Simmons Provides Lift When Needed

Being the ninth, 10th or 11th man on an NBA team is akin to being the lead understudy in a long-running Broadway play. You have to be as prepared as the stars, but you never know when you will be given a lead role -- and for how long.

Case in point: Clipper third-year swingman Bobby Simmons. He’s had several opportunities to play because of injuries to other players. And he’s been making a contribution, averaging 4.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 18 minutes as a guard or forward. In Thursday’s 102-96 loss to New Jersey, Simmons came off the bench and delivered season highs in points (10) and rebounds (seven).

“Bobby gave us a great lift last night,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said Friday. “He’s playing well. He had a great preseason for us, but he hit a stretch where, for whatever reason, he wasn’t hitting shots, which is why we sat him a little. But I told him I have total confidence in his ability and [the poor shooting] wouldn’t last. And he has stayed ready.”

Simmons appreciates the positive reviews, but he’s not going to be carried away by them.

“Guys in my position [just] want to make teams, and when you get in there you want to show you can perform at the highest level,” Simmons said. “That’s what I’ve tried to do every possession I’ve been out there.

“You know that the NBA is a business, and guys like myself are happy to be here with an opportunity to be on a team. If they didn’t believe in me, I wouldn’t be here.”

So how does he handle those times when he doesn’t play?

“You have to stay positive and confident in yourself that you can perform when you get in there.”

*

Elton Brand update: The injured forward will have another X--ray on his right foot Tuesday, and Dunleavy said he is hopeful.

“[The doctors] are expecting it to show he’s healed,” Dunleavy said. “If he is, he can be cleared to start practicing, and we’ll ratchet him up to what it is he can do -- that’ll be based on what the medical staff tells me, and his conditioning will be a factor. [But] I would think that, within two weeks, he’ll be playing.”

Brand suffered a stress fracture on or before the season opener against Seattle on Oct. 30.

TONIGHT

vs. Denver, 7:30, Fox Sports Net 2

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- XTRA (690, 1150).

Records -- Clippers 4-7, Nuggets 9-6.

Record vs. Nuggets -- 1-0.

Update -- Denver was the last team the Clippers beat before their current five-game slide, which has dropped them into last place in the Pacific Division. Rookie forward Carmelo Anthony is leading the Nuggets in scoring (17.1) although he is shooting only 37% from the floor. Former USC star Jeff Trepagnier has recovered from a sprained left ankle and is waiting to come off the Nuggets’ injury list.

Tickets -- (800) 462-2849.