Overtime Is Showtime for Garland Again : Clippers: He and Manning combine to spark 119-112 victory over the Mavericks.

DALLAS —  The scenario might be repetitive, but definitely not boring: Winston Garland in the spotlight with the game on the line.

In the Clippers’ previous overtime game five nights earlier, the reserve guard made six of six free throws in the final 38 seconds to clinch the victory. Friday, he went two of six in the five-minute extra period and still emerged a hero, which should say something about how things are going for him these days.

That translates into good things for the Clippers, too. Looking to win for the second time in three games, they got 12 fourth-quarter points from Garland and 18 from Danny Manning in the fourth quarter and overtime in a 119-112 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at Reunion Arena.

The two were especially effective while playing together. When Manning got hot and was double-teamed, Garland became the open man and capitalized.

“He’s capable of doing that,” Coach Mike Schuler said of Garland. “Winnie is a streaky shooter. He makes a couple and gets a great run going. He’s played well lately, and I have no hesitation with him taking the jump shots.”

Garland finished eight of 11 from the field, six of six in the fourth quarter. He and Manning, eight of 11 in the fourth quarter and overtime and 11 of 17 overall en route to 25 points, opened the final period by scoring 20 of the Clippers’ first 22 points.

The Clippers led, 96-90, in the fourth quarter, but Rolando Blackman’s layin for Dallas with four seconds remaining tied the score, 103-103, and produced overtime.

Once there, the Clippers went on a 12-4 run and never looked back. With a 115-107 lead, Garland’s misses at the line--all in the final 38 seconds--were tolerable.

“In college, I loved to play in those situations,” he said. “The same thing once I got to Golden State. It’s just a great feeling being in clutch time and knowing you are going to come through. I don’t shy away from situations like that.”

Manning, meanwhile, continues to press Schuler for a spot in the starting lineup. His 11-of-17 performance, in addition to eight rebounds, increased his shooting percentage to 53.5%, best on the team and trailed most closely among regulars by Ken Norman’s 50.1%.

“Danny has played well,” said Schuler, noting he has already agonized over finding a way to get Manning into the starting five. “But nobody has played poorly at the spot he’s at. That’s the bind.”

Manning has never had any complaints about coming off the bench, as long as he gets his share of the minutes. Against the Mavericks, he played 31, compared to the 37 of Norman and the 44 of Charles Smith.

Clipper center Benoit Benjamin had a season-high 27 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots. The Clippers shot 57.8%, their best of the season, and made six of eight shots in overtime.

Clipper Notes

After Ron Harper worked out during the off-day practice Thursday, trainer Keith Jones said it is virtually certain that the injured guard will be cleared to return for the Jan. 26 game against Milwaukee at the Sports Arena. “Right now, with the schedule he’s on, I don’t see any way he doesn’t play the 26th,” said Jones, who has worked closely with Harper in his comeback from reconstructive knee surgery last January.

“He’s getting stronger. (Thursday) in practice, he was doing a lot of things he used to do--the way he was going to the basket, the way he was crashing the boards and jumping terrific. He shot off-balance jumpers on that (right) leg, and that’s the type of thing we look for. Right now, he’ll play on the 26th.”

Dallas Coach Richie Adubato was suspended without pay for one game and fined $1,500 by the league for a postgame confrontation with officials Wednesday at San Antonio. Assistant Coach Gar Heard ran the Mavericks in his absence. Rod Thorn, the NBA’s vice president for operations, punished Adubato for following referees off the court after a 100-94 loss to the Spurs and said he “precipitated a confrontation” and made derogatory comments to the media concerning the officiating. “I have to go along with the commissioner’s office and their ruling,” Adubato said in a statement. “It is unfortunate that I have to miss a game right now when I feel that we need everything going for us in order to get a victory.”

The Clippers do not expect any of their radio or television broadcasts to be cancelled because of coverage of the Persian Gulf war. The radio station that covers the Washington Bullets did not air Wednesday’s game against the Clippers to concentrate on war news, and at least one other station, the one that covers the Mavericks, made a similar decision.