It’s No Joke: Clippers Win Their Third in a Row

April Fool’s Day has arrived and so have the Clippers, suddenly a joke no more.

For the first time in three years, they have won three straight games, after having been stopped at two in a row five times this season. They accomplished the feat Friday night with a 109-106 victory over the San Antonio Spurs before a Sports Arena crowd of 10,599.

Immediately after the game, the Clippers looked as if they were ready for their next opponent--the Detroit Pistons, basketball’s bad boys. They were involved in a pushing incident with San Antonio players just outside the locker rooms.

Benoit Benjamin recorded the second triple-double by a Clipper in four games, with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocked shots, the latter tying his own team record. Ken Norman, who had a triple-double against Phoenix last Saturday, had another outstanding game, scoring 33 points.

“It was another nice performance by Kenny, which we’ve grown to expect,” said Coach Don Casey, whose Clippers have won six of their last 10. “It’s become routine.”

So, too, apparently, have close Clipper wins. Monday against Denver, they moved out to a big lead and then held on. Wednesday against Sacramento, they fell behind and came back. This time, San Antonio was ahead by 11 points in the third quarter before the Clippers made their charge.

“We dug ourselves a hole and then dug out,” Casey said. “That’s a good sign, that we were able to dig out. That demonstrates we are now learning how to win.”

Even against San Antonio. The Spurs had beaten the Clippers nine consecutive times at the Sports Arena.

Norman, who scored 26 points on 13-of-16 shooting in Wednesday night’s victory over Sacramento, had 17 of the Clippers’ 25 points in the first quarter against San Antonio. He had 22 by halftime, when the Spurs led, 59-53, thanks to a 14-3 run in the last 4:28.

Benjamin had four blocked shots in the first two quarters.

Clipper Notes

The Clippers are 17-53, tying last season’s win total with 12 games remaining. Eight are at home. . . . Joe Wolf will have his right elbow X-rayed today after being injured in the fourth quarter. He said the joint may have popped out, but doctors disagreed and immediately diagnosed it as a strained ligament. . . . Benoit Benjamin has 34 blocked shots in the last seven games. The 4.9 average includes one game of 10, one of eight and two of five. . . . The Clippers play Detroit at the Sports Arena Sunday in a rare 6 p.m. start.