Clippers' Reggie Evans to play against Bucks

Reggie Evans, who missed the first five games with a sprained right foot, will suit up and is expected to play tonight when the Clippers host the Milwaukee Bucks at Staples Center.

Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said the 6-foot-8 Evans was ready to play after feeling no ill effects during Saturday’s shoot-around at the team’s training facility following two days of practice.

“We want to see if we can get him out there, get him some minutes,” Del Negro said. “He practiced yesterday and he felt good today so hopefully we can get him a few minutes.”

Del Negro said Evans brings intensity and a strong work ethic.

Evans had been signed by the Clippers on Dec. 21 to provide the team with depth in the frontcourt and to help with rebounding and defense.

In his nine NBA seasons, Evans averaged 6.9 rebounds in 20 minutes. He averaged 11.5 rebounds in 30 games with the Toronto Raptors last season.

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Photo: Reggie Evans scores inside against the Orlando Magic while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2009 playoffs. Credit: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images

Mo Williams thanks David Stern for Clippers' easy start

Another two days will pass before the Clippers play another game.

Since the shortened, 66-game schedule began on Christmas Day, the Clippers are tied with the Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers for the fewest games having been played in the NBA, at five.

The down time has allowed the Clippers to get more practice time, something they needed with seven new players on the roster.

“I think [NBA Commissioner] David Stern really looked out for us,” Mo Williams joked. “Tell David Stern I gave him some love.”

The Clippers play again on Saturday night against the Bucks at Staples Center.

By that time, they will have played the fewest games in the league.

Portland will host the Lakers and Milwaukee plays at Sacramento on Thursday night.

The Clippers are 3-2 on the season.

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Photo: Clippers guard Mo Williams tries to beat Rockets guard Kyle Lowry to a loose ball during their game Wednesday at Staples Center. Credit: Gus Ruelas / Associated Press

Clippers have four players on All-Star ballot

When the NBA announced the players that would be on the All-Star ballot, the Clippers had four on the list.

Chris Paul, a four-time All-Star with New Orleans, is on the ballot.

Blake Griffin, who was voted onto the All-Star team in his rookie year last season by the coaches, also is on the ballot.

Chauncey Billups, a five-time All-Star, is on the ballot.

Clippers center DeAndre Jordan also is on the ballot.

The All-Star Game will be Feb. 26 in Orlando.

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Clippers get some good news about Chauncey Billips, Solomon Jones

— Broderick Turner

Photo: Chauncey Billups, left, DeAndre Jordan, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul. Credit: Danny Moloshok / Associated Press

Clippers get good news about Chauncey Billups, Solomon Jones

For the Clippers, two good things happened Tuesday.

Chauncey Billups said he will play Wednesday against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center after missing the last two games with a sore right groin.

And the Clippers officially signed free-agent Solomon Jones Tuesday to a veteran minimum non-guaranteed contract.

Jones worked out for the Clippers on Monday and was at practice Tuesday.

Jones, a 6-10 power forward/center, gives the Clippers added depth in the front court.

“I thought that this would be a good opportunity for me to come in and be a great fit,” Jones said.

Jones, 27, is a five-year veteran who played 39 games last season for the Indiana Pacers.

The 6-10, 245-pound Jones has career averages of 3.1 points and 2.6 rebounds.

Billups practiced again Tuesday after a light workout Monday, saying he did “everything” and that he wasn’t “really too sore.”

“I intend on playing tomorrow,” Billups said. “I was so excited to practice today. Everything that we did live, I did it. So, I’m playing.”

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-- Broderick Turner

Photo: Chauncey Billups. Credit: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times.

Clippers sign big man Solomon Jones

The Clippers signed free agent Solomon Jones to a nonguaranteed contract Monday worth about $1 million, said a person not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Jones is a 6-foot-10 power forward/center who the Clippers think will give them some depth in the frontcourt.

Jones spent last season with the Indiana Pacers, where he played in 39 games and averaged 3.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 13.5 minutes.

Jones has spent about four-plus seasons in the NBA and is known to be an athletic big man.

His career averages are 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds in 10.9 minutes.

Jones worked out for the Clippers on Monday along with 7-footer D.J. Mbenga, 6-11 Hilton Armstrong and 6-11 Dan Gadzuric.

-- Broderick Turner

Photo: Solomon Jones tries to block a shot by LeBron James when the two played for the Hawks and Cavaliers, respectively. Credit: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images

Clippers work out big men

The Clippers, in search of more depth for their front court, worked out several big men Monday at the team’s practice facility.

