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Clippers’ plans for All-Star break: lots of basketball, some relaxing

Spencer Hawes puts up a shot against Houston forward Joey Dorsey during the first half of a game Wednesday at Staples Center.
(Frederic J. Brown / Getty Images)
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Jamal Crawford is going to do what he always does for the All-Star break.

“Go home, play basketball,” the Clippers shooting guard said.

Only this season he’s going to get to do a lot more of it.

The Clippers will receive a week off instead of the usual four or five days because of the extended break implemented by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

Chris Paul and J.J. Redick won’t enjoy quite the same extended breather as their teammates, though they don’t mind. Redick will participate in the three-point contest Saturday in New York and Paul will play in the All-Star game Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

Clippers forward Blake Griffin was also selected for the game but will remain in Southern California after undergoing surgery Monday to remove a staph infection from his right elbow.

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Clippers forward-center Spencer Hawes said he would make the cross-country trip to New York to attend a meeting Friday involving NBA players and Michele Roberts, the new executive director of the National Basketball Players’ Assn.

“It’s obviously a pivotal one with the new TV deal coming in,” Hawes said, referring to the $24-billion television contract that starts for the 2016-17 season. “Kind of the ship is rising and so after the last collective bargaining agreement, it’s time to fix some things.”

Hawes said he would not stick around for the All-Star festivities, returning instead to do what he usually does when he goes back home to Seattle.

“Sit in the rain,” he quipped.

Actually, Hawes said he might attend a game involving his alma mater, the Washington Huskies, on Sunday or perhaps go to his parents’ house and check in on his dogs.

Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said he wanted to do as little as possible before the Clippers resume practice Tuesday, two days before their next game Feb. 19 against the San Antonio Spurs.

“Literally zero,” Rivers said. “I may golf. I’m going to watch TV, take my wife to dinner.”

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The Clippers are getting a shorter break than some teams. The Lakers, for instance, don’t play again until Feb. 20.

“I think we kind of thought it was going to be longer when we heard about this supposed weeklong break,” Hawes said, “but I guess the way the TV schedule worked out it kind of cut into that.”

Crawford said he would play at his high school gym or elsewhere in Seattle, his hometown. He also intended to watch some pickup games at LA Fitness, no matter if the level of competition was something less than the NBA.

“You can learn something from anybody,” Crawford said. “You can learn a move that may work, you can learn angles.”

Follow Ben Bolch on Twitter @latbbolch

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