Livingston Stays Positive

Clipper rookie Shaun Livingston leaned on one of his crutches and talked about how fortunate he was a day after dislocating his right kneecap.

Livingston was back at practice Tuesday, knowing that it would be at least eight weeks before he could play again. He was injured while trying to get a rebound during a three-on-three drill in practice Monday.

“It’s a tough break, but it could have been a lot worse,” said 19-year-old Livingston, who was put on the injured list Tuesday. “I feel God was looking out for me. You fall like that and you could tear something, but it’s not [an anterior cruciate ligament] or anything else.

“When it first happened, I had so many thoughts go through my mind, like I didn’t go to college, get an education, get a degree. I know I could probably afford college now, but you have those thoughts.”

Livingston, a 6-foot-7 point guard who made the jump from high school and was the fourth player taken in the June draft, will wear a splint for the next week, unable to bend his knee. He will be able to lift weights.

“I told Shaun I expect him to be a lot bigger after two months,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “As bad as this was, there was no ligament damage. He just needs to recuperate. He won’t lose any of his quickness.”

Dunleavy said Livingston might sit out more than two months, as the team makes sure he is completely recovered.

“This is not a situation where he says he’s ready and we go, ‘Let’s go.’ Everyone is going to have to be in agreement before we let Shaun play again.”

Livingston will lose two months of on-the-job training as an NBA player. He averaged five points, two assists and two rebounds through the Clippers’ first 11 games and had shown tenacity on defense, according to Dunleavy.

“He was earning his time with his defense,” Dunleavy said. “His size as [a point guard] gave us versatility in the things we were doing.”

Said Livingston: “The thing that is disappointing is I was getting more and more confident on the court, and the coach was having more and more confidence in me.”

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Center Chris Kaman went through a full practice Tuesday and is scheduled to return to the lineup Thursday against the New Jersey Nets.

He has not played this season because of an ankle injury.

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The Clippers, who ended their relationship with Los Angeles Southwest College last week, practiced on the renovated court at the Spectrum Club for the first time Tuesday. Spectrum officials spent more than $100,000 upgrading their facility to accommodate the Clippers.