Duckworth (22 Points) Helps Blazers Win 13th Straight Over Clippers

The development of Kevin Duckworth of the Portland Trail Blazers may be the biggest surprise in the National Basketball Assn. this season.

Duckworth, who averaged just 5.4 points a game as a rookie last season, has whipped himself into shape and become one of the league’s outstanding young centers.

Duckworth, who stepped into the starting lineup when Sam Bowie broke his left leg, has averaged 21.3 points and 8.8 rebounds in 36 games as a starter.

Duckworth scored 22 points and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds Wednesday night at the Sports Arena as the Trail Blazers beat the Clippers for the 13th consecutive time, 111-103.

Duckworth, who weighed 330 pounds as a freshman at Eastern Illinois, credits his improvement to a summer conditioning program that helped him lose 40 pounds during the off-season.

“I don’t think anyone expected Kevin to improve so much this season,” said Portland Coach Mike Schuler. “He just keeps getting better and better. When the season ended last year, Kevin went to work and changed his body makeup.

“He has a tremendous work ethic. He really wanted to be a good player. I think he’s going to be a force in this league for a long time to come.”

Said Duckworth: “I knew that eventually I’d be a good player, but I didn’t think it would come this soon. All the work I did last summer is paying off.

“I don’t want to just play in the NBA, I want to be one of the best in the NBA.”

Guard Clyde Drexler scored a game-high 24 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and passed off for 9 assists as the Trail Blazers held off a late Clipper comeback attempt to sweep the six-game series for the second straight season.

Forward Kiki Vandeweghe came off the bench to score 16 points in his third game since coming off the injured list last week.

Center Benoit Benjamin became the all-time leading shot-blocker in Clipper history when he rejected a shot by Jerome Kersey with 4:04 remaining in the first half.

Benjamin broke Bob McAdoo’s 12-year-old franchise record of 614 blocked shots, set in 335 games over four seasons with the Buffalo Braves. Benjamin needed just three seasons to set the record.

He finished with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocked shots in 35 minutes.

Guard Quintin Dailey came off the bench to score a team-high 18 points in 19 minutes for the Clippers (16-57), and forward Michael Cage added 15 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Guard Steve Burtt, who will be re-signed today for the rest of the season, had 13 points.

The Trail Blazers (46-26), who beat the Clippers, 141-119, Tuesday night in Portland, picked up where they left off as they opened a 20-point lead in the third quarter (75-55).

The Clippers, fought back to cut the deficit to four points (105-101) when Cage sank a pair of free throws with 1:34 remaining.

However, the Trail Blazers held on to win the game, limiting the Clippers to just two points the rest of the way.

Portland blitzed the Clippers, 29-14, in the final 8:21 of the first half to open a 59-47 halftime lead.

Drexler, who led the Trail Blazers with 14 first-half points, scored 10 points in the first quarter as Portland jumped out to a a 26-20 lead at the end of the opening period.

Clipper Notes

The Clippers face the Lakers at the Forum, where they have lost 19 straight games, Friday night at 7:30. The Clippers are 1-4 against the Lakers this season, having lost two straight after beating the Lakers, 110-109, in overtime on Jan. 13 at the Sports Arena. . . . The Clippers are holding a $1-million shooting contest on April 24 at halftime of their season-finale against the Seattle SuperSonics at the Sports Arena. A fan will be selected at random and will must make a shot from the three-quarter mark on the court to win the $1 million prize. If the fan misses the shot, he’ll get a chance to win $10,000 by sinking a shot from half-court. If he misses the half-court shot, he’ll get a shot at winning $500 by sinking a free throw. Should a woman be selected, the $1 million shot will be attempted from half-court.