Clippers’ Wilkins Takes Sting Out of Hornets : Pro basketball: His 33 points and a hot fourth quarter help L.A. beat Charlotte, 118-109.

The Clippers have been more exciting since acquiring Dominique Wilkins from the Atlanta Hawks for Danny Manning, but they had not been any more successful, losing their first two games with Wilkins after squandering fourth-quarter leads.

But that changed in Wednesday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets at the Sports Arena.

Wilkins, who averaged 31.5 points in his first two games as a Clipper, scored 33 points, 12 in the fourth quarter, as the Clippers beat the Hornets, 118-109, before an announced crowd of 10,262.

Wilkins, who had struggled in the final quarter of his first two games as a Clipper, scoring a total of nine points in that quarter against Seattle and Golden State, made five of six shots in the final quarter as the Clippers built a 19-point lead.

Wilkins, who made 14 of 26 shots, including seven dunks, sank his first four shots as the Clippers opened the fourth quarter with a 20-6 spurt. He made three jumpers and a layup. After making his third straight shot, a fadeaway jumper, Wilkins raised both fingers in the air as he glided back to play defense.

“In the first half, I was feeling a little sluggish and my shot wasn’t going,” said Wilkins, who had 17 points in the first half. “In the fourth quarter, I exerted myself a little bit more to get a spurt to break the game open. It worked and then everybody else clicked.”

Clipper Coach Bob Weiss, who coached Wilkins for the last three seasons in Atlanta, said Wilkins, 34, has improved with age.

“I think that 21 is his age, not his number,” Weiss quipped.

Said Wilkins: “People ask me, ‘How can you still do the stuff you do at 34?’ And I my response is, ‘What is 34 supposed to feel like?’ I feel I can play as long as I want to play, as long as I take care of myself.”

Weiss maintains that Wilkins has brought a new attitude to the Clippers (19-36).

“The biggest thing he’s given us is just an enthusiastic lift,” Weiss said. “It’s just night and day (since Wilkins joined the team). Everybody’s playing well and hard and having fun. All the uncertainty is gone.”

Wilkins agreed.

“The guys are showing a different attitude than I’ve seen in a Clipper team,” he said. “They believe that they can come out and win. The energy and confidence is there. We’ve just got to keep believing and playing hard. It’s come around quicker than I thought.”

Clipper rookie forward Harold Ellis, who idolized Wilkins while growing up in Atlanta, also showed that he can dunk with Wilkins. Ellis made 10 shots in a row in the second half, finishing with 10 baskets in 12 attempts, and scored 23 points. He had four of the Clippers’ 17 dunks.

“Nique was brought in to bring excitement to the Clippers,” Ellis said. “And I try to imitate everything he does.”

Guard Mark Jackson, benched in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s 114-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors, ignited the Clippers in the first half against Charlotte.

Jackson, who had averaged 12.7 points, 8.8 assists and 1.4 steals over the previous nine games, helped the Clippers get off to a fine start, getting 10 points, seven assists and two steals in the first half as the Clippers took a 66-54 lead by halftime. He finished with 15 points, eight assists and four steals.

Clipper Notes

Guard Ron Harper, who had 13 points, left the game because of a strained left hamstring with 3:21 remaining. . . . Danny Manning, traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Dominique Wilkins last Thursday, was diplomatic when asked about Clipper owner Donald T. Sterling during a conference call with the media on Wednesday. “Mr. Sterling is a very eccentric man.” Manning said. “He really wants to win. Things just haven’t fallen into place for him.” . . . Clipper forward Tom Tolbert, who had a minor back injury, didn’t dress for the game.