Editor's note: Each week during the NBA regular season, Dr. Jack Ramsay makes a house call with an ailing team.

This week's team: Los Angeles Clippers.

	The Clippers need more leadership from point guard Andre Miller, right.

The Symptoms
The Clippers were riddled with injuries before the 2002-03 season began, and physically they are not 100 percent yet. That factor, more than any other, accounts for their slow start in a year that was filled with promise. Last year, the Clippers finished 39-43, and with the addition of point guard Andre Miller to an impressive group of young returnees, they appeared ready to challenge for a playoff position in the Western Conference. But coach Alvin Gentry has never had a full squad together at any time this season, and the Clips have plunged to the bottom of the Pacific Division with a record of 13-22.

Before Wednesday's home victory over Memphis, the Clippers had lost six straight and eight of their previous nine games. Before that game, Gentry called the team situation the gravest since he took over the coaching reins two years ago. While his team felt considerably better about itself after the win, Gentry knows that one win does not indicate a turnaround. The Clippers have a lot of repair work yet to accomplish.

Typical of most struggling teams, the Clips allow more points than they score (95.7 to 92.5), are out-shot from the field (.438 to .433) and are out-rebounded (43.5 to 41.7). They also turn the ball over 16.5 times a game -- seventh highest in the league.

The Diagnosis
Gentry insists that when he has a full roster, the Clippers will be a very good team. Even without all of their players, they've recorded wins over some of the upper-echelon teams. They won against Detroit when Michael Olowokandi had 19 points and 20 rebounds, defeated San Antonio when Quentin Richardson scored 21 points and the Kandi Man had 18 boards, prevailed in overtime against New Jersey as Andre Miller went for 37 and beaten Houston twice.

I agree with Gentry that the potential for a quality team is evident, but there are many teams with that same capability. Winning in the NBA comes from maximizing that potential and attaining a consistently high level of performance in every game. The Clippers have enough quality, veteran talent for that to happen.

Miller, who is among the game's top point guards, led the league in assists last season (10.9) and scored 16.5 points per game. He's scoring about the same, but his assist average is down to 7.8. Miller needs to become more of a team leader. In the victory over the Grizzlies, Andre scored 19 points and had 14 assists without a turnover. That's the kind of performance the Clippers need from him. Keyon Dooling, the only Clipper to play in every game this season, backs him up adequately at the point.

Multi-talented small forward Lamar Odom has played in only six games this season, but he is averaging more than 18 points and is quickly rounding into shape. The likeable Odom has a world of talent, and he and Elton Brand give the Clips a solid pair of forwards. Brand has a 20-and-10 game in him every night and competes hard.

The much-maligned Olowokandi, an upcoming free agent who aroused the ire of Clipper fans with both uninspired play and by saying he won't be back with the team next year, needs to increase his level of intensity at center. He has the capability for producing consistent double-doubles. It's time for him to step up.

Gentry has a bit of a logjam at two-guard, with Richardson, Corey Maggette, Eric Piatkowski and impressive rookie Marko Jaric all vying for minutes. The latter two are on the team's injured list and, once healthy, Piatkowski will probably start at the 2 and the versatile Jaric may become Miller's backup at the point as well as Odom's at small forward. But whatever combination Gentry uses, the point, two-guard and small forward positions are quite strong.

	Lamar Odom, right, and the Clippers need smarter decisions on shot selection.

Among big men reserves, the Clippers have reliable Sean Rooks, Wang Zhizhi, rookie Melvin Ely and journeyman Tremaine Fowlkes. They're adequate at best. They all must be ready to contribute.

The Clippers have a tendency to play individually on offense and loose on defense for segments of a game. They won't become the "very good team" that Gentry visualizes until they eliminate those shortcomings.

The Cure
The Clippers have to go 28-19 in their remaining games just to reach .500 -- and that won't get them to the playoffs. So it's most likely that they won't fulfill the hopes of their fans again this year. But it's very important for the team to get itself together to show that it can perform at a playoff level in the future.

The first priority for the Clippers' return to respectability is for the injured players to return to duty. Then they must upgrade the level of their team play. That means shutting down opponents on defense and showing patience on offense in order to get quality shots. Better shot selection improves individual shooting percentages immediately.

Gentry needs to drill his team on quick defensive transition to cut down on opponents' fast-break scores and to arrive at a consistent system of help rotation in halfcourt defense. The Clippers have enough size and shot-blocking ability (they rank fifth in the league) to hold their own in the paint.

Good things happen when those basic things occur. Among them will be an increase in Clipper wins.

Dr. Jack Ramsay, who is an NBA analyst for ESPN, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.