Los Angeles Clippers Basketball Team

Who would return first among the ill and injured Clippers brigade? As it turned out, it was Brian Skinner. Then again, he only had flu, not some mysterious lingering bruise or broken bone. "Well, that solves one of my problems," Coach Mike Dunleavy said. One down. Only about nine more to go. The next Clipper closest to returning -- and that's always subject to change in the next hour -- appears to be point guard Baron Davis.

VS. CHICAGO Time: 7:30. On the air: TV: Prime Ticket. Radio: 710. Where: Staples Center. Records: Clippers 10-34, Bulls 18-27. Record vs. Bulls: 0-1. Update: There are degrees of struggling, apparently. The Clippers have won only twice in 18 games since Dec. 19 and just once in their last five. Chicago is on a five-game losing streak and is starting a 10-day trip. Bulls forward Drew Gooden is out indefinitely because of a groin strain.

Behind door No. 1: Baron Davis. And there was a surprise guest behind door No. 2: Marcus Camby. Despite those seemingly uplifting developments, the door slammed shut on the Clippers once again with the Bulls manhandling them, 95-75, on Wednesday night at Staples Center. Hitting the snooze button in the third quarter -- letting the Bulls go on a 20-6 run -- was their undoing. Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said his team "laid an egg" in the third quarter. That's been a second-half trend, of late.

Welcome to the second season. Unfortunately, for the Clippers, their first 45 games may be gone but they can't be completely forgotten or forgiven. Not in the standings and certainly not by their disappointed fans. They are starting their longest trip of the season, seven games in all, opening tonight in Cleveland against LeBron and Co., followed by Washington, Miami, Orlando, Memphis, Atlanta and finishing in Charlotte on Feb. 9. "Pack cold weather gear."

Zydrunas Ilgauskas returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers' lineup Friday night, and that was bad news for the Clippers. Ilgauskas scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in his first game back after sitting out a month because of a broken left ankle, as the Cavaliers improved to 22-0 at home with a 112-95 victory over the Clippers. "We were a little unfortunate to catch them on a night they got Ilgauskas back," said Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy. "He certainly paid the rent tonight.

Ed Tapscott could hardly speak. The Washington Wizards' interim coach has been fighting flu, and the best medicine was a rare win. Washington won for the 10th time this season -- 106-94 over the equally woeful Clippers on Saturday night -- and Tapscott forced a smile. "It is funny to hear a team with our record having a 'must' game," Tapscott said. The Wizards are 10-37, and so are the Clippers, who have lost five straight and 18 of 20.

Erik Spoelstra took no joy from adding to the woes of the Clippers. The Miami Heat coach remembers what it was like a year ago, when his team was ravaged by injuries and was the worst in the NBA. And now it's the Clippers living that nightmare, which continued Monday night in a 119-95 loss to the Heat. "They're going through a rough stretch and we know how that goes," Spoelstra said. "We went through that last year. It's tough and it wears on you.

. -- Starting for the first time since All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson was injured, Anthony Johnson wanted to set a high standard. He may have set it too high. Johnson had a season-best 25 points in place of Nelson, and the Orlando Magic routed the Clippers, 125-96, on Wednesday night. Johnson was quick to point out he won't score big every game, especially against tougher competition. "Definitely not every night," Johnson said, laughing.

. -- The Clippers used the best three-point shooting night in franchise history to end their seven-game losing streak. Zach Randolph had 35 points and 10 rebounds, and Ricky Davis had a season-high 24 points as the Clippers used a team-record 16 three-pointers to beat the Memphis Grizzlies, 126-105, on Friday night. "It was one of them nights," Randolph said. The previous record was 14, achieved twice, the last time against Dallas on Jan. 26, 2002.

Al Thornton scored 31 points, Zach Randolph had 25 and the Clippers beat the Atlanta Hawks, 121-97, Saturday night. The Clippers improved to 7-19 on the road and won consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 16, a span of 26 games. A poor start doomed Atlanta, which went 5 minutes 48 seconds without a field goal in the first quarter and trailed, 17-4. "Tonight was as close as we've been to our normal rotation," Coach Mike Dunleavy said.