Clippers Stagger to Midpoint : Bucks Make Sure It’s Another Loss

The Clippers have reached the halfway point in their death march through the National Basketball Assn. season. So far, so bad.

The Clippers finished the first half of the season with a 114-94 loss to the injury-depleted Milwaukee Bucks Monday night before an announced crowd of 6,792 fans at the Sports Arena.

“It was just a wipeout,” Clipper Coach Don Chaney said after his team extended its latest losing streak to five straight. Los Angeles has lost 33 of its last 35 games. The Clippers have the worst record (5-36) in the NBA.

Asked to assess the performance of his team in the first 41 games this season, Chaney said: “I can’t give a grade based on the record this team has. The only thing I can say is that this team has a lot of character. That should be a grade in itself under the circumstances.

“At this point in the season I thought we’d be jockeying for a playoff spot. Our goal the rest of the season will be to try and win as many games as possible.”

Said Clipper guard Mike Woodson, who had a team-high 23 points against Milwaukee: “I wish I had the answers.”

Forward Terry Cummings, one of four ex-Clippers on the Buck roster, scored 31 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Cummings had 21 points in the first half as Milwaukee buried the Clippers in the second period.

Cummings wound up hitting 12 of 16 shots from the floor and 7 of 9 free throws.

Junior Bridgeman, another former Clipper, started at forward for the first time in two seasons and scored 8 points and had three rebounds.

“They (the Clippers) are experiencing a lot of difficulties,” Bridgeman said. “Winning gets to be a habit and, unfortunately, losing gets to be a habit, too.

“It’s tough to turn things around when you reach a certain point. But the Clippers are playing hard, give them that.

“I still have some feelings for Don Chaney and the coaches and players here. If I had to pick a coach who deserves to win in this league, it would be Coach Chaney. I feel bad for him.”

Milwaukee center Jack Sikma and guard Ricky Pierce added 15 points apiece.

Guard John Lucas, starting for the second time in five games with the Bucks, had 12 points and 10 assists.

The Bucks (26-18), who are without Sidney Moncrief (injured knee) and Paul Pressey (finger), had been struggling coming into the game, losing 7 of their last 10.

Milwaukee’s trapping, pressure defense forced the Clippers into 27 turnovers.

The Clippers’ inability to handle the Buck press was very evident in the second period when Milwaukee blew the game open.

“We’ve been going with a lot of extended defenses this year to get us some easy baskets,” Buck Coach Don Nelson said. “We did more than usual tonight.”

Leading 32-28 with 10:08 left in the second period, the Bucks scored 15 consecutive points en route to a 24-4 blitz.

Milwaukee’s biggest first-half lead was 24 points, 56-32, with 2 1/2 minutes left in the second period.

“They put on a trapping defense that took us out our offense,” said Clipper forward Michael Cage, who had 12 points and 7 rebounds. “They got us rattled and we never recovered.”

Said Woodson of the Buck press: “We were just throwing it away.”

Clipper center Benoit Benjamin scored 20 points, hauled down 10 rebounds and blocked 4 shots. However, Benjamin scored most of his points after the outcome of the game had already been determined.

Forward Kenny Fields, who was picked up by the Clippers after the Bucks waived him earlier this season, scored 16 points.

Clipper Notes

Clipper forward Marques Johnson, who is on the injured list with a ruptured disk in his neck, has apparently decided to postpone his surgery to fuse two vertebrae in his neck. Dr. Tony Daly, the Clipper team physician, said Johnson was to have had the surgery last weekend but called it off. Daly has said that Johnson couldn’t pass a physical exam without having the surgery. . . . The Clippers are still trying to fill the roster spot left when forward Cedric Maxwell was traded to the Houston Rockets. The Clippers are looking at Sam Williams and Michael Brooks.