Preseason’s over . . . let the waiting begin

The exhibition season ended Friday, eight games down and none to go (excluding those 82 real ones), bringing with it a couple of answers and abandoning the rest to be solved during the season.

The Clippers played decently in the preseason, winning four of the last six after dropping the first two. The last exhibition game was a 109-103 loss to the Golden State Warriors, the same team they open the season against next Friday at Staples Center.

Now, they watch and wait, with time, they hope, to rid themselves of a few minor injuries. The Clippers will be one of the last NBA teams to begin the season.

“We have to wait until it counts,” Brevin Knight said. “We really haven’t played a real lineup or a real rotation. But I think we’ve gotten better as a team from the first day until now. We have a week after this to work on that and we’ll see what happens.”

Scoring and rebounding, expected to be significant issues for the team this season, were strengths during the exhibitions, as the Clippers finished near the top of the league in both categories. But Coach Mike Dunleavy continues to harp on turnovers, which have been too plentiful.

Sam Cassell can still knock down midrange jumpers with the best of them, but will his soon-to-be 38-year-old body allow him to do so come January, February and beyond?

Rookie Al Thornton is athletically ready to play in the NBA as demonstrated by a solid exhibition season in which he scored from many places of the court. But while he adapts, the team will have to accept the kind of shooting night he had Friday (three for nine), along with the barrages of points.

Corey Maggette can score, but will he turn into the facilitator Dunleavy envisions?

And, of course, that elephant in the room at Staples Center the first couple of months: Can the team shrug off Elton Brand’s injury to compete in a Western Conference that will grant the Clippers few favors?

“I’m pleased about the progression, but I think we still need to progress more,” Dunleavy said. “I am confident they all can play. I think everyone is pretty solid. They play hard and can play a role to help us along the way. I can see every one of those guys contributing on a given night.”

Monta Ellis scored 27 points and Al Harrington had 21 for the Warriors, who nearly coughed up a 23-point third-quarter lead.

Maggette led the Clippers with 23 points; Cassell and Chris Kaman each had 20.

The Warriors offered a good indication of how much importance the exhibition finale held for them. Their team bus arrived roughly an hour before the game. Their coach, Don Nelson, sat out seven players and then himself, watching the game from the rafters and relinquishing control to assistant Keith Smart.

“We know what our guys can do and where they are,” Smart said. “Coach [Nelson] wants to get a closer view of the younger guys in a game setting and when he’s not involved in the game.”

Forwards Ruben Patterson (dislocated right pinkie) and Aaron Williams (calf strain) and point guard Knight (hip flexor) did not play, but should be ready for the Clippers’ opener.

jonathan.abrams@latimes.com