CLIPPER NOTES : Harper’s Return Stays on Course

A voluntary 80-minute workout that involved only seven teammates hardly constitutes a major step in Ron Harper’s recovery from knee surgery, but the Monday session, his first with the Clippers since his injury, was a milestone of sorts as he remains on course for a January return.

That little workout, though, pales in comparison to another he had recently. Two weeks ago, unbeknown to team officials, he played in a five-on-five game with friends in Dayton, Ohio. That ranks much bigger on the accomplishment scale than non-contact passing and shooting drills and going through offensive sets at half speed.

“I felt it was time to give the knee a test,” Harper said of the impromptu game in his hometown. “(Doctors) told me once I would be able to try it at some point. So I tried it. I liked it, so I tried it again. It felt good.”

Such comments make the Clippers feel good, too, knowing that Harper’s rehabilitation from a career-threatening tear of ligament and cartilage suffered Jan. 16 against Charlotte at the Sports Arena has progressed without a hitch.

No one is quite sure when he will be able to go 100% in practices, but at least he’s with the Clippers regularly again. Harper is expected to attend all workouts, even if he can’t do all the drills.

“We don’t want to give the impression that he will be doing all the activities every day,” trainer Keith Jones said. “There might be days he does not do anything with us. He’s with the team, out from Ohio, and will be at every practice, but we’re not sure right now what he will be doing every day.”

Said team physician Tony Daly, who performed the operation along with Dr. John Bergfeld of the Cleveland Cavaliers: “He is not quite there yet. He’s close to shooting the way he wants and doing all the drills, but I think it will be about another month before he plays for real.”

Harper said he is 65-70% sound now.

Ken Norman, who has missed the past six games because of a sprained left ankle suffered when he landed on Jack Haley’s foot in a game against New Jersey at the Sports Arena last month, also practiced Monday. No decision on his return will be made until Wednesday, when the Clippers play host to Dallas.

“It feels much better today than yesterday,” he said. “But mentally, I’m not where I need to be. I’m still a little leery (of the ankle). Watching the replays, it’s a little scary, and you’ve got to jump all the time in this game.”

Norman, after initially disagreeing with the decision to put him on the injured list, now regards it as a good move.

“It was the best thing that could have happened,” he said. “No question. I didn’t realize the severity of it.”

The number crunching from Charles Smith’s 52-point game Saturday at Denver, which tied the franchise record, continues.

He became the second Clipper to break 50, Freeman Williams having scored 51 against Phoenix in 1980, when the team was still in San Diego. Derek Smith had the old L.A. Clipper record at 41.

Tying Bob McAdoo was the most notable achievement, but there were others: a franchise record for free throws made in a half, 14; tying a franchise record for free throws attempted in a half, 17; setting an L.A. Clipper record for most free throws attempted, 21, and made, 18, in a game. There was also a team record for most defensive rebounds in one night, the 47 setting an L.A. Clipper mark.

Lost amid all this, though, was that the Clippers as a team played a very good game and ended a nine-game road losing streak that dated to last season and had little trouble with Denver’s full-court press. There was defense, too--the Clippers forced the Nuggets into their first 24-second violation of the season.