Roberts Isn’t Close to O’Neal

Clipper center Stanley Roberts, who played with Shaquille O’Neal at Louisiana State, said he isn’t close to the Laker center.

“We haven’t talked, really, since he got drafted by the Magic [in 1992],” Roberts said. “We speak when we see each other, but it ain’t no conversation or nothing like that.

“Our jobs keep us kind of separated. In school we were teammates, so we had to be friends. Now we just go out and play against each other, when we see each other we shake hands. That’s about it.”

Roberts, who wasn’t expected to face the Lakers after suffering a bruised left hip in Thursday night’s 94-78 loss to the Seattle SuperSonics, did play Friday.

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Although center Kevin Duckworth, hasn’t scored in his last three games, Clipper Coach Bill Fitch isn’t concerned.

“He’s not out there to score,” Fitch said. “The five minutes he plays, I’m not putting him out there to set a point-per-minute record. He’s out there to get us started on defense, set some picks and not take any fouls home on the bus with him.”