Bar Has Been Raised for Nesby

Tyrone Nesby knows as well as anyone he won’t be able to sneak up on the NBA this season after a solid rookie season as an undrafted free agent. That’s why he’s excited to accept the challenge from Coach Chris Ford to become more of a complete player for the new-look Clippers.

Nesby, who averaged 10.1 points and 3.5 rebounds last season, began the season as a training camp hopeful and ended it as the team’s starting small forward and the sixth-best rookie scorer in the league.

“I’m still trying to learn because I realize that I don’t know everything,” said Nesby, who also will get time at shooting guard. “I’m listening to coach, who’s giving us more stuff to learn.”

Last season, Ford was happy to see Nesby emerge with his crowd-pleasing dunks and energetic play, but this season, Ford is looking for Nesby to cut down on his mental errors.

“I expect a little bit more in his overall game,” Ford said about Nesby, who signed a three-year, $8.9-million contract during the off-season. “I expect him to be a better defender and we’re going to need his rebounding ability. He’s now a second-year man . . . he has to hear what we’re saying and then go out and correct his mistakes.”

*

On Tuesday, the Clippers will play their first exhibition game, against Golden State at San Jose Arena. Power forward Maurice Taylor and center Michael Olowokandi, who practiced Saturday for the first time since suffering a hip-pointer Thursday, are the only set starters. Lamar Odom and Nesby are competing for the small forward position, Eric Piatkowski and Derek Anderson are vying for shooting guard and Eric Murdock and Troy Hudson are battling for point guard. Power forward-center Brian Skinner is the only other player expected to be included in Ford’s rotation.

In filling out the final three roster positions, the Clippers probably will keep two big men, backup center Keith Closs being one of them. Ford said he would like to keep three point guards, leaving Scott Brooks and Charles Jones competing for the final spot and shooting guard Charles Smith the odd player out. Smith spent part of last season on the injured list and started 10 games.

*

After practicing twice a day since the start of camp, the Clippers will have this morning off and probably will scrimmage using referees at tonight’s practice at Southwest College.