Sports Arena Is Jackson’s Playground : Clippers: Former Knick sparks 101-91 victory, ending 12-game losing streak against New York.

Mark Jackson, a New Yorker playing in Los Angeles, turned the Sports Arena into a street court Thursday night and turned the Clippers into 101-91 winners over the Knicks.

Offense and defense seemed to give way to trash talking and in-your-face motivation, just like when he played for free from Staten Island to the Bronx. His new home, and new team, didn’t seem to mind.

Quite the contrary. Jackson, in the first game against his former team, sparked the Clippers and the crowd of 13,919. First he turned a 72-72 tie with 10 minutes left into a 10-point cushion with 7:19 to go thanks to three baskets and a long baseball-pass assist for another score.

Then he rallied the crowd by waiving his arms, which worked so well that teammate Ron Harper was soon doing it, too. And when Knick John Starks threw water on Jackson during a stoppage of play, Jackson went toe-to-toe with the New York bench.

Thirteen points and nine assists for Jackson? Yes, and so much more.

“Obviously, this game was one he wanted to win,” said Kiki Vandeweghe, a former Knick who started for the first time since the 1990-91 season. “He wanted to show people back home he was still around the NBA. And he did that. But I’ve seen him do that before, take a game over and make a good shot and a good pass and play defense. Basically, whatever it takes to win.”

For the Clippers (4-4) to win for the fourth time in five games and reach .500 for the first time this season, it took Jackson’s play in the fourth quarter.

“Coming in, to be truthful, it was another game,” he said. “But in crunch time, emotions took over.”

Jackson made an eight-footer from the left side for a 74-72 lead. After a turnover by former understudy Greg Anthony, Jackson hit a three-pointer, prompting a 20-second timeout by the Knicks. Two possessions later, Vandeweghe rebounded a miss by Anthony Mason and made the outlet pass to Jackson, who gave Harper a long lead pass that turned into a dunk.

Jackson saved the mental assault for last. It came as he and Anthony exchanged arm slaps while jockeying for position in the lane as Rolando Blackman prepared to shoot free throws. But Jackson stopped as the players went into the key and Anthony delivered a forearm to the back.

Technical foul. Vandeweghe made the shot, and the Knicks were coming apart. On the ensuing Clipper possession, Anthony flopped while defending Jackson on the right flat, allowing Jackson to pass to Danny Manning and break free down the lane for the return pass and a layup.

Only the cooling off period remained, unscheduled as it was. That came when Jackson, after inciting the crowd even more by waiving his arms near midcourt, wandered in front of the Knick bench and was greeted with a cup of water from Starks.

Charles Smith, returning to the Sports Arena for the first time since being traded to the Knicks, was booed when he checked into the game late in the first quarter and finished with only two points and two rebounds in 13 minutes. Doc Rivers, who also went in the deal that brought Jackson and Stanley Roberts to Los Angeles, received a nice ovation during introductions and finished with four points and six assists in 18 minutes.

Clipper Notes

Mack Calvin, fired by the Clippers last summer after one season as an assistant, called a recent claim by former Coach Mike Schuler that he undermined Schuler to get the head job hurtful and untrue. “In 23 years of pro basketball as a player and a coach, I have always tried to carry myself in a professional manner, on and off the court,” Calvin said. “I was sadly hurt by Mike’s comments because there is no basis for it. I only tried to help the guy win. I will not let Mike Schuler or anyone else ruin my positive reputation by making idiotic comments like that. But you have to consider the source. Mike blamed Clyde Drexler and Rick Adelman in Portland for his demise in Portland.” Calvin, hired by General Manager Elgin Baylor against the wishes of Schuler, said he has no negative feelings toward the Clipper organization despite the firing, originally announced by the team as a departure by mutual agreement.

Mark Jackson is surprised as anyone that Patrick Ewing did not get his first, and only, blocked shot of the season until Monday night at Portland. “I told him the reason why is that he is so used to me calling his name out when a guard beats me down the lane.”