Despite Smith’s 32 Points, Clippers Lose

Charles Smith scored 32 points and backup center Ken Bannister, starting in place of ailing Benoit Benjamin, had 21, but the Clippers still lost to the Portland Trail Blazers, 126-102, Tuesday night.

Benjamin suffered an allergy reaction and did not play.

For Portland, Clyde Drexler scored 24 points and Terry Porter had his second triple-double of the season as the Clippers fell to 18-58.

Drexler scored 10 points in the second quarter, helping the Trail Blazers build a 66-42 halftime lead.

Porter finished the game with 10 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds for Portland, which improved its lead over the Dallas Mavericks to three games with six to play in the race for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.

The 32 points were a career high for Smith.

The Trail Blazers built a 30-22 lead after one quarter, then outscored the Clippers, 16-8, in the first six minutes of the second period. Porter and Kersey had consecutive layups to give Portland a 46-30 lead.

Portland took its largest lead, 70-44, early in the third quarter before the Clippers used a 28-16 spurt to close the gap to 86-72. But that was close as the Clippers could get in the second half.

Portland got balanced scoring. Kevin Duckworth had 21 points, Jerome Kersey 18 and the bench 45. Clipper reserves had 27.

For Porter, it was his sixth career triple-double.

“We really tried to concentrate and get off to a good start, which we did,” he said. “We weren’t going to let them get back into it like we did before.”

Porter was referring to a 133-123 loss to the Clippers at the Sports Arena last Thursday night.

The Trail Blazers outrebounded the Clippers, 50-34, and blocked 11 shots, including three by Sam Bowie, who missed the previous nine games with a sprained ankle.

“Danny Young and Sam Bowie played well off the bench,” Portland Coach Rick Adelman said. “I was especially pleased to see Sam move as well as he did after the long layoff. Jerry Sichting was also moving well after such a long layoff and I want to give him some time before the playoffs.”