Clippers Manage to Prevail : Pro basketball: Williams tries to duck crucial free throws, but then makes them to cap rally for 94-93 victory over the Timberwolves.

Larry Brown, never one to spare the needle, even in these most troubling of Clipper times, approached his players Monday afternoon at shoot-around and, with a touch of sarcasm, said:

“I appreciate you all practicing today.”

Brown was referring to the boycott of last year’s Martin Luther King Day workout, a move players said was to honor the slain civil rights leader, but which was viewed more as a sign of disrespect to then-coach Mike Schuler.

What Brown could have said later Monday, after the Clippers rallied to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 94-93, before 17,879 at Target Center on John Williams’ two free throws with 22 seconds to play, was:

“I appreciate you all showing up for the second half.”

Otherwise, the Clippers would have lost to the league’s second-worst team with their toughest stretch of the season ahead. Otherwise, the Clippers might have been practicing here late Monday night instead of flying home after splitting the two-game trip.

As it was, they were behind by 17 points with 4 1/2 minutes to play in the first half and by 11 with seven minutes to go in the third quarter.

But they pulled to three by the end of the third quarter, then went ahead, 74-73, with 10:54 left. Neither team was ahead by more than four points the rest of the way.

With the Clippers behind, 93-92, Minnesota’s Doug West was called for a loose ball foul on a rebound. Williams was supposed to get two free throws, but, aware of his 53.1% success rate from the line, instead tried to hide by taking a spot on the lane and getting Danny Manning (77.8%) to take the shots. Williams was caught, made to go the line with 22 seconds left, then made both attempts.

“I wasn’t nervous at all,” Williams said after getting 17 points and 11 rebounds.

“I knew I was going to make at least one of them.”

The Timberwolves, looking for their second victory in three games under interim Coach Sidney Lowe, called three timeouts before Chuck Person prepared to make the entry pass along the left baseline with 3.5 seconds left.

As Person threw the ball, Micheal Williams, in the midst of a 20-point, 16-assist, seven-steal night, broke open in the right corner, in front of the Clipper bench.

“I almost guarded him,” Brown said.

No need. Person’s pass was heading in that direction, but Manning deflected it into the lane. Clipper Mark Jackson pounced on it, then waited for the charge of Timberwolves to strip the ball. Except that it never came. Jackson held on until the last second, then flung the ball in the air to punctuate the victory.

Brown shook up the lineup and started Williams and Gary Grant in place of Ken Norman and Ron Harper, calling it temporary but putting no specific timetable on how long it will last. The move was designed to get more minutes for Williams, conserve Harper and reward the play of Grant.

Clipper Notes

The first sighting of a Danny Manning trade rumor was made here with a report that the Timberwolves have talked to Clippers about a deal that would send Christian Laettner to Los Angeles in exchange. But Manning would have to restructure his contract and will not commit to staying with a team any longer than after he becomes an unrestricted free agent after 1993-94. The Timberwolves would be giving up their 1992 lottery pick, and perhaps their best player, for someone who has little interest in being around after a season and a half.

Stanley Roberts, continuing to play well, had a career-high 40 minutes and season highs with 20 points and 14 rebounds. . . . Minnesota’s Chuck Person, a first-team taunter, on John Williams trying to sneak the free throws to Danny Manning: “I’d rather see Danny Manning up there. He’s sort of like Scottie Pippen. He’s going to give you one.” Meaning, miss one.