J.J. Redick scored 14 points in his debut and the Clippers used their reserves to fend off Utah, 103-99, at Staples Center Wednesday night and now have only one preseason game left until next week’s season opener against the Lakers.
Chris Paul had 14 points and 10 assists, Blake Griffin scored 15 points, Jamal Crawford had 16 off the bench and Darren Collison had 14 of his 15 points in the second half as the Clippers improved to 5-2 heading into Friday’s home game against Sacramento.
Redick, who had a thigh contusion, started and played 20 minutes.
“I felt good to play, it felt good to be part of the game,” Redick said. “It’s frustrating to watch six games. I have a little bit of ways to go cardio wise . . . but I’ll get that going.
“My body feels great. We handled this injury the correct way. I’m glad I got the MRI, initially we treated it as just a bruise but it was a little bit more than that. The biggest thing is being in better game shape.”
It remains to be seen if Redick will be in the starting lineup in the opener, among the many determinations Coach Doc Rivers still must make.
“I don’t know if we’re ready (for the regular season) but I’m ready to get going,” Rivers said. “We hope we’re ready enough to win games.”
Rivers did express concern over his club’s team defense, which he said has not maintained to progress it started with as training camp opened.
“We’ve gone back and forth,” Rivers said. “I thought we took a step back the last two games, honestly. The second half was much better.
“Defensively, even though we’ve regressed the last couple games, I think we’re where we need to be. Offensively we have a lot of work to do.”
“Yeah, it hasn’t been as good,” Griffin said of the defense. “We need to get back to talking and being active defensively and making sure we don’t give up easy baskets but hopefully we can iron those things out in the next four or five days.”
Rookie Reggie Bullock also made his debut after nursing a sore knee. He played five minutes and didn’t score.
“Just wanted to get him in today. I’ll play him a lot more on Friday,” Rivers said. “It was good for him, to just get going a little. He kind of broke down defensively, getting away from the body.”

J.J. Redick finally shook off that bruised thigh and was in the Clippers’ starting lineup against Utah Wednesday night. Coach Doc Rivers has talked of Redick’s presence in the offense, describing his movement and work off of screens can be its own offense.
Rivers wasn’t looking for much more from Redick’s debut.
“Just what he gives us,” Rivers said. “He’s such a pro so he’s going to give you automatic energy. No one wants to guard him because he never stops moving and that in itself is an offense for us at times. I’m really curious to see how that looks.”
Redick’s first stint consisted of five points on 2-for-3 shooting, including a 3-pointer. The miss was an airball from 3-point land. Redick also picked up two fouls.
“He’s smaller so defensively I’m curious to see how that looks,” Rivers said. “But I like him on the floor. It looks good.”

Blake Griffin a secret weapon for Clippers?

Darren Collison is the Clippers’ backup point guard, but if you’re looking for the team’s No. 2 playmaker behind Chris Paul, Coach Doc Rivers has a different suggestion: Blake Griffin.
“He has great confidence in his shot and that’s what we want him to have confidence in,” Rivers said of Griffin. “I probably want him to have more confidence in his playmaking. I think he’s a terrific playmaker with the ball.
“After Chris he may be our second-best playmaker/passer and we want to play through him in that way as well. So we’re going to lean on him a lot, not just his scoring.”

The NBA owners voted unanimously Wednesday to return the NBA Finals format to 2-2-1-1-1 instead of the 2-3-2 setup that’s been in use since 1985.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers figured it’s about time.
“For a lot of reasons I think it’s good,” Rivers said. “No. 1, we play one format throughout the playoffs then all of a sudden in the Finals it’s a different format. I’ve never figured that out.
“And then the second part, I just think if you’re in the Finals, you’re playing against another really good basketball team, the chances of you beating anyone three times in a row is extremely hard to do. And then also if you have a 3-2 lead and you’re the team without homecourt, Game 6 should be at home, not Game 6-7 on the road.”

Yes, Lakers fans, you can harp on the Celtics as much as you can the Clippers for the banners being covered up at Staples Center during Clippers games.
During the Clippers’ 106-77 victory over Boston at Staples Center, then-celtics coach Doc Rivers was looking for any distraction he could find. Trainer Ed Lacerte delivered.
“He taps me on the leg and says, ‘Look at that.’ I wanted to look at anything at that point, we’re down 30 points,” Rivers said. “And I look up, you see all the banners and he said ‘I would never have that.’ I thought he’s right. So again, the Lakers can blame a Boston guy.”
Rivers said he has “pretty much had the gamut of feedback, mostly positive” in reaction to the Clippers’ players adorning that wall of the arena.
“It’s the Clipper court and that’s the way we feel,” Rivers said. “It’s not a disrespectful thing at all, it’s not intended that way at all. It’s more that when we play at our (place), it should be about us and only us.”

The Clippers roster now stands at 15 after the club waived forward Brandon Davies on Monday.
The undrafted Davies played for the Clippers’ summer league team in Las Vegas and then appeared in five preseason games, averaging 3.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 11.2 minutes. He did not play in Saturday’s preseason game against Denver in Las Vegas.

http://www.nba.com/clippers/clippers-waive-brandon-davies