Hudson Dismisses Uncertainty

Troy Hudson ended last season as the Clippers’ starting point guard and opened training camp with the same title. He has had a solid exhibition season but still hasn’t been named an opening-night starter by Coach Chris Ford because Eric Murdock has been slowed by an ankle injury.

Many NBA players would have no problem saying they felt unappreciated in the same position. But not Hudson. He knows only a year ago, he was a training camp hopeful for the Sioux Falls SkyForce in the Continental Basketball Assn., a far cry from being an NBA starter.

“To open up in the CBA at this same time last year and now be in position to play at the next level,” said Hudson, who after signing consecutive 10-day contracts with the Clippers started the final six games last season, “I’ve been blessed.”

Hudson, a former shooting guard in college, gained notice when he averaged 15.2 points, 9.3 assists and five rebounds in 45.8 minutes a game over his last six starts.

Teaming with former Sioux Falls teammate Tyrone Nesby, Hudson found a home with the Clippers. His hustle and work ethic has made him one of Ford’s favorites, and throughout training camp, the Clipper coach has been hard on him to learn how to run an offense.

“One area that I’m trying to push him to be is more of a playmaker,” Ford said about Hudson. “For him personally not to take quick shots when we have a lot of clock to work with. His job is to get us into a set and to get other people easy scoring opportunities.”

It’s not as if the Clippers do not expect Hudson to score, Ford’s plan is to establish an inside game behind Maurice Taylor and Michael Olowokandi with the team’s point guards making perimeter shots after double teams.

Hudson doesn’t have a problem with this role, especially now that the Clippers have more weapons with the addition of Lamar Odom, Derek Anderson and Murdock.

“I really don’t have to do too much, just come down and run the offense, get it to the right guy at the right time and then they do their job with it,” Hudson said.

“I can score when called on to do so.”

Because of his injury, Murdock, acquired in a trade from the New Jersey Nets days before the start of training camp, has not played in any of the Clippers’ four exhibition games. But he has practiced the last couple of days and will play tonight when the Clippers play at Vancouver.

“I’m still not sure who is going to start but I just wanted to give Eric a shot in our remaining four games to see what he can do,” Ford said. “I am not unhappy with Troy, it’s just that I know what Troy can do. . . . He and Eric will be playing and sharing the time and also at certain times there will be situations when D.A. [Anderson] will play the spot or Lamar as well. . . . I think Troy has a good feeling from where I am coming from.”

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Brian Skinner and Taylor, who both sat out the Clippers’ intrasquad scrimmage on Wednesday, practiced Thursday and are expected to play tonight against the Grizzlies.