Hip condition keeps Turiaf on the bench

Lakers center-forward Ronny Turiaf continues to struggle with a hip condition that has limited his playing time in recent games.

Turiaf has bursitis in his hips, a problem he has dealt with since his playing days at Gonzaga, a Lakers spokesman said. Kwame Brown had a similar condition in his shoulder that, coupled with a bruised rotator cuff, kept him sidelined for more than three weeks.

Turiaf had sat out the last two games before Tuesday and played only 10 minutes total in the two games before he started sitting out.

Brown’s return has cost Turiaf some playing time, but Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said Turiaf’s condition was the bigger reason for his lack of minutes.

“Definitely,” Jackson said. “There’s no reason to have Ronny out if he’s 100%.”

Turiaf is averaging 7.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in 13.4 minutes.

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The sixth-man role seems to suit Corey Maggette, who has been a force off the bench to this point.

And Maggette’s strong rebounding has enabled Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy to utilize effective smaller lineups, helping the team overcome center Chris Kaman’s ineffectiveness in a 6-0 start on its home court.

The Clippers thought Maggette could thrive off the bench, and so far so good, Dunleavy said.

“He’s doing exactly what I thought he could do,” Dunleavy said. “When he said this was something he wanted to do, I said I thought he could be an All-Star or the sixth man of the year, and I meant that.

“He has the ability to do all the things you need in that role. I thought it could be really good for him and for the team, so this isn’t a surprise to me.”

In the Clippers’ first eight games, Maggette averaged 15 points and 7.1 rebounds. The seven-year veteran shot 44.6% from the floor and 78.6% from the free-throw line.

He scored 20 points against the Lakers on Tuesday before fouling out.

Maggette, who has occasionally played power forward, has scored at least 20 points in four games and twice grabbed 12 rebounds.

Along with forward Tim Thomas and backup point guard Shaun Livingston, Maggette is a key member of the productive second unit.

“Corey Maggette has been big for this basketball team, no doubt about it,” point guard Sam Cassell said. “Corey Maggette does a lot of things to help this basketball team win. He comes in and gives us a lift.”

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Lakers rookie guard Jordan Farmar did not play because of a sprained right ankle, but will probably play Friday against Utah, Jackson said. Aaron McKie was moved off the inactive list for Tuesday’s game.... Several Lakers were late for Jackson’s required arrival time of 90 minutes before tipoff, an offense that sometimes carries a fine, although there was an accident on the 105 Freeway. “They don’t want to be late,” Jackson said. “You take a dollar away from these guys and they cry, they whine. We always say that there’s a three-strike rule and if it continually happens, we’ll have to take measures that are different so that we correct behavior.”

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CLIPPERS TONIGHT

vs. Seattle, 7:30, FSN Prime Ticket

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 710.

Records -- Clippers 6-3, SuperSonics 5-7.

Record vs. SuperSonics (2005-06) -- 3-1.

Update -- Seattle defeated New Jersey on Monday to end a three-game losing streak. Guard Ray Allen averages a team-high 26.8 points. Former Clippers forward Chris Wilcox is averaging 10.5 points and leads Seattle in rebounding at 9.2 a game.

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mike bresnaham@latimes.com

jason.reid@latimes.com