Roberts Gets Worked Up Over Surgery

Clipper Coach Bill Fitch said center Stanley Roberts, who had his back surgery rescheduled to next week because he has a cold, got scared when he went to the hospital Monday.

“He says he’s going to go back and try it again,” Fitch said. “I didn’t get all the particulars, but he said he didn’t have good vibes. I guess that would be like a guy who gets cold feet at the wedding.”

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Fitch, honored at Sunday’s All-Star game as one of the 10 greatest coaches in NBA history, had 10 of his former players among the NBA’s top 50--Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Dave Cowens, Pete Maravich, Tiny Archibald, Nate Thurmond, Walt Frazier, Lenny Wilkens and Elvin Hayes.

“Some of them got there in spite of me,” Fitch said.

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Clipper guard Brent Barry, who sat out four games because of a sprained left ankle, played five minutes in the first half, missing three of four shots and getting two points and one rebound.

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Celtic forward Eric Williams, who started 42 of Boston’s first 46 games, didn’t travel because of dizziness. . . . Guard Dee Brown (toe) and swingman Greg Minor (foot) weren’t in uniform.