Contest Is True to Forum : Clippers Lose 21st Straight on Laker Court

Even in this unusual period of lowered expectations for the Lakers, they always can be counted on to beat the Clippers whenever their neighbors venture into the Forum.

The latest and most persistent Clipper attempt at social-climbing took place Friday night as they pushed the Lakers nearly to the limit before remembering their place and dropping a 124-109 decision before a crowd of 17,505.

A Laker victory over the Clippers on this side of town is not only expected but almost automatic. The Clippers haven’t won at the Forum since 1981, a span of 21 games and 2 cities (San Diego and Los Angeles). Norm Nixon was the starting Laker point guard the last time such an event took place.

“I don’t envision it at all,” said Laker guard Byron Scott when asked if the Clippers will ever beat the Lakers at the Forum. “I don’t envision any team being favored to beat us at the Forum. At least, not until Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar), Magic (Johnson) and James Worthy retire.”

Since only Abdul-Jabbar is on his farewell tour, the Clippers could wave goodby to any chance of winning on this night.

But in what might be construed either as a testimonial to the Clippers’ improvement or another warning sign of the Lakers’ defensive problems, the Clippers made the Lakers work for it this time. They came as close as 2 points late in the third quarter, but the Lakers ultimately pulled away with a 10-0 burst in the final 2 minutes.

“We feel we’re going to win one from them this year,” Nixon said.

Without acquiescing their throne as the city’s dominant professional team, the Lakers nonetheless admitted that the Clippers (10-18) are narrowing the gap.

“They are a very talented team,” Laker Coach Pat Riley said. “They’ve got young, aggressive kids. Time is all they need to make it work.”

Time, in Riley’s opinion, also is what the Lakers (19-10) need to snap completely out of their slump, which included 6 straight recent road losses. With home victories over the Philadelphia 76ers and the Clippers this week, the Lakers remain the league’s only undefeated team at home with a 10-0 record.

Undefeated, yes. Unchallenged, no.

The Lakers blew a 21-point lead against the 76ers, only to hold on for a 5-point victory. And Friday night, sloppy second and third quarters enabled the Clippers to almost erase an 18-point first-half deficit.

If not for the poor start and poor finish, the Clippers could have pulled off an upset.

But the Lakers’ experience and defense came through late in the fourth quarter.

The Clippers had cut the Laker lead to 114-107 with 2:30 to play on Reggie Williams’ 3-point shot. On their next possession, the Lakers were unable to get off a shot and faced an out-of-bounds play under their basket with 5 seconds left on the shot clock.

Johnson missed an open jump shot, but Mychal Thompson grabbed the rebound and scored to give the Lakers a 9-point lead and begin the Lakers’ 10-0 run in the final 2:09.

“We felt like we were getting close and could sneak one in on them,” Williams said. “But they played like a championship team and hit the shots when they needed to. That broke our backs a little.”

As usual, Johnson was the Clippers’ main pain. He led the Lakers with 34 points, 14 assists and 8 rebounds, barely missing his eighth triple-double of the season. Scott added 20 points, and Worthy had 19 points and a season-high 11 rebounds.

The Clippers were led by Danny Manning with 23 points and 8 rebounds, a performance that Riley likened to Johnson’s. Ken Norman, who played 45 minutes, had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Quintin Dailey and Williams each added 16 points.

Although the Lakers’ winning margin was 15 points, this turned out to be one of the Clippers’ more serious challenges.

The Lakers opened a 35-20 first-quarter lead, as their defense forced the Clippers to shoot 32%. Then came a second quarter in which the Lakers inexplicably turned off their defensive pressure. The Clippers scored 40 points, the most the Lakers have allowed in a quarter this season.

A 69-60 Laker halftime lead was slashed to 85-83 with 2:36 to play in the third quarter after Benoit Benjamin sank a hook shot and accompanying free throw.

That, however, was as close as the Clippers would get.

“Again, that second period got us in trouble,” Riley said. “It’s like night and day, the way we play. But as soon as we sense (the opponent’s) threat, we get aggressive, steal the ball and turn it on. But in the second and third quarters, it was like we were walking in mud.”

The Clippers might have had something to do with the Lakers’ defensive problems. The Clippers did, after all, make 65% of their shots in the second quarter and finish with a slightly higher field-goal percentage than the Lakers (48.0% to 47.9%).

“I think it was a combination of them and us,” Scott said. “Give them credit. They got aggressive. They (nearly) got the lead from us. They played well.”

Without a victory to take from the Forum, the Clippers gladly took the satisfaction of playing well at the Forum, a rare occurrence.

“This game proves that we can compete,” Manning said. “When you look at the fact that we were around in the fourth quarter--with a good chance to win--well, that tells you something. At least, it tells me something.”

Laker-Clipper Notes

Larry Fleisher, agent for Clipper center Benoit Benjamin, said Friday that “it’s probably not in (Benjamin’s) best interest or the team’s best interest for him to be there (in the future).” Benjamin is in the final season of a 4-year, $3.5-million contract. The club must sign Benjamin at a 25% increase of his current contract to retain the right of first refusal if he signs a free-agent offer sheet. Clipper policy is not to negotiate contracts until after the season. Fleisher said he will meet with Benjamin when the Clippers play in New York next week, and the agent intimated that Benjamin would be better off elsewhere. “I think it’s clear in the 3 years he’s been there, and now in the fourth, that this isn’t the best team for him, for whatever reason,” Fleisher said. “I don’t think the chemistry is working. He’s a very talented guy and that talent is not coming out. I’m not saying whose fault it is, but this shouldn’t be happening.” Said Benjamin: “Whatever happens, happens. I can’t make any real comment now, because I really don’t know (if he wants to keep playing for the Clippers).” However, Benjamin said that he does not want to be traded.

Laker reserve forward Tony Campbell, whose back spasms suffered Tuesday in practice forced him to miss Wednesday night’s game, underwent treatment before Friday night’s game. Trainer Gary Vitti said Campbell’s condition had improved. “It was just the pounding of that old floor (at Loyola Marymount’s auxiliary gym), and he got hit,” Vitta said. “Every day, he gets a little better.” . . . Mychal Thompson, who missed Thursday’s practice because of the flu, was available Friday night. “That day off really helped, although I gave (the cold) to that guy over there (Magic Johnson),” Thompson said.