Bench Doesn’t Have Much in Reserve These Days

The Clippers have yet to feel the pain of being without Kerry Kittles and Chris Kaman to start the season, because of the play of Bobby Simmons and Chris Wilcox.

However, the Clippers are hurting in those spots on the bench that Simmons and Wilcox vacated. With his two best reserves playing because of Kittles’ knee injury and Kaman’s hurt ankle, Coach Mike Dunleavy has less to choose from on the bench.

A quick check on how NBA reserves fared in Monday’s games shows how much it can hurt the Clippers.

Utah had 45 points off the bench, Dallas 31, Denver 30, Golden State 18 and Detroit 16. The Clippers? Five points, with their four reserves making two of 11 shots in a double-overtime loss to Detroit.

That’s what can happen when two of the four players off the bench are rookies, including Shaun Livingston, who is making the jump from high school to the NBA.

“It does have an effect,” Dunleavy said.

Dunleavy, though, said this would pay off when Kittles and Kaman returned. Kaman said he expected to return next week and Kittles is expected back by the end of the month. With those two back in the lineup, the Clippers will be deeper and more experienced because of the playing time put in by Simmons and Wilcox.

Wilcox, filling in for Kaman at center, is averaging 20 points and seven rebounds. Simmons is averaging 16 points and nearly six rebounds in place of Kittles at forward.

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The Clippers, who pushed the defending champion Pistons to the limit Monday, have another challenge ahead of them tonight, when they play Indiana.

The Pacers took Detroit to six games before losing in the Eastern Conference finals last season.

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TONIGHT

at Indiana, 4 PST, FSNW2

Site -- Conseco Fieldhouse.

Radio -- XTRA (690, 1150).

Records -- Clippers 2-2, Pacers 4-0.

Record vs. Pacers (2003-04) -- 0-2.

Update -- The Pacers are short-handed and beat up. Anthony Johnson (broken hand), Reggie Miller (broken hand) and Jeff Foster (hip surgery) are out. Jonathan Bender (knee injury) and Scot Pollard (back) are questionable. Jermaine O’Neal will play but has a sore left foot.