Clippers, Minus Four Key Players, Barely Lose to Dallas, 101-100

For most of their game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Sports Arena Saturday night, the Clippers had only eight healthy players. Out with injuries were leading scorers Derek Smith and Marques Johnson, as well as forwards Michael Cage and Harvey Catchings.

Nevertheless, the Clippers battled all the way and and barely lost, 101-100, before a vocal crowd of 9,028.

After trailing by as many as 15 points in the first half, the Clippers pulled to within one point at 99-98 with 57 seconds left after a three-point shot by Junior Birdgeman and a layup by Lancaster Gordon. The next time down the court, Dallas’ Brad Davis was credited with a two points when Bill Walton was called for goaltending, making it 101-100 with 15 seconds left.

With one last chance to take the lead, the Clippers set up for a final shot. Norm Nixon, who had scored 39 points and played remarkably, was closely covered by Derek Harper, so the Clippers went to Walton. He missed a 15-foot jumper and the buzzer sounded before James Donaldson grabbed the rebound.

That the Clippers even came close to winning was quite an accomplishment. Consider the injury situation:

--Smith, the club’s leading scorer with a 19-point average, was hit in the left eye at practice Friday and had surgery to repair his tear duct. Smith, who said his sight was not impaired much, said might be ready for Tuesday’s game against the Lakers. He’ll be examined again Monday.

--Johnson, the second leading scorer, sprained his right ankle early in the second quarter and did not return. He was taken to a nearby hospital for precautionary X-rays.

--Cage (back spasms) missed his second straight game and Catchings (bone spur in his heel) his third straight.

Wednesday, the Clippers were able to get by Houston without Cage and Catchings because everyone else was healthy. But going with only eight players, three of whom had seen limited playing time this season, they didn’t figure to have much of a chance.

But Nixon almost singlehandedly kept the Clippers in the game. Nixon scored 32 of his career-high 39 points in the second half. He had two crucial steals and assists in the final minutes when the Clippers pressured the Mavericks.

Also, Gordon, a tentative rookie thrown into the game in the first quarter, responded with a season-high 12 points. Walton scored 15 points, had 10 rebounds and played solid defense, while Donaldson had eight points and eight rebounds.

For the Mavericks, Mark Aguirre (25 points) and Rolando Blackman (26) were the only consistent players.

A potential first-half blowout was averted by a strong second quarter performance by the Clippers and the unlikely trio of Gordon, Jay Murphy and Bryan Warrick.

When Johnson went down with the sprained right ankle with 9:11 left in the half, the Clippers trailed by 13 points, 35-22.

With no one else available, Lynam motioned for Murphy, who has played in the first half only one other time this season. With the lineup of Murphy, Gordon, Nixon, Donaldson and Bridgeman, the Clippers amazingly outscored the Mavericks, 12-2, in the next four minutes to pull to within three points at 37-34.

But the Mavericks quickly recovered as Aguirre scored seven straight points to build a 10-point lead with three minutes left in the half.

The Clippers, however, refused to give up. White and Nixon replaced Murphy and Warrick and the Clippers managed to cut the deficit to 47-43 at the half when Nixon sank a three-point attempt with four seconds left.

Gordon, who has mostly sat on the bench in his rookie season, scored eight points--all on jump shots--while playing the entire second quarter. Murphy sank two free throws and pulled down three rebounds and Warrick even made a jumper.

At the time he twisted his ankle, Johnson was the Clippers’ leading scorer with six points. But when Walton and White escorted him off the court, they had to find other sources for points. They didn’t find it from Bridgeman, who made only two jumpers, or from Walton and Donaldson, who combined for eight first-half points. And Nixon had broken loose yet. He had only four points before his three-point shot.

Aguirre had 15 points in the first half, while Vincent had 10. But eight of Vincent’s points came in the first quarter. He had only two free throws in the second quarter. Blackman had 11 points in the first quarter but hit only one jumper in the second quarter.

Lynam didn’t make his first substitution until there was 5:47 left in the first quarter. By that time, the Clippers trailed, 19-4, and had made only 2 of 11 shots. Dallas had a 15-0 run seemingly give the Clippers an early burial.

Fresh bodies didn’t help the Clippers in the final seven minutes of the first quarter. Dallas had a 15-point lead entering the second quarter. But then, Murphy, Gordon and Warrick entered and it became a different game, to say the least.

Clipper Notes

Derek Smith’s eye injury happened with only five minutes left in Friday’s practice. Smith said he was fortunate that he was poked in the upper part of the eye rather than straight on because, if that were the case, he might be out of action for several weeks. Trainer Mike Shimensky said Smith will be checked by a doctor Monday before deciding if he’ll be able to play in Tuesday’s game against the Lakers at the Forum. “It was a nasty sight,” forward Michael Cage said of Smith’s injury. . . . Before missing Saturday’s game, Smith was the only Clipper who had played in every game. . . . Cage worked out lightly before Saturday’s game but decided not to play. “There’s still a lot of stiffness,” Cage said of his back. . . . The Clippers play only two games next week--Tuesday against the Lakers at the Forum and Saturday against Philadelphia at the Sports Arena.