Hot Manning Helps Clippers Cool the Heat : Pro basketball: He scores 34 points, grabs personal-best 16 rebounds in 108-92 victory.

The Miami Heat were the bad tie choking the Clippers for 3 1/2 seasons: loud and embarrassing and memorable for all the wrong reasons.

But Friday night, the Clippers threw away the neckwear, ending a seven-game losing streak to the Heat with a topsy-turvy 108-92 victory at the Sports Arena.

The Clippers’ only previous victory in the series had come Nov. 5, 1988--the first game in the history of the Miami franchise. They had been reminded often of the problems since, many times by Heat players.

“They swear they own our ballclub,” said Ron Harper, who had 21 points for the Clippers. “The only way to quiet a team is to win games. If we have our way and win these two--this and at their place next week--they can’t say anything. They own our ballclub of the past. This is a new and improved ballclub. I’m sure there are some guys left from the past, but this is a new ballclub.”

Danny Manning was part of the 1988-89 team, but with an asterisk after having missed the debut in Miami because of a contract holdout. In Clipper victory No. 2, he set several No. 1s: a personal-best 16 rebounds--10 coming during the fourth quarter--and a season-high 34 points.

Manning’s offense during the third quarter held off Miami when the Heat seemed to be in the passing lane, but his rebounding was most pleasing. After all, Coach Larry Brown had been urging him to get more rebounds.

“What people don’t realize is that it’s hard for him to get to the boards at small forward,” Brown said. “He’s guarding quickness.”

So Brown switched Manning to defending against a bigger player, starting him at power forward for the first time.

“Some if it has to do with being at (power forward), and some with Coach Brown being on me about getting more rebounds,” Manning said. “I was just trying to make a conscious effort to go to the boards.”

The Clippers had fought off one Heat rally when they saw a 16-point advantage cut to two, 87-85, with 7:47 to play. But, as they did during the previous challenge, they responded and never lost the lead, making it 102-90 with 2 1/2 minutes left.

Brown’s first change in the starting lineup in his Clipper tenure involved taking Loy Vaught out, putting Ken Norman in and moving Manning to power forward to guard Grant Long. Norman defended against Glen Rice.

The switch worked, but everything did at the start. The Clippers, in their last home game before beginning a four-game East Coast swing beginning Sunday at Orlando, had leads of 12-2, 23-8 and then 33-14, with 1:12 to play in the first quarter. They shot 53.6% during that period, compared to 28.6% (six for 21) by Miami.

The Clippers continued in cruise control deep into the second quarter, extending the lead to as many as 20 points, 46-26, with 6:33 to play. Then, the elevator stopped. They get off and stepped into the shaft.

It came without warning. The Clippers got a basket with 5:11 remaining for an 18-point cushion, 48-30, then didn’t score again until 32 seconds remained. The Heat had an 15-0 charge to pull within 48-45, eight of the points coming off steals or intercepted passes.

In all, the Clippers had 15 turnovers during the second quarter that contributed to 20 Miami points and they led by only 50-47 at intermission. Boos accompanied them off the court.

The Heat got as close as 57-55 during the third quarter. But the Clippers turned back that rally, needing six minutes 33 seconds to extend the lead back to 81-65. It was 83-73 at the end of the third, and Manning had 17 points during the period.

Clipper Notes

The injury-plagued season of Doc Rivers continues. The Clipper guard--who has sat out because of problems with his back, hamstring, finger and ankle--suffered another ankle injury during the first quarter after putting in a missed shot by Danny Manning and falling into the crowd. It was immediately diagnosed as a sprain, which was confirmed by X-rays. . . . The Clippers had shot 50.5%, 47.3%, 57.3%, 54.5% and 53.4% in their the previous five games. “They have really tried to be unselfish and make the extra pass, tried to run and cut down on turnovers,” Coach Larry Brown said. “Some real positive things have happened.” . . . This was the first start of the season for Ken Norman. . . . The Heat’s coaching staff has a Clipper past. Assistants Alvin Gentry and Bob Staak both held the same positions in Los Angeles, Gentry last season. Coach Kevin Loughery was once the color commentator on Clipper television broadcasts.