Vaught Expected Out for Season

Clipper forward Loy Vaught, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder last season, is expected to announce today that he will have season-ending back surgery, his agent said Wednesday.

Vaught, who was advised to change medications by Dr. Ted Goldstein last week, was advised to have fusion surgery by two physicians Tuesday, said Jim McDowell, Vaught’s agent.

“Everyone is in agreement that it should be the fusion surgery,� McDowell said. “His only remedy to the situation is to have that done. But he’s still making up his mind.�

Vaught, who has a degeneration between the fourth and fifth disks, has missed the last five games.

“He could continue to try and to play this season, but I think he’s already made that determination [not to play],� McDowell said. “He feels that he can’t go out and play the way he has like this.�

Coach Bill Fitch said the Clippers, who have lost 14 of 16 games, can’t afford to lose Vaught.

“It’s already a big blow,� Fitch said. “We haven’t had him for the exhibition and regular season.�

Fitch said that swingman Lorenzen Wright and center Stojko Vrankovoic will have to fill the void left by Vaught, who averaged 14.9 points, 10 rebounds and 1.3 assists last season.

“Now it’s up to Lorenzen and Stojko to make us forget him,� Fitch said. “It’s a big challenge.�

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Fitch said he may have found a sixth man in forward Lamond Murray, who is averaging 15 and 5.3 rebounds, best of his career.

Murray, who has averaged 16.2 points in nine starts, had 18 points and six rebounds in 25 minutes as a reserve in last Saturday night’s three-point loss to the Utah Jazz.

TONIGHT

San Antonio

* 7:30 PST

* Fox Sports

West 2

Site--Sports Arena.

Radio--KEZY (95.9).

Records--Clippers 2-14, Spurs 10-7.

Record vs. Spurs (1996-97)--4-0.

Update--Guard Brent Barry, who missed last Saturday’s three-point loss to the Utah Jazz because of a calf muscle injury, probably won’t play tonight. Barry hasn’t practiced since he was kicked by Kerry Kittles of the New Jersey Nets with 2:38 to play in the fourth quarter of last Friday’s 104-92 loss at the Pomd of Anaheim. Swingman Eric Piatkowski, who started in place of Barry against the Jazz, had 20 points and 13 rebounds. David Robinson and Tim Duncan had 23 points each as the Spurs defeated the New York Knicks, 90-84, Tuesday.