Clippers’ Tower Caught in Middle Against O’Neal

Center Keith Tower was an afterthought when the Clippers opened training camp.

Waived by Orlando after playing 14 games for the Magic over the past 1 1/2 seasons, Tower finished last season in Argentina.

Tower, who said he signed with the Clippers because of their history of injuries at center, started Friday night’s exhibition opener against the Magic exactly because the Clippers were shorthanded at center.

Tower, however, was powerless against the Shaq Attack.

Magic center Shaquille O’Neal, who bulked up by 20 pounds after an off-season conditioning program of weightlifting, aerobics, boxing and martial arts, destroyed Tower, his practice caddie with the Magic, getting 26 points and nine rebounds in 29 minutes as the Magic held off the Clippers, 108-103, before a paid crowd of 12,252 at The Pond of Anaheim.

“I know his game about as well as anybody aside from his latest improvements,” said Tower, who had four points and one rebound in 17 minutes. “He’s a handful. There’s not a whole lot you can do. I was tired pushing on him.”

Tower’s tenacity impressed Coach Bill Fitch.

“You’re looking at a guy who’s fighting for the third spot at center,” Fitch said of Tower. “If you put him in the limelight like that and play him against a premier center in this league, it should be a confidence builder for him.”

Charles Outlaw, a 6-8 forward who played out of position at center last season, had seven points and seven rebounds in 31 minutes.

The Clippers had more centers in street clothes than in uniform.

Center Stanley Roberts, who hasn’t played a regular-season game in nearly two years because of Achilles’ tendon injuries, is overweight and out of shape. So what else is new?

Center Brian Williams, acquired in a draft-day trade with the Denver Nuggets, hasn’t practiced since last Saturday because of a minor knee injury and flu. Constantin Popa, the Clippers’ second-round draft pick, sat out the game because of a strained back along with guard Terry Dehere, who sprained his left ankle in practice Wednesday.

The Clippers, who took the Magic to overtime before losing at Orlando last season, were competitive against Orlando, which was without guard Anfernee Hardaway (strained hip) and didn’t play O’Neal in the fourth quarter.

Trailing, 106-103, the Clippers had a chance to tie it, but forward Rodney Rogers threw a pass away with 36 seconds left on an out-of-bounds play after a timeout.