J.J. Redick sits out again for Clippers because of his balky back
Clippers guard J.J. Redick has missed three consecutive games because of back spasms.
J.J. Redick certainly looked like someone preparing to play when the Clippers held their morning shoot-around Thursday.
The shooting guard aggressively cut, stopped and pulled up for jumpers during the portion of drills that the media was allowed to observe. He showed no visible signs of discomfort from the back spasms that had sidelined him the previous 2 1/2 games and conferred with trainer Jasen Powell inside the team’s practice facility before walking off the court.
Alas, Redick was wearing a dark suit when the Clippers tipped off against the Golden State Warriors several hours later at Staples Center.
Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said that the team wanted to be conservative with Redick because he was dealing with his back, something that also forced him to sit out a handful of games last season.
“The thing with the back, you always have it,” Rivers said earlier in the week. “It can always come back.”
Jamal Crawford replaced Redick in the starting lineup for a second consecutive game.
Let threedom ring?
The Clippers entered the game against the Warriors ranked No. 3 in the NBA in scoring, averaging 105.1 points per game. It had surprisingly little to do with their threes.
They were shooting 31.1% from three-point range entering Thursday, putting them in 25th place in the league. Only Redick (44.4%), Wesley Johnson (36.8%) and Lance Stephenson (33.3%) were at or above the 33.3% accuracy threshold generally considered acceptable in NBA circles.
Those particularly struggling from long range included Josh Smith (27.8%), Paul Pierce (26.5%) and Pablo Prigioni (16.7%).
“I know we’re getting good ones overall,” Rivers said of his team’s three-point looks. “I think our ball movement will allow us to get better ones.”
There had been a recent uptick, with the Clippers making 38.9% of their three-pointers in the three games immediately preceding Thursday. It carried over against the Warriors, with the Clippers making their first five three-pointers and x of x overall.
“We’re one of the best offensive teams in the league,” guard Austin Rivers said before the game, “so whether our three-pointers are on or not, we’re still going to score.”
Developing situation
Clippers second-year shooting guard C.J. Wilcox ranked among the leading scorers in the Development League after averaging 23.3 points in his first three games with the Bakersfield Jam. Wilcox also is averaging 4.7 three-pointers made per game on 45.2% shooting from beyond the arc.
Clippers rookie forward Branden Dawson was averaging 8.5 points and 4.5 rebounds with the Jam. Rivers said there was no immediate plan for Wilcox and Dawson to rejoin the Clippers.
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