Another Setback for Clippers, Chaney, 105-97

Only three weeks remain in the long, exhausting National Basketball Assn. regular season, and the Clippers find themselves in a familiar position. They are almost assured of once again missing the playoffs, which will leave plenty of time to sift through the rubble of what they had hoped would be a promising season.

But for Coach Don Chaney, there is added importance and a sense of urgency to the Clippers’ final 10 games, a stretch that began Wednesday night with a disappointing 105-97 loss to the San Antonio Spurs before a Sports Arena crowd of 9,153.

Chaney, whose contract will expire at the same time the Clipper season does, is hoping a strong finish will persuade management to rehire him for next season. And with the Clippers 6 1/2 games out of the final Western Conference playoff spot, a strong finish certainly seems something to focus on.

As Cedric Maxwell, the comedic forward, said about the club’s playoff chances after San Antonio had sent the Clippers to their third straight loss: “This is kind of like facing the gas chamber. I know I’m going to die, but I’m still waiting for the pardon.”

Maxwell also could have been describing Chaney’s fate. Chaney’s job has been in jeopardy since December, and Wednesday’s disinterested effort by his players certainly didn’t help build a case for renewing Chaney’s contract.

“I really don’t know what they are thinking right now,” Chaney said before the game. “I think a strong finish may help. No one had really said anything to me for a while.”

Earlier in the season, Chaney believed that the Clippers needed to qualify for the playoffs for him to keep his job. He said Wednesday that he still holds that belief but is hoping that owner Donald T. Sterling will finally decide that yearly or semi-yearly coaching changes have not stabilized the franchise.

“I hope they realize that it’s got to stop,” said Chaney, who reiterated Wednesday that he wants to know the Clippers’ intentions about his status as soon as the season ends. “That is the only way things will improve around here.”

Clipper players realized they let Chaney--and themselves--down with the loss to a banged-up Spur team, one that had lost its previous 12 road games. Marques Johnson, who had 15 points, said the Clipper players are very concerned about Chaney’s status.

“(Winning for Chaney) was a motivating tool last year for us,” Johnson said. “But it’s tough. The players don’t know if it’ll make a difference if we play well at the end of the season. We can’t control what goes on upstairs (in management). It may be too late.”

Although Chaney said he has not discussed his status with either Sterling or General Manager Carl Scheer, he said he has talked with Sterling about the positive direction in which management wants the club to be headed.

“Even if I’m not the person (they hire) here, I think there has been a change of attitude and practices here,” Chaney said. “It’s in terms of patience, building the team and operating on an NBA level instead of a sub-NBA level. I’ve seen that lately.”

Chaney would not specify exactly what has changed but said, “I’ve noticed that they’ve tried to improve.”

There was plenty of room for improvement against San Antonio. Even though the Spurs were missing three-fifths of their usual starting lineup because of injuries--center Artis Gilmore (strained shoulder), guard Ray Williams (stiff neck) and forward Steve Johnson (injured foot)--San Antonio ran the Clippers off the floor in the fourth quarter.

Mike Mitchell, one of the few healthy Spurs, scored 18 points and had 6 rebounds. Guard Alvin Robertson added 15 points, 7 assists and 4 steals, and David Greenwood scored 8 of his 11 points in the fourth quarter despite being bothered by the flu..

In addition to Marques Johnson’s 15, the Clippers received 20 points and 9 rebounds from Benoit Benjamin. Maxwell had 15 points.

Chaney was dissatisfied with the Clipper effort.

“They (the Spurs) played the worst ball I’ve seen them play this year, and we played even worse,” he said. “There’s not much you can say, other than we didn’t want this game. Tonight, it was attitude and energy. Maybe I’ve miscalculated their character.

“But I’m not going to jump ship on them. I don’t think they’ve packed it in. . . . The (final 10 games) are important to me. Even if they tell me (management’s decision on a coach) today, the final 10 games still are important. Sure, I want a job. And I want to remain here. But I have pride also. I want to finish with 30 wins, at least.”

The Clippers’ quest for 30 wins still appears reachable, since they are 26-47 with nine games to play, going into games Friday night at Phoenix and Saturday night at Sacramento. Perhaps, another goal will be to stay out of the Pacific Division cellar, where they are now tied with Golden State.

“I don’t think anyone here consciously thinks the season is over,” Marques Johnson said. “The thing that keeps me personally motivated is trying to improve our record from last season (31-51) and staying out of last place. And playing for Don, too. All those factors.”