The Admiral Commands Clippers With 71 Points

David Robinson, in a supreme effort that won the NBA scoring title Sunday, became the fourth player in league history to surpass 70 points by collecting 71 in San Antonio’s 112-97 victory over the Clippers.

Robinson finished the season with 2,383 points in 80 games, giving him an average of 29.787. Shaquille O’Neal, who led Robinson by an average of .06 going into the game, scored 32 against New Jersey, but needed 68 to win the scoring title at 29.790.

Robinson’s finish was reminiscent of the final day of the 1977-78 season when David Thompson scored 73 points in an afternoon game, but lost the title when George Gervin had 63 that night. Wilt Chamberlain, Thompson and Elgin Baylor are the only players to score 70 points in an NBA game.

Robinson scored the Spurs’ first 18 points and had that total after one period. He scored just six points in the second quarter, but came back with 19 in the third period and 28 in the fourth. He was 26 for 41 from the field, including one of two three-pointers, and made 18 of 25 free throws.

The 71 points established was a team record, surpassing Gervin’s 63 on April 9, 1978.

Rookie Terry Dehere led the Clippers with 26 points. Dominique Wilkins and Loy Vaught added 16 points each for Los Angeles.

In the first quarter, Robinson was seven for 10 from the field while his teammates missed 12 of 13 field-goal attempts. Negele Knight’s 18-foot jumper with 23 seconds remaining were the first San Antonio points other than Robinson’s.

Robinson, who played 44 minutes, left the game to a standing ovation with just 34 seconds left remaining. His 25 free-throw attempts established a team record, and the 18 points from the line tied a club record.

Robinson scored his 64th point on a free throw with 1:33 to play. But Spurs Coach Jonh Lucas wasn’t satisfied. He instructed his team to foul the Clippers intentionally even though the Spurs held a 101-80 lead.

The Spurs continued to pass to Robinson, who scored seven points in the next 59 seconds before leaving the game.

NBA rebound champion Dennis Rodman grabbed 17 boards, 10 of them in the final quarter, for San Antonio. Robinson had 14 rebounds.