Homework Benefits Jaric; Maggette to Have MRI Test

While sidelined for more than a month because of a stress fracture in his right foot, Marko Jaric studied video of the NBA’s top point guards.

“I wanted to watch a couple of the best guys in the league, how they do it,” the Clipper guard said Sunday, “and steal as much as possible.”

His opinion: “The two best point guards in the league are Jason Kidd and Steve Nash. I think they are great because they make all the team play better. They first think about the team and then about themselves. I don’t care about point guards that score 30 points and their team is last in the division or something like that. If you want to score 30 points, be a shooting guard or something else.”

The Clippers are 3-1 since Jaric returned last week. “It’s important for me that I see we’re winning games; when I see that as a point guard, that’s my biggest satisfaction,” he said. “My numbers right now can’t be at the right level because I’m limited in playing time, but I’m sure they’re going to come back.”

He has averaged 8.0 and 9.0 assists in 27.8 minutes a game while making 35.4% of his shots, 23% from beyond the three-point arc. His season averages: 34.4 minutes, 10.6 points, 6.8 assists and 39.8% shooting, 37.3% from outside the arc.

“Maybe my assists are up because I don’t feel very comfortable shooting right now,” said Jaric, who sat out 17 games. “I don’t feel 100% ready. My body’s not there, so I’m kind of trying to create much more for my teammates.”

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Corey Maggette is scheduled for an MRI exam today on his sprained joint near the left collarbone, the result of a blow to his left shoulder near the end of Friday’s loss to Portland. Maggette, also suffering from a sore left foot, sat out Saturday’s 96-85 victory over Golden State. Listed as sidelined indefinitely, Maggette is not expected to be out for a long period, Coach Mike Dunleavy said, unless today’s exam “shows something is cracked,” and “that’s not something that anybody is expecting.”

TONIGHT

vs. New York, 7:30, FSNW2

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- XTRA (690/1150).

Records -- Clippers 21-23, Knicks 18-25.

Record vs. Knicks -- 0-1.

Update -- The Clippers are 9-3 against the East and 14-6 against teams that currently have losing records, but they lost at New York, 110-96, in November. The Knicks are losers of eight of their last nine games. Former UCLA forward Trevor Ariza, averaging 5.4 points as a Knick rookie, was scheduled to have his jersey number retired today at Westchester High.

Tickets -- (800) 462-2849.