Clippers’ Jamal Crawford knows this is not the time for him to struggle

They were indecisive a couple of times on offense Saturday night against Denver, leaving Jamal Crawford with the difficult task of having to bail out the Clippers during a time when his own offense has veered off course.

Crawford has been one of the NBA’s best shot-makers over his 17-year career, but his shot has betrayed him this entire month and he admittedly said it has been a “frustrating” period for the league’s only three-time sixth man of the year award winner.

In the nine games the Clippers have played in January, Crawford has shot 27.7% from the field, 14.8% from three-point range and averaged just 8.6 points.

“It’s frustrating from the standpoint that you know every shooter who scores goes through it,” Crawford said late Saturday night after another tough three-for-13 outing against the Nuggets. “It was frustrating and it was OK at the same time because we were winning. We had won seven in a row, so it didn’t have an effect on winning or losing, which should be the bottom line. But losing a couple now, you’re like, ‘Come on.’ It’s frustrating and I understand you’ve got to go through it.”

The basketball Gods can be cruel when times are tough.

The 24-second shot clock was winding down on the Clippers in the second quarter at Denver when they turned to Crawford, throwing the ball out to him to save them, watching him hoist a 28-foot jumper just to get a shot off that missed.

The 24-second shot clock was close to expiring again in the third quarter when the ball wound up in Crawford’s hands for a 40-foot heave. The ball was nothing but air, a turnover because of a 24-second violation.

“That’s the way it happens. I swear,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said. “When you struggle — I’ve been through it as a player — it just always felt like the ball ends up in your hands with one second. It just won’t stop.”

Rivers and Crawford are convinced these trying times won’t last much longer.

The return of Blake Griffin from right knee surgery probably at Philadelphia Tuesday night can help take some of the pressure off Crawford.

He’s had an uneven season as it is, averaging 11.4 points per game, the lowest since his 2002-03 season. He’s shooting a career-low on three-pointers (29.9%). His 38.4% overall shooting is tied for his lowest since his rookie season of 2000-01.

“I put in a lot of extra work, like I really shoot and work on my game a lot,” Crawford said. “It’ll turn. I’ve just got to stay with it and hopefully we’ll keep winning in the meantime.”

Crawford will be back at it Monday night when the Clippers play the Atlanta Hawks.

“In a week or two weeks or whenever he exorcises this, he’ll laugh about it,” Rivers said. “But right now it’s not funny. It happens, and I feel for him because he’s doing all the things he’s supposed to do. He comes early. He gets shots up. He stays late. He’s doing one-on-ones. He’s doing everything you’re supposed to do. And it’s just no fun.”

UP NEXT

VS. ATLANTA

When: 4:30 p.m. PST, Monday.

Where: Philips Arena.

On the air: TV: Prime Ticket; Radio: 570, 1330.

Records: Clippers 29-16; Hawks 26-18.

Records vs. Hawks: Clippers 1-1 (2015-16).

Update: The Hawks are tied for seventh in the NBA in points allowed (102.5) and are ranked seventh in assists (24.0). Paul Millsap leads the Hawks in scoring (17.9), Dwight Howard in rebounding (12.9) and Dennis Schroder in assists (6.2).

broderick.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BA_Turner