Maggette Doesn’t Reserve Opinion

Asked how he felt about his role as sixth man, Corey Maggette made clear Monday during a post-practice interview that he didn’t care for the question.

“I ain’t no sixth man,” he interrupted, emphatically.

Maggette, the Clippers’ leading scorer the last two seasons, has come off the bench in each of the three games in which he has played since returning from a hamstring injury suffered during the preseason.

Coach Mike Dunleavy, on the advice of the team’s medical staff, has been bringing the forward along slowly, increasing his playing time by a few minutes each game.

Maggette played 29 minutes in the Clippers’ 113-108 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, scoring 20 points. On Monday, he said the hamstring “is doing good” and that he understood Dunleavy’s reasoning. But ...

“I know it’s for precautionary reasons. That’s just how doctors are,” Maggette said. “But I feel like I can do what I’ve got to do.

“Hopefully by the next game [tonight against Milwaukee] or the game after that, I should be back in the [starting] lineup.

“There’s no reason why I shouldn’t be back in there unless they’re trying to make some changes, which I won’t like. My role is to go out there and play basketball, and not as a bench player.”

Starting at the small forward position has been Quinton Ross, who has averaged 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds but is the team’s best defender.

Dunleavy would not say when Maggette, who is the team’s second-leading scorer at 19 points a game, might be in the starting lineup.

But he made it clear that any such change would be made by the coaching staff and not the player.

“I haven’t really talked to him about it, “ Dunleavy said. “Because it’s my decision who plays when and where.”

*

Sam Cassell, who scored only four points on one-for-10 shooting against the 76ers, put in extra practice time, trying to regain his shooting touch.

“If I shot 40% we won the game,” the new Clipper guard said.

“It’s that simple -- I can’t go one for 10. I had 12 assists; I had a good floor game and got my guys shots, you know, but this team relies on me to make my shots and [Sunday] I didn’t deliver.”

TONIGHT

vs. Milwaukee, 7:30, FSN West 2

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 1150.

Records -- Clippers 5-2, Bucks 4-1.

Record vs. Bucks (2004-05) -- 1-1.

Update --The Bucks’ Michael Redd is the NBA’s third-leading scorer, averaging 28.6 points. But also contributing to the revamped team’s early success is former Clipper Bobby Simmons, who signed with the Bucks in July as a free agent. He is averaging 14.2 points and seven rebounds and is one of four Bucks scoring in double figures. With the Clippers last season, he averaged 16.4 points and 5.9 rebounds and was selected the league’s most improved player.

Tickets -- (213) 742-7500.