Notes on a Scorecard - Feb. 17, 1993

The Clippers should be in no hurry to trade Danny Manning. . . .

He is playing so well that he could make the team an upset factor in the playoffs if he is not dealt before the Feb. 25 deadline. . . .

Besides, the offers for the best basketball player in Los Angeles have not been very attractive, and the Clippers will have a better chance of making a fair deal after the season, when salary caps are adjusted. . . .

It was last September that the Clippers traded another soon-to-become unrestricted free agent who said his future was not here, Charles Smith, and got the best of the transaction. . . .

Manning is shooting more--increasing his field goal attempts of a year ago by four to 18 per game--and complaining less. . . .

During a pregame ceremony Monday that recognized his selection to the Western Conference All-Star team, he thanked the same Sports Arena fans he once criticized for not giving the Clippers enough support. . . .

When Ron Harper operates in the manner he did in the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs, he is the closest thing in the NBA to Michael Jordan. . . .

Half an hour before tipoff, Spur Coach John Lucas played a little one-on-one with Lloyd Daniels. . . .

After Avery Johnson made a shot at the buzzer, ending the first half, Lucas ran onto the court and congratulated the point guard as though he had just won a championship. . . .

Lucas stays out of his team’s huddle during some timeouts, but is not reluctant to take charge during others. While he was mapping strategy late in the Clipper game, the coach told his star center, David Robinson, to sit down. . . .

J.R. Reid was a good pickup by the Spurs. . . .

*

The All-Star game Sunday in Salt Lake City will be televised to 103 countries, and play-by-play announcers from such places as Russia, Romania and Poland will be courtside. . . .

Six of the 16 most popular home videos in Japan are from the NBA, including the No. 1 seller, Michael Jordan’s “Come Fly With Me.” . . .

Among those upset at the Jim Harrick bashing is Bill Barnes, who was the football coach at UCLA from early in the 1958 season to 1964. . . .

“Coaching is about 10% of it and talent is 90%,” Barnes told track and field promoter Al Franken on the golf course the other day. “I know I was a lot better coach when I had Bill Kilmer.” . . .

Unbeaten middleweight contender Roy Jones has the power, quickness and confidence to become a great fighter. What will be determined when he faces better opposition is whether he has the jaw, heart and stamina. . . .

Former World Boxing Assn. heavyweight champion Mike Weaver, 40, is still fighting. He is scheduled to face Bert Cooper on Feb. 27 at the Capitol Arena in Beijing. . . .

About half of Azteca Stadium’s 120,000 seats have been sold for the quadruple title fight card in Mexico City on Saturday. . . .

Wayne Gretzky stretched his goal-less streak to 16 games Monday against Vancouver, but had nine shots on goal, including three from the doorstep during one flurry. . . .

“Right now, I’m not very good around the net,” Gretzky said. “No excuses. I’ve never had an experience like this. It’s just something I have to work out.” . . .

Brent Ashton, recently traded from Boston to Calgary, is now playing for a record ninth NHL city. Previously, he was with Vancouver, Colorado, New Jersey, Minnesota, Quebec, Detroit and Winnipeg. . . .

*

Former 400-meter world record-holder Lee Evans is coach of the national track team of Qatar. One of his Olympic athletes, Ibrahim Ismail, will race Kevin Young in the 500 meters at the Sunkist meet Saturday at the Sports Arena. . . .

The Chicago Cubs plan to scout football and basketball players with the hope of converting them into baseball players. . . .

Andy Benes’ kid brother Alan is a pitcher at Creighton University who is expected to be selected in the first round of the draft in June. . . .

With the new softball that is being used this season in the NCAA, the earned-run averages of some top pitchers might soar to near 1.00. . . .

It amazes me that teams, such as the Angels, don’t make more intensive medical checks on players who have suffered injuries, such as Kelly Gruber, before trading for them. . . .

News item: President Clinton says the rich will have to pay their fair share of the tax increase designed to reduce the deficit. Reaction: NBA and major league baseball players and a few NFL quarterbacks might be able to wipe out that debt in a year or two.