For Clippers, Here’s to You, Mr. Robinson : Pro basketball: L.A. wins, 97-93, by holding Spurs’ center to 14 points before he fouls out.

David Robinson, worth about as much in the Sports Arena as a Willie Anderson guarantee, fouled out with 6:30 left Wednesday night after going four for 10 from the field for 14 points. That makes Robinson five for 22 for 20 points the last two appearances here.

Anderson was 12 of 18 for a game-high 27 points, but he plays for the San Antonio Spurs.

So much for the Spurs’ 1990-91 tour through the Sports Arena, which ended at 0-2 after the Clippers got 21 points and 10 rebounds from Charles Smith to win, 97-93, Anderson’s predicted cinch victory for San Antonio notwithstanding.

“So much for predictions,” Clipper Coach Mike Schuler said.

Crow, anyone?

“I’m a man of my word,” Anderson said. “But I swallow my words. They came out and beat us.”

Not for the entire game, but when it mattered.

Smith scored nine of the Clippers’ final 11 points, and they won for the second night in a row. Just as important, he preserved a three-point lead by blocking Sidney Green’s shot after the Spurs called their final timeout with 33 seconds left. Smith controlled the ball, was fouled by Green and made the two free throws to increase the cushion to five points. Three more points from the line the rest of the way--two by Smith and another by Tom Garrick--took care of San Antonio for good.

“There’s not much to say,” Smith said. “I got one (a block) just like that (Tuesday) night versus Orlando Woolridge at Denver. I’ve got to do the best I can down the stretch when the game’s on the line.”

Robinson was nowhere to be found by then. When he was called for holding Smith in the low post for foul No. 6, it marked the second consecutive time he got an early exit against the Clippers, each time limiting damage.

Having won seven of their previous nine games, the Spurs jumped to a 29-16 lead behind Anderson, who had guaranteed revenge for San Antonio’s Feb. 22 loss at the Sports Arena. Then they found out there are no sure things when dealing with the Clippers, good or bad.

The same team that recently had lost to Orlando, Miami and Cleveland and gone overtime 24 hours earlier before beating Denver, charged back against one of the elite. Part of it was Robinson’s getting his third foul in the second quarter. Part was the Clippers going on a 23-9 run.

The whole was an eventual 49-42 lead for the Clippers. San Antonio, needing a victory to retain first place in the Midwest Division, came back to tie by intermission, 51-51, as Anderson had 20 points.

The Spurs shot 55.6% the first half, but were outscored, 29-20, in the second quarter. The Clippers followed that with a 28-20 advantage in the third, good for a 79-71 cushion heading into the final quarter.

Clipper Notes

Ken Norman, his left ankle improved but not 100%, was activated before the game, and Mike Smrek took his place on the injured list with a sprained lower back. Tied as the Clippers’ second-leading scorer coming into Wednesday, Norman had missed seven of the previous nine games because of the ankle, including five in a row. He ran on it for the first time Monday, but then slightly re-injured it Tuesday while stretching. He also developed stiffness in the Achilles’ tendon while trying to compensate for the pain, a common occurence according to trainer Keith Jones. “It felt real good,” Norman said. “But then I think I kind of over-stretched it and re-aggravated it a bit.” Asked if maybe he would have been better off staying on the injured list another game or two, he replied, “I can play in pain. It’s no big deal.” Smrek, the third-string center, has played in six games since being signed off waivers Dec. 26.

Guard Gary Grant missed his second consecutive game with a bruised left thigh. The leg continues to regain motion, but his status remains day to day. Winston Garland started again Wednesday at the point. . . . The Spurs played without Terry Cummings, still bothered by a sore lower back. He missed five games because of the ailment earlier in the season and apparently suffered a relapse Monday at Utah. David Greenwood started in his place. . . . By winning Tuesday at Denver, the Clippers guaranteed themselves a winning record against the Nuggets for the first time since 1986-87, taking a 3-0 lead in the season series with one game remaining. It also marked the first time that the San Diego or Los Angeles Clippers have won twice in the same season at Denver.