Blazers’ Robinson Hits Another Slump

It’s April, do you know where Clifford Robinson is?

The Portland Trail Blazers’ regular-season specialist is off to another slow postseason start, following up Friday’s three-for-12, six-point game with Sunday’s four-for-11, 12-pointer.

That’s nine points a game and 30% from the floor, which wouldn’t be as worrisome, if it didn’t follow the last four post-seasons when Robinson shot 26%, 41%, 36% and 34%, respectively.

“He rebounded very well and he defended very well,” said Coach P.J. Carlesimo, loyally.

“The tendency is always to focus on what someone shot. Yeah, we would like him and he would like to shoot better but they were good shots [that he missed] and he defended and rebounded as well or better than anybody.”

For his part, Robinson can hear the Portland talk shows tuning up from here.

“Well, when you miss some of the shots I missed, I’m definitely disappointed,” he said. “But to say that I’m struggling--I’m out there working hard. I’m doing what I can to be productive. It’s just one of those things. You’ve got to keep playing.

“I’m tired of that question around this time. I mean, I’m just playing. That’s the best I can do, is ask the best of myself and whatever’s out there, that’s all I can do is accept it. Don’t try to point the finger at one person. We got a whole bunch of guys on this team and we’re all playing together.”

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The timing of their play is almost as good as the timing of the statements.

Just as all the principals were insisting that Shaquille O’Neal and Elden Campbell could be as potent together as they were apart, the Lakers’ starting big men went about proving it. In the first two playoff games, O’Neal has totaled 76 points and 17 rebounds, Campbell 36 points and eight rebounds.

“This is more than I could have hoped for,” Coach Del Harris said.

Said Campbell: “He’s playing well, I’ve been so-so. It’s getting better. I’m just playing a role now.”

Except it’s the one the Lakers need him to play.

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Only five teams have come back from 0-2 deficits to win a best-of-five series. Not that the Laker organization needs reminding it can happen--they were one of the five victims, courtesy of the Phoenix Suns, and Coach Paul Westphal’s guarantee, in 1993. . . . When the Trail Blazers scored 77 points in Game 1, it marked the fewest for a Laker playoff opponent in 24 years, since the Golden State Warriors on April 21, 1973. . . . The 23 assists by Nick Van Exel on Jan. 5 at Vancouver held up as the most in the league this season.