Lakers Salvage This Victory for Bertka, 108-99 : Pro basketball: They nearly let 17-point lead slip away before defeating Clippers. Dunleavy has to sit out because of flu.

When the chances are so few and far between, you don’t lose count. So first, a correction from Bill Bertka, Laker interim coach.

“It’s not my first win as a head coach,” he said. “I had two wins down in New Orleans.”

But those were in the late 1970s, long enough ago that he can’t recall the exact year. Subbing Wednesday night for Mike Dunleavy, home with flu, Bertka’s rare chance resulted in the usual outcome, a Laker victory over the Clippers, this time 108-99 before 15,350 at the Sports Arena.

It took some coaching, too, or at least some presence of mind when the Lakers nearly let a 17-point lead with 8:29 remaining slip away. It got as close as 102-96 with 2:12 left as the Clippers’ full-court trap took its toll, but the Lakers held on behind 31 points from James Worthy, 19 points and 13 assists by Magic Johnson, and 15 points and 16 rebounds off the bench from A.C. Green.

“We did not attack it (the trap) the way we should have attacked it,” Bertka said. “If there had been three minutes left, I would have called time out. But I didn’t want to call time out in that situation to allow them (the Clippers) a chance to reset.”

In losing to their cross-town rivals for the 18th time in the last 21 games dating back four-plus seasons, the Clippers were led by Ken Norman’s 21 points. Charles Smith added 20 points and 11 rebounds. Benoit Benjamin, making his first appearance after missing eight games, had nine points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes.

Before Wednesday, Benjamin’s only playing time with teammates since his Dec. 9 oral surgery was a 75-minute workout Monday.

“It’s fair to say he was gasping for air a bit at times, as I think anybody would after missing two weeks,” Coach Mike Schuler said. “But he did some extra running after practice, too.”

With that in mind, the Clippers didn’t expect many minutes from their sixth-year center, who said he has lost 12 pounds during recuperation. Moreover, Benjamin said he is not 100% recovered from the extraction of the four wisdom teeth and remains on painkillers.

How much sympathy that will get him remains to be seen.

“I really don’t give a . . . what the fans say,” Benjamin said before the game. “Everyone is always quick to make statements when they don’t even know the full situation. I did have to have part of my (left) jaw removed. . . . It wasn’t like regular surgery.”

In the early going, he looked far better and stronger than many expected, appearing anything but short of energy. It was merely a coincidence that the Lakers went on a 14-2 run with Benjamin in most of the way.

The Lakers led, 28-16, at the conclusion of the run, and 31-23 after the first quarter. Johnson ended the quarter with a 40-footer from the right side that swished as the buzzer sounded.

But the Clippers, who have lost two of three to the Lakers at the Sports Arena each of the past three seasons, fought back. Trailing 45-34 with 6:12 to play in the first half, the Clippers’ answer was a 10-2 rally, pulling them within three with 1:36 remaining before intermission. Included in that was a twisting rebound tip by Benjamin, who had nine points and eight rebounds (four offensive) in 13 minutes over the first two quarters.

The Lakers led, 53-46, at halftime and shot 55%, topped by Worthy’s eight-of-13 effort from the field for 18 points.

Clipper-Laker Notes

The Clippers Wednesday signed Mike Smrek, waived by Golden State Dec. 21, and cut another backup center, Greg Butler. Smrek, a 7-footer who has also played with San Antonio and the Lakers in his six-year career, is expected in Los Angeles today for a physical and should be in uniform for Saturday afternoon’s game at Utah. “He’s really improved his game since he has been in the league,” said Clipper Coach Mike Schuler, an assistant with the Warriors while Smrek played there last season. “There was a big question coming in whether he would make it, and he has worked hard since then. He’s developed into a hard-working, low-post player.” Butler, who has a guaranteed contract worth about $150,000, averaged 1.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 4.1 minutes in nine appearances with the Clippers.

This is Bill Bertka’s second time as interim Laker coach. Three years ago, he sat in when Pat Riley left town on family business, and the Lakers lost to the Indiana Pacers.