Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images

Grant Hill #33 of the Los Angeles Clippers goes to the basket past Rashard Lewis #9 of the Miami Heat during the pre-season game as part of the 2012 NBA China Games on October 13, 2012 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China.

Grant Hill is set to make his regular-season debut for the Los Angeles Clippers tonight.

The seven-time All-Star is expected to play limited minutes on Saturday against the Orlando Magic, his former team. Hill has missed 36 games with a bone bruise in his right knee. He hasn’t played since Oct. 13 when he had eight points and three rebounds in an exhibition game against Miami in Shanghai.

He’s been practicing for a week and coach Vinny Del Negro said Hill hasn’t had any setbacks.

Hill, an 18-year veteran, will be appearing in his 998th career NBA game.

The Clippers are still waiting to get Chauncey Billups back. He’s missed the last 19 games with tendinitis in his left foot.

Even without their two veterans, the Clippers are tied with Oklahoma City for the league’s best record at 28-8.

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Harry How/Getty Images

Blake Griffin #32 of the Los Angeles Clippers dunks during a 107-102 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on January 4, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.

Despite having assembled an All-Star team built to win the NBA Finals, the Lakers last night lost to by their local rival.

The high-flying Clippers lead by as much as 18 points in a game that was more of a blowout than the 107-102 final would imply.

Chris Paul finished with 30 points. He scored the last eight Clippers points of the game, finishing off the struggling Lakers in the final minutes.

To add insult to injury, at one point the Clippers had four former Lakers on the court (Lamar Odom, Matt Barnes, Caron Butler, and Ronny Turiaf), with Paul as their point guard. Clipper television announcers commented that the team had four-and-a-half former Lakers playing, referencing the controversial Paul trade to the Lakers that was squashed by NBA commissioner David Stern.

''Right now we're just focused on being one of the best teams in the league, not just the city,'' Odom told reporters after the game at Staples Center. ''Focus can't be just to be better than one team. Now we're trying to be great.''

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Manhattan Beach Police Dept.

Matt Barnes booking photo

Matt Barnes, the former Laker and current Clipper forward plead no contest Tuesday to being an unlicensed driver and resisting arrest, both misdemeanors, according to the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office.

The drama started in June when the journeyman scorer was originally charged with driving with a suspended license. On July 30, when Manhattan Beach police tried to arrest him on an outstanding warrant for that charge, he allegedly resisted.

The heavily tattooed Barnes, 32, was not present in court today when his plea of no contest to an amended unlicensed driver and resisting arrest was entered through his attorney. His lawyer produced proof that he had a valid license according to the D.A.

Judge Burt Pines sentenced the 6 foot 7 inch UCLA grad to two years summary probation, ordered to complete 30 hours of community service and instructed Barnes to attend counseling for three months. 

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Relive the glory and the rug burn of the red carpet and ceremony with a slideshow sampling of winning photos from Wednesday night's 2012 Espy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. 

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