CLIPPERS HOLD OFF GRIZZLIES : CLIPPERS 100 VANCOUVER 94.

Byline: Gary Washburn Daily News Staff Writer

With Vancouver playing the role of the Washington Generals, the Clippers were given the unusual opportunity of securing a win before the final seconds.

However, repeating their habit of blowing leads, the Clippers missed that chance and ended up keeping the crowd of 5,122 (more like 2,500) intrigued until the last two seconds.

It was more like disappointed, because the Clippers' 100-94 win on Thursday at the Sports Arena was hardly a reason to celebrate. They blew a 21-point third-quarter lead, allowing Vancouver to draw to within four with 41 seconds left. They finally sealed the win on two free throws by Darrick Martin after he was luckly enough to recover a fumbled pass under the basket.

Even Loy Vaught, who scored 28 points and had 11 rebounds, was a little upset after Clippers coach Bill Fitch yelled at him during a timeout.

It resulted in a vicious dunk on Bryant Reeves with 10:46 left in the game that gave the Clippers an 82-71 lead. Vaught was pleased with his effort but not happy about the cruise-control victory.

``That dunk was with a little anger,'' Vaught said. ``I usually don't go to the basket like that. We are just fortunate that the clock ran out when it did. It's kind of a bittersweet win.''

Fitch was incensed near the end of the game because the Clippers couldn't even run an offensive play. Martin turned his back twice receiving an inbounds pass and allowed Greg Anthony (seven steals) to steal both and score. Nobody wanted to take a shot and, with Stanley Roberts benched after just four minutes, there was nobody in the middle to handle Reeves.

None of the players are crazy about Fitch's verbal tirades, but the Clippers proved they are not yet responsible enough to handle a big lead without some jabbing from Fitch.

``I discredit our guys at times because that's what a coach has to do,'' Fitch said. ``We've got to win games every night we go out, and this ballclub is capable.''

Nobody in the locker room was particularly pleased with the win. The Clippers had a chance to pounce on an opponent - one that had lost 19 of 21 road games - and relented in the final quarter.

Luckily, rookie Shareef Abdur-Rahim had a lousy night (4 of 14 from the field) or the Clippers might have lost a sure gimme, a word obviously not in the team's vocabulary.

``What, we're up by 21 and we won by four (actually six),'' Clippers forward Charles Outlaw said. ``We've got to put these teams away. It's a win and I'm not going to complain, but we can do better than this.''

Outlaw was given the assignment of guarding Reeves, who scored 25 points, including 12 in the third quarter when the Grizzlies drew closer.

Roberts played just four minutes and was pulled by Fitch after fumbling an easy pass by Malik Sealy. He woke up Wednesday morning with a sore back after his first game Tuesday against Atlanta.

He would have rather not played, but Fitch wanted to see if he could be effective. He wasn't.

``I just got broke a sweat and that was it,'' Roberts said. ``I could have played a few more minutes but not much more. I'll be at practice (today).''

If his ailing back doesn't improve, Roberts has not ruled out season-ending surgery.

``If it gets to that point (of pain),'' Roberts said, ``we'll talk about it.''

Fitch wants Roberts to play more only if he'll stay healthy. Otherwise, Lorenzen Wright will play until he shows his inexperience, then it's on to Outlaw.

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