LOS ANGELES -- Clippers guard Chauncey Billups, who returned to the lineup two weeks ago from a torn left Achilles tendon that cost him most of last season, was back on the bench Wednesday night after he was scratched because of tendinitis in his left foot.
The injury is not related to the Achilles injury Billups sustained last season and spent the past nine months rehabilitating, coach Vinny Del Negro said.
Billups' return is day to day, but it's unlikely the veteran guard will play Saturday night when the team hosts the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center.
Willie Green, who started the first 14 games while Billups continued to rehab his Achlles injury, started against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.
Billups, who was bothered by back and calf injuries after returning to practice this season, said he was bothered by the foot even before he made his season debut Nov. 28 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. But he felt he needed closer examination after Monday's game against Utah in which he played 22 minutes and scored nine points.
"I couldn't push off my left foot," he said. "It was really weak. I couldn't explode off it, I couldn't cut. I was just getting through it. I felt like I should be better than this."
He underwent an MRI on Tuesday and was advised to rest, a diagnosis he opted to follow.
"I just kind of felt like I've worked way too hard to play hurt," he said. "The year is still early, and I knew that coming back I was dealing with a lot of other things in my body that were trying to catch up to speed and playing in real games. I think this is just part of the process."
