Frahm could be third scoring option

Richie Frahm milled around his locker before Tuesday’s loss to the Toronto Raptors. But he isn’t quite ready to call it all his just yet.

When Frahm, who has been with the team less than a week, was asked if he had found a place to live, he responded that he hadn’t even looked. Frahm has briefly provided two things the Clippers had lacked recently, an outside threat and a third scorer to complement Corey Maggette and Chris Kaman. Making his first career start while Cuttino Mobley battled a stomach virus, Frahm made half his 10 shots for 13 points and collected five rebounds against Toronto.

“Richie did a nice job for us,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “He has picked up stuff well. Guys have learned to play well with him. We picked him up because we are struggling offensively and we need some shooting. He provides it.”

Frahm signed after the team waived forward Ruben Patterson last week.

Dunleavy said the team would like to keep the 15th roster spot open as insurance in case another point guard gets hurt. Frahm’s contract would become guaranteed next month.

“It’s important to have that third scorer every night,” Dunleavy said. “It doesn’t have to be the same guy every night, but you need to consistently have somebody. You’d love for somebody to be able to step up and do it every single night.

“But you’d be happy enough with somebody, based on a possible matchup on a given night, turning out to be that guy.”

It was a pivotal play, the Clippers down by two with 26 seconds remaining against the Raptors.

Jose Calderon, Toronto’s point guard, then drove the lane and converted a layup, essentially putting the game out of reach with nine seconds left. Brevin Knight, the Clippers’ top defensive point guard, watched from the bench.

“I thought about it,” Dunleavy said. “The only problem was I felt like I had [Knight] sitting there for so long that I’d hate for him to pull something at that point in time. I was kind of worried about that situation.”

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