(Sports Network) - The chances of Vinny Del Negro posting his first win as head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers tonight seem bleak with the San Antonio Spurs slated to make a stop at Staples Center.
Del Negro's club has dropped its first three games of the season to Portland, Golden State and Dallas, and is trying to avoid a third consecutive 0-4 start. The Clippers, who have lost 16 straight and 24 of the last 25 meetings with San Antonio, opened a three-game homestand with Sunday's 99-83 loss to the Mavericks.
Chris Kaman posted a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, while Blake Griffin added 16 points and pulled down nine boards for Los Angeles, which began last season with an 0-4 mark and started the 2008-09 campaign with six losses in a row. DeAndre Jordan scored 10 points in defeat, as the Clippers shot just 34.1 percent from the floor.
"We had some good looks, but we couldn't knock them down," Del Negro said. "In the third quarter we got stagnant and that didn't help. It comes down to making plays and we didn't move the ball well."
The Clippers will also host Oklahoma City and did not have guard Randy Foye on Sunday due to a hamstring injury. Foye is expected to miss a few more games.
After splitting its first two games of the season at home, San Antonio will begin a short two-game road trip tonight against the Clippers and Phoenix Suns. The Spurs won their season opener versus Indiana, but suffered a 99-90 loss to New Orleans on Saturday at the AT&T Center.
Manu Ginobili led the Spurs with 23 points and six assists, while Richard Jefferson finished with 18 points and four boards.
"We moved the ball well and attacked better in the fourth," said Ginobili. "I'm proud of what we accomplished, but it wasn't enough."
Tony Parker signed a multi-year extension with the Spurs earlier in the day and finished with 13 points and four assists. Tim Duncan struggled by going just 2-of-10 from the field to go with seven points and seven rebounds.
Duncan hopes to bounce back against a Clippers team he has averaged 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds against in 46 career meetings.
The last time San Antonio lost to the Clippers was back in the 2005-06 season. The Spurs have swept the last four season series between the clubs and are unbeaten in their last eight contests at the Clippers.
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