Nixon Scores 30 as Clippers Top Jazz : Benjamin Adds 18 Points and 16 Rebounds in 113-109 Win

Norm Nixon scored 10 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter Tuesday night and had 11 assists in leading the Clippers to a 113-109 victory over the Utah Jazz.

The Utah loss, combined with a 128-98 Dallas victory over Phoenix, virtually ended the Jazz’s hopes for a first-round home berth in the NBA Western Conference playoffs. Utah, with five games remaining, is trailing the Mavericks by three games. Dallas has the fourth best regular-season record in the NBA West.

The Clippers, who led, 95-82, entering the fourth quarter, watched the Jazz cut the deficit to one point four different times. A foul shot by Franklin Edwards and two by Cedric Maxwell in the final five seconds ended Utah’s comeback bid.

Rookie Benoit Benjamin had 18 points and 16 rebounds for the Clippers. Kurt Nimphius also had 18 points, and Maxwell and Marques Johnson 14 each.

Adrian Dantley led Utah with a season-high 42 points but had just five in the final period. Dantley moved ahead of Atlanta’s Dominique Wilkins into second place behind Denver’s Alex English in the NBA scoring race.

Karl Malone added 16 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Utah, and Rickey Green had 13 points.

On a key possession in the closing minute, the Jazz contended the Clippers’ Johnson traveled on a long, down-court pass.

“It looked like he stutter-stepped, but the refs didn’t call it,” Utah’s Carey Scurry said.

“I lost the ball in the lights for a second, but I was able to pick it up,” Johnson said. “I didn’t feel like I traveled. I put the ball down on the floor immediately when it looked like I might be in jeopardy of traveling.

“I didn’t think it was traveling and the officials agreed with me,” he said.