Clippers Close (Again), but Still So Far, 110-109

NEW YORK — As the Garden party moved from Boston to Madison Square, the Clippers, who have danced this dance before, came up with a new twist to an old number.

For the fourth time, they lost a one-point game, all to probable playoff teams. But for the first time, the Clippers can place the 110-109 overtime loss to the New York Knicks Sunday night on their own shoulders, without the shared responsibility that includes an official’s call.

To say the Clippers had a shot at beating New York--and avenging the controversial 112-111 loss Nov. 11 at the Sports Arena--would be an understatement. They had a very good, high percentage, see-you-at-the-victory-celebration shot.

And to have Ron Harper--he of 29 points, nine assists and seven rebounds--miss a three-foot running jump shot in the final second, a layup practically?

Maybe these close ones aren’t meant to be for the Clippers.

“It felt right,” Harper said. “It was a nice soft shot off the glass. I thought it was in. I could see if I had thrown it up hard, but I thought it was definitely in there.”

The potential game-winner, after the Clippers had come back from a 109-103 deficit two minutes into the extra period, bounced from the backboard to the front of the rim and off. Danny Manning tipped the ball back up in time for the shot to count, but Patrick Ewing, who had secured the Knick victory in so many other ways, swept it away as expired.

Clean rebound, Ewing said. Goaltending, Manning insisted.

“Somebody took it off the rim,” the Clipper forward said. “In my opinion. Then again, same old, same old.”

In other words, an official-assisted loss. But Harper could have taken care of that problem in the first place.

“I don’t think you could have gotten a better shot than that,” Coach Don Casey said after the Clippers dropped to 12-18 overall and 2-2 on the eight-game trip, the losses coming by four points against Detroit and one against New York, two of the best teams in the league.

It was the type of shot the Clippers wanted. Casey called time out with 6.6 seconds to play in overtime after Ewing made one of two free throws to put the Knicks up by a point. Casey told Harper to put his head down and drive to the basket, more or less.

“He said something like that,” Harper said. “But it didn’t matter. I was heading straight for the basket even if he didn’t tell me to.”

The Clippers outscored Atlantic Division-leading New York, 33-24, in the fourth quarter to get in that position. As was the case in overtime, they fell behind early and came back to challenge.

The Knicks (22-9, including 14-1 at home) were up, 81-72, with 10:27 left. It was 87-81 with 7:08 remaining. Then the Clippers went on a to 89-86. Back and forth they went, New York leading, 101-99, after Ewing hit a 12-foot fall-away jump shot over tight defense by Benoit Benjamin.

Charles Smith responded for the Clippers. With 22 points and 14 rebounds, he had his third straight double-double, and one of the baskets came on a 10-foot baseline fall-away with 2.2 seconds to play while covered closely by Charles Oakley. That ended regulation, 101-101.

Ewing controlled the tip from Benjamin to open overtime. Then he made a layup. And another. Then another basket inside, giving the Knicks a 107-103 advantage that would not be wasted.

Ewing’s final damage: 44 points on 18-of-28 shooting, 22 rebounds, seven blocked shots.

“Thank God for Patrick Ewing,” Knick Coach Stu Jackson said. “The rest of our team, quite frankly, we put on a lackluster effort in there at the end of the game. It was his unwillingness to lose. It was his competitiveness that carried us through some times in the ballgame where we were lacking in that.”

Oakley, put it more simply: “That’s why I’ve said he’s the best center in the league.”

Ewing has hit the Clippers for 64 points, 33 rebounds and 15 blocked shots in two games, both one-point victories.

It’s a theme, all in all, the Clippers have gotten quite used to. More than they would like to.

“It’s getting old,” Smith said. “Now, when people talk about how well we’re competing and how we’re coming so close to winning, it’s something we’d rather not hear. I mean, it’s nice, but I think we’re behind that.”

For at least one more night, they weren’t.

Clipper Notes

This was the first overtime game of the season for the Clippers . . . New York has won 11 of 13, 16 of 21 and 19 of 25. . . . The Clippers’ 14 points in the first 12 minutes was a season-low for scoring in a quarter. It was also the fewest the Knicks have allowed in a period.