Staggering Clippers Drop Another, 113-101

Guard Michael Adams was on his way to the Continental Basketball Assn. when the Washington Bullets called.

The Bullets signed Adams to replace guard Frank Johnson on Nov. 21 after Johnson broke his left foot.

And the way Adams is playing, he may be with Washington for a long time.

Adams came off the bench to score 15 points as the Bullets beat the Clippers, 113-101, Saturday night before 6,479 fans at the Sports Arena.

The Clippers have lost five straight and 17 of their last 18. They’ve won just one game in the past 40 days and have the worst record in the National Basketball Assn. (4-20).

Adams hit a 40-foot, three-point shot at the end of the third period to give Washington a four-point lead (79-75) going into the fourth quarter.

“It was a big shot. It took the wind out of our sails,” said Clipper forward Cedric Maxwell, who had 13 points and 11 rebounds.

“We’re making the same dumb mistakes. We’re killing ourselves more than the other teams are killing us.”

Adams had missed 13 straight three-point shots before he made one against the Clippers.

Meanwhile, after having a poor first half, Washington reserve guard Darwin Cook redeemed himself in the second half.

Cook scored eight points in the final quarter as the Bullets put a 24-11 spurt in the third and fourth quarters to take a 13-point lead (98-85). The Clippers never got closer than nine points the rest of the way.

Cook made just 1 of 4 shots in the first half, but the former Crenshaw High star made 3 of 7 shots in the second half and finished with 11 points.

“I embarrassed myself in the first half,” Cook said. “But I got a second chance. If I get into a rhythm, I feel like I can make every shot I take. If I get my rhythm going, I feel like I can shoot with anyone in the league.”

Rookie forward John Williams had six points during the spurt. Williams, who starred at Crenshaw High 1984, finished with nine points.

While the Bullets’ reserves played a key role in the win, it was the Malones--Jeff and Moses--who led the scoring as the Bullets won their third straight road game.

All-Star guard Jeff Malone had a game-high 29 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.

“We had a lot of turnovers in the first half because we played too relaxed,” Jeff Malone said. “In the second half, we played our second group and they got a lead for us. Then Moses and I came in and we stayed on top.”

Washington center Moses Malone, a three-time league MVP, had 22 points, 7 rebounds and 1 blocked shot.

“Moses, in my mind, is the best center in the NBA,” Clipper Coach Don Chaney said. “I’d rate him over Akeem (Olajuwon).

“I think it’s obvious that they have a very good team. They have a couple of players of superstar caliber--the two Malones.

“But we helped them. We lost our intensity. We were telegraphing passes. We lost the flow of the game.”

Forward Michael Cage was one of the few bright spots for the Clippers, who folded in the fourth period.

Cage had a team-high 23 points, and he also hauled down 11 rebounds.

Guard Mike Woodson had 15 points, and Darnell Valentine added 13 points and 12 assists.

However, Woodson also had five turnovers. The Clippers had 27 turnovers, which equals their season high.

Clipper center Benoit Benjamin, who started his first game since Nov. 30, got into foul trouble quickly and wasn’t very effective against Moses Malone.

Benjamin had 14 points and 5 rebounds before fouling out.

Backup center Kurt Nimphius also got into foul trouble. Nimphius had 8 points and 3 rebounds.

Clipper Notes

Clipper forward Cedric Maxwell denied telling a wire service reporter that teammate Benoit Benjamin needs a heart transplant after Thursday night’s 117-113 loss to Sacramento. However, the wire service reporter, Paul Levine, sticks to his story. . . . The Clippers play the Houston Rockets Tuesday night in at Houston and play in at Seattle on Friday. Their next home game is against the Boston Celtics next Saturday.