Richardson Has Shot to Be Better

Quentin Richardson scored a career-high 44 points Wednesday, eight short of the franchise record shared by Charles Smith and Bob McAdoo, but Coach Mike Dunleavy said the fourth-year guard is far from reaching his potential.

“I expect him to grow a lot more [as a player],” Dunleavy said Friday. “I don’t think he’s anywhere near as good as he can be....

“One of the things he’s got to get better at, he’s got to become efficient at getting better shots. He takes shots that you would consider to be questionable at times, but based on his ability to make shots he gets an opportunity to test the waters. He’s got a pretty pure stroke when he’s got it going, but you’ve got to learn how to manufacture shots when you’re not going good, whether it be in the post, taking the ball to the basket, offensive rebounding or better open shots.”

Richardson scored from numerous angles in a 120-104 victory over the Denver Nuggets, using his strength to outmuscle defenders underneath the basket and a feathery touch from the perimeter.

Described by Dunleavy as a “power [shooting] guard,” the 6-foot-5, 238-pound Richardson took 10 rebounds, a game-high six at the offensive end, and made 17 of 30 shots, five of nine from beyond the three-point arc.

But even with those numbers factored in, Richardson has made only 40% of his shots. He ranks third among the Clippers with an average of 18.3 points a game but has taken more than 100 more shots than any of his teammates.

“Basically, you just want him to take what’s there,” Dunleavy said. “He’s going to get touches, he’s going to get shot opportunities. That doesn’t mean you have to take them [all], but you’ve got to make the most of [the touches], in terms of making the right decisions.”

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Richardson sat out the last hour of Friday’s practice after falling on his left elbow.... Reserve forward Melvin Ely is eligible to come off the injured list today, but Dunleavy gave no indication whether he would.

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TODAY

vs. Sacramento, 1 p.m., Channel 5

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- KXTA (690/1150).

Records -- Clippers 13-15, Kings 21-8.

Record vs. Kings -- 0-1.

Update -- Though still without Chris Webber, who finally returned to practice this week after off-season knee surgery, the Kings have stayed near the top of the Pacific Division thanks in large part to a 16-2 record in Arco Arena, where last month they defeated the Clippers, 105-95. They’re the NBA’s highest-scoring team.

Tickets -- (800) 462-2849.