They had in 7-footer D.J. Mbenga, 6-11 Hilton Armstrong, 6-10 Solomon Jones and 6-11 Dan Gadzuric.

The Clippers have a 13-man roster and have room to sign two more players.

The Clippers still have the mini-mid-level exception of $2.5 million and a $3.8 million trade exception from the Chris Paul trade from the New Orleans Hornets to use.

If the Clippers were to sign one of these players or somebody else, they also have the veteran’s minimum to use -- that salary is based on years of experience in the NBA.

-- Broderick Turner

Photo: DJ Mbenga tries to cut off a drive by Lamar Odom during a game between the Hornets and Lakers last spring. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

Clippers' Chauncey Billups hopes to play vs Portland

Chauncey Billups took some shots after practice Saturday as a test to see how his sore right groin felt.

Billups didn’t play in Friday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls because of the injury, but he said he hopes to play Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center.

Billups said he was injured during Thursday’s practice.

“I’m going to come in tomorrow and see how it feels,” Billups said. “I want to play, but we’ll just have to see how things go.”

Billups, 35, averages 16 points a game.

He’s playing in his 15th season in the NBA and knows his body well.

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Photo: Clippers guard Chauncey Billups battles Warriors guard Stephen Curry for possession of the ball during the season opener on Christmas Day. Credit: Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images

Clippers excited for first regular-season home game

The Clippers have played two regular-seasons games, but both have been on the road.

They will play their first home game at Staples Center Friday night against the Chicago Bulls.

The Clippers did play an exhibition home game against the Lakers, and saw how their fans appreciated them.

But this time the game is for real.

And this time the Clippers’ fan will see newcomers Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler playing in a game that matters.

The fans also will see an improved Blake Griffin and a more developed DeAndre Jordan.

The Clippers are 1-1, coming off a 25-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night.

“Hopefully it’s exciting,” Paul said after practice Thursday. “We’ve had one home preseason game, opened up with two road games and it’s good to come back and play in front of our home crowd for the first time.”

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Reggie Evans arrives, but still not signed by Clippers

There was a Reggie Evans sighting at the Clippers’ practice facility Thursday. He was seen standing inside the Clippers’ weight room area talking with team personnel.

Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said the team still hadn’t signed Evans to a contract. Del Negro wanted to talk to the team doctors and get the results of Evan’s physical.

Del Negro expected the Clippers to sign the 6-foot-8 Evans to a one-year contract worth about $1.3 million.

But the coach also said that he didn’t expect Evans to play in Sunday’s opener against the Golden State Warriors in Oakland because he’s nursing a foot injury.

Del Negro said Evans may not be able to play for about two more weeks.

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Clippers have good practice in preparation for Lakers

Less than 24 hours after the Clippers defeated the Lakers by 19 points at Staples Center Monday night in both teams' first exhibition game, the Clippers returned to practice Tuesday focused.

They wanted to have another solid practice session.

And that they did, Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said.

Del Negro’s advice to his team was that it has to constantly improve, that it has to constantly take the right steps forward.

“I was pleased with the way we practiced today more than the performance last night -- just from the stand point that we came out with a good focus,” Del Negro said. “We improved on some things last night. But we really worked on some things in practice.”

The Clippers hope to put those new things in place.

They play the Lakers again Wednesday night, but it will be the Clippers’ designated home game in the arena both teams share.

“For us right now,” Del Negro said, “it’s just a matter of everyone being ready to play, bringing energy and improving every day.”

 -- Broderick Turner

Photo: Clippers practice facility in Playa Vista. Credit: Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press.

Chris Paul to have first practice with Clippers

Chris Paul can finally practice with the Clippers.

The NBA informed the Clippers on Saturday afternoon around 3:15 (PST) that the deal between them and the New Orleans Hornets was complete because all players involved in the trade had reported to their new teams.

Paul joined the Clippers on Thursday, but was unable to practice. But Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman and Al-Farouq Aminu, who were traded to the Hornets for Paul on Wednesday, arrived in New Orleans on Saturday and passed physicals.

That means Paul will practice with his new Clippers teammates for the first time Saturday night in the second of the two practice sessions.

Paul also will play in an open-to-the-public intrasquad scrimmage Sunday at USC's Galen Center.

 -- Broderick Turner

Photo: Chris Paul. Credit: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times