Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports: Here's a sentence that before this week had never been stated: The Clippers are trying to downplay expectations.

Fans of the NBA's perennial doormat are dreaming of a playoff berth after the Clips added Elton Brand to a roster including Lamar Odom, Darius Miles, Corey Maggette, Quentin Richardson and Michael Olowokandi.

But coach Alvin Gentry doesn't want to lose his job if the Clips aren't playing in May: ``I don't understand why [people say] we are going to go from a 31-win team to the playoffs when you look at all the teams in the West. If we don't make the playoffs, I'm not going to consider the season a failure.''
But Gentry admits giddiness over acquiring Brand from the Bulls for rookie Tyson Chandler: ``I couldn't believe we got him. I think Tyson Chandler is going to be a good player, but it's going to take a while. . . . Usually when you have to wait three years [for a player], it turns out somebody else is coaching him.''

Jackson also has notes on many other teams in his Sunday column.