Ross is pretty good at the dirty work

Wanted: Guard willing to defend top players with explosive offensive games. Must accept blame if they score a bunch of points. Limited opportunities on offense available.

Few NBA players would be willing to accept that job description.

Once again, Quinton Ross is filling that role for the Clippers.

Ross, a fourth-year player who defied odds to make the NBA after not being drafted out of Southern Methodist University, is the team’s defensive specialist.

The key to his game isn’t necessarily stopping an opposing team’s best player as making that shooter work for his points.

“He’s got to be our major focus defensively on individual guys,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “He’s the best guy we have at not necessarily shutting guys down, but making them have to take extra shots to get their numbers.”

Ross, 6 feet 6 and 193 pounds, is averaging 4.0 points and 2.8 rebounds this season. Dunleavy likes to begin games with a defensive focus, so Ross starts most of them.

But there are times when Ross’ offensive capabilities limit his efficiency on that side of the court. Against Cleveland on Sunday, he made one of six shots in 33 minutes.

Over the summer, he worked on his baseline jumper, which Dunleavy hopes he can start making with regularity. “I’m working on that shot a lot and hopefully can hit it throughout the season,” Ross said.

He regularly guards such players as Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady and as he did for stretches against the Cavaliers, LeBron James.

“It’s a tough job. You just go out there and play hard and make them work. Those are such great players, you are not going to stop them. You just want to try to get them to take extra shots,” Ross said.

Ross is quiet, but with enough of a personality to regularly battle Sam Cassell in one-on-one games in practice and enough of a prankster to tease members of the Clippers’ staff when their colleges lose a football game.

He is making $826,000 and is one of several Clippers capable of becoming a free agent at the end of it.

He said he isn’t looking that far ahead. “I don’t really think about it,” Ross said. “I just go out there and play. Whatever happens, happens.”

Cassell and Chris Kaman participated in limited practice drills after playing extended minutes in the loss to Cleveland. . . . Guillermo Diaz, waived shortly before the season started, is playing with the Anaheim Arsenal of the NBA Development League. . . . Corey Maggette turned 28 Monday.

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jonathan.abrams@latimes.com