76ers Take Air Out of Kimble’s Return

PHILADELPHIA —  It may have been Bo Kimble’s homecoming Tuesday night at the Spectrum, but the same old song and dance emerged for the Clippers, out of rhythm again in 110-99 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Coach Mike Schuler may ask to cut in. That means a change could come as soon as tonight, when his band plays at New Jersey. Nothing is for sure, especially with Charles Smith’s status uncertain after his already bruised left thigh was bumped again, but Schuler informed his team that he is looking at the possibilities.

However, when he talked with reporters after he game, he apparently had not decided on any specifics. Maybe he was spending his energy trying to figure how a group promoted as one of the best scoring teams has failed to reach 100 points for the fifth time in five games and how they have lost for the fifth time in their last six.

“We just haven’t got as consistent play as we want to,” he said.

Schuler paused and looked at the final statistics: 19 turnovers, 45.2% shooting and an unbalanced offense that got 31 of its points from Smith and 22 from Ken Norman.

“Jeff Martin has played fairly well for us on this trip and has shot well,” Schuler added. “Our starting guards were four of 17 tonight. Jeff has consistently made his shots.”

So Martin may be moved into the starting lineup?

“No, I’m really not sure,” Schuler said.

Gary Grant, who as point guard usually sets the tempo for the offense, has been as out of sync as anyone, which is no great mystery. Opposing teams have spotted the absence of his usual freewheeling style for several games, and so has he. For lack of a better description, it looks as if he is not having fun.

“I don’t want to say the wrong word . . . “ he said. “But I’m not having that much fun. It’s not anything to do with losing, because we’re almost .500. I don’t know, but I think about it every night.”

And will continue to do so. After Saturday’s loss at Milwaukee, when he had eight assists, four turnovers and two points, Grant called home to Los Angeles and had his roommate start pulling out tapes from last season. When the Clippers return from this six-game trip Thursday afternoon, he will start watching, hoping to find the difference between then and now.

The one thing he insists is that this has nothing to do with the trade rumors that won’t go away. Indiana, Charlotte, Sacramento, New York--will one be his next home? Can’t worry about it, Grant says.

But there has been a visible change in his game the last couple weeks, making him appear far less aggressive. That has its good points--he is averaging only 2.8 turnovers the last nine outings, dropping his season mark to 3.3--but the third-year player has reached double figures in assists only three times in 12 games.

“I’m thinking a lot instead of just playing,” said Grant, also in a nine-of-31 shooting slump the last five games, including Tuesday, when he missed all four shots he took and had six assists and five turnovers. “I never look for my shot anymore. And when I do, it’s because the 24-second clock is running out and I throw up a three, like tonight.”

Kimble’s day was, at once, a thrill and average. This was his first trip to his hometown as an NBA player, a long-awaited event among family and friends that resulted in the Clipper rookie spending more than $2,000 for 80 or so tickets, in addition to the comps he procured.

It started great, too: Kimble bought a house for his mother.

Then they played the game.

Not so great: four of 13 from the field. Kimble had 10 points and played 30 minutes, his best numbers in both categories in seven games, but the slump continues. He’s 15 of 53 (28.3%) the last seven outings.

“It was special for me, knowing all my family and friends were there,” said Kimble, who was greeted by a nice ovation from the Philadelphia crowd. “I don’t think we played well, the team or myself, but playing the first game against the Sixers was something to remember. As a child, I always wanted to play at the Spectrum. I don’t want to say I was mesmerized by it all, but I was really proud.”

Clipper Notes

Ken Norman also had 20 rebounds, tying his career high from Jan. 13, 1989. . . . Charles Barkley had 25 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists for the 76ers, and Rickey Green added 21 points. . . . The Clippers allowed a team to shoot 50% or better for the third time in six games.