Clippers Hold On for Victory

A tumultuous week of meetings, questions with few answers, boos, knee-jerk reactions and one public scolding ended with the Clippers’ hearts thumping out of their jerseys Friday.

Andre Miller’s errant inbounds pass with the Clippers clinging to a two-point lead in the closing seconds set Seattle SuperSonic Desmond Mason off on a breakaway for the tying basket. Mason’s misjudgment of time and distance enabled the Clippers to hang on for a 90-88 victory over the SuperSonics before 15,358 fans at Key Arena.

So, after a week with a searing spotlight trained on their failures, the Clippers won twice and lost once.

Their six-game losing streak is but a distant memory and questions about Coach Alvin Gentry’s job security have been put away for the moment. Even General Manager Elgin Baylor’s meeting with the players Monday before practice, at Gentry’s invitation, has been forgotten.

And Michael Olowokandi’s comment that Clipper fans can go ahead and boo him because he’s out of here at season’s end, is old news.

So is Baylor’s public challenge to Olowokandi to forget about the fans’ jeers and his pending free agency and simply play the game.

“We outplayed them,” Gentry said after the Clippers almost let a 15-point lead slip away. “There were a couple of missed assignments. We decided to foul them near the end.”

It was sound strategy, with the Clippers holding leads of 90-85 and, later, 90-87. Instead of watching the SuperSonics launch three-pointers, the Clippers merely reached out and grabbed someone in a Seattle jersey.

The Clippers seemed to be in good shape until Miller, who had been superb in recording his first triple-double as a Clipper, had his pass stolen by Mason, who went the other way with 3.4 seconds remaining.

Mason never got to the basket, although he had time to either set himself for a short jumper or take it all the way for a dunk. Option No. 3, a scoop shot, trickled off the rim with about 0.4 showing on the clock, ending a 2-hour 41-minute marathon that featured 57 fouls and seven technical fouls.

“I thought Mason had a chance to go in for a dunk,” Olowokandi said. “It sure looked like he had time.”

The Clippers didn’t want to think about overtime after nearly running away from the SuperSonics, losers of four consecutive.

Miller, who had 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, outplayed Seattle’s Gary Payton, who had 17 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists.

Lamar Odom led the Clippers with 21 points. Corey Maggette added 16 points and Olowokandi had 13, helping make up for Elton Brand’s off night. Brand was held to six points and eight rebounds.

“Every game is important for us,” Miller said. “This was a big game for everybody. Everybody made plays.”

Of outplaying Payton, Miller said, “He just got in foul trouble [with three midway through the second quarter]. That’s all there was to it. That slowed the tempo of what they were trying to do and it was great for us.”

Before the game, Gentry said it was time for the Clippers to quit talking and start producing. He also said he’s done talking about his status.

“I’m not talking about how guys should play anymore,” he said. “I’m not talking about what people should say anymore. I’m not talking about my job anymore. I’ve talked about it for the last time. It’s time for us to just play. There’s been enough discussion and talk. It’s time to play and perform.”