ROTATION: Starters -- Point guard Baron Davis, Shooting guard Cuttino Mobley, Small forward Al Thornton, Power forward Marcus Camby, Center Chris Kaman. Bench -- Forward Tim Thomas, Guard/Forward Ricky Davis, Forward/Center Paul Davis, Guard Mike Taylor, Guard Eric Gordon, Forward/Center Brian Skinner, Guard Jason Hart.
PLAYER NOTES: --C Chris Kaman might be worn down from playing international basketball for the first time in his career. Kaman represented the German national team in the Beijing Olympics and was a teammate of Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki. Although Kaman has had three points-rebounds double-doubles in the past four games, his shooting percentage is woeful and he has committed an alarming number of turnovers. Kaman had three more turnovers in the loss to the Lakers and now has a team-high 18 in five games.
--C DeAndre Jordan was a pleasant surprise during training camp at how advanced his game was, especially on the defensive end. However, the exhibition season is not the regular season and Jordan likely will get the majority of his court time in practice. He has been inactive for all but one of the first five games but in his only appearance, he made his lone field-goal try, in a three-minute stint against Utah. Jordan is one of three rookies that made the 14-man roster.
--G Cuttino Mobley has been the Clippers' most consistent scorer through the first five games, having scored in double-figures in each of those games. With rookie Eric Gordon clearly not ready to assume a starting role, any thoughts of Mobley being used to ignite the offense off the bench will have to be tabled for now.
MEDICAL WATCH:
--G Jason Hart (strained tendon in right foot) received his first DNP-Coach's Decision benching when the Clippers played the Utah Jazz. But Hart said it was not due to his foot, which he said was stable enough for him to play. Instead, coach Mike Dunleavy gave the backup minutes to starter Baron Davis to rookie Mike Taylor.
--G Baron Davis (bruised tailbone, sprained left ring finger) clearly is not close to being in early-season good health but he has gritted it out the past two games, after sitting out just one game because of the tailbone injury. The finger malady occurred during training camp and Davis intends to just play through the discomfort.
--F-C Marcus Camby (bruised right heel) appears to be reasonably recovered from the injury that caused him to miss the entire exhibition season.
