Dunleavy waits for healthy team
The end of the exhibitions is here as the Los Angeles Clippers tidy up the preseason portion tonight, but they are still trying to get everybody healthy at the same time.
Nagging injuries and excused absences continue to pile up -- the latest to sit will be forward Ruben Patterson, who dislocated his right pinkie against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.
The injuries to key players mounted long before the season started. But none since training camp have been significant enough for anyone to sit out the regular-season opener a week from today.
Still, Coach Mike Dunleavy would have liked more than just a peek at seeing his regular rotation in game action.
"We have a couple of days in between our last [exhibition] game and when we play again, so hopefully we'll get enough time in with the group as a whole that we need to be ready for opening night," Dunleavy said.
"You'd like to see that group against somebody who doesn't know your play calls as well. But you take what you get. If it's practice time, I'd be happy to have practice time."
The Los Angeles Clippers play host to the Golden State Warriors tonight at 7:30, before opening the season against them next Friday.
"You don't need to cry about spilled milk or feel sorry," Sam Cassell said.
"Hopefully, the right decisions are made and you can put the ball in the basket and have fun doing it."
Center Chris Kaman is progressing as the season nears.
After a sore lower back slowed him at the beginning of training camp, he played his best exhibition game against the Kings, scoring 19 points, grabbing nine rebounds and getting one welt to the forehead.
He bumped heads with the Kings' Francisco Garcia after pulling down a rebound and sported a nifty shiner above his left eye after the game.
"I was a little lost there for a second," he said.
Pattersondislocated his pinkie when a ball jammed the finger late in the fourth quarter. He said he will play through the injury when the season starts.
The Los Angeles Clippers waived guard Guillermo Diaz, forward Yaroslav Korolev, the team's first-round draft pick in 2005, and center Kimani Ffriend. The roster is now at 15 players, the maximum the team can carry during the season.
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