Fitch Is Target of Closs’ Anger

Rookie center Keith Closs knows it will cost him, but he doesn’t care.

Closs, who registered career highs of 15 points and 33 minutes in Friday’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks, made the first start of his NBA career in the Clippers’ 107-101 loss to the Seattle SuperSonics on Sunday.

But Closs didn’t last long, playing only eight minutes in the first quarter.

Coach Bill Fitch, whose rotation is sometimes confusing, didn’t play Closs for the final three quarters after he couldn’t check center Jim McIlvaine in the first quarter. McIlvaine, whose career best is 12 points, scored six points in the first quarter.

“I’m a rookie and if I get fined $1,500, that will be a month’s rent,” Closs said. “But I don’t appreciate him [Fitch] playing with my head. Who knows what’s going through his mind?

“I guess he’s trying to see if he can get inside my head. I expect to get suspended. If that happens, I’ll look him in the eyes and say thank you.”

McIlvaine, made all three shots he took in the first quarter and had two steals and one rebound as the SuperSonics took a 33-18 lead. The Clippers, outrebounded, 13-5, in the first quarter, didn’t get a rebound for the first seven minutes of the game.

Center Stojko Vrankovic, averaging 12.5 minutes in his last two games, had six points and seven rebounds in 30 minutes.

Fitch dismissed a question about Closs’ performance.

Closs didn’t get a rebound and had one turnover.

“Lamond Murray got suspended [in 1996 for criticizing Fitch],” Closs said. “If I get suspended, I’ll just have to deal with it.”

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Forward Rodney Rogers, who had started every game this season, didn’t play after injuring his lower right leg Friday against the Hawks.

Rogers, who hopes to play in Tuesday night’s rematch against the SuperSonics, was replaced by Murray, who had 21 points and eight rebounds.

Rogers, kicked in his right leg by teammate Lorenzen Wright in Tuesday’s victory at Dallas, left the Hawk game three minutes into the first quarter after being kicked by Dikembe Mutombo.