Williams: from couch to court

In a season of misadventures, the Clippers are down to signing their players’ friends to fill out the roster.

Needing a backup with point guard Shaun Livingston injured, they signed eight-year veteran Alvin Williams to a 10-day contract ... after hearing he was in town, staying at guard Cuttino Mobley’s home.

Williams played one game last season trying to come back from microfracture surgery on his right knee. This season he has been practicing with his college team, Villanova.

Luckily enough, the Clippers had worked him out on their recent East Coast trip, just in case.

“I worked out with the team in Washington on that long road trip and never heard back from them,” Williams said before Saturday’s game. “Sam Cassell came back and was playing well, so I just figured they were set at the point guard spot.”

So he came out for a visit and wound up back in the NBA, playing four minutes Saturday, although he said his conditioning could be better.

“As soon as my first wind went,” he said afterward, “that was it.”

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Memphis Coach Tony Barone said the Clippers were “more physical than you’d think.”

Because the Clippers used to have a reputation for being physical, this wasn’t altogether a compliment.

“Everybody who came through, that’s what they said -- boy, you guys are really physical and play hard,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “That’s all we were about last year. I’m hoping we get it back ... and I’m not sold yet.”

-- Mark Heisler