Clippers’ Jeff Green sits against Pelicans because of NBA concussion rules

Playing two games in a 22-hour span left the Clippers with tired legs. It enticed them to continually take three-pointers instead of opting for more physically challenging drives to the basket.

It also deprived them of Jeff Green.

The forward said he could not play during his team’s 109-105 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday evening at the Smoothie King Center because of NBA concussion rules.

Green said he was not experiencing any symptoms as a result of sustaining a gash on his forehead Saturday that required eight stitches, but because he suffered a blow to the head less than 24 hours earlier he was held out against the Pelicans.

“They said 24 hours,” Green said, “so I guess tonight [after the game] I’ll be officially NBA cleared.”

Green said he was examined by Clippers trainer Jasen Powell as well as a Pelicans team doctor and a league concussion specialist.

“They came to the conclusion that because of the concussion protocol that I had to wait and sit out,” Green said.

Paul Pierce started in Green’s spot and had nine points but missed all four of his three-pointers. It was a trend for a team that made 10 of 39 shots from long range.

Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said he tried to get his team to take higher-percentage shots.

“I’m screaming, ‘Drive the ball, just drive the ball and see if we can get to the basket or take the in-between game,’” Rivers said. “I just didn’t feel like we had legs and if we don’t have legs, threes aren’t going to go in.”

The challenges of two games in a condensed period could be seen in other areas as well.

Clippers point guard Chris Paul, an 89.3% free-throw shooter, missed two attempts from the line in the fourth quarter. So did teammate Austin Rivers.

Paul wasn’t willing to blame fatigue, especially after his team had won its previous seven games on the second night of back-to-back situations.

“There was no fatigue,” Paul said. “If I’m not mistaken, y’all have been harping about how good we’ve been on back to backs. So how are y’all going to say it’s fatigue tonight? Is it fatigue when we win? Y’all didn’t think about that, did you? We lost. No excuses. We didn’t defend well enough and waited too late to put our footprint on the game.”

Competitive spirit

Nearly two years after he left the Clippers, Alvin Gentry still appreciates Paul from afar.

The Pelicans coach recalled how he was one of the assistants at the All-Star game in 2015 when he turned to boss Steve Kerr and told him to get Paul back into the game for the Western Conference.

“‘You may not care,’” Gentry said he told Kerr, “‘but it’s an extra $15,000 for the assistants [if the West wins].’ So, [Paul] came in and he guarded LeBron [James] and had like eight points and was huge down the stretch.”

The West won the game, 163-158, and Gentry got his bonus.

“I honestly believe that he is the most competitive guy in the league,” Gentry said of Paul. “It would be hard not to take him if you had to win one game.”

ben.bolch@latimes.com

Twitter: @latbbolch