Nagging Injuries Hamper Some Players

Amid all their comings and goings, the Clippers continue their quest for the playoffs tonight, opening a three-game homestand, sandwiched between road trips, against the San Antonio Spurs.

Corey Maggette, a starting guard, is listed as questionable because of tendinitis in his left knee. If he doesn’t start, Darius Miles will take his spot.

However, Maggette practiced Wednesday and has resisted all efforts to get him to rest.

“Corey’s really hurt,” Coach Alvin Gentry said. “He’s trying to tough it out, trying to suck it up but I’m telling you, the guy’s really hurt. I don’t want to be the guy who decides. Somewhere along the line, we may just have to sit him down.

“The thing about Corey, if there’s any chance he’ll play, he’ll play. He’s just a real gut-it-out, try-to-do-whatever-he-can guy....

“We lose a lot of things [without Maggette]. We lose a toughness factor about our team that he brings.... When people look at Corey play sometimes, some of the mistakes he makes, but all the positive things he does, so much outweigh the mistakes that he makes. He’s a coach’s dream from the standpoint of just playing hard and giving you everything he’s got.”

Backup point guard Keyon Dooling, who has been out since mid-November with a severely sprained ankle, is practicing again but not yet ready to play.

Lamar Odom had his sore right wrist examined by team physician Tony Daly, who found some progress this time, but not enough to speed up Odom’s scheduled return. The wrist was put back in a cast and will be re-examined in two weeks.

The homestand continues against Dallas on Saturday and Portland on Monday before the Clippers head out again, playing nine of the ensuing 10 games on the road.

TONIGHT

vs. San Antonio

7:30, Fox Sports Net 2

Site--Staples Center.

Radio--KSPN (1110).

Records--Clippers 25-26; San Antonio 31-18.

Record vs. Spurs--1-2.

Update--The Spurs have thrashed around mightily since starting the season 20-4. Tim Duncan is having his finest season, ranking in the NBA’s top six in points (25.1), rebounds (13.2), blocks (2.8) and minutes (41.3) and in the top 20 in shooting percentage (49.1%). However, David Robinson, 36, has only begun to rally after the slowest start of his career and after several others who started impressively, such as veteran Steve Smith and rookie Tony Parker, have faded.

Tickets--(800) 462-2849.

Mark Heisler