Nothing new for Cassell

Exhibition games don’t matter to point guard Sam Cassell, who says he knows when it’s time to work.

Cassell earns his money in the regular season, and he did his job well again Thursday in the Clippers’ 96-95 victory over the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center.

In a familiar scene to Clippers fans, Cassell scored 35 points while leading the team to a close victory in the home opener.

With the outcome undecided in the fourth quarter, Cassell scored 18 points and had six assists. After his costly turnover helped the Nuggets reclaim the lead with 18 seconds to play, Cassell was fouled and made two free throws with 12 seconds remaining to put the Clippers ahead for good.

“That’s just Sam being Sam,” power forward Elton Brand said. “That’s what you expect from him.”

Cassell still runs things on the court for Coach Mike Dunleavy, just in case anyone had forgotten.

“It’s like I said last year, I want to be in that position for this basketball team,” he said. “I know what my job is in the whole plan, and that’s what I’m going to do. I’m just doing what I always do.”

Slowed because of a strained left calf in the exhibition season, Cassell watched as backup Shaun Livingston impressed coaches. In his third year, Livingston could have a breakout season, many in the organization said, but he struggled while starting ahead of Cassell in Wednesday’s season-opening loss to the Phoenix Suns.

On Thursday, Cassell returned to the starting lineup. Livingston was scoreless and had only three assists and four turnovers in 14 minutes.

Despite Livingston’s potential, the Clippers re-signed Cassell, who turns 37 on Nov. 18, to a two-year, $13-million contract in the off-season. Cassell is still at the top of the depth chart after all these years.

“It would have been a different scenario if I would have had my whole training camp to get my legs underneath me, but I didn’t have that because injuries are a part of professional sports,” Cassell said. “I strained my calf muscle and that slowed me down, but I still try to do what I have to do to make this team successful.”

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TONIGHT

vs. Phoenix, 7:30, Channel 5

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 790.

Records -- Clippers 1-1, Suns 1-2.

Record vs. Suns -- 0-1.

Update -- The Clippers shot only 42.7% from the field in Wednesday’s 112-104 loss to the Suns at US Airways Center. Leandro Barbosa started Friday night for Phoenix in place of Boris Diaw and scored 22 points in the loss to Utah.

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jason.reid@latimes.com