No Regrets for Proud Father

Tyrone Nesby was back in uniform after leaving the team’s recent trip to be with his wife, Luanna, who gave birth to a daughter Thursday in Las Vegas. With Derek Anderson and Maurice Taylor sidelined because of injuries, Nesby realized he was leaving his teammates short-handed but made the decision to be with his family.

“I know basketball is my job, but at the same time I have other things. . . . The major thing for me was to be with my wife,” said Nesby, who scored 22 points in Tuesday night’s 100-95 victory over the New York Knicks.

“She’s doing wonderful, and my baby daughter is doing wonderful. Now, I can come out now and play ball.”

Nesby said the Clippers supported his absence for games at Toronto and Washington.

“I didn’t feel pressured to get back, but I knew Coach [Chris Ford] wanted me to get back real bad, I heard that from a couple of guys,” said Nesby, whose wife will remain in Las Vegas with the couple’s newborn and 1-year old son until next month.

“The fellows on the team know what was going on. And I feel real good about being there for my wife and see my daughter born. I wasn’t able to be there when my son was born, so this was my first time ever and it was real cool.”

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Entering Tuesday’s game, Lamar Odom led the Clippers in scoring with a 19.4-point average. Derek Anderson was close behind at 19.3. The last Clipper to finish a season averaging more than 20 points was Dominique Wilkins, who averaged 29.1 points in 1993-94.

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Eric Murdock sat out because of a sore right knee. . . . The Clippers will hold their annual Thanksgiving event, Team Up at the Table, today at 1 p.m. at the St. Joseph’s Center in Venice. Ford and General Manager Elgin Baylor, along with players Murdock, Troy Hudson, Eric Piatkowski and Brian Skinner, will help distribute food baskets and clothes to the needy.