Olowokandi Is Right in Middle of Victory

The Clippers found a weakness Friday and exploited it again and again, which in itself might rate as front-page news. After all, they haven’t always been adept at taking advantage of their rare opportunities for superiority this season.

All too often, they get away from what has been good for them and pay the price in the end. But it never happened against the Chicago Bulls. And maybe that was so simply because their opponents were the Chicago Bulls.

Whatever the reason, oft-maligned center Michael Olowokandi went for a career-high 30 points, took 16 rebounds and led the Clippers to a 94-90 victory before a crowd of 20,359 at the United Center.

It was the Clippers’ fourth victory in their last five games and enabled them to gain a game in the Western Conference playoff race. It also enabled them to match their 2000-01 total of 31 victories in only their 62nd game.

Olowokandi still suffers the slings and slights of a nationwide hoop audience that can’t fathom the notion of a former No. 1 overall draft pick averaging a meager 9.4 points to go with a credible 8.8 rebounds after almost four full NBA seasons.

Friday, he looked like an emerging standout in the low post, hitting a variety of short jump shots and hooks over the bewildered Bulls. Of course, it always helps when the man guarding you is still a boy.

Olowokandi took full advantage of Eddy Curry, Chicago’s 19-year-old center who is less than a year removed from his graduation from Thornwood (Ill.) High School. In the final analysis, though, perhaps a seasoned veteran might also have struggled to contain Olowokandi.

He was that good Friday.

“The Beast,” point guard Jeff McInnis said after the game of Olowokandi, who made 13 of 23 shots and four of six free throws. “That’s my new nickname for him.”

“The Beast” overshadowed the returns to Chicago of Elton Brand, a former Bull, and Quentin Richardson, a former player at DePaul and Whitney Young High. Brand had another steady game with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Richardson added 16 points and sank four key free throws with the Clippers clinging to a small lead in the final seconds.

Olowokandi also made it possible for the Clippers to overcome a Chicago team that probably deserved a better fate. At least that was Clipper Coach Alvin Gentry’s opinion after his team moved within 31/2 games of a playoff spot in the Western Conference standings.

“They’re in every single game and they play extremely hard,” he said of the Bulls. “They’re a lot like we are. They can’t get a play to go their way sometimes down the stretch. But when Michael plays like that we’re a really good team.”

With his team sputtering offensively to start the game, Olowokandi began to beat Curry and his backup, Dalibor Bagaric, down the floor. McInnis passed him the ball and Olowokandi dunked it. By halftime, the Clippers trailed, 44-42, and Olowokandi had 16 points.

The Clippers’ largest lead was eight points and the Bulls’ was six. The teams were tied 19 times. The difference was that the Clippers kept going to Olowokandi and Gentry kept him on the floor for 43 minutes. He averages 30.

“I’m not the smartest coach in the world, but I will tell you that a guy going like that is going to play a lot of minutes,” Gentry said. “And Elton, every night he’s going to give you between 14 and 20 points and 10 and 15 rebounds. Those two guys, when they play that kind of game, we’re pretty good.”

And, still, it took sound free-throw shooting down the stretch for the Clippers to hold off the last-place Bulls (16-46). Olowokandi and Richardson each made one of two, giving the Clippers an 85-82 lead with 1:28 left.

Chicago would cut its deficit to 90-87 after Jalen Rose’s driving basket. But Richardson went four for four in the final 22.2 seconds, countering Rose’s three-pointer at the other end. Rose and Trenton Hassell had 21 points apiece for the Bulls.

Later, with their victory secure, the Clippers did not claim it was a thing of beauty.

“We needed this win to get back to .500 and start chasing those teams ahead of us,” said McInnis, who had 17 points and eight assists.

Added Brand: “It feels good that I didn’t have the great game and we still won. It was a great homecoming for the Chicagoland guys.”