Wesley Johnson gets his head in the game with the Clippers

It was the same old scene in the Clippers’ locker room about an hour before their final preseason game.

Most players had skedaddled. A few made cameo appearances, but the majority of starters and top reserves were getting treatment, lingering in a lounge or working out on the court.

That made Wesley Johnson something of an outlier. The forward sat alone in a corner studying game footage of the Portland Trail Blazers on a hand-held electronic device as if he was preparing for a playoff game.

Whatever he saw appeared to help him over the next few hours as he made all four of his shots and scored nine points to help the Clippers wipe out a 35-point deficit in a wild comeback victory.

Winning is something Johnson just might have to get used to after five mostly depressing NBA seasons. His previous teams went a combined 116-278, winning a staggeringly low 29.4% of their games and never coming close to the playoffs.

Johnson developed some bad habits amid the mediocrity, occasionally drifting mentally. There were times his impact was so negligible it was hard to remember he was in the game.

“It’s one of those things that you have to break that mentality that you were having in those past years,” said Johnson, who spent the last two seasons with the Lakers. “It’s a different mind-set that you have to have.”

He already appears to be more aggressive on offense, catching the ball and shooting without hesitation against the Trail Blazers. Clippers Coach Doc Rivers cited Johnson’s fearless approach as “maybe my favorite thing of the night,” heady praise considering the team’s big comeback and prolific output from Blake Griffin, J.J. Redick and Paul Pierce.

Johnson said playing along so many proven teammates should help him avoid his tendency to disappear in games. Rivers said he wants Johnson, 28, to be one of the team’s finishers on fastbreaks in addition to providing defense and three-point shooting.

Johnson probably will be a part-time starter, an adjustment after having started 269 of 349 NBA games. He actually appeared to fit in better with the second unit in recent games and said being a reserve was fine with him.

“We’re trying to do something historic here,” Johnson said, “so it’s bigger than me.”

The final cut

Congratulations were in order for Luc Mbah a Moute on Saturday. He secured the Clippers’ final roster spot after the team waived Chuck Hayes.

“Obviously, this is a great team and a team that has a chance to do something special,” said Mbah a Moute, the former UCLA standout who is entering his eighth NBA season, “so it’s always good to be part of something like that.”

Mbah a Moute is coming off his best season, having averaged 9.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game with the Philadelphia 76ers. He figures to play a far lesser role with the Clippers but is considered valuable for his versatility and veteran presence.

Etc.

Guard Jamal Crawford said his bruised right triceps did not bother him during a workout Saturday and expected to be fine for the Clippers’ season opener Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings.

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The Clippers did not practice Saturday, but about half the team provided food and personal care items to 1,200 families at a Salvation Army in South Los Angeles.

Follow Ben Bolch on Twitter @latbbolch