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The final two games of the regular season, against two lottery-bound opponents, will continue what has been a near two-week playoff tune-up for the Clippers.

“We just want to keep playing well, finding ways to win basketball games,” Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro said. “The energy and intensity level the last handful of games has picked up. We’re just playing a little bit harder, getting a little bit more contributions from guys, playing a little bit sharper defensively and sometimes that’s what it takes.”

Chris Paul, who put together four consecutive double-doubles before the Memphis game, said he and Griffin have taken it upon themselves to help the team avoid slow starts. “Our energy to start games [has been better],” Paul said. “You know, we haven’t been getting out in those 6-0 slumps or anything like that and it starts every night with me and Blake.”

“The intensity level was definitely sort of a playoff practice,” Grant Hill said. “The intensity that you want.”

“We’re still positioning ourselves and nothing’s guaranteed at this point,” Hill said. “We’ll have time to really lock in and focus on the matchups.”

“One of the things that was on the board in there this morning was: ‘Don’t rely on others to control your own destiny. You have the ability and the power to do it yourselves.’”

Eric Patten, Clippers.com