Cassell ready to fill the Livingston void

Sam Cassell says he is ready to provide whatever the Clippers need.

The veteran point guard reaffirmed he was up for another big challenge after point guard Shaun Livingston suffered a season-ending knee injury Monday night in a 100-93 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats at Staples Center.

“This is what I’ve been doing for my whole career,” said Cassell, in his 14th season. “People have been counting on me for a lot of years now, so I know what I have to do for this basketball team.

“I didn’t expect to play this many minutes tonight, but that’s what I had to do when Shaun got hurt. I’ve just got to put forth that effort and do what I do.”

Cassell played 28 minutes and scored 14 points against the Bobcats. He has been slowed by an abdominal injury, but Livingston left the game in the first quarter after suffering a dislocated left kneecap.

It was time for Cassell to step in, and that’s what he did.

“You always have to be ready,” he said. “If I have to play 35 minutes a game from now on, well, then that’s what I have to do.”

The Clippers recently signed shooting guard Von Wafer from the development league, and it appears they now could be in the market for another backup point guard. With Livingston out, Cassell and second-year player Daniel Ewing are the only point guards on the roster.

“Everybody has to be ready to step up,” Cassell said. “That’s just what we have to do right now.”

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Center Chris Kaman, who sat out the last two games because of flu-like symptoms, played 12 minutes and scored 10 points on five-for-seven shooting.

Kaman lost 13 pounds while sidelined but appeared energized against the Bobcats, performing well on defense and also grabbing four rebounds.

“He’ll be able to give us some minutes,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “We’ll bring him off the bench for a while and see how he looks. I think he’ll bounce back quickly because he’s that kind of guy. He gets right back into it and he works hard.”

 jason.reid@latimes.com