No Bad Words for Vrankovic

Clipper Coach Bill Fitch has yet to criticize center Stojko Vrankovic to reporters, even after he was outplayed by Buck center Ervin Johnson in Monday night’s loss at Milwaukee.

Johnson, who had scored seven points in his last four games, registered season bests of 20 points and 21 rebounds.

But Fitch was quick to point out that rookie center Keith Closs played more than Vrankovic, who had two points and four rebounds in 16 minutes.

Closs had six points and five rebounds in 31 minutes.

“It’s a struggle for the old man sometimes against the kids,” Fitch said of Vrankovic, 33. “We’ve got an awful lot of back-to-backs, and that can make it tough. He gives his all though, and that’s all you can ask.”

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Guard Darrick Martin had a season-best nine assists against the Bucks.

But Martin missed eight of nine shots as the Clippers lost the second game of a six-game, nine-day trip.

Martin was reinstated as a starter last month after coming off the bench for 13 games and has shot 29.5% in his last five games.

TONIGHT

Los Angeles at Toronto

* 4 PST

* Fox Sports West 2

Site--SkyDome.

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

Records--Clippers 9-28, Raptors 5-31.

Record vs. Raptors (1996-97)--2-0.

Update--The Clippers seem to get a break after opening a six-game, nine-day trip with back-to-back losses at Detroit and Milwaukee. The Raptors have lost 16 of their last 17 games, including a 108-100 defeat to the New Jersey Nets on Monday. Clipper swingman Lorenzen Wright, who sprained his right ankle in Sunday’s 28-point loss at Detroit, is questionable.