Surgery Ends Vaught’s Season

Forward Loy Vaught, the Clippers’ leading scorer and rebounder last season, underwent season-ending back surgery Monday at the USC University Medical Center.

Dr. Robert Watkins performed fusion surgery on Vaught, who has a degeneration between his fourth and fifth disks.

Vaught, put on the injured list Dec. 4, is expected to be out six months.

*

Guard Pooh Richardson, held out of a game by Coach Bill Fitch last February after complaining that Fitch wasn’t using him correctly, didn’t complain after Fitch removed him from the starting lineup in Sunday’s loss at Seattle.

“I don’t want to get into that,” Richardson said. “I guess there’s not enough minutes for everyone to play.”

Richardson, who has averaged 6.6 points, 4.1 assists and 27.6 minutes in 11 games as a starter, missed three of four shots and had two points and one rebound in eight minutes.

Fitch, who has six guards, moved Brent Barry to point guard and started Eric Piatkowski at shooting guard in an effort to boost the offensive production.

TONIGHT

vs. Seattle

* 7:30

* Fox Sports West 2

Site--Sports Arena.

Radio--KEZY (95.9), LITE (92.7).

Records--Clippers 4-19, SuperSonics 18-5.

Record vs. SuperSonics--0-1.

Update--Forward Rodney Rogers, who missed Sunday’s 107-101 loss at Seattle because of a bruised right leg, hopes to play tonight. The SuperSonics have won 23 of their last 26 against the Clippers.