Clippers Tired of Waiting Game

The Hallway Series is on hold -- temporarily or indefinitely -- but the Clippers have another postseason appointment.

They’re scheduled to start a best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series Monday. Their opponent and the Game 1 site will be known tonight.

The Lakers and Phoenix Suns play Game 7 of their first-round series at US Airways Center in Phoenix, and the winner advances to face the Clippers, who have had a longer break than they would prefer.

Whether it’s a battle for L.A. or a showdown in the desert, the Clippers said they’re eager to get back to work.

“We’ve been waiting around for a while,” center Chris Kaman said after practice Friday.

The Clippers on Monday completed a first-round series victory in five games over the Denver Nuggets, so they’ll have seven days between games.

If the Suns win tonight, the Clippers would travel to Phoenix on Sunday. The Clippers would have home-court advantage over the Lakers, but the Clippers are accustomed to pro-Laker crowds at Staples Center.

“We’re all tired of waiting, especially for me, because I’m a young dude. I’m ready to hoop,” backup point guard Shaun Livingston said. “I don’t want to get out of flow and rhythm.... I’m just ready. I’m ready to move on and keep trying to win.”

Of course, the Clippers haven’t been on vacation this week.

Coach Mike Dunleavy canceled practice Tuesday, but the Clippers returned to the court Wednesday and have “been practicing pretty hard,” Livingston said.

When the Lakers held a 3-1 advantage over the Suns, Dunleavy prepared more for the Lakers, focusing on guard Kobe Bryant, who averaged 40.8 points against the Clippers this season.

How have things changed since the Suns tied the series?

“I’ve been playing catch-up,” Dunleavy said.

The Clippers, who have watched the series closely, said they wouldn’t miss a second of Game 7.

“Everybody has been watching the series,” Livingston said. “It’s exciting either way for us, whoever wins.

“Obviously, if the Lakers win, it’s going to be a lot more exciting because of all the circumstances and everything. We just want to get going.”

As it turned out, some players have benefited from the long break.

Backup center Zeljko Rebraca, sidelined most of the season because of heart and conditioning problems, experienced chest pains and lightheadedness recently. He returned to practice Friday, participated in non-contact drills and said he expected to play in the conference semifinals.

Forward Vladimir Radmanovic suffered a minor knee injury earlier in the week and sat out practice Friday.

“If you gave me my choice, I would have rather played [tonight]. That would have been ideal,” Dunleavy said. “Now, with some of the guys we’ve had banged up, I think [the extra time] has been needed for us.”

What about the “rust” factor?

The Clippers were sharp in defeating the Nuggets, and practice isn’t the same as a playoff game in a sold-out arena.

“You get a little rusty,” Kaman said. “The first game is probably going to be a little rough for us the first few minutes.”