Clippers Go Out Winners, 83-77

A day after Clipper officials stood at the site of their planned new home, the Staples Center, and declared a new era of excellence was at hand, the Clippers followed through on that promise on the court on Saturday by beating the Sacramento Kings, 83-77, before a crowd of 14,257.

OK, so it was only a meaningful regular-season finale at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim between two teams with nowhere to go but home.

But when you wind up winning only 17 games and losing 65, you take your victories where you can get them.

In a game in which they trailed by 14 in the second quarter, the Clippers rallied to take the lead in the fourth quarter despite shooting only 36.1% from the field in the game on 30-for-83 shooting. The Kings made 46.7% (35 for 75) of their shots.

James Robinson led the Clippers with 20 points.

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Poor Sailing

Where the Clippers have finished since moving to Los Angeles from San Diego. Their best finish was fourth, but they still were 21 games behind the first-place club: *--*

Season Record Place GB 1997-98 16-65 7th 44 1996-97 36-46 5th 21 1995-96 29-53 7th 35 1994-95 17-65 7th 42 1993-94 27-55 7th 36 1992-93 41-41 4th 21 1991-92 45-37 5th 12 1990-91 31-51 6th 32 1989-90 30-52 6th 33 1988-89 21-61 7th 36 1987-88 17-65 6th 45 1986-87 12-70 6th 53 1985-86 32-50 4th 30 1984-85 31-51 5th 31

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