Doc Rivers seeing improvement from Clippers’ second unit

The Clippers’ second unit was supposed to be a strength upon the summer additions of Lance Stephenson and Josh Smith.

It hasn’t happened. At all.

The reserves have been a failure in just about every measure through the team’s first three exhibition games. There have been forced shots, insufficient ball movement and shoddy defense, particularly in the Clippers’ recent losses to Toronto and Charlotte.

Maybe this is as bad as it gets.

Coach Doc Rivers said during a phone call with The Times late Tuesday night that the second unit was starting to click in practice, a development that he hoped foreshadowed improved play in games.

“They have not carried it over to the games yet, at all,” Rivers acknowledged. “But in the practice [Tuesday] they had a stretch that was beautiful to watch. You know it’s going to come, it just takes time.”

The second unit was missing Austin Rivers during the game against Charlotte on Saturday after the point guard had five teeth re-implanted after being elbowed by Branden Dawson. Doc Rivers said his son practiced Tuesday and wanted to play in the rematch against the Hornets at 5 a.m. PDT Wednesday in Shanghai.

The coach also said he might move Wesley Johnson back into the starting lineup against the Hornets, allowing veteran forward Paul Pierce to play with what amounts to a small-ball lineup of reserves. Lance Stephenson could start a game later in the preseason, Doc Rivers said, to give that lineup a look.

Stephenson has struggled to integrate himself into the second unit. He’s averaging 4.3 points per game while making only 22.7% of his shots, including 16.7% of his three-pointers. He has been slowed by inflammation of the pubic bone but has not displayed the improved shot-making that he intended to show after completing multiple workouts every day this summer in Las Vegas.

One potential positive for the second unit is that it will likely play only short stretches, if at all, together once the regular season starts. Teams usually mix and match starters with reserves, making it rare that there are five second-stringers on the floor at once except in blowout situations.