NBA 1990-91 : For Openers, Clippers Are Thinking Positive

The Clippers will again put their best future forward, the collateral for respect on a team with its fourth coach in five seasons, a bleak and repetitive past and a Sterling reputation--not to be confused with a sterling reputation.

Reality has yet to come into line with expectations at the Sports Arena, so why should this opening night of the NBA season be any different?

--Law of averages?

That won’t work. The Pacific Division alone has three teams capable of winning the NBA title, and it has depth. The Golden State Warriors have retooled to add size to proven scoring, and the Seattle SuperSonics have joined playoff experience with the highest guard selected in the draft since Isiah Thomas: Gary Payton. The only longshot for postseason play is Sacramento, tonight’s Clipper opponent at the Sports Arena.

--Holes from last season plugged?

Not that, either. No shooting guard was better than 45.8% during the exhibition schedule. No. 1 choice Bo Kimble, at 34.2%, was selected as the starter Wednesday, but he wasn’t exactly an overwhelming choice. The team with the second-most turnovers in 1989-90 also hadn’t cured that problem, something in which even Coach Mike Schuler couldn’t hide his anxiety.

“We are very concerned about that,” he said. “It’s something we’ve talked about. We have to cut down. There needs to be a little bit more recognition of that to cut down on the silliness.”

--Because they really are good?

Not a bad reason. No coach around the league can mention Charles Smith without the word all-star following; Ken Norman averaged 20.1 points in exhibition play; Danny Manning’s versatility and selfless play are worth far more than numbers, and Benoit Benjamin’s 13.4-point, 13.1-rebound exhibition averages are exactly what the Clippers need from him.

For this team, history and hope will meet somewhere in the middle, a self-taught lesson. The heck with hype--until further notice, at least.

“We’re very optimistic about the season,” said Norman, a fourth-year forward. “But there’s not much to say. We are at a point where too much has been said already. It’s time to go out and do what we have wanted to for so long.

“I know that we have a good team or a great team, however you want to phrase it. But I also know that people around the league saying that or writing that doesn’t mean anything. If anything, I know it breaks some teams or players, reading their press clippings all the time but not producing.”

Most prognosticators put the Clippers in playoff position with a fourth- or fifth-place finish possible in the Pacific Division. The Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks are good bets to reach postseason play in the Western Conference. That would leave two spots up for grabs among, most likely, the Houston Rockets, the Warriors, the SuperSonics and the Clippers.

Schuler set the playoffs as a goal the day he got the job, even coming up with a slogan: “To Play in May.”

Catchy. But Schuler and the players also know it has to be convincing, now that season-ticket sales have reached 8,600, about 2,500 more than in 1989-90.

“No one can predict exactly how many games we’ll win,” said Norman, who has seen the Clippers improve from 17 to 21 to 30 victories in his previous seasons. “But I would definitely be disappointed if it was less than 41, which would be .500. I don’t want to say what I really think because I can only uphold my end of the bargain. But I think we can be dangerous.”

So, forget the playoffs for a moment. They’ve got to get to 40 wins first. Or 35. Here’s the group that will try to do it:

Center--Benjamin says he works much better in a system where the success or failure of the team does not fall solely on his shoulders. The Clippers say this is what they’ve wanted from him all along--conditioning and a major presence on defense.

They’re smiling together now, and management figures it’s for real since negotiations on a new contract will start sometime this month for Benjamin, beginning the option year of his current deal.

Also available are Ken Bannister, who returns for his second full season, and free agent Greg Butler is the only non-rookie newcomer.

Forwards--Manning, Smith and Norman, an enviable trio for any coach, are joined by rookie Loy Vaught, who, unlike Kimble, impressed almost every night of the exhibition schedule.

Versatility, of course, is the key. Schuler can play three at the same time and go with a quick lineup, use Manning to handle the ball and force defenses to put a guard on a 6-foot-11 point man, or insert Vaught with Benjamin on the front line to offset stronger teams.

Guards--Ron Harper’s rehabilitation is on schedule and apparently progressing well, but that still doesn’t get him back until sometime in January. His presence on and off the court will be missed.

“But I think when Ron does come back, because he has been here and observed the style of play, it will be an easy transition,” Schuler said. “I don’t think it will take many changes to fit him because he works so well in the system already.”

Gary Grant is recovered from the broken ankle that caused him to miss the final 3 1/2 months of last season.

After that, it gets a little murky. Winston Garland and Tom Garrick have been used at either of the backcourt spots, and Kimble was given the start alongside Grant over Jeff Martin and the others.

The waiting is over. Starting tonight, it’s all about producing.