Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan ready to face Miami and Heat center Hassan Whiteside

A knowing smile crossed DeAndre Jordan’s face Friday when the media approached him while the Clippers center was bent over tying his shoes. He seemed to know that the first question would be about Miami center Hassan Whiteside’s comments regarding Jordan’s game.

“What’s up?” Jordan asked before he took the court for the Clippers’ shoot-around in preparation for their upcoming game against the Heat at American Airlines Center.

Well, he was told, Whiteside had said that Jordan “just catches lobs.”

“Hmmm,” Jordan began, smiling. “I do catch lobs. I made first-team All-NBA and first-team All-Defense doing that.”

Indeed, Jordan was rewarded for his play last season by being named to both of those teams, and he was the starting center for Team USA that won the gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

Whiteside stoked the rival flames when he rejected the notion that his game was similar to Jordan’s.

“He catches lobs,” Whiteside told the media Thursday in Miami. “I shoot jumpers, catch lobs, block shots. I do a lot. He just catches lobs.”

The 7-foot Whiteside is averaging 17.6 points, a league-leading 14.7 rebounds and 2.35 blocks (tied for third in the NBA). But his Heat team is 7-19.

Jordan, conversely, is averaging 11.7 points per game, 12.6 rebounds (third in the league) and 1.8 blocks (ninth). And his Clippers team has a 19-7 record.

Meanwhile, it’s looking more likely that starting small forward Luc Mbah a Moute will miss his second consecutive game with a bruised right shoulder. He didn’t participate in the shoot-around Friday.

Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said he’ll start the same three-guard lineup of Chris Paul, J.J. Redick and Austin Rivers if Mbah a Moute can’t go at game time.

broderick.turner@latimes.com

Twitter:@BA_Turner