Douglas Decides to Be Patient

Point guard Sherman Douglas sat out his fifth consecutive game Tuesday against Houston and is eligible to be activated from the injured list. Douglas, however, said don’t look for him to return to the lineup until he’s completely healthy from his left groin/quadriceps strain.

Douglas injured his groin on Feb. 16 against Vancouver. He missed one game and played nine games in a row before re-injuring his groin March 9 against the Lakers.

Douglas then missed six games before returning and playing 35 minutes at Toronto on March 19. He hobbled through much of the game and strained his quadriceps.

“I’m getting better but I’m not going to rush back until I’m ready,� Douglas said. “I don’t want to do like I did before.�

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Rookie center Michael Olowokandi got a chance to play against fellow Nigerian native Hakeem Olajuwon. The first time the Clippers played Houston, Olowokandi was on the injured list because of an ankle injury. He looked to Tuesday’s game as another learning lesson.

“Every time I go out on the court, I’m learning something new,� said Olowokandi, in only his fifth season playing organized basketball. “I’m always learning something, which makes it fun.