Clippers still unsure about fifth starter

Seven months will pass before it’s known whether the Clippers can make it past the second round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

It will be only a few days until more immediate issues are resolved: Who will start at small forward in the season opener? Which player grabs the final roster spot?

Lance Stephenson started for the second consecutive time in the exhibition season Thursday night at Staples Center, though Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said it was not an indication that Stephenson would join known starters Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and J.J. Redick in the games that count.

Rivers seemed far less interested in the final piece of his starting lineup than those inquiring about it.

“It’s not about the starting unit, really,” Rivers said before the Clippers’ 115-109 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. “It’s about the team.”

Each of the three candidates for the last starting spot comes with advantages. Stephenson would give the starters a lockdown perimeter defender to pair with Paul. Wesley Johnson is a decent three-point shooter who could help with spacing. Paul Pierce is a versatile veteran known for his clutch shooting, which he displayed against Portland by making four three-pointers in the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ wild comeback from a 35-point deficit.

Pierce figures to finish most games regardless of whether he starts. Rivers said Pierce’s minutes would stay the same as a starter or a reserve as the team tries to preserve the 38-year-old’s body for the playoffs.

Stephenson showed some of his upside in the second quarter against the Trail Blazers. He made a reverse layup and flung a pass to Jordan underneath the basket for a layup before accelerating past C.J. McCollum for a layup of his own.

Stephenson’s athleticism was on display in the third quarter when he elevated for a one-handed putback dunk. He finished with nine points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal, making the kind of all-around impact the Clippers hope to see regularly.

Rivers praised Stephenson’s willingness to eliminate his bad habits and “do right by this team.” Stephenson’s ballhandling has also pleased Rivers, with one exception.

“As long as it’s quick decisions and not the dancing,” Rivers said of Stephenson’s tendency for circular dribbling on the perimeter. “He’s gotten away from that. He’s gotten better.”

The other matter the Clippers need to settle is their 15th and final roster spot. They are obligated to carry only 13 players but signed 14 to guaranteed contracts and have kept veteran forwards Luc Mbah a Moute and Chuck Hayes with the team throughout the exhibition season.

The Clippers must finalize their roster by Monday, two days before they open the regular season at Sacramento.

Their exhibition finale came with a surprise ending after the Clippers gave up 45 points in the first quarter and 72 in the first half. A spirited comeback started by Griffin (22 points) and Redick (16) was finished by the Clippers’ reserves, who outplayed a group that included three Trail Blazers starters in the fourth quarter.

Pierce scored 14 of his 19 points during a final quarter in which the Clippers outscored Portland, 35-20.

Clippers reserve guard Jamal Crawford sat out the game because of a right triceps bruise suffered Wednesday in practice, but the injury is not considered serious and he is expected back soon.

As always, time will tell.

ben.bolch@latimes.com

Twitter: @latbbolch