Knicks Extend Clipper Losing Streak to 11 With a 95-91 Victory

The beat goes on.

The Clippers thought they had a good chance to break their 10-game losing streak Thursday night when they played the New York Knicks at the Sports Arena.

But the Knicks won, 95-91, before 6,316 fans, and the Clippers (3-14) now have lost 11 consecutive games, equaling their longest losing streak since moving to Los Angeles from San Diego in 1984. In 1985, the Clippers lost 11 straight from Feb. 20 to March 13.

The Clippers, who haven’t won since beating Denver Nov. 11, have the worst record in the league.

It was the first victory for new Knick Coach Bob Hill, who replaced Hubie Brown Monday. The Knicks (5-13) broke a three-game losing streak, and it was also their first win in their last eight games on the road.

“My first thought is I’m glad we finally got a win,” Hill said. “I don’t know what to say (about the first win). The players did all the work They scored all the points. They deserve all the credit.”

Guard Gerald Wilkins led New York with 22 points, including two free throws with 19 seconds left to seal the win.

Bill Cartwright, who didn’t start, added 21 points in 35 minutes. But the Knicks used both Cartwright and Patrick Ewing down the stretch, and Cartwright scored six points in the final quarter.

Asked about being benched for the first time since he was in the third grade, Cartwright said, “It’s not the kind of thing you want to dwell on. I still played a lot of minutes.

“I think it (the coaching change) can be a positive situation. There is no reason why we can’t get back on track.”

Starting center Patrick Ewing had 17 points, including seven in the final quarter. Ewing sank three of four free throws in the final 72 seconds. Ewing also had 10 rebounds.

Pat Cummings, who started at power forward in place of Cartwright, had 11 rebounds and 8 points.

Forward Michael Cage led the Clippers with 21 points and 14 rebounds.

Kurt Nimphius, who started at center in place of ailing Benoit Benjamin, scored a season-high 16 points, 8 in the final quarter.

Benjmamin, who has a sore knee, played 17 minutes, scoring 4 points and grabbing 4 rebounds.

Guard Darnell Valentine, playing in his second game of the season after coming off the injured list with a broken left hand, scored 12 points.

With the Clippers holding an 89-88 lead, Cartwright just beat the 24-second clock with a layup to give the Knicks a 90-89 lead with 1:46 left.

But Nimphius hit a 22-foot turnaround jumper with 1:12 left to give Los Angeles a 91-90 lead with 1:27 left.

However, Ewing sank two free throws after being fouled by Nimphius with 1:12 remaining and he added another free throw with 32 seconds left to give New York a 93-91 lead.

The Clippers had a chance to tie the game until Valentine threw the ball away with 19 seconds left. Valentine was trying to pass to Cedric Maxwell along the baseline, but Kenny Walker intercepted to seal the win for the Knicks.

Wilkins added two free throws, after being fouled by Valentine, for the final margin.

“I was late with the pass,” Valentine said. “I just didn’t respond quick enough to get him (Maxwell) the ball. “It was just a bit out of his reach. There was too much traffic, and it was a bad play on my part.”

Maxwell said: “It was just a shame to blow that one because we didn’t get an opportunity to shoot our guns at the end. This (the losing streak) is a little more frustrating on me because I’m the only veteran. We can’t be much worse.

“I think this is the fourth game we’ve lost in the final minute. I think we just get overanxious and rushed in those situations.”

New York led, 75-69, starting the fourth quarter, but the Clippers, who trailed by as many as 12 points in the third period, outscored the Knicks, 6-2, to close the gap to 77-75 on a shot by Valentine with 9:19 left in the fourth quarter. Valentine had four points in that spurt.

When the Clippers took an 80-79 lead on a three-point play by Cage with 7:45 left, it was their first lead since the first quarter.

Clipper Notes Clipper guard Larry Drew, who had sat out the previous five games with a hamstring injury, started against the Knicks but reinjured himself in the first half and sat out the second half. . . . Dr. Tony Daly, the Clipper physician, said that the results of Wednesday’s test on injured guard Marques Johnson confirmed that Johnson has a ruptured disk in his neck between the third and fourth vertebrae. Daly has recommended surgery to fuse the two vertebrae, however Daly said Johnson plans to get another opinion from a doctor in Boston before making a decision. Johnson will see Daly again next week. “It (having surgery) is not an easy thing,” Daly said. “The decision is up to him”. . . . Clipper President Alan Rothenberg said the club hopes to sign free-agent guard Quintin Dailey today. “Hopefully we’ll have an offer sheet signed by Friday. If not, we’ll wash our hands of it,” Rothenberg said. . . . Injured guard Norm Nixon denied a report that he doesn’t plan to return this season. Nixon, who underwent knee surgery last July, said he doesn’t have any pain in the knee, and the swelling has gone down. Nixon was riding an exercise bike in the Clipper locker room before the game. “I’ve started jogging but I still can’t run,” Nixon said. He hopes to return in March or April but hasn’t set a date yet. . . . Coach Don Chaney said that center Benoit Benjamin lost weight over the Thanksgiving weekend despite being inactive due to a bruised right knee. “He lost a considerable amount of weight. I was really proud,” Chaney said. However, Chaney declined to say how much Benjamin weighs now.