Nixon’s Best Shots Come After 110-103 Clipper Win

The Clippers beat the Seattle SuperSonics, 110-103, Wednesday night, and Norm Nixon may have been the only Clipper who did not enjoy even a second of the infrequent victory.

All Nixon could think about was the arrival today of Darnell Valentine, the Clippers’ acquisition from Portland, who will likely play in tonight’s game against the Lakers at the Forum.

Valentine is a point guard. So are Nixon and Franklin Edwards. There are only 48 minutes in a game, seemingly not enough time to please this convention of point guards.

While the Clipper party line is that the Valentine trade improves the club’s depth and in no way means another trade is forthcoming, Nixon said he believes it was a definite sign that the Clippers don’t want him.

Edwards, also concerned about his status, responded with actions instead of words. He scored 19 points, passed off 5 assists and had 4 steals to help improve the Clippers’ record to 13-27.

But Nixon, who scored only four points (2 of 6 from the field) in what he called 23 “unenthusiastic” minutes, took his best shots in the locker room after the 6,107 fans at the Sports Arena had headed home. “I was distracted tonight,” he said. “I’m trying to keep all that away, but I can’t. They’ve been trying to trade me for five months, and I had one night where I’m out of it. I think I’m entitled to have one night like that. I deserve a night like that.

“(The Valentine trade) makes me feel like this is my last year here. That was in my mind more than anything. Right now, my big contract ($2.7 million over five years) may hold it back, but I think I’ll be gone at the end of the season. (Chaney) talked to me (Tuesday), but that’s what (Laker General Manager) Jerry West told me. We love you, Norm. We aren’t going to trade you. Next day, I’m gone to San Diego.”

Nixon, who has a no-trade clause in his contract only for this season, said he has considered demanding a trade.

“But to request something like that, you have to have people interested in you,” Nixon said. “The Knicks talks (from last week) are off, I guess . . . you know (the Clippers) have to do something. Logically, we’ve got three point guards and we’re all 6-1 and our games aren’t that different.”

There was, however, a big difference in the play of Edwards and Nixon Wednesday night. Edwards and rookie center Benoit Benjamin led a second-quarter rally in which the Clippers outscored the SuperSonics by 12 points, erasing a slim Seattle lead.

In the second half, Edwards continued to provide the spark for the Clippers and received help from Marques Johnson (who scored 20 points) and reserve guards Junior Bridgeman (8) and Lancaster Gordon (8).

And then, there was Big Ben, who has come up big five straight games now after slumbering most of the season. Benjamin’s 15 points were a season high, and he also hauled in 9 rebounds, one less than Johnson’s team-high.

Xavier McDaniel’s Seattle’s exciting rookie forward, was about all the SuperSonics had. McDaniel scored 33 points and had 10 rebounds. Jack Sikma had 22 points and 13 rebounds but, surprisingly, had trouble controling Benjamin inside.

Clipper Coach Don Chaney, in his postgame remarks, gave equal credit to Edwards and Benjamin, and expressed concern about Nixon’s reaction to the trade.

“Frankie is capable of changing the tempo of a game,” said Chaney of Edwards, who will have his right wrist X-rayed today after a first-half tumble under the basket. “He gave us a very big lift, especially since Norm had a real shaky start.

“Norm my not admit it, but it does affect him. A lot of players don’t let it show.”

Nixon did, though. And so did Edwards, to a lesser extent. After seeing his minutes dwindle in recent games and then learning of the Valentine trade, Edwards, too, was wondering about his role.

“I just want to prove that when I get my minutes, I can play,” Edwards said. “Something’s got to give. I don’t know who it’s going to be, but I’m not going to worry about it.”

Since it isn’t often the Clippers win a game, Chaney did not want to dwell on such a negative subject. He wanted to talk about the play of Benjamin, who is finally showing signs of life.

Sports Arena fans noticed it, too, actually cheering Benjamin when he entered the game. Not long ago, they booed.

Clipper Notes

Seattle General Manager Lenny Wilkens attended the game, fueling speculation that the Clippers will trade Norm Nixon to the SuperSonics. Seattle, after all, tendered Nixon his five-year, $2.7-million offer sheet, which the Clippers matched. Said Wilkens Wednesday: “I have not talked to the Clippers at all, not since they matched the offer sheet. Maybe they’ll want to talk to us now.” . . . Coach Don Chaney said that the Clippers are not trying to trade Nixon now that they have traded for Darnell Valentine. “Norm is a better guard (than Valentine),” Chaney said before the game. “If Darnell turns out to play more consistent, then we’ll see about playing time. I’m going to work him in (slowly). I don’t know exactly what I’ll do. I’ll probably put him in behind Frankie (Edwards, the backup point guard) at the start. In the long run, however, you can’t play with six guards.” . . . Chaney said it might be four more days before Derek Smith (out because of soreness in his left knee) returns from the injured list. Smith said he doesn’t know when it will be. . . . Larry Fleischer, director of the NBA Players’ Assn., was in attendance Wednesday night. Earlier in the day, he met with the Lakers to discuss the state of the league. He met with Clipper players last week in New York.