Clippers Squander Superb Performance : Pro basketball: Williams has 33 points and 14 rebounds but Bullets come up bigger with a 108-104 victory.

Clipper center Brian Williams pulled his jersey over his face in frustration as he walked off the court after the Clippers squandered an eight-point, fourth-quarter lead and lost to the Washington Bullets, 108-104, Tuesday night before an announced crowd of 6,194 at the Sports Arena.

Williams played the best game of his NBA career, scoring a career-high 33 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. He scored the Clippers’ first 15 points of the fourth quarter and had 17 of his team’s 19 points in the final quarter, making all eight of their field goals in the final 12 minutes.

But the Clippers couldn’t maintain the lead and were outscored, 23-11, in the final nine minutes in losing for the 13th time in their last 15 games.

“The fourth quarter was full of frustration,” Clipper Coach Bill Fitch said. “It seemed like in the fourth quarter we couldn’t do anything, no matter who touched it.”

With the Clippers leading, 101-99, after Eric Piatkowski made a free throw, Bullet center Gheorghe Mursean tied it, 101-101, when he made a layup with three minutes remaining.

After Williams scored on a drive with 1:53 remaining, the Bullets scored four consecutive points for a 105-103 edge as Mursean tipped in a shot and Juwan Howard, who had 27 points and seven rebounds, made two free throws with 1:17 left. Guard Robert Pack set up Howard’s free throws when he stole a pass from Terry Dehere, who had three turnovers in the final quarter.

The Clippers had a chance to tie it with 35 seconds left, but Dehere missed the first of two free throws.

“We had the game in our hands and I turned the ball over down the stretch,” Dehere said. “I felt comfortable at the point, that’s not the problem; I just turned it over in a crucial situation when we needed a basket or a good look.

“And then I had a chance to tie the game but I missed a free throw. Those two situations I’d love to have back, but that’s just the way the game is in this league; you don’t get another opportunity. You have to learn from it and go from there.”

The Bullets worked the shot clock down to three seconds on the ensuing possession before Dehere kicked away a pass with 14.2 seconds left, which automatically reset the shot clock. But the shot clock was turned off since less than 24 seconds remained, giving the Bullets an opportunity to run it out and forcing the Clippers to foul.

Clipper guard Malik Sealy fouled guard Brent Price with 10.2 seconds left and Price made the first of two free throws for a 106-104 lead. However, Chris Webber, who had 22 points and 12 rebounds, went over Williams for the rebound and got the ball to Pack, who was fouled by Piatkowski with seven seconds left. Pack made two free throws as the Bullets extended their winning streak to five games.

Fitch thought Webber should have been called for a foul because he went over Williams’ back to get the rebound.

“We just ran [the videotape] of that missed free throw and you could see his hand on Brian’s back,” Fitch said. “That was a big no-call. If we get the ball back there, that’s the ballgame if they call a loose ball foul [on Webber].”

Forward Loy Vaught, who has been the Clippers’ most consistent player the last two seasons, had an off night in his previous game, scoring six points in Saturday’s 109-99 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.

However, he scored 19 points in the first three quarters, including 10 in the third quarter, as the Clippers took an 85-81 lead into the fourth quarter.

Guard Brent Barry spent 30 minutes shooting three-point baskets after practice Tuesday morning.

The extra work paid off as Barry made his first three three-point shots in the first half as the Clippers rallied from an eight-point deficit to tie it at 63 at halftime.

With the Clippers trailing, 63-60, Pooh Richardson banked in a 30-foot three-point basket at the buzzer.

Clipper Notes

Clipper Coach Bill Fitch said forward Rodney Rogers, on the injured list since Dec. 5 because of a sprained right ankle, will accompany the Clippers on their upcoming four-game, five-day Eastern trip, which begins at Atlanta on Tuesday. Rogers will practice with the Clippers, but Fitch isn’t sure when he’ll be activated.