Clippers’ bench a hospitable bunch so far

One of the biggest questions facing the Clippers entering the season was how their revamped bench would get along with several seemingly overlapping pieces.

There were signs in the opener that it could be a hospitable bunch.

Doc Rivers said that forward Lance Stephenson was standing and cheering the most on the bench despite not playing in the fourth quarter.

Guard Jamal Crawford then told Rivers to keep Paul Pierce in the game instead of Crawford in the final 2 1/2 minutes after Pierce had made the go-ahead basket.

“I actually took [Crawford] to the [scorer’s] table,” Rivers recalled, “and then Paul makes a shot and Jamal walks back and says, ‘I think we’re good.’ … All the role guys kind of did their thing.”

Moving up

Clippers point guard Chris Paul surpassed Hall of Famer Bob Cousy to move into 15th place on the NBA’s all-time assist list Wednesday.

With 6,961 assists entering the Clippers’ game Thursday against the Dallas Mavericks, Paul needed 134 to tie Tim Hardaway for 14th place.

Twitter: @latbbolch