Big Ben Strikes Midnight as Clippers Stop Laker Streak

The Clippers ended the Lakers’ 15-game winning streak with an improbable 110-109 overtime victory Wednesday night before 14,906 fans at the Sports Arena.

The rest of the National Basketball Assn. will have a hard time believing this because the Lakers (26-7) were the hottest team in the NBA and the Clippers (9-23) were the coldest.

However, the Clippers played over their heads and ended their own 11-game losing streak, the longest in the NBA this season. It also was the first time they have beaten the Lakers in nine games dating back to a 115-114 win on March 19, 1986.

So much for streaks.

“That was unbelievable,” Clipper Coach Gene Shue said. “The Lakers are a phenomenal team. For anyone that would have seen us on the road (where they lost 7 straight in 13 days), I don’t think they would have thought we could do it. To break our own streak of losses is unbelievable, but to beat the Lakers was unbelievable.

“This was a remarkable game. We played as well as we could play, and I thought Benoit (Benjamin) played especially well.”

The Clippers’ losing streak began after Benjamin kicked over an ice chest when he was benched by Shue in the second half of their last game against the Lakers, a 108-97 loss Dec. 19 at the Sports Arena.

Benjamin had been in a miserable slump, and the Clippers were unable to win without him. He shot just 39.1% during the losing streak, and Shue took him out of the starting lineup.

But Benjamin had a new attitude and a new pair of tennis shoes for Wednesday night’s game. “Ben came out of his shell,” said Clipper guard Larry Drew, who scored the go-ahead basket on a layup with 23 seconds left in overtime to give the Clippers a 108-106 lead. “Ben was really . . . up before the game. I don’t know what it was, but he wanted the ball. The biggest thing about this game was the way Ben played.”

Benjamin, who had been averaging 5.2 points in his last five games, scored 18, grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked 2 shots in 44 minutes.

Benjamin also scored what turned out to be the winning points when he made two free throws with six seconds left in overtime to give the Clippers a 110-106 lead. Magic Johnson hit a three-point shot at the buzzer for the final margin.

“The game was on my shoulders (when I was at the free-throw line),” Benjamin said. “I wasn’t thinking about anything. We just all pulled together and said we wanted it.”

Benjamin, who turned the boos he got before the game into an ovation, was all smiles after the game.

“Everyone was blistering me in the papers,” Benjamin said. “Everyone was on my back. Everyone was down on Benjamin, but everyone doesn’t know what Benjamin has inside him. When you’re losing everything tends to get blown out of proportion.”

Forward Michael Cage, who had a team-high 23 points and 17 rebounds, said Benjamin was the key to the Clipper win.

“You’ve got to love it when he rebounds like that,” Cage said of Benjamin. “He needed a game like this, he’s been struggling mentally.”

Cage made what turned out to be the play of the game when he stole the ball from Magic, and Drew converted the steal into a layup with 23 seconds left to give the Clippers a 108-106 lead.

Johnson, who had his fourth triple-double of the season, played an inspired game with 27 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds. Johnson, however, helped to kill the Laker streak with his turnover when he walked into a trap.

Cage and Drew double-teamed Johnson on the trap and they knocked the ball loose to Quintin Dailey, who fed Drew.

“Magic tried to split us,” Drew said. “But I got my hand on the ball, and Quintin just pushed it up to me and I took off. I was afraid that I may have fouled Magic.”

The Lakers called time to set up a play; however, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar missed a bank shot with seven seconds left, and Benjamin grabbed the rebound and was fouled by guard Byron Scott to set up his two key free throws.

The Lakers called another timeout to set up a play, but Magic missed a three-point bomb. Scott grabbed the rebound and hit Johnson, who sank a three-pointer at the buzzer. But the Lakers came up one point short.

The Lakers, who trailed 96-90 with 1 minute 42 seconds left, outscored the Clippers, 8-2, to send the game into overtime at 98-98.

Magic hit two free throws with 19 seconds left to force the overtime, after he was fouled by Mike Woodson on the far sideline.

The Clippers had a chance to win it in regulation, but Joe Wolf missed a jumper with two seconds left.

The win will help to soften the news the Clippers received before the game when they found out that Reggie Williams, their top draft pick, will be out for two weeks with a strained left knee. He was hurt when he collided with guard Tyrone Bogues of the Washington Bullets last Saturday night in the the Clippers’ 108-76 loss at Washington. He will undergo further tests today.

Williams was in a slump, shooting just 21.1% in his last six games and had lost his starting position at small forward. He averaged only 3.7 points in four games off the bench.

“I’m struggling right now and the team is struggling and I don’t want to sit out,” Williams said. “It might be at a good time but the team needs me.

“I can’t play on this. I can’t even lift it and I have to be careful how I walk up stairs. I had a brace, but I can’t get it on over my clothes.”

Shue said: “It’s a setback. He’ll be out for two weeks and then he has to recover, so you’re talking about almost a month. Maybe that will allow us to pick somebody else up.”

Shue said he’ll meet with General Manager Elgin Baylor after practice today.

Shue was trying to convert Williams into a point guard and said that Williams will still be able to learn the new spot while he’s sidelined.

“Reggie will be able to learn the position, even though he isn’t playing,” Shue said “So the time won’t be wasted.”