Chilcutt, McInnis Bolster Roster

The Clippers received some reinforcement Saturday by signing forward Pete Chilcutt and guard Jeff McInnis to 10-day contracts.

With power forward Brian Skinner being put on the injured list before the Clippers played Atlanta at Staples Center, Chilcutt joins the Clippers for the second time this season. Chilcutt, who previously had signed a 10-day contract with Cleveland and began the season with Utah, averaged 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in three games in his first stint with the Clippers.

McInnis, who played with the Clippers’ summer league team, will take the place of veteran point guard Eric Murdock, put on the injured list early last week.

“We think the moves are a positive and we need any positives we can get,” interim Coach Jim Todd said before the Clippers won for only the third time in 30 games.

Chilcutt, in his ninth season in the league out of North Carolina, is glad to get another chance after being squeezed out of Cleveland when the Cavaliers opted to keep point guard Earl Boykins.

“I’ve been around here enough this year to know that you take your 10-day [contract] and do what you can and then let the chips fall where they are,” said Chilcutt, who has played with seven teams in his career. “You can’t really control anything else.”

McInnis, selected out of North Carolina in the second round of the 1996 draft by Denver, had been playing with Quad City Thunder of the Continental Basketball Assn.

“I had been down in the CBA trying to get myself better,” said McInnis, who averaged 19.7 points and 7.8 assists in 41 games with the Thunder after being released by Orlando before the start of training camp.

“I worked with the Clippers this summer and I felt like I had a great chance of making the team then.”

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For Skinner, being put on injured reserve for the second time is a tough break. He originally injured his left ankle Dec. 14 against the Lakers and sat out 21 games. He was activated Feb. 1 but was never close to 100% in the games he played.