Clippers Activate Nixon, but He Can’t Help Them : They Lose to Spurs in Overtime, 124-120; L.A. Point Guard Still Unable to Play

The Clippers reactived injured point guard Norm Nixon before Friday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs.

However, Nixon, who underwent surgery to repair a torn quadriceps tendon in his left knee last July, said he isn’t ready to play yet. He is at least six to eight weeks away from recovery.

“I was surprised to be activated,” Nixon said from his hotel room in Salt Lake City, where he’ll broadcast tonight’s game against the Utah Jazz. “They did it out of necessity.

“No, I can’t play yet. It’s still too dangerous to play because I run the risk of reinjuring myself,” Nixon continued.

“I was hoping a month ago that I’d be able to practice by now, but the doctor doesn’t want me to because I don’t have total flexibility in my leg. I can’t bend it yet.”

Meanwhile, the Clippers lost to the Spurs, 124-120, in overtime at the Sports Arena.

Clipper guard Darnell Valentine hit a 30-foot three-point shot with three seconds left in the fourth period to send the game into overtime tied at 114-114. Valentine had 24 points and 15 assists.

Forward Michael Cage had 23 points and 11 rebounds, and center Benoit Benjamin had 20 and 12 rebounds.

However, the Spurs outscored the Clippers, 10-6, in the five-minute overtime period.

Alvin Robertson and ex-UCLA star David Greenwood had four points apiece for San Antonio in the overtime period. Robertson had 25 points, while Walter Berry had 22 and Jon Sundvold added 19.

The Clippers took Nixon off the injured list to fill the spot left on the rosterwhen they traded forward/center Kurt Nimphius to Detroit Thursday.

Under National Basketball Assn. rules, teams are required to have 11 players on their active roster. However, the Clippers only had 10 players after trading Nimphius for two draft picks.

The Clippers had hoped to sign free-agent forward Sam Williams. However, the deal fell through so they had activated Nixon.

Will Nixon be wearing his Clipper uniform when he goes on TV tonight?

“I haven’t really thought about it yet.” Nixon said.

Clipper General Manager Elgin Baylor said: “I don’t want people thinking that he (Nixon) will be suited up. We’re just doing it so we can have 11 players on the active roster.

“He doesn’t have to suit up, and he doesn’t have to play. I do everything by the rules. I sent a telex to the league about it. Once we find someone, we’ll put Norm back on the injured list.

“We’re not trying to dupe the public or pull the wool over anyone eyes.”

Baylor said that if the Clippers had signed a player after trading Nimphius, they would have had to sign him for the entire season because of league rules.

However, by activating Nixon, they can sign a player to a 10-day contract after putting Nixon on the injured list.

Meanwhile, the Clippers went through the motions in the first half against the Spurs, falling behind by 16 points midway through the second period. They were outrebounded, 16-6, in the first period.

Trailing, 49-33, the Clippers blitzed the Spurs, 16-3, to close the gap to 52-49 at halftime.

Clipper Notes

The Clippers never were able to reach Kurt Nimphius Thursday afternoon to tell him he’d been traded to Detroit, although they left several messages on his answering machine. Nimphius said he wound up hearing that he’d been traded listening to a radio broadcast Thursday night. “I found out about it at 9 p.m. last night,” Nimphius said from his apartment in Marina del Rey, Friday as he was packing to go to Detroit. “I had heard rumors that I was going to be traded, but I talked to (Clipper assistant coach) Don Casey after practice Thursday and he told me that everything was on hold. I went out with my parents to a trailer park, so I never heard about it until after I had finished eating dinner.

“I was surprised,” Nimphius said. “I didn’t think I’d be traded this season. But I think it’s a great career move. I like L.A., but job-wise it wasn’t too good.”

Nimphius said he will fly to Detroit today and take his physical exam Sunday. He hopes to be in uniform Monday night.