 15 in the first half (which led to 17 Clippers points), they couldn't overcome their inconsistent offensive flow

The Sonics closed the gap to 75-70 with 6 minutes, 51 seconds to play, but with 6:47 to play Tabuse drove for a layup, scored and drew a foul. He then completed the three-point play to extend the Clippers' lead to 78-70. Tabuse started the quarter by scoring five points in a one-minute span, giving the Clippers a 70-63 lead with 10:32 left.

The Sonics watched golden opportunities slip away late in the game. Trailing 89-84 with 1:51 to play, Allen missed a three-pointer from the corner, but Reggie Evans rebounded and was fouled. Evans then missed both free throws.

The Clippers secured the victory with 6.2 seconds remaining when Daniel Ewing made two free throws. Luke Ridnour drove the length of the court for a layup, but it wasn't enough for Seattle.

Ridnour scored nine points in 31 minutes, and Evans scored eight in 16 minutes. Though the Sonics went 2-6 in the preseason last year and advanced to the Western Conference semifinals, there is reason for some concern as they conclude their preseason schedule tonight against Portland at the Spokane Center at 7 p.m.

"We need to run more," Ridnour said. "We need to get out and play. We need to get more scoring, myself included."

NOTES

• Center Vitaly Potapenko made the trip to Los Angeles and participated in light running and shooting drills, giving enough hope to Weiss that the veteran center may yet be able to begin the season on the active roster. A sore left hamstring for most of the exhibition season has bothered Potapenko and made his opening-day status questionable.

It has led to a juggling act of sorts for Weiss, who has experimented by using several different post combinations. With one exhibition game remaining, Weiss hasn't yet ruled out the idea that Potapenko may be healthy enough to stick on the active roster when the Sonics host the Clippers to begin the regular season on Wednesday.