Clippers Change on the Fly

The changing of the guard began on the Clippers Wednesday night, though it actually was the changing of the center.

Olden Polynice, No. 1 since being acquired last February from Seattle, fell all the way to No. 3 in the Clippers’ 117-86 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at Reunion Arena, the biggest margin of victory on the road in franchise history.

“That (switch) is not definite,” Coach Larry Brown said. “But there is a good chance Charles (Smith) and James (Edwards) will play the bulk of the minutes at center.”

Edwards started against the Mavericks in what Brown termed a reward for this having been Edwards’ 1,000th career regular-season game. Who will start at Phoenix might not be determined until Friday, when the effects of back-to-back games on Smith’s right knee will be determined. Who gets the job long term?

Probably Smith, a career forward.

That would keep Danny Manning and Ken Norman in the lineup at forward and give the Clippers perhaps the quickest front line in the league. Brown has wanted to move Smith, the team’s best front-court defender, to center since becoming coach at the All-Star break, but the switch has been slowed by Smith’s ongoing knee problems.

Smith will eventually become the starter--after seeing limited time there his first 3 1/2 years in the NBA.

Wednesday, Edwards played 20 minutes, Smith 23 and Polynice five, his low as a Clipper. In a fitting ending, Polynice was set to check in with 7:11 left but had to sit at the scorer’s table until being able to get in with 4:55 remaining.

“I was watching Olden play and seeing how he acted on the bench,” Brown said, noting Polynice’s positive approach to a down night. “I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

Polynice, who criticized Mike Schuler for lack of playing time in the Clippers’ last trip here, was businesslike about the move. He said he learned of the switch during Brown’s pregame talk to the team.

“My thing is just to play ball,” said Polynice, No. 1 on the team in rebounding and No. 2 in shooting percentage. “Whatever decisions have been made, that’s not my concern now.

“It’s something I can’t concern myself with. If I’m asked to play, I play. They pay me. Whatever they want me to do for the money, that’s what I’ll do.”

His thinking now?

“You can’t keep a good man down,” he said on several occasions.

Brown has liked the idea of Smith at center ever since seeing Smith guard one of his former players in San Antonio, David Robinson. And Brown likes Edwards’ experience. But none of Smith’s previous three coaches with the Clippers felt comfortable enough to give it a try. Now, he may be making the move while the Clippers fight for a playoff spot.

With the easy victory, the Clippers leapfrogged half a game ahead of the Lakers for the eighth and final playoff position in the West. The previous franchise record for largest winning road margin was 23, set Dec. 16, 1972, at Philadelphia and tied Nov. 3, 1974, at the Forum.

Manning led the Clippers with 23 points and Ron Harper added 22.

Clipper Notes

Doc Rivers got five stitches on the right side of his head a second consecutive night, this time on the eyebrow after being accidentally hit by Mike Iuzzolino of the Mavericks. “I’m going to wear a helmet next game,” he said. . . . James Edwards became the 28th player in NBA history to play 1,000 regular-season games and the 36th overall including the American Basketball Assn. The Clippers plan to honor Edwards during halftime next Thursday at the Sports Arena, the first home game after this trip. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the all-time leader in games played at 1,560.

Dallas guard Derek Harper played seven minutes as a reserve after missing the previous five games because of a sore right wrist. After starting the previous 409 regular-season games in which he was available, it was his first time as a reserve since Feb. 27, 1987. . . . The 31-point defeat is the Mavericks’ third-largest ever at Reunion Arena. The Mavericks have lost 11 in a row.