Clippers Get ‘L’ for Lack of Effort, 108-97 : Pro basketball: Two days after beating Houston, L.A. seems disinterested in losing to a expansion team.

Maybe the Clippers couldn’t get a hand in the faces of Kelly Tripucka or Randolph Keys, who combined to make 21 of 34 shots, because they were too busy covering their eyes from what was transpiring on the Sports Arena floor.

It would be tough to blame them, too, if not for the fact that the Clippers themselves were to blame. Credit the Charlotte Hornets for the 108-97 victory Sunday, but at least the Clippers could have made it intersting. At least they could have made it worthwhile for the announced crowd of 10,890.

They did for a few minutes of the fourth quarter. The rest of the time, the Clippers seemed to watch from afar at the strange sight taking place:

--The Hornets winning for only the 11th time, the fewest victories in the league by four.

--The Hornets winning on the road for the second time all season, and the first since Jan. 18.

--The Hornets winning for only the fourth time in 33 games.

Charlotte has beaten the Clippers twice since March 1.

Mostly, the Clippers were as flat as their playoff chances, which are barely alive with 17 games left.

What made it all even more startling is that this showing came only two days after a very good performance against Houston. That change was light years, and not just because the Clippers scored 42 points in the first quarter Friday against the Rockets and 41 in the first half against the Hornets.

“The environment didn’t seem the same,” said Danny Manning, who had 12 of his 15 points in the second half and had eight rebounds. “Why, I don’t know.”

Though Manning said the Clippers didn’t take the Hornets lightly, and an overtime loss in Charlotte earlier this month proved they shouldn’t, others did question whether the enthusiasm was the same for Akeem Olajuwon and Houston as it was Charlotte.

“The team really seems to get up emotionally for teams with stars and records,” Coach Don Casey said after the Clippers’ record dropped to 26-39. “Then we come out with low intensity. To think we could grab it back, you can’t do that, especially against a team with a lot of good shooters.”

Enter Tripucka, who went five of seven for 10 points in the first quarter against nothing more than obligatory coverage.

The Hornets trailed, 28-25, heading into the second quarter, but then took control. Charlotte scored 25 more points and held the Clippers to just 13, tying the Clippers’ low for a quarter this season. It was 50-41 at intermission.

Charlotte upped its lead to 65-49 on Armon Gilliam’s free throw with 5:57 left in the third. The Clippers scored their 50th point 15 seconds later, but never got closer than 11 in the period.

A run in the fourth got them to within 96-91 when Charles Smith put back his own miss. That was with 2:39 left, and proved to be merely a tease to Clipper hopes. The Hornets went on a 7-2 surge, Keys scoring five of the points, for a 103-92 lead.

Tripucka made only one of three shots in the final period, but finished 13 of 22, scoring 30 points.

Smith scored 24 points and had eight rebounds.

Clipper Notes

The Clippers are the only team in the league, including Orlando and Minnesota, with a losing record lifetime against Charlotte, at 4-2. . . . The Clippers also scored 13 points in a quarter Dec. 13, 1989, against Detroit at the Sports Arena. . . . Charles Smith, who before Friday started in every game he played this season, came off the bench for the second straight night. “As far as starting and not starting, that’s (Don) Casey’s decision,” Smith said. “I’m just going to give my best every time out there.” . . . Actual attendance was closer to 6,000.