Clippers’ Jared Dudley gets platelet-rich plasma injection

Clippers forward Jared Dudley said he got a platelet-rich plasma injection to help alleviate the painful tendinitis in his right knee.

The procedure, known as PRP, takes a sample of the patient’s blood and spins it in a centrifuge for 15 minutes. It is then injected to accelerate tissue repair.

Though he’s hurting, Dudley hasn’t missed any of the Clippers’ 15 games. He is averaging 8.4 points per game on 48% shooting, with 38.5% (20 for 52) on three-pointers. He’s playing 27 minutes per game.

“I’m definitely not where I want to be,” Dudley said Sunday. “I really feel it more laterally moving and sometimes in the second half of games trying to bend my knee.”

But Dudley knows he is needed at the small forward position because backup Matt Barnes is out because of retina surgery on his left eye.

“My whole thing was that if I couldn’t hurt the team, I was going to try to keep playing,” Dudley said. “I knew Matt was hurt. At times it has been tough. Other times I felt good. So, it’s up and down.”

Bullock takes charge

The Clippers came out of a timeout Thursday when rookie small forward Reggie Bullock looked at Dudley and waved him off from guarding Oklahoma City All-Star forward Kevin Durant, one of the NBA’s best players.

It showed that Bullock was willing to take on the challenge of trying to defend Durant when the Clippers played at Oklahoma City.

Clippers Coach Doc Rivers recalled that moment and said he thought Bullock either really likes a challenge or “he’s not very smart.

“He should have … said, ‘Dudley, you take Durant.’ That’s what I would have done,” Rivers said, laughing. “I don’t know if I was … happy with that decision by either one of them. But, he [Bullock] is not going to back down.”

At 6 feet 7, Bullock has the ability to be a very good defender because of his length and quick feet, Rivers said.

Rivers also noted that players from big-time university basketball programs — Bullock attended North Carolina — usually have been “in huge games” and the “lights don’t scare them.”

With Barnes sidelined, Bullock is getting more playing time. He has played in 11 games and is averaging 8.5 minutes per game.

“I think Reggie is going to be a really good defender in our league,” Rivers said. “He’s gotten hurt a couple of times. He gets lost with the runners — chasing any of those guys is no fun for anybody. But he’s going to be a really good defender that can shoot. And that’s valuable in our league.”

Etc.

The Clippers didn’t practice Monday but will return to practice Tuesday. They play the New York Knicks at Staples Center on Wednesday night.

broderick.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BA_Turner