Erving Leaves Clippers With More Memories as 76ers Win, 103-90

Dr. J made his final house call at the Sports Arena Sunday.

The Clippers were already sick when Julius Erving and the Philadelphia 76ers arrived, and they felt even worse afterward.

Erving, who’s embarked on his farewell tour of National Basketball Assn. cities, scored 23 points and had 6 assists and 6 rebounds as the 76ers handed the Clippers their third straight loss, 103-90.

The Clippers have lost 13 consecutive games to Philadelphia since 1980.

Erving, who will be 37 on Feb. 22, has announced that this will be his final season of pro basketball. Erving began his 16th season as the third-leading scorer in pro basketball history behind Kareem-Abdul Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain.

“I had a great deal of respect for him as a player and as a coach,” Clipper Coach Don Chaney said of Erving “I’d take him on my team any time.

“He doesn’t look that old. The legs still look young to me. The bulk of his scoring came from the transition game. That’s where he’s at his best, in the open court.”

Erving is being showered with gifts at every stop and the Clippers also held ceremonies for Erving before the game and at halftime.

He received two standing ovations from the crowd of 9,287 fans at the Sports Arena, the Clippers’ largest of the season.

“I kept thinking that it would be nice to spoil the evening for him and comeback and win,” said Clipper captain Marques Johnson, whose wife presented Erving with roses before the game. “Some of the younger guys have no appreciation of him when he was at his peak.”

Said Clipper forward Cedric Maxwell of Erving: “It’s great to see a guy like that go out at his peak without injuries. He’s had a great career.”

Erving was surrounded by reporters in the locker room after the game as he taped two ice bags to his knees.

“I didn’t have any preconceived notions of what it (the farewell tour) would be like,” Erving said. “This is not a distraction to me and I hope it’s not to the other guys on the team.”

Asked what he plans to do after he retires, Erving said, “I’m going to sell some sodas (he owns a soft drink bottling company in Philadelphia) and enjoy my family and friends. I feel as though I’ve missed out on some things and I’d like to make up for that. I’ve diversified business-wise and I feel I can make the transition as well as anyone has. Coaching is not one of my goals.”

Said Philadelphia Coach Matt Goukas: “The way Doc takes care of himself he could play for two or three more years. But you’re treading water when you’re playing at 37 or 38. Kareem has been able to continue, but he plays a different game, straight up and down the court. Doc’s all over the place.”

The 76ers ended their five-game West Coast trip with a 3-2 record. Philadelphia (6-4) has won five of their last seven games.

Forward Roy Hinson scored 23 points and former USC star Cliff Robinson added 22 points and 16 rebounds as the 76ers recovered from an embarrassing 30-point loss in Phoenix on Friday.

Robinson had to leave the game in the second half after injuring his shoulder. He will be examined when the team returns home.

“We really should have been 4-1 on the trip,” Hinson said. “I’m conceding the game to Phoenix. They played great. But we should have beaten Golden State.”

Center Benoit Benjamin led the Clippers with 16 points before fouling out. Maxwell added 15 and guard Mike Woodson 14.

After being outrebounded, 62-28 in their last game, the Clippers were beaten badly on the boards again by Philadelphia, 56-34.

The Clippers received bad news before the game when they found out that starting point guard Larry Drew wouldn’t be able to play because of a left shoulder injury. He sat on the bench dressed in street clothes.

Drew suffered a contusion to his left shoulder during a fall Friday night in the Clippers’ 119-109 loss at Portland.

“I don’t know exactly when it happened. He’s a little confused,” Chaney said. “He (Drew) got hit each time he drove to the basket.”

So, Chaney was forced to change his starting lineup. The Clippers (3-6) have used four different starting lineups in nine games this season.

Guard Geoff Huston started in place of Drew. Houston was signed by the Clippers last Tuesday and had played in only three games prior to Sunday’s start. He was going over plays with Chaney in the Clipper locker room just 45 minutes before the game. Huston finished with 8 points and 11 assists.

Chaney also decided to bench forward Michael Cage, who had struggled in the last two games. He was replaced by Johnson, who has been starting at off guard this season.

Woodson, who had scored 28, 25 and 23 points in his last three games, replaced Johnson at guard.

The 76ers also made a change, inserting Robinson into the starting lineup and moving Erving from forward to guard in place of Sedale Threatt.

Robinson, the former USC star, had scored a season-high 35 points in the 76ers’ win over Golden State last week.

Robinson scored 17 points and had 13 rebounds in the first half as the 76ers jumped out to a 59-44 lead at intermission. Erving had 14 points in the first half.

Clipper Notes

Rookie forward Steffond Johnson was waived by the Clippers Saturday after the team returned home from Portland. The Clippers signed forward Kenny Fields, the former UCLA star who was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks last Monday. He’ll join the team today. “Kenny gives us an experienced player who can rebound and shoot inside,” Clipper Coach Don Chaney said. “He was a very good college player who just didn’t work out with Milwaukee. Kenny was ill last summer and he didn’t have a chance to work out.” Chaney said Johnson will be brought back if someone gets hurt. . . . The Clippers play Indiana Tuesday night at the Sports Arena.