Livingston Hopes to Resume Rookie Season Soon

Shaun Livingston practiced with his Clipper teammates Saturday for the first time since suffering a dislocated right kneecap in November and said he hoped to return to the lineup before the end of the team’s current trip.

The first-year point guard participated in two-on-two and five-on-none drills during a workout at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

“It went good, just getting out there,” he said later. “I’ve got to get my wind up, but besides that I felt pretty comfortable. Hopefully, I can start stepping up to five-on-five here in a little bit.”

He said he would like to resume his season “hopefully in another week,” possibly Feb. 13 at Toronto or Feb. 15 at Orlando, Fla. The eight-game trip, taking the Clippers into the All-Star break, ends Feb. 16 at Miami. They will have six days off before playing at Phoenix on Feb. 23.

“It’s a little nerve-racking coming back,” said Livingston, who was injured during a Nov. 23 practice. “You know, you’re going to have nerves and everything, but I’ll be all right. I should be good. If I feel it, I’m just going to come out, take some more time off. But if it’s feeling good, hopefully I’ll progress.”

Though still experiencing swelling in his right knee, which did not require surgery, he thought he could have practiced sooner.

“I always thought I could go a little bit, but we’ve just been taking our time and everything,” he said.

Livingston averaged 5.0 points, 2.6 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 21.2 minutes in the Clippers’ first 11 games. He has sat out the last 36.

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The Clippers led at halftime in six of their last seven road games but lost all six. In the only game they trailed at halftime, Thursday at Memphis, they won.... Coach Mike Dunleavy attended Saturday’s Villanova-Providence game at Villanova. One of his three sons, Baker, is a 6-foot-6 sophomore guard at Villanova.

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TODAY

at Philadelphia, 10 a.m. PST, Channel 5

Site -- Wachovia Center.

Radio -- KTLK (1150).

Records -- Clippers 23-24, 76ers 22-24.

Record vs. 76ers -- 1-0.

Update -- In the West, the 76ers would trail the Clippers, who are currently in 10th place. In the East, Philadelphia is only half a game off the Atlantic Division lead after winning three of its last four games, most recently on Friday over the Atlanta Hawks, 103-85. Elton Brand had 26 points and 12 rebounds in an 89-83 victory over the 76ers on Jan. 2 at Staples Center. Allen Iverson scored 35 points for Philadelphia.