For Clippers, the Nightmare is Over : They End Season at 12-70 After 105-85 Loss to Warriors

The Clippers’ Little Shop of Horrors is finally over.

The Clippers finished their nightmare of a season as the second worst team in National Basketball Assn. history with a 12-70 record (.171) following Sunday night’s 105-85 blowout loss to the Golden State Warriors at the Oakland Coliseum.

The 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers had the worst record of all time (9-73).

The Clippers ended the season by losing their final 14 games and 26 of their last 28. They lost their last 19 road games and 21 of their last 22.

“Well, it’s over, thank God,” Clipper Coach Don Chaney said. “It’s been a horrendous season, and there probably will never be another one like it for a long time. I didn’t sleep this year; it’s been a nightmare. I never thought we’d have a year like this. Whatever negative could happen happened this season. . . .”

Asked if he planned to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge, Chaney said, “It’s not that bad. If you would have asked me that earlier this season I might have said yes. But we had some positive things happen this year like Michael Cage, Tim Kempton and Earl Cureton.

“This team had a great deal of character. We’re not the most talented team, but we didn’t fold.”

Said Cage: “Basically we were running on flat tires this year. “It was like a hotel. Guys were checking in and out all the time.”

It was probably the final game for Chaney as coach of the Clippers, barring a miracle. But miracles have been few and far between for the Clippers lately.

Chaney will meet with team officials Wednesday, but it is unlikely that he will be retained for next season.

Clipper officials have already talked to Hubie Brown, who was fired as coach of the New York Knicks earlier this season; John MacLeod, who was fired as coach of the Phoenix Suns last February; ex-Philadelphia Coach Gene Shue, and Cotton Fitzsimmons.

The Clippers were one of the most injured teams in the NBA this season. Guard Norm Nixon sat out the entire season with a knee injury and forward/center Marques Johnson played just 10 games due to a neck injury.

Some may blame second-year center Benoit Benjamin for the Clippers’ miserable season. Benjamin averaged 11.1 points for the second straight season. However, after averaging 7.6 rebounds in his rookie season, he averaged 6.5 rebounds this season.

Benjamin lost his starting job to Cureton late in the season. Cureton, a 6-8 forward-center, was acquired from the Chicago Bulls in a mid-season trade. Cureton is now a free agent.

However, Chaney refused to blame all of the Clipper woes on the 7-0 center.

“I can’t say he was a big disappointment,” Chaney said. “But we can’t win without him.”

However, Cage wasn’t so kind. “I hope Ben has learned humiliation because this was humiliation,” Cage said. “He’s got a 6-8 guy (Cureton) starting ahead of him.”

Clipper officials were upset after Benjamin reported to training camp overweight and out of shape last October.

The Clippers have asked Benjamin to remain in Los Angeles and participate in a conditioning program this summer.

But Benjamin has other ideas.

Asked about his off-season plans, Benjamin said: “I’m going to take a month off and relax and kick back. They can’t make me do anything. But I’m going to work out because I want to do it. They can’t make me work out in the off-season.”

Cage, who grabbed 17 rebounds and scored 20 points against the Warriors, finished sixth in rebounding in the NBA this season.

However, Cage, who is now a free agent, may not be back with the Clippers next season, although team officials insist that they will re-sign him.