The swingman comes into the game, and about a minute later he makes a three-pointer.
Of course, a former Clipper. This time it was the Memphis Grizzlies' Quinton Ross, who played four seasons for the Clippers.
Ross signed with Memphis as a free agent in the summer.
Despite a recent bout of plantar fasciitis, which kept him out of the last two games, Ross had five points and three rebounds in 23 minutes in the Grizzlies' 93-81 victory over the Clippers on Friday night.
The thought was that Ross might have been psyched up to play his former buddies. Then again . . .
"There's really not that many left, though," Ross said before the game. "[Chris] Kaman is at home. Cat [Mobley] is gone. Tim [Thomas]. Really it's the staff and a couple of kids, Al Thornton and Paul Davis."
He didn't want to discuss the circumstances of his departure, saying: "I don't know. It happened. I've moved on. It's Basketball."
Ross did later shake hands with Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy.
"We offered him a better deal than he wound up getting here," Dunleavy said. "But his guy turned it down. I don't know what happened. We offered him a guaranteed minimum contract."
Etc.
Zach Randolph disappeared during the morning shootaround, a victim of what appeared to be a stomach virus. At the team hotel later in the afternoon, he said he was feeling better.
Though he did have 21 points and five rebounds in 41-plus minutes, there were times he seemed affected by the illness, committing five turnovers.
--
lisa.dillman@latimes.com
--
Clippers tonight
AT MINNESOTA
Time: 5 PST.
Where: Target Center.
On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 830.
ecords: Clippers 3-16, Timberwolves 4-14.
Record vs. Timberwolves (2007-08): 1-3.
Update: The Clippers' next opponent isn't exactly carrying much momentum into this one, having lost four straight games, including getting blown out at New Jersey on Friday night. But carrying a losing streak didn't seem to hamper the Memphis Grizzlies against the Clippers on Friday. The Timberwolves' 113-84 loss to New Jersey was their worst defeat of the season. Veteran guard Mike Miller (sprained right ankle) was on the inactive list against the Nets.
-- Lisa Dillman
