Clippers Fail to Make It Out of Third Gear, 103-92

The Clippers appeared capable of winning their first game at Portland in five years.

But then came the fourth quarter.

Leading by one going into the fourth, the Clippers missed 10 consecutive three-point attempts in one stretch as the Trail Blazers took control.

Arvydas Sabonis had 28 points and 15 rebounds to rally the Trail Blazers to a 103-92 victory--their 12th in a row over the Clippers at Portland and their sixth in a row against them overall.

Sabonis made two consecutive baskets to give Portland a 94-89 lead with 2:25 to play and the Clippers never got closer than four the rest of the game.

After the Clippers’ Rodney Rogers made a three-point basket, the Trail Blazers scored the last seven points of the game. Neither team had led by more than seven during the first 47 minutes of the game.

Isaiah Rider added 26 points for the Trail Blazers.

The Clippers were led by Ike Austin’s 18 points and nine rebounds. Eric Piatokowski and Darrick Martin each scored 16 points.

Rider scored five consecutive points during a one-minute span late in the third quarter, putting the Trail Blazers ahead 74-72 with 29 seconds remaining. But Martin made a three-point basket with seven seconds left for a 75-74 Clipper lead entering the fourth quarter.

Portland took control early in the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run that featured Rider’s three-point play and then a driving 10-foot basket that put the Blazers ahead, 84-78, with 8:42 remaining.