Clippers Get the Best of It as Worst Comes to Worst

When George Karl resigned as coach of the Golden State Warriors Wednesday, the last obstacle was cleared for Don Nelson to return to coaching after a one-year absence.

The Warriors have asked Nelson, who spent 11 seasons as coach of the Milwaukee Bucks before resigning last May, to take over for Karl. Nelson, who serves as the Warriors general manager, is still pondering the decision.

“I never have missed coaching this season,” said Nelson, a two-time coach of the year. “I really have enjoyed being general manager. If I took the coaching job I’d still be general manager, like I was in Milwaukee. Whoever we hire is going to be the coach for a long period of time.”

While Nelson makes up his mind, Ed Gregory, Karl’s assistant, is serving as interim coach.

The Warriors ended a five-game losing streak in Gregory’s debut, beating the Sacramento Kings, but that success was short-lived as they lost to the Clippers, 113-98, Friday night at the Sports Arena.

“It’s nice to get a win,” said Coach Gene Shue after the Clippers ended a two-game losing streak. “We really had a lot of gutty performances tonight. Michael Cage played with a pulled hamstring, and Steve Burtt broke his nose and was obviously in pain down on the floor. I asked him if he wanted to come out, and he said he didn’t. And he didn’t even want to wear a nose guard.

“I thought Greg Kite was sensational. That might have been the best half of basketball he has played. And I thought Claude Gregory gave a good effort with his rebounding.”

Nelson, who is traveling with the Warriors to evaluate the players, watched from the stands as the Clippers, who led by as many as 19 points, embarrassed his team in a game that matched the teams with the two worst records in the National Basketball Assn.

Nelson asked Shue for advice before the game.

“Don Nelson is going to do what he wants; coaching is in his blood,” Shue said. “I’m sure he has already made up his mind. But Don Nelson doesn’t want to go through a year like I have.”

The Clippers have the NBA’s worst record (14-52) and the Warriors have the second worst (17-49).

The Clippers, who were without two starters in center Benoit Benjamin and guard Mike Woodson, had just 10 healthy players, and 7 of them wound up scoring in double figures. Quintin Dailey, who started at guard in place of Woodson, led the Clippers with 19 points. Returning after missing almost a month with a strained right hamstring, he started slowly, missing his first six shots.

“I was kind of frustrated.” Dailey said. “It took a little while, but I finally got my rhythm. I’m not in as bad shape as I thought I was.”

Gregory had 15 points and 12 rebounds in an impressive 28 minutes off the bench.

“I feel like I’ve got to go out and battle as hard as I can,” he said. “Those were my career bests in the NBA, but it’s also the most minutes that I’ve ever played.”

Cage scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in 31 minutes. Ken Norman, Darnell Valentine, Larry Drew and Kite scored 13 points apiece. Valentine had 14 assists and a career-high 8 rebounds.

Cage said: “We were missing some big guns like Benoit and Woodson, and we knew we had to go out and play tough. The bench came in and did well for us tonight.”

Forward Rod Higgins led the Warriors with 22 points.

Clipper Notes

Guard Mike Woodson, the only Clipper who had started every game this season, was sidelined with a virus, which is also expected to keep him out of tonight’s game in Seattle. . . . Guard Steve Burtt suffered a broken nose in the first quarter when he collided with Ben McDonald of the Warriors.