Clippers, Schuler Fire Back at Portland : Basketball: They rally from 15-point deficit for 107-97 victory that trims Trail Blazers’ lead over the Lakers to one-half game.

The was a big game for the Clippers, the Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers, but it had special meaning for Mike Schuler.

Schuler, fired as coach of the Trail Blazers two years ago, saw his Clippers rally from 15 points down for their first victory in 30 games at Portland since 1981, a 107-97 defeat of the Pacific Division leaders.

“It was a very meaningful game to me,” Schuler said. “We’ve really been playing pretty good in recent games. I think we’re just one game under .500 in the last 17.”

It was the Clippers’ first victory at Portland since Feb. 24, 1981.

Portland lost for the seventh time in 10 games and had their lead over the Lakers trimmed to one-half game.

Schuler, head coach at Portland for 2 1/2 years, was fired by the Blazers on Feb. 18, 1989 after compiling a 127-84 record.

“I told the team at halftime that we had a chance to win this game if we could control the first six minutes of the third quarter,” Schuler said. “They started missing some shots they usually make and we started making shots we had been missing.

“We’ve been doing a good job on the boards and have played pretty well defensively. Our problem has been offensively. I would have to say this is the most significant win of the season for us.”

The Blazers’ biggest lead was 57-42 on Kevin Duckworth’s basket to open the third period, but Ron Harper’s three-pointer with 2:58 left closed the gap to 70-63.

Ken Norman scored eight points in the remainder of the quarter, and his 20-footer from the corner with five seconds remaining left Portland with a 75-71 lead.

The Blazers went made only six of 25 shots in the fourth quarter and were outscored, 36-22.

The Clippers opened the fourth period with a 17-4 run, with Harper scoring seven points, and Olden Polynice’s 12-footer with 7:15 left giving the Clippers an 88-79 lead.

Portland went scoreless for nearly four minutes and made only one for 14 shots until Terry Porter’s layup with 5:08 left.

Portland Coach Rick Adelman was stunned by the defeat.

“I wish I knew what happened in the second half,” he said. “Ron Harper made some shots in the second half but missed a lot in the first half. He’s a good player and capable of doing that.”

Harper scored 19 of his 25 points in the second half. Charles Smith scored 26 points and Danny Manning added 19 for the Clippers, who are 7-27 on the road.

Clyde Drexler scored 19 points for the Trail Blazers and Duckworth had 18.

Two baskets by Cliff Robinson gave the Blazers a 51-38 lead with 2:12 left in the second quarter. They were ahead, 55-42, at halftime after outscoring the Clippers, 31-14, in the second quarter.