Clippers Limp West With Losing Record : Pro basketball: Loss to Bullets, 107-96, makes them 2-4 for the trip and 18-19 for the season.

The Clippers logged air miles from Los Angeles to North Carolina, from the East Coast to Indianapolis and back again, since New Year’s Day and rarely even got off the ground. A trip that went everywhere, went nowhere.

The Clippers showed themselves to be walking contradictions again Saturday night by losing to the Washington Bullets, 107-96, at the Capital Centre. The loss gave them a 2-4 record for the trip.

When they played the Clippers, Charlotte was 8-23, Atlanta was 14-15, New Jersey was 11-20, Indiana was 12-21, Philadelphia was 15-18 and Washington was 12-21. The Clippers beat only Charlotte, in overtime, and Indiana.

Because they could not beat losing teams, the Clippers became one, at 18-19 and below .500 for the first time since being 9-10 on Dec. 6.

Because they could not get more than two victories on this trip, the Clippers’ once-commendable road record went to 6-12.

Because they could not dominate the least of the East, could not even play .500 in a schedule that included days off between five of the six games, the Clippers go home today having lost nine of their last 13.

“We got up to play a few of the teams,” said Ken Norman, who made 13 of 19 shots for a season-high 27 points and added 12 rebounds--six on the offensive end--against Washington. “But we did not get up all six nights, which is something we’ve got to do.”

Added James Edwards, who made his first start of the season in place of Olden Polynice: “They always say the last game is a go-home game. And we kind of played like that tonight.”

The Clippers, with Polynice sidelined because of stomach pain and Charles Smith making it only to the third quarter before his shoulder problems flared again, had problems apart from manpower. They made only 65.6% of their free throws and had 10 assists against 14 turnovers. They shot 39.4% from the field.

“I’m frustrated for a lot of reasons,” Coach Mike Schuler said. “I’m frustrated we lost the game. I’m frustrated because I don’t think we played as well as we are able to play.”

The Clippers trailed by 13 points with 3:52 left, but pulled within seven when Norman got the last of his three consecutive baskets with 1:58 remaining. They got no closer, the Bullets making good use of time. Their final possessions had shots that went up with one, four, two and two seconds left on the shot clock.

Harvey Grant led Washington with 29 points, and Pervis Ellison had 21 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. Michael Adams added 22 points and 12 assists.

Clipper Notes

The Clippers signed veteran Danny Young, waived Tuesday by Portland, to fill the vacant roster spot. An eight-year pro, let go by the Trail Blazers in favor of rookie Lamont Strothers, Young was immediately put into action, playing 18 minutes Saturday because Gary Grant was sidelined because of an abdominal strain. . . . Olden Polynice spent two hours in a Philadelphia hospital late Friday night after doubling over because of sharp stomach pains in the closing seconds of the game against the 76ers. He was released after a series of precautionary tests but still felt too ill to play against the Bullets. Polynice, who has had flu for most of the trip, said he considered coming out during a timeout moments before his baseline collapse, then thought he could finish the game. “But I got a rebound and said, ‘I don’t think so,’ ” he said. “I couldn’t breathe anymore because of the pain. It felt like somebody stabbed me.”

Charles Smith, on his continued battle with a strained muscle in his right shoulder: “It fatigued (me). In the early going, I was fine. Then it felt like the end of the New Jersey game all over again. It was almost to the point where I had to line up my shots.” . . . All anyone needed to know about Michael Adams and the Washington Bullets before he arrived was that he set a team record with his 52nd three-point shot of the season in his 30th game.