Livingston Expected to Rejoin Action

Shaun Livingston, sidelined since suffering a dislocated right kneecap in late November, should be cleared to resume his rookie season Sunday at Toronto after passing strength and agility tests today.

“I haven’t really noticed anything from the standpoint of him being tentative,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said of Livingston’s performance in practice this week. “He hasn’t lost any quickness or explosion....

“I asked him about it, and he said, ‘I’m ready to go.’ ”

Livingston, the first true point guard to jump directly from high school to the NBA and the fourth pick in the draft in June, played in the Clippers’ first 11 games before injuring his knee during a practice two days before Thanksgiving.

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Gilbert Arenas’ selection this week to the Eastern Conference team for the NBA All-Star game only confirmed the potential the Clippers saw in him when they pursued the then-free agent two summers ago.

The 6-foot-3 Washington Wizard point guard from Van Nuys Grant High brought averages of 24.7 points, 5.2 assists and 4.3 rebounds into Friday’s game.

“He’s got a tremendous amount of talent,” Dunleavy said. “His game, you knew, was just going to mature.

“You don’t see a lot of guys come along with speed, size, quickness and the ability to shoot the ball. It’s a pretty lethal combination.”

-- Jerry Crowe