Clippers thin on the bench with Jamal Crawford, Eric Bledsoe out

The Clippers were faced with a tough challenge Tuesday night when it was announced their reserve backcourt would not be playing against Charlotte.

Jamal Crawford, who is second on the team in scoring (16.7 points per game) didn’t play because his wife had a baby girl Monday and he was still in Seattle.

Eric Bledsoe, the energizer off the bench, didn’t play because of a sore left calf. Bledsoe is listed as day to day.

“It changes our rotation a little bit,” Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said. “We’ll just figure it out as we go here.”

The Clippers said Bledsoe aggravated his calf against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night but kept playing.

“I have no idea which game it was,” Bledsoe said. “I’m just getting a little treatment on it and see how it goes. I’m hoping to play on this road trip. It’s day to day.”

Crawford, whose daughter’s name is London, will join the Clippers in Indianapolis for their game against the Pacers on Thursday night.

Hill dealing with back issues

Grant Hill missed Monday’s practice because of a sore lower back.

Hill said he went to see a chiropractor to help him deal with the pain in his back.

He had it taped up before the game and said he was ready to play against the Bobcats.

“I was playing pickup basketball on Sunday and it locked up on me,” Hill said. “I couldn’t go on Monday. But I’m good to go now. I’ll give it the old college try.”

Green staying ready

Willie Green has started 49 games for the Clippers, but he always has known he was holding down the shooting guard position until Chauncey Billups came back from a left Achilles’ tendon injury and then tendinitis in his left foot.

Green said he doesn’t get down when he goes to the bench and sits there for games at a time. Green said he has gotten encouragement from listening to tapes by Joel Osteen, an author, televangelist and pastor of a church in Houston.

Green said Osteen talked about an 80-year-old surgeon whose family wanted him to retire, but the doctor loved what he did for a living.

For Green, he said he loves his job of playing professional basketball and doesn’t want to complain about playing time.

“That’s the challenge for me, is just have the mind-set of every day is a great opportunity, an opportunity for me to get better,” Green said.

With Crawford and Bledsoe out, Green was getting another opportunity to play in a reserve role.

“It’s extremely difficult wanting to play and not getting the opportunity,” Green said. “But I just continue to get in the gym and continue to get my work in. When the opportunity presents itself, I go out there and do the best that I can.”

broderick.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BA_Turner