There always has to be a catch with the Clippers. This week, they went 3-1 and moved above .500 for the first time since November 1996.

Morale hasn't been better. The team probably hasn't played better.

But here's the catch: Without exaggeration, the Clippers have had the easiest schedule of any NBA team, and it is way too early to make a grand statement that they're destined for the playoffs.

The Clippers (12-11) have won five of their past seven games, but they have played a league-low six games on the road. They lost all six of those games.

Of the Clippers' victories, only three have come against teams with winning records -- Phoenix, Minnesota and Indiana.

Regardless, the Clippers' bandwagon is filling up, but there is a concern that it will empty out when they go on some grueling road trips in January and February.

Skepticism aside, many things are going well. The Clippers have had only two shellackings -- against the wily Jazz and champion Lakers -- and have had chances to win all of their other games.

After serving his eight-game suspension, Lamar Odom has played well. His outside shot hasn't been there, but he's doing other things. He's passing the ball well and driving to the basket effectively.

Another key has been the production of the two young shooting guards, Corey Maggette and Quentin Richardson. Both are vastly improved from last season, and each brings the team something different.

Maggette is the Clippers' best defender. His assignments this week were Baron Davis, Gary Payton and Kobe Bryant. He contained all of them.

Richardson has been shooting the ball like he has fallen asleep and found himself in a H-O-R-S-E dream. His shooting has made it appear that Eric Piatkowski's role likely will change when he is fully healthy.

The inside game of Elton Brand and Michael Olowokandi looks to have been defined. Brand is the go-to guy offensively, but Olowokandi is an important defensive force. …

As expected, the Los Angeles County District Attorney did not file charges in a case of alleged domestic abuse against Olowokandi. The alleged victim, a former girlfriend of Olowokandi, said no crime was committed and that police blew the incident out of proportion. …

There were rumors bouncing around that coach Alvin Gentry was on the hot seat and that the Clippers were considering having Jeff Van Gundy take his spot. Multiple sources in the Clippers' organization said there was absolutely no truth to that rumor.

POSITIONAL ANALYSIS

Point guard: Jeff McInnis has become "Mr. Minutes" with backup Keyon Dooling still injured. He is playing a heap of time and has been serviceable. He's still making the running jump shot he often takes. Grade: B-

Shooting guard: Perhaps the biggest surprise of late has been the outside shooting of Richardson. The next biggest surprise might be the consistent tenacious play of Maggette. The duo might be showing it can matchup against the top shooting guards in the league. Grade: B+

Small forward: Odom has practically gotten back to where he should be. But he still has to work on his jump shot. It's a simple thing: Line-drive jump shots do not work. Grade: B

Power forward: Although he has been in Los Angeles for less than six months, Brand has shown he's one of the Clippers' leaders. In fact, he may be the No. 1 leader. At least his statistics show that. Grade: A-

Center: Expect Olowokandi's offensive numbers to be down this season because of Brand's presence. He has been playing effective defense when he gets minutes. Grade: B-

Bench: Throughout the season, the bench has been in the top three in scoring. Repeatedly, the Clippers make their biggest runs after a few substitutions. The team is deeper than many realize. Grade: A-

Coaching: Gentry looks as if he'll stick with Maggette as the starting shooting guard. That's a wise choice because of Maggette's defense, and it shows that Gentry can be flexible. Grade: B

INJURY REPORT

PG Keyon Dooling: High left ankle sprain (11/14)
Analysis: The severe sprain is expected to keep Dooling out until the end of January. Earl Boykins has gotten some of his minutes, and Odom has played a few minutes at point guard.

SG Eric Piatkowski: Strained right hip flexor (11/30)
Analysis: He has missed six of the past seven games and has been day-to-day for more than two weeks. Yet he still listed as day-to-day.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME

What's the deal with Darius Miles? The 20-year-old forward can be one of the most eye-opening, highlight-reel players in the league. Other times, he gets lost in the shuffle on the Clippers' bench.

In essence, Miles' strengths are obvious. His athleticism is outrageously impressive. He's 6-9 and moves like a point guard. He also is wiry enough to guard some centers. He could very well turn into the second coming of Kevin Garnett if he bulks up a bit.

However, Miles still makes a lot of silly mistakes. First of all, he needs to box out. He often gets rebounds on athleticism alone, but frequently, he gets burned when he fails to block out.