Knight is giving Dunleavy exactly what he expects from a point guard

Brevin Knight grew up a coach’s son and attended Stanford. Calling him a cerebral point guard would be a cliche, but Knight is solidly, if quietly, doing an efficient job of manning the Clippers.

Nothing spectacular. Nothing splashy.

Which is just what the veteran guard has done throughout his 11-year NBA career.

Knight is averaging only 1.1 turnovers in his 23 minutes per game and had committed only one in his last nine games.

On the season, he has 125 assists to 28 turnovers, good for a 4.46:1 assists-to-turnover ratio, which is second in the league behind Toronto’s Jose Calderon.

“I just try to make the right plays,” Knight said.

“I’m not going to force it. I don’t take as many chances as a Steve Nash is going to take.”

Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said Knight is playing how the organization expected him to play when they signed him to a two-year deal in the off-season.

“He’s been great for us,” Dunleavy said.

“He is careful with the ball and a good defender. He is not going to turn the ball over.”

Knight is also getting his shot to fall lately.

In his last three games, he scored a combined 30 points on 14-for-23 shooting.

“I just try and take the shots they give me, get into a rhythm and not force it,” Knight said.

Dunleavy again cautioned his players on shot selection in an effort to boost the team’s shooting percentage. They are shooting 41.9% from the field.

“Every coach says it from every level you come up,” he said.

“When you first come into a game, try not to have your first shot be a long three-pointer or a shot that is heavily contested. Anybody who has played has said the exact same thing.

“What you want to do is get in the game, run around a couple times, draw and kick, make a few plays, get warm, get loose, get a feel for the ball.

“And then any shot that comes your way, and it’s open, go for it.”

Dunleavy said there would be some exceptions on players who have a green light on a clear shot, such as guard Richie Frahm, who is known as a long-range shooter.

Forward Tim Thomas dressed for a second consecutive game but did not play.

He sat out his fourth game since injuring his left knee against the San Antonio Spurs on Dec. 22.

“He can still make a shot,” Dunleavy said. “He is shooting in practice. He just can’t run or cut.”

Reserve forward Paul Davis, who sustained a torn right knee ligament Dec. 21., is scheduled for season-ending surgery today in Birmingham, Ala., with Dr. James Andrews.

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jonathan.abrams@latimes.com