CLIPPERS NOTEBOOK: CLIPS' GUARD GLUT `GOOD'.

Byline: Joe Stevens Staff Writer

One of Alvin Gentry's favorite lines about the Clippers' shooting-guard dilemma is this: ``Coaches don't determine playing time. Players determine playing time.''

Another is this: ``It's a good problem to have.''

As the Clippers finished their exhibition schedule, it was obvious one of their ongoing minidramas will involve the playing time of the shooting guards. It's not too pressing an issue, though, because the players in question - Eric Piatkowski, Quentin Richardson and Corey Maggette - all have been performing well.

``We are going to have to sell our guys on the fact that sometimes Quentin will play a lot of minutes, and other times Corey will play a lot of minutes,'' Gentry said. ``When you're a deep team, you are going to have to go with the hot hand on any given night.''

Gentry has been more prone to use Maggette at small forward. So in Tuesday's exhibition victory over Phoenix, Maggette played just 15 minutes, and the other small forward, Lamar Odom, played 33. Piatkowski (23 minutes) and Richardson (25 minutes) split time at shooting guard.

One thing that was confirmed during the course of the Clippers' exhibition schedule was that Richardson definitely will be in the rotation. Richardson had a productive offseason - he's improved his shot selection - and the coaching staff lauds his development.

``I was ecstatic how Quentin Richardson played,'' Gentry said. ``What you saw (against the Suns) is how he's played all camp. So once again, we're caught in the situation with a lot of guys at that position.''

--No Dooling duel: Although Gentry tried to use a rotation against Phoenix similar to the one he will use in the regular season, there were aberrations. Keyon Dooling ended up with more playing time than Jeff McInnis, but that won't be the rule.

Guarding Stephon Marbury, McInnis ran into early foul trouble and had an off-night shooting.

``We need Jeff McInnis,'' Gentry said. ``I was ecstatic how Keyon played, but Jeff is the guy that runs our offense.''

--Decision on hold: The Clippers opted not to make the final decision on which free agent they'll keep as an injured-reserve player. Their plan is to make the decision close to the NBA's Oct. 29 deadline to set rosters. The final slot appears to be a battle between forwards Obinna Ekezie and Harold Jamison.