The loss to the Spurs will sting, but shouldn’t linger.

And once they realize the gap separating themselves from the elite teams in the NBA requires some tinkering but not a complete overhaul, they will be better-positioned to make decisions that will help close that gap.

First and foremost, they need to bring (Vinny) Del Negro back for another year. The decision rests in the hands of general manager Neil Olshey and owner Donald Sterling.

The Clippers hold an option on him for next season and they should honor it.

It became blasé to knock Del Negro this year. His lack of experience and his rocky two-year stint in Chicago prior to taking over the Clippers made him an easy target for critics who questioned everything from his rotation to his ability to make adjustments and develop young players.

via Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News