Grade, Like the Season, Is Incomplete

Coach Bill Fitch declined to grade his club on the first half of the season.

“You’ve got the wrong guy; I’d give it an incomplete,� Fitch said. “At halftime of a ballgame you’ve got a score up there, but the only score we have is the number of losses we have. I just know right now we’re out of the playoff picture by a half-game. I’m glad it’s incomplete because we’d be sitting in ninth place and out of the playoffs.�

Guard Darrick Martin said the Clippers should have won a few more games.

“We were right there and gave ourselves a chance in a couple games but we lost,� Martin said. “It gets frustrating because you’re right there and know you can win.�

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Fitch as he watched center Stanley Roberts warm up before the game: “It looks like Stanley lost weight since this morning. He got a haircut.� . . . Guard Brent Barry sat out his second consecutive game because of a sprained left ankle.