Knicks Tip Clippers in Overtime

Charles Smith, no cheapskate, in one night turned into a bad tipper.

Normally a money player, Smith missed four rapid-fire tip-in attempts inches from the basket in the final seconds of overtime Tuesday night. The Clippers didn’t score for the last 3:19 of the extra period, turning their hopes for back-to-back victories for the first time since early December into a 108-107 loss to the New York Knicks before 12,492 at the Sports Arena.

Smith’s rebound rampage for naught was the most expensive damage as the Clippers dropped to 15-28 in their third overtime outing in seven games. And despite 44 points and 17 rebounds by the Knicks’ Patrick Ewing, the outcome probably should have been different.

“I knew one would go in,” said Smith, who had 15 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots despite playing his second consecutive game with a stomach virus. “Something just happened. The ball went up, and I tipped it so clean, I knew it would go in.”

But it didn’t. Besides, Smith wasn’t the only one having that problem. After the Clippers called a timeout with 32 seconds remaining in overtime, they missed six shots in a row without the Knicks getting the ball back. New York’s last shot was a 20-foot basket with 1:17 left by Maurice Cheeks.

New York’s last lead of regulation came at 96-95, when, after Kiki Vandeweghe made the free throw on an illegal defense call against the Clippers, Ewing completed the four-point possession with a layin and free throw of his own. That came with 3:21 left, after which Ron Harper made two layins that gave the Clippers a three-point lead.

When the Knicks needed another basket, this time to tie the score at 101-101, they wasted little time in going to Ewing. He, in turn, wasted little time in using an advantage in size and strength to back in Smith, playing center in place of Benoit Benjamin, who had fouled out with 55 seconds left, and bank in a shot from the left post.

The Clippers called a timeout with 21 seconds remaining, got the ball to Harper and cleared out the right side to set up single coverage with Gerald Wilkins. With the clock winding down, Harper ended up in the corner along the right baseline and was forced to try an out-of-position shot surrounded by three Knicks. Ewing blocked it, sending the game into overtime.

New York is the only opponent with a losing record in the Clippers’ five-game stretch, and the Knicks had played the night before at Golden State. Despite having those factors in their favor, the Clippers still didn’t lead in the first half after 2-0.

New York’s lead was 11 on three occasions, the latest at 27-16 in the first quarter. But the Clippers, who lost their 10th in a row to the Knicks, caught up at 50-50 on Smith’s free throw with 2:26 left before halftime.

The Knicks took another two-point lead when Ewing made one free throw with 45 seconds to play, and the Clippers tied it again, 57-57, when Ewing was called for goaltending on Ken Bannister’s hook shot in the lane. It was then left to Ewing again for the final possession before intermission, a free-throw line jumper as the half ended that gave New York a 59-57 lead.

So the Clippers (15-28) shot 54.5% in the first two quarters and never got the lead back. Come the start of the second half, they fell behind, 75-65, but then broke off a 14-0 run to finally take the lead, 79-75. Harper accounted for six of the Clipper points, finishing with 23 points in 25 minutes.

The 15-minute time restrictions sounded good in theory, at least.

Clipper Notes

Ron Harper reported only minor swelling of his knee after his return to action Saturday, but said everything had returned to normal by the next morning, making his first appearance in 53 weeks a true success. It is also appears that the 15-minute time limit he had is flexible, Harper having gone 18 against Milwaukee. He said Coach Mike Schuler would have had to drag him off the court to get him out of the close game in the final moments. “It’s got a lot of flexibility,” he said. “It depends if it’s a fast-paced game, an up-and-down game. If it’s an easy, half-court game, I’d probably get more time. I don’t think the time is set straight at 15 minutes. I think it’s more like 15 or 20.”