Benjamin’s Free Throws Seal Win Over Pistons

Center Benoit Benjamin of the Clippers was booed before Monday night’s game against the Detroit Pistons at the Sports Arena.

Benjamin, however, turned the boos into cheers when he sank two free throws with 53 seconds remaining as the Clippers came back from a 15-point deficit to stun the Detroit Pistons, 102-100, before 12,156 fans.

It was the Clippers’ biggest win since they upset the Lakers, 110-109, in overtime last January. The Pistons have the third-best mark in the National Basketball Assn. (46-22), and the Clippers have the worst (15-53).

“That had to be one of the most rewarding wins for our team all season long,” Coach Gene Shue said after the Clippers held the Pistons to just 14 points in the fourth quarter. “Detroit is one of the top teams, and we dug a hole for ourselves at one point when we were 15 points down. Defense is what won the game for us.”

Said Detroit Coach Chuck Daly: “The Clippers earned it. We scored only 14 points in the last quarter. We deserved to lose.”

The Pistons had one last chance after rookie forward Ken Norman hit one of two free throws with 15 seconds left to give Los Angeles a 102-97 lead.

Joe Dumars sank a three-point shot with 10 seconds left to make it 102-100. And the Pistons regained possession when the Clippers botched the inbounds play.

Guard Isiah Thomas recovered the ball off the chest of Clipper center Greg Kite with seven seconds left. Thomas, however, missed an off-balance three-point shot from the right wing. The Clippers’ Mike Woodson got the rebound but stepped out of bounds, giving the Pistons one final chance. Thomas missed another three-pointer, and the Clippers started to celebrate.

“I didn’t think I stepped out of bounds,” said Woodson, who led the Clippers with 22 points off the bench after missing two games with a virus. “I was going to throw it down the court. But instead they had one last crack at it.

“I’d like to finish the season on a strong note,” Woodson continued. “Maybe we can win all of our remaining games.”

Thomas, who had 19 points, failed twice in the clutch in the final minute. He made just 7 of 18 shots.

“I don’t think we underestimated the Clippers,” he said. “They just played a better ballgame than us and they deserved to win. They made the shots when they needed to in the fourth quarter, and we didn’t execute at all.”

Benjamin, returning from a five-game layoff due to bronchitis and a sore left knee, had six points and seven rebounds in the final quarter, and Woodson scored 10 points in the last 12 minutes. Rookie forward Ken Norman, who had 18 points and 14 rebounds, had five points and seven rebounds in the fourth quarter.

Clipper Notes

The defeat was costly for the Pistons, who fell a game behind the Boston Celtics in the loss column in the race for the best record in the Eastern Conference. . . . Greg Kite played 40 minutes for the Clippers, who did not attempt a three-point shot. . . . The Clippers signed forward Claude Gregory to a contract for the rest of the season and re-signed guard Steve Burtt to his second 10-day contract. . . . The Clippers play the Chicago Bulls Wednesday night at the Sports Arena.