Blake Griffin working on keeping his composure

Blake Griffin often would glare at the officials last season when a call didn’t go his way.

So for this season, with the exception of a technical foul in Saturday’s game against Golden State, Griffin has kept his composure.

“Blake understands the big picture. I think he’s done a much better job in that area,” Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said. “I think it’s been something that he should be commended for, kind of handling it.”

Del Negro said Griffin is hit and fouled a lot. The coach also said Griffin is a physical player who makes his living down low.

“He’s going to the basket a lot,” Del Negro said. “He gets hit a lot, but I think he’s kept his composure very well to this point. It’s going to be important that he does that. And not just Blake, but everybody. . . . I think Blake is doing a good job recognizing those situations better, and that’s a good sign.”

Losing their cool

The Clippers were called for four individual technical fouls during the 114-110 loss to Golden State, something that Del Negro wasn’t happy about. Matt Barnes, DeAndre Jordan, Chris Paul and Griffin all were issued technicals.

“We’ve got to keep our composure,” Del Negro said.

After all, Del Negro noted, the Clippers shot 52 free throws during the game. So it wasn’t as if they weren’t getting calls.

“You shoot 52 free throws, no matter what happens, you have to keep your composure and play through some of the things that you’re doing,” Del Negro said. “But if you don’t bring the mind-set to compete, the mind-set to play hard, the mind-set to improve as a group, then I don’t care what you do out there. You are going to struggle.”

Injury update

Del Negro said that guard Chauncey Billups is closer to returning than Grant Hill, though there is no definite timetable for either player.

Billups, recovering from surgery to repair a torn left Achilles’ tendon in February, may be able to play around Thanksgiving, Del Negro said.

Hill has a bone bruise in his right knee that has kept him out since early October.

broderick.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BA_Turner