Parks Given a Chance to Start to Counteract Portland Big Men

On the court, Cherokee Parks is not known to hide his emotions, but he didn’t have much reaction at all when he learned he would start at power forward Saturday night against the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center.

“We have come out with so many different lineups, it is always hard to tell what the dynamics are of me starting. . . . I just know it’s going to be different,” Parks said before the Clippers’ 90-89 victory over the Trail Blazers. “I’m always ready to play, even if it is the last five minutes of the game.”

With Brian Skinner attending a family member’s funeral in Texas, Clipper Coach Alvin Gentry decided on Parks--who started the second half of the Clippers’ victory at Houston Thursday--over rookie Darius Miles because of Portland’s big frontcourt players.

“I still like [Parks] coming off the bench, but I thought he would give us a chance to spread the floor early,” Gentry said.

“We’re doing it tonight and then we will see how it goes. But I think . . . that we’re going to start different guys at the spot.”

Miles, who started 14 consecutive games at power forward before being replaced by Skinner last week, will continue to play the position but not against power players like San Antonio’s Tim Duncan or Sacramento’s Chris Webber.

“Darius is not out of the lineup,” Gentry said. “When we play teams that do not have a pounding, back-you-down type of power forward, he’ll start again. . . . I just think it is really unfair to have him guard those type of guys.”

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The sellout crowd for Saturday’s game against Portland marked the Clippers’ fourth of the season. The club has a chance to break last season’s attendance mark, thanks to two capacity crowds for games against the Lakers and one each for Toronto and the Trail Blazers.

In 41 home games last season, the Clippers had only four sellouts and finished with an average of 13,652. After 26 games this season, the Clippers are averaging 13,508.

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The Clippers will not be represented in the All-Star game Feb. 11 at MCI Center in Washington, but with Corey Maggette in the slam dunk contest, they will have four players participating in the weekend events.

Miles, rookie Quentin Richardson and second-year swingman Lamar Odom will play in the rookie challenge game Feb. 10.