Lakers Make It a 6-Game Sweep Over Clippers

The Clippers caught the Lakers off guard Thursday night.

After being blown out in their five previous games this season, the Clippers played the Lakers close for two periods. But the Lakers pulled away in the third period to win, 118-100, before an announced crowd of 13,801 at the Sports Arena.

It was the second time in a week that the Lakers had beaten the Clippers, and they ended their season series with a 6-0 sweep.

The Lakers, who won their eighth straight game, reached the 62-win mark for the third year in a row--they’re now 62-15.

Magic Johnson, who ended the night with 28 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds, got 13 of his points in the third period as the Lakers outscored the Clippers, 33-22.

“We needed a game like that,” Johnson said. “They played really hard, really hard. Give them credit.

“I felt I needed to step it up a notch in the third quarter. I felt we were a step behind, so my job was to step it up, and that’s when we put the gap between us.”

Said Clipper Coach Don Chaney: “Magic isn’t going to allow those guys (the Lakers) to slough off. He’s one of those players who makes things happen either by himself or by making that key pass. I’ve seen him do it so many times.”

For the Lakers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar added 17 points, A.C. Green 16, and Michael Cooper and Byron Scott 12 points each. Kurt Rambis had 9 points and 10 rebounds. The Laker starters rested in the fourth period.

Laker Coach Pat Riley said: “Our biggest challenge right now is ourselves. We have two weeks left until the playoffs, so we have to get ready.”

The action turned a bit ugly during garbage time in the fourth period.

First, Laker rookie Billy Thompson and Clipper rookie Steffond Johnson almost came to blows with 6 1/2 minutes left in the game.

Johnson shoved Thompson after fouling him, and Johnson tried to throw a punch. Thompson threw the ball at Johnson. However, they were separated before any punches were thrown.

It was the second incident between the two this season. Johnson pulled down Thompson, who was going for a slam dunk, in a game March 9 at the Sports Arena.

“I was out of bounds, and he kept pushing me,” Thompson said. “There was no need to do that. He did it the last game.”

Said Johnson: “I don’t know what happened. I was just trying to keep him from dunking on me. It was just a reaction to his action. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

There was another altercation with 3 1/2 minutes left after Clipper guard Quintin Dailey fouled Cooper and they got tangled up. Injured Clipper guard Norm Nixon, who was sitting on the bench, got involved, saying something to Cooper.

“It was just a case of basketball,” Cooper said when asked about the incident with Dailey. “We both play hard and we’re both emotional payers.

“I could hear his (Nixon’s) mouth moving, but I couldn’t hear what he said,” Cooper said.

“They (the Clippers) are tired of getting beat. I don’t think this is the end of it. I think it will be more competitive next year.”

Dailey wouldn’t comment on the incident.

Clipper center Benoit Benjamin, who had missed the last three games with bronchitis, returned to action against the Lakers and was booed after he missed a slam dunk with 9:41 left. He finished with 4 points and 6 rebounds in 16 minutes.

But Benjamin almost didn’t make it to the game, after becoming involved in a minor traffic accident on the way to the game. He arrived at 6:40 p.m. Players are supposed to report to the locker room by 6.

Dailey led the Clippers with 16 points, and Earl Cureton added 15. Michael Cage had 13 points and 17 rebounds. The Clippers outrebounded the Lakers, 52-41.

The Clippers (12-64) have lost eight straight games and 20 of their last 22.

Leading 75-72, the Lakers blitzed the Clippers, 18-7, in the last 5 minutes 12 seconds of the third period to take a 93-79 lead.

“It’s a funny thing playing the Lakers. They just keep plugging away and plugging away, and finally they wear you down,” Chaney said.

Clipper Notes Quintin Dailey’s wife, Angela, gave birth to a baby girl Thursday morning--Quinci Angela Dailey. “I can call her little Q,” said the Clipper guard, who was handing out cigars before the game. “I was in the hospital the whole time with her, scared out of my mind. When the baby came, I ran outside and cried. . . The Clippers will face Dallas Saturday night at the Sports Arena. . . . Injured Clipper guard Norm Nixon worked out Thursday morning and could be activated today.