CLIPPOERS FIGHT BUT LOSE : LATE SPURT CANNOT MAKE UP FOR LOUSY EARLY PLAY VS. JAZZ.

Byline: Gary Washburn Daily News Staff Writer

It's conceivable that even in defeat, the Clippers made a statement.

This wasn't the Warriors. An upper-echelon Western Conference team presented the Clippers the opportunity to fold up and call it a .500 record. Instead, the Clippers fought and scratched in a 95-90 loss to the Utah Jazz in front of an announced crowd of 13,041 Saturday night at the Sports Arena.

With a chance to draw to within one, Charles Outlaw missed two free throws with 54 seconds left. That was fatal as John Stockton, not himself on Saturday with just seven assists, took a pass from Karl Malone and completed a three-point play with 30 seconds left to seal it. After Malik Sealy hit a jumper with 18 seconds left to cut the lead to 94-90, the Clippers took 13 seconds to foul Jeff Hornacek, and the Jazz survived.

``We were hoping to get to them in the last lap of the race,'' Clippers coach Bill Fitch said. ``But they didn't let up at either end of the court.''

Instead of using the home opener as an opportunity to show the fans the 1996-97 squad, the Clippers reverted to their typical form for the first three quarters, practically handing the game to the Jazz by allowing easy layups. It was apparent they had played the night before.

Malik Sealy led the Clippers with 19 points, but he missed 11 of 17 shots. Meanwhile, the Jazz wasn't typical Stockton and Malone show. It was a bunch of other guys, too.

Byron Russell, Hornacek and Antoine Carr combined for 41 points and helped break down the Clippers defense by passing the ball until somebody missed an assignment. Even then, the Clippers held hope as a Lamond Murray's 3-pointer got them to within 89-82 with 4:09 left. But not even an inspired fourth quarter could save them from a 41.3-percent shooting night and 12 missed free throws.

What beat the Clippers was the Jazz's simple play execution. The veteran Jazz made the Clippers work until the very last second.

``We would play with them and then one of the them would make a cut to the basket in a different variation,'' Murray said. ``It looked like they beat us, but actually we played good defense.''

Loy Vaught, exhausted in the locker room after the game, showed the aftereffects of an evening with Karl Malone. Against Golden State, he had a chance to concentrate on offense. But Saturday he spent much time chasing Malone through screens, around the perimeter and then having to defend his post moves. Malone led Utah with 21 points, 12 rebounds and added six assists.

``He's one of the 50 greatest,'' Vaught said. ``And he sure made my night was a long one. He always does.''

However easy it might have been to quit, the Clippers jarred Utah with some intense play down the stretch. But actually to beat the best in the West, it will take better than 36-percent shooting from the starting five. That allowed Utah to win even though it didn't play exceptionally well either.

``Just call us the `Never Say Die Clippers,' '' Vaught said. ``We may not have the best talent in the NBA or two or three All-Stars, but we are going to give our best. That's what we can take from this game.''

Once again, Fitch played nearly the entire lineup, including Stanley Roberts, who had eight points in a mistake-filled 21 minutes. He played just nine Friday night against Golden State.

Trying to test his two Achilles' tendons, Roberts attempted two thunderous dunks over Jazz center Greg Ostertag and missed them both. He appeared frustrated because he couldn't score with the ease he did before his injury.

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Photo: Clippers center Stanley Roberts has his shot blocked by Utah's Greg Ostertag.

Associated Press

Box: CLIPPERS BOX