Jordan back after pneumonia bout

Clippers center DeAndre Jordan made an uncommonly swift recovery from his bout with pneumonia, having missed two games after a short stay in the hospital.

Jordan, who moved into the starting lineup when Chris Kaman went out with a long-term ankle injury, came off the bench late in the first quarter Friday against the Lakers.

He entered with 4:55 remaining in the first quarter and played limited minutes in the first half, nicely blocking a Lamar Odom jump shot. Jordan finished with three points and four blocks in just under 23 minutes.

“He’s feeling better,” Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said. “...We’ll see what his energy is like in the game. It’s good to have him back. He lost about six pounds and has to get his strength back a little bit.”

Comeback kids

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said before the game that the only time the Clippers have won when trailing at the start of the fourth quarter was against the Lakers earlier this season.

Actually, the Clippers were 2-36 in that category. The other time was Wednesday’s double-overtime win against Washington.

“It was just a game that we needed to finish off. Usually we won’t win a game like that,” Clippers shooting guard Eric Gordon said. “That’s what people forget. We’ve had a lot of games where we were down going into the fourth quarter.”

Thirty-six would be plenty,

Gordon spoke about his huge three-pointer at the end of the first overtime and his battles with the Wizards’ JaVale McGee.

“When he blocked the other one [earlier], when I saw him coming again, I had to make sure I pump-faked this time because he likes going for blocks,” Gordon said. “I think it was the end of regulation where he came out of nowhere.

“You don’t see too many athletes like him out there. Just none. Him and DeAndre. They’re pretty much the same.”

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

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