Chauncey Billups

It was a direct salvo from Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro directed toward his starters after Saturday's win over the Phoenix Suns. They had given up 31 points on 50% shooting in the first quarter to the Suns, not a good sign that they were locked in on defense early. "Our starters gave more energy on the offense and not as much defense, and that's what will beat you in this league," Del Negro said. "We've got to change that mentality as soon as possible because this game easily could have gone a different way. " Del Negro was asked if he had said that to his starters.

In many ways, Willie Green is the invisible one playing for the Clippers. Green was the starting shooting guard for the first 14 games of the season while Chauncey Billups rehabilitated from his left Achilles' tendon injury, then he didn't play in the next three games when Billups started, only to return to the starting lineup when Billups suffered tendinitis in his left foot. In each case Green seamlessly eased into his role. And he's just fine with that. "I like to be under the radar," said Green, who is averaging 6.2 points on 48.1% shooting, 42.9% on three-pointers this season.

When Chris Paul found out that Chauncey Billups is out indefinitely with an inflamed tendon in his left foot, Paul was frustrated. "Man, I was hurt to find that out because nobody loves to play the game of basketball probably as much as me and Chaunce," Paul said. Paul considers Billups a brother-type figure. When Billups suffered a torn Achilles tendon last February, an injury that kept him sidelined for nearly 10 months, Paul still sought Billups' advice from the bench.

Chauncey Billups will miss Wednesday's game against Dallas because of an inflamed tendon in his left foot. Billups said that the injury has nothing to do with the torn Achilles' tendon that kept him sidelined for nearly 10 months. "It has no relation to the Achilles at all," Billups said. "It's a peroneal tendon that's kind of below the ankle bone, not behind the Achilles. It's not related to it at all. " Billups said that there's no timeline for how long he will be sidelined with the injury.

Clippers guard Chauncey Billups didn't play Wednesday night because of what the team called "peroneal tendinitis" in his left foot. Billups and the Clippers said before the team played the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center that there was no timetable for his return. Billups said it's an "inflamed tendon" on the inside joint of the foot and that it's "not related" to the left Achilles' tendon injury that required surgery in February and sidelined him through the first 14 regular-season games.

Even Chauncey Billups had to admit that he has "accomplished every single thing" that any NBA player would want during a 15-year career. And yet Billups still pushed himself through the pain of 10 months of rehabilitation on his torn left Achilles' tendon so he could play basketball again. And when he returned to play Wednesday night for the Clippers for the first time since he was injured on Feb. 6 at Orlando, Billups said it was worth it all. "To be honest, this is what I do," Billups said after practice Friday.

The Clippers are struggling to find their way. Even with Chauncey Billups back starting after missing the first 14 games rehabilitating a torn left Achilles' tendon, the Clippers barely escaped the Minnesota Timberwolves, 101-95, Wednesday night at Staples Center. The Clippers broke a four-game losing streak behind 23 points and 11 assists from Chris Paul, who was eight for eight from the free-throw line, six for six in the final 30 seconds of the game. Billups finished with seven points and a big assist late in the game to DeAndre Jordan.

As Chauncey Billups walked down the hallway at Staples Center toward the Clippers' locker room, sweat dripping off his bald head, he had a smile on his face. Billups finally had been cleared to play, and now he was about to start at shooting guard against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night after coming back from surgery to repair a torn left Achilles' tendon. "Yeah, I'm good and ready to play," Billups said before the game. "I'm excited about this. " Billups then headed into the locker to get ready for his first game since Feb. 6, the day he was injured in Orlando.

When Eric Bledsoe was told that he has scored more points in his first 13 games this season than he did in the 40 regular-season games in which he played in 2011-12, the 6-foot-1 guard responded sheepishly. "I didn't know that," he said. Bledsoe scored 133 points in the first 13 games. He scored 132 points last season. "I'm in attack mode," Bledsoe said. "I think I'm the 'X' factor on this team. People don't really look for me to do much, so I just come in and I bring the energy.

When teams face the Clippers, they have to be careful with the basketball or they could wind up with a turnover. The Clippers are first in the NBA in steals, averaging 10.25 per game entering Saturday night's game. The Clippers have three players in the top 35 in the NBA in steals. Chris Paul is ranked sixth in the league, averaging 2.25 steals per game. Reserve guards Jamal Crawford (1.5) and Eric Bledsoe (1.5) are among the league leaders. "It starts with Chris, obviously," Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said.