When Clippers Stand, Rockets Deliver, 109-96

It could be worse for the Clippers. They could play here all the time, where the home team gets booed for holding the ball and running out the clock on a 13-point victory.

That’s about the only good thing that can be said. Otherwise, they had a 10-gallon headache of a trip to Texas, first a 14-point loss at San Antonio and then a 109-96 loss to the Houston Rockets Thursday night. It was the Clippers’ 11th consecutive defeat at the Summit.

The Rockets were booed for not hitting 110 points, which would have won a free hamburger for all in attendance. Why for that and not for letting the Clippers back in the game is anyone’s guess.

Losers of eight of their last 12 and, at 20-22, two games below .500 for the first time since being 8-10, the Clippers stayed connected to the game with a late 15-8 run, capped by Danny Young’s three-point shot with 2:50 remaining. That pulled the Clippers within 98-90, but it set the stage for their undoing.

Houston got offensive rebounds on its next two possessions and converted each into two free throws, by Otis Thorpe--who became the 10th player in NBA history to play 500 consecutive games--and Buck Johnson. The Clippers never came back.

“In the fourth quarter, when the game was on the line, we got to standing around and not pursuing the ball, and they (the Rockets) did (pursue),” Clipper Coach Mike Schuler said. “They whipped us to the ball.”

Said Thorpe: “They (the Clippers) were starting to get on a roll and get back into the game. Getting those (rebounds) kind of broke their backs.”

It happened in a game in which Olden Polynice set a season high with 17 rebounds, one shy of his personal best. But Polynice, who scored three points, was on the bench when the Rockets got the back-to-back offensive rebounds and probably would have been there the entire fourth quarter had James Edwards not fouled out with 1:42 left.

It’s not the first time Schuler has gone with Edwards, his backup, down the stretch, but that didn’t make it any easier for Polynice.

“Tonight, I knew it was the start of the second half of the season, and I said to myself, ’41 more games to go and I want to start concentrating on rebounding,’ ” he said. “I think I really rebounded well on the defensive end. I don’t want to question the coach’s decisions, but I got my hands on most everything that was shot defensively.

“It was frustrating (watching Thorpe and Johnson). I knew where I was. I didn’t care if I had two or no points. I wanted to concentrate on the boards. I thought I did a good job.”

Danny Manning had a season- and game-high 30 points on 13-of-17 shooting for the Clippers, adding 11 rebounds (five offensive) in 33 minutes. He is shooting 59.6% in the last 14 games and averaging 22.7 points the last nine games.

“The only reason I have such a high percentage is because my teammates are doing a lot to help out,” Manning said. “They’re getting the ball to me when I’m open, setting screens for me to get me open. I just try to go out and play hard and let everything take care of itself.

“I feel I’m in a good groove. But it really doesn’t mean anything if we’re not winning games. That’s what matters in this league. I’d rather have a lower shooting percentage and win games.”