Clippers Use All the Help They Can Get

The rookie, the recuperating and the reject won a game for the Clippers Saturday night, as they rallied to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 97-95, at the Sports Arena.

The statistics showed Benoit Benjamin with 16 rebounds, 15 points and six blocked shots; Charles Smith and Danny Manning with 24 points each, and Gary Grant with 17 assists and three free throws in the final 11.9 seconds.

But the real heroes were as unlikely as the game in which the Clippers came from 14 points down to win for the eighth time in 11 outings.

Rookie Jeff Martin, growing in stature with each game, took an out-of-bounds lob pass from Manning and, without coming down, laid in the winning basket with 2.7 seconds left.

Tom Garrick, who missed the last two games with tendinitis in his left knee, played only six minutes but had back-to-back steals midway through the third quarter that sparked the go-ahead rally.

Former Laker David Rivers, cut by the Timberwolves in training camp, also provided a spark off the bench in the second half. On his 25th birthday, he had two points and four rebounds in 12 minutes, but, as Coach Don Casey said, “I thought Rivers and Garrick set the tone tonight with their defense.”

Added Rivers, who said playing Minnesota didn’t provide any extra motivation: “I just see it as a challenge. I feel I’m capable of having a positive impact. I just waited for an opportunity, and tonight I took advantage of it.”

But it came down to Martin, who, with the Clippers holding a 92-90 advantage, had defended Tony Campbell (27 points) one-on-one and forced Campbell into a crucial traveling call.

After Randy Breuer hit a short hook in the lane with 9.2seconds left to bring Minnesota within a basket, Grant missed one of two free throws with 7.6 seconds on the clock. Minnesota inbounded from midcourt and Scott Roth’s pass found Tod Murphy in the right corner for a three-pointer that tied the score, 95-95, with 3.6 seconds left.

The Clippers called time out, and Manning took the ball at halfcourt.

Searching for an open man, he lofted a pass at a tough angle, practically over the basket. Martin, having gotten behind Campbell, was there, and he completed the lob play with a soft bank before Breuer could help on defense.

Martin said Manning threw a perfect pass. The execution on the receiving end was, apparently, slightly less.

“Maybe if I had dunked it,” Martin said, smiling.

The Clippers (18-19) used a 30-9 run over 13 minutes 19 seconds of the third and fourth quarters to get in position to win, holding Minnesota to 39 points in the second half. When time out was called with 6:27 to play, they had turned the double-digit deficit into an 81-74 lead.

Garrick’s role was most evident in two consecutive Minnesota possessions in the third quarter, both steals. Largely because of it, the Clipper deficit went from 65-59 to 65-63.

Consider it six minutes that helped the Clippers climb into a fourth-place tie with Seattle in the Pacific Division.

“It felt really good,” Garrick said of being back in the lineup. “Six minutes isn’t the amount I would have liked to play--I would have liked a lot more--but I did all I could to contribute to the win.”

Which, which combined with the other backcourt reserves and the usual stars, was enough. Barely, but enough.

Clipper Notes

Danny Ainge’s name is already being tossed around in trade rumors, but General Manager Elgin Baylor, while refusing to even comment on interest regarding the Sacramento guard, said no deal is imminent to replace Ron Harper. As much as anything, the Clipper staff sees this as a time to show confidence in the other players and also give some of the lesser-used a chance to impress. “Let’s see what we’ve got first,” Baylor said. “Let’s get some of the players additional minutes and see if someone steps up to soften the blow. Now is a chance for guys like Michael Young and Jeff Martin to show their talent.” As an example of good impressions that can come out of an otherwise troubling situation, Baylor points to the development of Ken Norman two years ago when fellow rookies Reggie Williams and Joe Wolf were sidelined.

Saturday marked the one-year anniversary of Don Casey’s first day as Clipper coach, although he was actually named to replace Gene Shue Jan. 19. “First, I remember how quickly it’s gone,” Casey said. “Secondly, how far we’ve come in a year.” . . . Harper returned home to Ohio Saturday, his 26th birthday, in preparation for surgery Tuesday on his right knee.