Jaric Still Has a Reason to Smile

Marko Jaric was featured in a fashion layout in the Italian edition of GQ magazine when he played for Kinder Bologna. He was set to flash his megawatt smile during his Clipper debut Friday at Staples Center. Then he lost a tooth the other night in Portland and decided he would stick to what he called a “small smile.” No teeth.

Jaric’s strained groin improved sufficiently to let him play against the Seattle SuperSonics, and there was no way he was going to let dental surgery keep him on the bench for the Clippers’ third exhibition game.

It turned out that he cracked a tooth on a tough piece of popcorn and had to have it removed. “Such big pain,” he said of his extracted tooth.

Asked about the groin injury that sidelined him for the Clippers’ victory Tuesday over the Lakers at Bakersfield and their loss Thursday against the Trail Blazers at Portland, Jaric said it was much improved.

“This is my first NBA game,” said Jaric, the Clippers’ second-round pick in the 2000 draft, who was signed to a three-season contract during the off-season. “I need to prepare for the start of the season. I need to get the experience of these preseason games.”

Jaric is the first of the Clippers’ corps of injured players to return to action. Coach Alvin Gentry said he wasn’t expecting much from his backup point guard, unwilling to judge his play too harshly one way or the other.

“If he plays great, I’m not going to get excited about it,” Gentry said. “If he plays awful, I’m not going to get excited about it. I just know he’s going to be a good player.... I have no doubt about that.

“Nobody who works that hard and has talent is going to fail in the NBA. I haven’t seen it happen in my 15 years in the NBA.”

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Jaric had seven points and nine assists in 37 minutes, but had a tough defensive assignment late in a game that went to double overtime before the Clippers pulled out a 119-116 victory before 11,966 at Staples Center.

The Clippers let a 22-point lead slip away, largely because Seattle’s Gary Payton torched Jaric and all comers for 40 points in 46 minutes. Payton had all 10 of the SuperSonics’ points in the first overtime, making all five of his shots.

Mike Batiste, a free agent with little chance of making the team when training camp began, scored 33 points in 39 minutes to lead the Clippers (2-1 in exhibition play). Eric Piatkowski had 19 points, making eight of 11 shots.

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Gentry said he expects rookie Chris Wilcox, one of two Clipper first-round picks, to be ready to play Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center. Wilcox has been nursing a strained right quadriceps.

Keyon Dooling, who has had a badly sprained right ankle since last Nov. 14, could be fit to play in the next eight to 10 days.

Quentin Richardson, who suffered a sprained right knee at training camp, probably will be sidelined for another two weeks.

Rookie Melvin Ely, who has tendinitis in his left big toe, isn’t expected to play for a least two weeks.

Gentry had 11 fit players Friday against Seattle. He had only 10 in Thursday’s 99-75 loss to the Trail Blazers.