This Is Not a Good Sign for Season

Are exhibition statistics an indication of how a team will fare in the regular season?

If they are, the Clippers, who lost six of eight exhibition games, including an embarrassing 113-84 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night before an announced 5,281 at the Sports Arena, are headed for another losing season.

The Clippers, who were playing back-to-back games, looked awful against the Nuggets, falling behind by 33 points five minutes into the fourth quarter.

“Boy, I ain’t never seen a team get their [rear end] blown out and then just laugh,” center Kevin Duckworth said. “It’s frustrating, I don’t care if it’s preseason or not, still it’s embarrassing.”

The Clippers went into the game against the Nuggets ranked last in the NBA in shooting percentage (.386), next to last in three-point shooting (.289) and third to last in scoring (84.7). They didn’t crack the 100-barrier in the exhibition season.

They made only four of 16 three-point shots against the Nuggets and had only 13 assists to Denver’s 34.

A week before next Friday’s season opener against the Golden State Warriors, the Clippers are in disarray.

“I don’t think it’s a question of, is the team ready? We have no choice but to be ready, the season is not going to wait until you get ready,” Duckworth said. “You can’t judge the whole preseason by one game, we played well yesterday.”

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Center Stanley Roberts, who was reinstated last Friday after a 10-day suspension for insubordination, played in his second consecutive exhibition game against the Nuggets, getting three points, three rebounds and two blocked shots in 16 minutes.

Roberts, who was held out of the Clippers’ first six exhibition games, appeared winded after playing only five minutes in the second period.

“Stanley has got more talent in his little finger than most guys that are in the game, but he’s got a long, long way to go to get in shape to use it,” Coach Bill Fitch said.

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The Sports Arena, the NBA’s oldest venue, is finally moving into the 1990s. Two video replay boards have been installed at both ends of the arena and are expected to be operational by next Saturday’s home opener against the Utah Jazz. Atlanta’s Omni is now the only NBA arena without a video board. . . . Guard Terry Dehere sat out his second consecutive game because of a sprained left knee. . . . Duckworth played only six minutes because of leg cramps. . . . Clipper broadcaster Ralph Lawler left after the first half because of a sore throat.