For Shaq, Elmore Means Less : Pro basketball: Spencer neutralizes O’Neal in second half of Clippers’ 110-109 victory. Manning hits game-winner.

No one’s ever going to pay Clipper center Elmore Spencer to endorse basketball shoes like Orlando Magic center Shaquille O’Neal.

No one’s ever going to sign Spencer to a recording contract like O’Neal, who recorded a successful rap record

No one’s ever going to sign Spencer to act in a movie, like O’Neal, who has a role in an upcoming movie.

Spencer didn’t outplay O’Neal, but he exceeded all expectations, scoring a career-high 16 points, grabbing a career-high 14 rebounds and blocking three shots as the Clippers defeated the Magic, 110-109, Wednesday night before a crowd of 13,909 at the Sports Arena.

With the Magic leading 109-108 after Dennis Scott hit a three-point shot with 7.5 seconds left, Danny Manning sank a jumper from the right side of the free-throw line off a pass from guard Mark Jackson with 1.7 seconds left to give the Clippers (9-10) their second consecutive victory.

Manning, who had 25 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, used a screen by Spencer to get open.

“Elmore is the reason we won the game,” Manning said. “He’s played well all year long, but tonight he just got an opportunity to show people what he can do. We know Elmore can play.”

O’Neal, the NBA’s leading scorer, scored 31 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, but Spencer neutralized him in the second half as the Clippers overcame a 14-point deficit.

O’Neal, who had 19 points and 12 rebounds in the first half as the Magic took a 55-52 lead, had 12 points and two rebounds in the second half. O’Neal missed eight of 14 shots in the second half.

“My goal was to stay between him and the basket,” Spencer said. “It was a small goal, but it was accomplished. He got his dunks, but I was still between him and the basket.”

Spencer also made his presence felt offensively during a 14-5 run in the first five minutes of the second half that gave the Clippers a 66-60 lead. Spencer, even calling for the ball against O’Neal, had a turnaround left-handed hook and two dunks in that span.

O’Neal said Spencer played an inspired game.

“He played aggressive,” O’Neal said. “But anytime someone plays against Shaq, they play way above their head.”

Trailing 103-101 with 2 1/2 minutes left after O’Neal’s sixth dunk of the game, the Clippers scored seven points in a row to take a 108-103 lead with 58 seconds left.

Loy Vaught, who had 23 points and 10 rebounds, jump-started the Clippers with a dunk and guard Ron Harper, who had a team-high 27, including 12 in the fourth quarter, hit a three-point shot from the right side off a pass from Jackson with 1:26 left in the game. They took their 108-103 lead when O’Neal was called for goaltending on a shot by Jackson.

But the Magic scored six consecutive points on back-to-back three-point shots by Nick Anderson, who had 24 points, and Scott.

The Clippers then called a timeout to set up a play and Manning hit his game-winning shot.

“We diagramed the play in the huddle and we executed,” Manning said. “They got me wide open. The coach said that’s what we were going to do and we did it.”

Before the game, Orlando General Manager Pat Williams denied a report in Wednesday’s Orlando Sentinel that the Magic and Clippers have been discussing a trade that would send Manning to the Magic.

“I would absolutely deny it,” Williams said. “There’s nothing going on other than a couple of casual conversations (with Clipper General Manager Elgin Baylor). I’m sure the Clippers have talked to a lot of teams about Danny.”

The trade rumor didn’t surprise Manning, who was almost traded to Miami for Glen Rice and Willie Burton last October.

“Everything’s a rumor until something happens,” Manning said “Rumors are part of the game. I hear rumors every day. I’ve got friends that call me up and tell me all kinds of things. I can’t pay it any attention . . . not till my agent says something about it.”

Clipper spokesman Joe Safety also denied the report. “It is our particular press policy not to comment on either trade rumors or trade discussions,” Safety said. “Not only has no one initiated such discussions. This is just irresponsible chatter.”

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