Orlando Brings Clippers to Earth; Home Winning Streak Ends, 110-100

The Clippers and their fast-swelling pride hit ground zero Tuesday night like a penny dropped from the Empire State Building, the real imprint being elimination from the playoffs.

That the six-game home winning streak, longest in Los Angeles Clipper history, was halted by the Orlando Magic, 110-100, adds to the disappointment, an emotion elevated further in that they blew an early 12-point lead.

But surprise should be another matter, seeing as the Clippers have had the sunshine knocked out of them all season by expansion teams from Florida.

“We’ve got to take the opportunities when they’re in our favor,” said Charles Smith, who had 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting for the Clippers. “We didn’t. We did not take advantage of those opportunities. We slipped up, now we have to shut up.”

Their first loss at the Sports Arena since March 20 was also the third in a row to Orlando and gave the Magic the season series, 3-1.

Miami already had its whacks at the Clippers, winning both meetings of 1990-91 to stretch the winning streak in that series to seven. The same Heat is fighting to avoid having the worst record in the league. “It’s really too bad,” Coach Mike Schuler said after the Clippers dropped to 30-46. “I thought we would finish the season and not lose any home games. We had talked about that.”

The Clippers built a 21-9 lead in the first quarter as Smith made six of his first seven shots. The Magic, despite having played the night before at Utah, counter-punched.

The Clipper cushion was cut to 28-26 heading into the second quarter. They were caught at 36-36 and passed moments later on Jeff Turner’s baseline jumper with 4:47 left before halftime. Orlando held the lead until the Clippers put together a 7-3 rally to go back up at the break, 46-44.

Sure enough, Clipper good fortune proved momentary. They shot 38.1% (eight for 21) in the third quarter, allowed the Magic to go 13 for 22 (59.1%) and surrendered the lead again, 77-71, heading into the fourth. It took all of 2:08 for the deficit to reach 88-75.

The Clippers drew back as close as 98-94 with 3:30 remaining. A final push by the Magic, this time a 7-3 rally, finished the Clippers for good.

Clipper Notes

Indications are the Clippers will leave their Cal Poly Pomona training camp site for the first time in the seven years they have been in Los Angeles and move to La Jolla this fall. Team officials hope a deal with the Jewish Community Center will be finalized in seven to 10 days, and at least one exhibition game at the San Diego Sports Arena, their former home, is a possibility. The Clippers considered switching to the University of San Diego last year before returning to Pomona, but the idea of practicing at a setting more private than an in-session campus and the chance to get more of a training camp atmosphere farther removed from Los Angeles stayed with them. . . . The NBA granted the Clippers permission to put Bo Kimble on the injured list retroactive to Sunday, saying the league office is closed on the weekend and that team officials couldn’t make the roster move until Monday. Kimble is eligible to return for the final three games of the season, though whether he plays again in 1990-91 will probably depend more on the condition of teammates than his own rehabilitation from a strained right groin. . . . Gary Grant dressed but did not play for the second game in a row.