Arbitrator’s Ruling Is Another Loss

Arbitrator Roger Kaplan ruled Friday that the Clippers owe Rodney Rogers $716,464 in weight-related fines collected during the NBA lockout two years ago.

“We’re obviously very pleased with the decision,” Hal Biagas, deputy counsel for the NBA Players Assn., told the Associated Press. “We feel the Clippers overreached in the imposition of the fine against Rodney.”

Rogers’ contract, which had a weight clause inherited by the Clippers from a trade with the Denver Nuggets, called for him to have his weight checked twice a month from July to December. But because of the lockout, teams were forbidden from contacting players until a new collective bargaining agreement was reached.

Rogers was then to report to camp at 260 pounds and start the season at 255. He didn’t. He checked in at 288 and the Clippers fined him until he made the weight after five attempts.

Kaplan said Rogers, winner of the NBA’s Sixth Man award last season with the Phoenix Suns, was liable for $197,560 in fines for the time it took him to reach his contracted limit after he was weighed for the first time when camp opened Jan. 20, 1999.

The Clippers declined to comment on the ruling.

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Maurice Taylor returns to Staples Center tonight, but he might not play against the Clippers because the Houston power forward suffered a sprained left ankle in the Rockets’ victory over Milwaukee on Thursday.

Taylor, the Clippers’ leading scorer the previous two seasons, left as an unrestricted free agent this past summer when he signed a one-year contract with Houston.

Clipper Coach Alvin Gentry said his team won’t make a fuss over Taylor if he does play tonight because there has been a major turnover in player personnel and coaches since last season.

“It’s a nonfactor because a lot of the guys weren’t even here with Mo Taylor,” Gentry said. “Obviously, he is a real talented player, but I didn’t coach him and half the guys on the team didn’t play with him.”

If Taylor plays, he’ll go up against Brian Skinner, his backup the last two seasons. Skinner is not off to a strong start. He had six points and two rebounds in the Clippers’ season-opening loss at Utah and finished with six points and three rebounds in Thursday’s loss to Vancouver.

“I want to see him get a little more aggressive, especially in the rebounding department,” Gentry said about Skinner.

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The Clippers will start Lamar Odom, Darius Miles, Jeff McInnis, Michael Olowokandi and Skinner for the third consecutive game, but Gentry said Corey Maggette will get more minutes tonight.

“We have to, because he’s shown the first two games that when he’s been in there, he’s given us a spark,” Gentry said. “I don’t think I’m giving him minutes; he’s earned the minutes.”

TONIGHT

vs. Houston, 7:30

Fox Sports Net 2

* Site--Staples Center.

* Radio--KXTA (1150).

* Records--Clippers 0-2, Rockets 1-1.

* Record vs. Rockets (1999-2000)--0-4.

* Update--Houston may not only be without Taylor but also big man Kelvin Cato, who had an MRI exam on his injured left ankle Friday. Houston guards Steve Francis (20.5) and Cuttino Mobley (20.3) combined to average 40.8 points in sweeping the Clippers last season.