A Tough Stretch of Schedule Is Ahead

Off to their worst start since losing their first 16 games in 1994, the Clippers (1-6) don’t get any breaks from the schedule.

The Clippers open a four-game, six-day trip in Charlotte, N.C., tonight, followed by games at Atlanta on Sunday, Orlando on Tuesday and Miami on Wednesday. They return to the Sports Arena to play the Chicago Bulls on Friday, then play the Lakers on Nov. 23 at the Forum.

“Everybody in the league can’t get a good schedule, but whatever we got this year is as good as anybody else got,” Clipper Coach Bill Fitch said. “We made a trip last year to Detroit and Indianapolis, where we couldn’t get any rooms because of the NCAA Final Four, then we went down to Miami and Orlando and then we went to Boston and New Jersey.

“At least this year we’re going south and staying there.”

*

Although center Stojko Vrankovic, acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves for center Stanley Roberts in a draft-day deal, hasn’t been productive, Fitch isn’t going to remove him from the starting lineup.

“Stojko has had some good minutes,” Fitch said. “He’s got to learn how to sustain it.

“It would be nice to be able to get 24 solid minutes out of [reserve swingman Lorenzen Wright and Vrankovic], but we haven’t been able to do that yet. We’re still playing Lorenzen a lot of minutes at center, and when you go against a guy like Big Country [Vancouver center Bryant Reeves or [Portland Trail Blazer center Arvydas] Sabonis, who we faced in our first six games, it’s tough on a small center.”

Fitch benched Vrankovic for the final three quarters of Thursday night’s 102-94 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks after he got only two points and two rebounds.

TONIGHT

at

Charlotte

* 4:30 PST

* Fox West Sports 2

Site--Charlotte Coliseum.

Radio--KEZY-FM (95.9).

Records--Clippers 1-6, Hornets 4-3.

Update--Hornet forward Glen Rice, nearly traded to the Clippers for forward Danny Manning before the start of the 1993-94 season, ranks among the NBA scoring leaders (21.8). Clipper forward Lamond Murray, who has started the last four games, had a season-best 26 points in Thursday night’s 102-94 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Rookie forward Maurice Taylor, who flew to Detroit on Thursday after his grandmother was seriously injured when her car was hit during a police chase Wednesday night, could rejoin the Clippers during the trip.