Outlaw Helps Out in the Wild West

Clipper forward Bo Outlaw, one of the NBA’s best defensive players, had the best offensive game game of his NBA career, scoring 19 points as the Clippers defeated the Phoenix Suns, 121-111, in a showdown for position for a playoff berth Tuesday night before 19,023 at America West Arena.

“I guess you could say that I get more defensive calls than offensive calls, so that’s why you don’t see what I have on offense,” said Outlaw, who made nine of 11 shots. “When they call my number, I do my thing.

“I averaged 18 points in college [. I mean, I was doing something right.”

Trying to secure their first playoff berth in four years, the Clippers (28-36) extended their lead to two games over the Suns (27-39) and one game over the Sacramento Kings (28-38) in the battle for the final two playoff spots in the Western Conference. The Clippers, who moved into the seventh spot, play the Kings tonight at the Sports Arena.

“If we had a two-game lead with one game left, then that would be something to talk about,” Clipper Coach Bill Fitch said. “This doesn’t wipe out the Suns and it doesn’t put us over the finish line.”

Outlaw, who had only two points in his last game, made six of eight shots and had 13 points in the first half as the Clippers built a seven-point lead.

“He’s learning to do everything, and he can do everything,” Fitch said of Outlaw. “He’s a late bloomer, but he’s the best example of a guy that comes to work, work, work.

“It’s paid off for the team and he’s a free agent, so it’s going to pay off for him too.”

Reserve forward Rodney Rogers had a team-high 21 points in 29 minutes as the Clipper reserves outscored their Sun counterparts, 49-14.

“I think if I would have used him more in the beginning of the year [as a reserve] like I do now, he’d be a candidate for the sixth-man award,” Fitch said of Rogers. “But maybe it’s not too late.”

Reserve guard Brent Barry had 10 points, six assists and four rebounds.

Barry, who made four of eight shots, including two three-point shots, made a three-pointer with 3:43 remaining to beat the shot clock during a 13-4 fourth-quarter spurt.

“The one that Brent hit is where you get hernias just thinking about it,” Fitch said. “That was way out there.

“I thought he kind of redeemed himself. He had a bad game the last time we played Phoenix at home [a 16-point loss last Thursday].”

Guard Darrick Martin had 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. Martin made four three-pointers as the Clippers made a season-high 10 three-point shots.

The Clippers, who led by as many as 15 points in the third quarter, had an 81-71 lead going into the fourth quarter. But the Suns used an 11-4 run to cut it to 89-84 with 7:17 left on a jumper by Kevin Johnson, who had 37 points and 10 assists.

Fitch inserted guard Pooh Richardson, who hadn’t played all night, for Martin, to check Johnson.

The move paid off as Richardson got eight points and two assists in five minutes and held Johnson to four points in the final 6:22.

“He’s played more minutes in tight situations than anybody I’ve got on my basketball team,” Fitch said. “It doesn’t make any difference how many minutes you play, it’s the quality of those minutes. I had confidence that he could do it at the end.”

Richardson said it was tough to come in cold.

“When you’ve got eight years in the NBA, you can do that,” Richardson said. “I’ve been through almost every situation imaginable and I’ve just learned to deal with it.”