Clippers Break Away From Nets : Pro basketball: Running game gets going after deadlocked first half and L.A. wins, 99-88.

Mike Schuler was the first to admit it.

“No matter what it looks like,” the Clipper coach said, “that’s what we would like to do every night.”

That, to be more specific, is the Clipper transition game, absent of late but back in the second half Saturday night. That is when Ron Harper scored 19 of his game-high 27 points to lead the Clippers to a 99-88 victory over the New Jersey Nets at the Sports Arena.

The victory ended a four-game losing streak for the Clippers, who improved to 21-24.

“It felt good,” Harper said. “Once we started the third quarter, we knew we had a chance that, if we limited them to one shot, we could get back downcourt quick. When we’re in our transition game, we are at our best.”

It showed most during the third quarter, when the Clippers got eight more shots than the Nets and helped limit New Jersey to 18-of-46 shooting (39.1%) during the second half.

As Schuler wanted.

“We kept talking about that, kept harping that that would win us the game,” he said of his halftime talk.

“We said it was a zero-zero game (at that point) and that the first six minutes of the third quarter, we had to take over and let them know they don’t have a chance to win.”

New Jersey (19-25) pulled to 82-76 with 5:27 to play but got no closer. The Clippers soon increased the lead to 12, and to 14 in the closing seconds.

“We played even with them in most areas of the game, but we didn’t match Harper,” Net Coach Bill Fitch said.

“Harper made some great plays tonight.”

Both teams were short-handed because of injuries the night before.

Danny Young again replaced Doc Rivers, sidelined because of a strained left hamstring, in the Clipper starting lineup. The Nets played without center Sam Bowie, who came in averaging 17 points and 8.8 rebounds, but suffered a bruised lower abdomen. Chris Dudley took his place.

Opening a month during which nine of their 12 games are at home, the Clippers led the entire first quarter before being caught on the Nets’ first possession of the second period.

New Jersey opened a six-point lead, 40-34, but this time the Clippers responded with an 8-0 run to move back ahead. By halftime, the score was tied, 45-45, despite the Nets having shot 35.4% during the first two quarters.

The Clippers pulled away soon thereafter. They led by as many as 13 points during the third quarter, first at 74-61 and then at 76-63. The key stretch was a 13-4 run midway through the period.

Harper had 13 points during the quarter, when the Clippers shot 51.9% and committed only one turnover.

Clipper Notes

As expected, Doc Rivers will be sidelined until after the All-Star break. Rivers suffered re-injury of his left hamstring Friday at Sacramento. Team physician Tony Daly said Rivers might return Feb. 12 against the Houston Rockets or two days later against the Phoenix Suns. The Clippers’ games before that are Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks and Wednesday against the Lakers at the Forum.

“Emotionally, I’m pretty down,” Rivers said before Saturday’s game. “This time, probably more than other injuries. I felt that I got all the way back, and then it happens again. But I can’t do anything about it. I just have to get better so I can come back and help this team.” The true measure of Rivers’ frustration during a season that has already included time on the sideline because of back, thumb, ankle and hamstring problems came Friday night, when he assessed the new damage to the leg and said: “I hurt it, I know that, but nowhere near as bad as before. Or maybe I’m just getting used to it.”

LeRon Ellis sat out because of a sinus infection. . . . Olden Polynice had a season-high 17 rebounds, one short of his personal best, in two of the previous three games despite playing only 27 minutes and making brief appearances in the fourth quarter each time. . . . The Clippers are winless in their two national television appearances of the season, including Friday at Sacramento, and are 0-4 in sellout games at the Sports Arena.