It’s the Same Old Story for ‘New-Look’ Clippers in Loss to Bucks

The Clippers reached the mid-point of the season Saturday night by looking like a team fresh out of training camp, which some say is what they are. The transition from Gene Shue to Don Casey, with new formations on offense and defense, means starting over, after all.

So that explains it?

Blame for the 105-84 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks before a crowd of 12,476 at the Sports Arena should go around, because there’s plenty of it.

Casey was willing to take his share. He has started to wonder if much of the problem is too many changes too soon.

“It might be,” he said. “They (the players) say no, but I don’t fully agree with it.

“I don’t think it (the offense) needs major surgery, but it does need refining. It’s very woozy.”

The Clippers proved it with a staggering offensive display: The 84 points tied the Boston game of Jan. 9 for the fewest of the season. The 36.9% shooting percentage established a low . The ratio of 23 assists to 24 turnovers brought back memories of ugly ball control that has subsided in recent games.

“You’ve been together 3 or 4 months, and the things you should be doing as a team, looking something like a unit working together, but we’re not. . . . Call it chemistry or whatever, but it’s not working.”

Milwaukee, which improved to 26-13 in its best start since 1981-82, gave no quarter, jumping to a 17-4 lead then cruising, and, except for a stretch after halftime when the cushion was cut to 3 points. Then again, the Clippers didn’t offer a quarter, either.

Their period-by-period rundown: 19, 25, 25, 15.

Clipper Notes

The Clippers have contacted North Carolina State Coach Jim Valvano twice in the past week about becoming their permanent coach, the News and Observer of Raleigh (N.C.) reported Friday. Approached at halftime of Saturday’s game, Clipper owner Donald T. Sterling did not deny the report, nor would he confirm it. “I haven’t talked to him, but I know Elgin (Baylor, the general manager) has talked to a lot of people nationally.” Sterling called Valvano “one of the top coaches in the nation,” but when asked specifically if Baylor has contacted Valvano, the team owner said, “I don’t know.” Coach Don Casey is operating on an interim basis, with his contract lasting to the end of the season, and Sterling said Casey will be considered for permanent coach “if he demonstrates progress with the team.” Said Clipper president Alan Rothenberg: “We haven’t contacted anybody. I guess we’ll have to put up with these kinds of rumors every week for 3 months now.”

Valvano, embroiled in controversy for several weeks over a soon-to-be-published book that accuses him of running a corrupt program, has refused to talk with reporters about either matter, except in the course of postgame interviews and a weekly teleconference press call. “He’s not doing any interviews,” said Mark Bockleman, the school’s sports information director. Valvano, also the North Carolina State athletic director, has been mentioned in the past about NBA openings with the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets, among others, and he also interviewed before this season for the vacant spot at UCLA that eventually went to Jim Harrick.

Guard Gary Grant, who missed the last 6 games with a bruised right thigh, returned to the lineup. He wore a protection similar to a football thigh pad under the white tights that many players wear under their shorts. . . . Quintin Dailey was named Clipper player of the month for December and Greg Kite was named defensive player of the month in a halftime ceremony. . . . Benoit Benjamin was named co-captain by Casey, joining Dailey.