Clippers Give Lakers Fight to the Finish : Pro basketball: Lakers hold on, 121-118, but it goes down to last shot.

The Clippers didn’t go down without a fight in Saturday night’s 121-118 loss to the Lakers before a sellout of 16,021 at the Sports Arena.

Center Eric Riley was ejected for fighting Antonio Harvey with 9:30 remaining in the game. Riley and Harvey each received technical fouls, but Riley was ejected for instigating the scuffle.

Riley’s ejection seemed to inspire the Clippers.

“I think emotionally it took a little bit out of us when he left the floor because he was playing so well,” Clipper Coach Bill Fitch said of Riley.

The Clippers, who trailed by as many as 13 points in the third quarter, cut it to 116-113 when Harold Ellis made a free throw with two minutes left in the game.

But Kurt Rambis, who started the second half at center after Vlade Divac bruised his right thigh, made a free throw and guard Nick Van Exel added a three-pointer for a 120-113 lead.

Clipper guard Malik Sealy, who had a career-high 34 points, made a jumper and added a free throw with 25 seconds remaining to make it 120-116.

“He owed us one from last night,” Fitch said of Sealy, who missed 12 of 14 shots in his last two games, including six of seven in Friday night’s 106-89 loss to the Golden State Warriors. “That’s the way he’s got to play every night.”

The Lakers called a timeout to set up a play, but Ellis stole the ball from Van Exel and Clipper forward Loy Vaught, who had 28 points and 10 rebounds, made two free throws with 15.9 seconds left to make it 120-118.

Van Exel made the second of two free throws after he was fouled by Gary Grant on the inbounds play for 121-118 with 14.8 seconds remaining.

The Clippers called a timeout to set up a play, but Vaught missed two three-pointers.

The shorthanded Lakers, who started without Elden Campbell and Cedric Ceballos, got only 17 minutes from Divac, who bruised his thigh in the first half.

But reserve guard Anthony Peeler, who averaged a team-best 25.7 points against the Clippers last season, had a season-high 27 points in 33 minutes. Forward Eddie Jones had 30 points and Van Exel added 20.

“That’s what you call stepping up,” Coach Del Harris said after the Lakers ended a three-game losing streak. “That’s what team play is all about in the NBA. That’s why you have 12 guys, and an assistant coach (Rambis).

“Kurt Rambis did a huge job for us. We’ve got him in an oxygen tent right now, and of course Anthony Peeler was terrific off the bench.”

Said Jones: “Everybody stepped it up a couple levels, especially AP (Peeler). Anthony came out in the first half and the second half with so much intensity that he motivated all of us to go a little harder.”

The Riley-Harvey incident began when Harvey drew an offensive foul for throwing Riley, who charged at Harvey.

“He slung me and I just lost my mind for a second,” Riley said. “Our arms got tanged up and he tried to sling me off.”

Said Harvey: “I was just going down the court and he got in my way. Just by natural instinct, I pushed him. I didn’t mean anything. I was just playing ball.”

Ceballos (sprained thumb) will be re-evaluated on Monday, at which time his availability for Tuesday night’s game at Denver will be determined. The Lakers say it is too soon to know whether he’ll miss next Sunday’s NBA All-Star game.

“He wants to play,” Harris said. “It’s quite a thrill for him. I hope he’s able to.”

Notes

Clipper conditioning coach Johnny Doyle said center Elmore Spencer, who is due to return to practice Monday after being put on the injured list Dec. 5 because of personal and emotional problems, has maintained his cardiovascular conditioning. Doyle began working with Spencer Thursday. The 7-foot center, who weighed 270 when he was placed on the injured list, gained about five pounds during the layoff.