Portland Shows Manning How It’s Done

With the NBA trading deadline 24 hours away, Clipper forward Danny Manning isn’t worried about where he might end up.

“If I get traded, I’ll pack up and leave,” said Manning, who scored 35 points in a 120-117 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night before 12,888 at the Portland Memorial Coliseum.

The Clippers, who have lost four in a row, play Portland tonight at the Sports Arena in what could be Manning’s final game as a Clipper.

“I’ve had a great time here in L.A.,” Manning said. “It would have been nice if it had worked out. If I get traded for some reason, I have a lot of good friends on this team and it’s going to be hard leaving these guys.”

The Trail Blazers have reportedly offered forward Harvey Grant or guard Terry Porter and former UCLA forward Tracy Murray or James Robinson plus draft choices for Manning. Other teams also are talking to the Clippers.

After the game, Manning was cornered by the Portland media, including all the local TV stations. However, a Clipper publicist told reporters that Manning wouldn’t answer trade questions.

Asked if he would like to play for the Trail Blazers because he plays well at Portland Coliseum, Manning said with a smile: “Yes, I do like this gym.”

With the Clippers trailing by 15 points at the start of the fourth quarter, Manning made his first four shots and scored nine points as Los Angeles outscored Portland, 26-11, tie it at 107-107 on a layup by Loy Vaught with 4:39 remaining.

But Portland then outscored the Clippers, 13-8, to take a 120-115 lead with 45.2 seconds left after a free throw by guard Clyde Drexler, who had 15 points.

Then, Manning set up Elmore Spencer for a dunk with 33 seconds left, and the Clippers got another chance when guard Gary Grant stole Drexler’s pass with 7.4 seconds remaining. But Vaught missed a layup and a tip in at the buzzer.

Interest in Murray might have increased after he made his first five shots, including three three-pointers, and scored 13 points in 12 minutes as a reserve in the first half. His play helped the Trail Blazers take a 69-55 halftime lead. Murray finished with 18 points.

Coach Rick Adelman denied that he was showcasing Murray.

“I was going to give Tracy some time. It as a case of showcasing. There were matchups out there where I thought Tracy could score. And that’s why he was in there.”

Whatever eventually happens, the Clippers will be relieved when Manning’s status is resolved.

“We know that it’s going to get done one way or the other,” Clipper guard Mark Jackson said. “Something has to be done. We can’t continue to go out and try to perform like this. That’s asking too much.”

The New York Knicks, Orlando Magic have reportedly also made offers for Manning. Does he have a preference?

“There are a lot of teams I like, but we’re not going to get into that,” Manning said.

Does Manning have any regrets that things didn’t work out with the Clippers?

“From day one, I told everybody that I was going to become an unrestricted free agent,” Manning said.

Manning, who came into the game averaging a career-high 23.3 points, hasn’t been distracted by the trade talk this season. He scored 18 first-half points, 10 in the first quarter, making six of 12 shots.

“I think I’ve been consistent throughout the year,” Manning said. “I try not to worry about trade rumors and trade talks, because that’s part of the game.”