Clippers Caught With Their Guards Down

The Sun never sets on the Phoenix backcourt, a fact that no doubt has been burnt into the Clippers’ memory by now.

On Dec. 1, Kevin Johnson racked up 15 points and 16 assists in a 21-point victory at Phoenix. Later that month, Jeff Hornacek got 28 in a four-point victory. Dan Majerle helped contain Ron Harper both times.

Tuesday night, in the first Sports Arena meeting, it was back to Hornacek, who scored 25 of his 27 points in the first half, more than enough to send the Suns toward a 118-96 victory before 12,059.

So what is Clipper Coach Don Casey to do? Phoenix sends out an All-Star, Johnson, and one of the game’s most underrated players, Hornacek. The Clippers counter with David Rivers and Jim Les, both unwanted by any team at the start of the season, and Ken Norman, a transformed forward. The results were hardly stunning.

There were problems on both ends. Johnson had 27 points to compliment Hornacek. The Clippers guards--Norman, Rivers, Les, Jeff Martin and Tom Garrick--combined for 10 of 35 from the field.

As Norman, who went three of 15, said afterward: “I don’t worry a whole lot about who plays for the other team. I worry about our team, and tonight we didn’t have a thing.”

No, what they had was trouble.

“It’s tough,” Casey said of the guard situation, which showed signs of promise in recent victories over Orlando and Washington but has yet to leave back-to-back good impressions. “I think the guys are really trying. You can’t fault their effort. But there is quickness out there (with Phoenix). There’s experience out there.

“But a lot of teams have trouble with Kevin Johnson. I thought our team defense as a whole had trouble. He got a lot of penetration and wasn’t contested or knocked down. I’m not just going to fault the guards.”

Probably because others hurt the Clippers, too. Forward Tom Chambers had 30 points, center Mark West added 12 rebounds and backup center Andrew Lang contributed 16 points and seven rebounds for Phoenix, which won for the 15th time in 18 tries and improved to 29-17 overall.

The Clippers (21-27) lost for the eighth time in 11 games and looked every bit the part of a struggling team, shooting 39.1% and getting outrebounded, 65-48. Phoenix gets some credit, but the Clippers deserve more blame.

“I think we need to get the ball up and down the court more,” said Benoit Benjamin, who had 19 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. “We have a lot of talent. I don’t think we need to be a half-court team.”

But that is what they’ll probably remain. Rivers had nine assists against only three turnovers and Danny Manning had 20 points, but the offense clearly labored. Out of sync, Benjamin said.

“Top to bottom, we didn’t play our best game,” Casey added. “Let’s just leave it at that.”

Indeed, the Suns controlled. Top to bottom, beginning to end.

The Clippers trailed by 13 points on several occasions in the second quarter and rallied within 50-43, only to have things go bad.

First, Benjamin got his third foul with 4:13 left, and 25 seconds later, Rivers was called for his third. Phoenix took advantage to start a 9-4 run that boosted the lead to 57-45.

It turned out to be the start of the Clipper problems.

In the final 28 seconds alone: Hornacek scored inside. Manning was called for an offensive foul, his third. Hornacek scored on a layup with three seconds to play. Hornacek stole the ball from Les just outside the three-point circle and fired a shot.

Suddenly, the Suns had a 64-47 lead. Twenty-five of the points, on 11-of-16 shooting, belonged to Hornacek.

The Suns shot 61.9% in the second quarter and limited the Clippers to 36.4%.

Clipper Notes

Clipper General Manager Elgin Baylor continued trade talks during the All-Star weekend, but, he said, nothing came of it. “We’re looking to do something, but some things don’t make sense,” he said. “So far, a lot of the demands don’t make sense.” Baylor refused to discuss specific possibilities. The team that unrealistically asked for Charles Smith and both first-round picks a while back? It is believed to be Washington, which has high-scoring guard Jeff Malone to offer. . . . The Suns entered the game with a 14-3 record when Kurt Rambis started. Included in that streak is a 10-game winning streak.