Reserves Seen as the Difference

SANTA BARBARA — With the addition of guards Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley, the Clippers believe their starting five should be among the NBA’s best.

“Oh, yeah, man, just look at the guys we’ve got,” Cassell said Tuesday after practice at Santa Barbara City College. “We can play with anybody.”

Their second unit, though, seemingly isn’t as strong as the NBA’s best benches, and that could affect the team’s postseason hopes.

The Clippers went 37-45 in 2004-05, good for third place in the Western Conference’s Pacific Division, and Coach Mike Dunleavy figures the team probably needs “at least another eight- or nine-game improvement to make the playoffs. I don’t think you make it in the West unless you win 45 games or so.”

Forward Elton Brand is among the game’s most consistent players, forward Corey Maggette had personal bests with averages of 22.2 points and six rebounds last season, and 7-foot center Chris Kaman is skilled.

Cassell, a productive clutch shooter for many seasons, helped the Houston Rockets win consecutive NBA championships early in his career, and Mobley, who also has playoff experience, ranked third in the NBA in three-point shooting accuracy.

Beginning training camp, guard Shaun Livingston, 7-foot center Zeljko Rebraca and forward Chris Wilcox were the top reserves.

The Clippers plan for the 6-7 Livingston, sidelined 52 games in his rookie season because of knee and shoulder injuries, to play a prominent role.

Dunleavy expected the reserves to benefit from Livingston’s knowledge, passing and vision, but Wilcox’s performance could be the key because the Clippers prefer to establish things inside first.

The 6-10 Wilcox has not been the consistent force the Clippers hoped for when they selected him in the first round -- eighth overall -- in 2002. Effort is the key to minutes in Dunleavy’s system, so the Clippers need more rebounds and better defense from Wilcox.

Forward Walter McCarty could be a wild card.

If the 6-10 McCarty, who has shot 35% on three-pointers in his career, could defend against forwards on the perimeter, Dunleavy could play Rebraca, Wilcox and McCarty on the same unit, and McCarty’s long-range shooting could help to create other scoring opportunities.

“We’re going to see what he can do there,” Dunleavy said.

And the Clippers are going to watch their bench closely.

*

NBA Entertainment will broadcast from Clipper camp Thursday at 4 p.m. on NBA TV. This will be one stop on NBA Entertainment’s tour of training camps. ... There were no major injuries from the first two sessions of camp.