Vaught Is Feeling Better

Forward Loy Vaught, who played only 11 minutes in the Clippers’ 123-105 loss to Phoenix on Saturday and didn’t play at all at Sacramento last Friday because of a jammed right big toe, said Monday he feels much better and expects to increase his playing time tonight against the Grizzlies.

“It’s healing up,” Vaught said after practice at General Motors Place. “I’m moving better and it’s less painful as each day passes. I’m taking a lot of medication and I hope I can play more minutes.”

Coach Bill Fitch said Vaught was more mobile Monday but isn’t ready for regular duty. “He’s available again and every day he stays off it, the better it is,” Fitch said. “He was off it [Sunday] and it appears to have gotten much better today. . . . The other night he just couldn’t move the way he usually can. Now, he’s started running better.”

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Fitch was extremely unhappy with his team’s defense Saturday, and with good reason. The Clippers are giving up 104.8 points per game, third-worst in the NBA.

The Clippers are scoring 97.4 points per game, which ranks in the middle of the pack.