Elliott Teaford of the Los Angeles Times reports that Clippers? Center Michael Olowokandi is not ready. He was told to rest for two more weeks before testing his injured knee. This latest setback may jeopardize Olowokandi?s chances of being ready to play in the season?s opener.

"I'm very hopeful I'll be there for the first game," he said on Sunday night. "I've lost a half an inch of muscle [in his leg].... I'm confident it's something I can work with.... It's better to treat it before the season starts rather than during the 82-game schedule."

Olowokandi said he injured his knee while working out during the off-season. "That's all I did," he said. "I prepared for this season. I hardly took any time off.... I felt a little discomfort. Once training camp started, I thought I could fight it off."

An MRI exam indicated Olowokandi was suffering from bruised cartilage. He has been resting the knee and taking anti-inflammatory drugs.

The Clippers have been battling injuries all preseason. Olowokandi, power forward Elton Brand, top reserve Quentin Richardson, backup point guard Keyon Dooling, small forward Lamar Odom and first-round draft picks Melvin Ely and Chris Wilcox could not play Sunday against the Grizzlies.

Brand's status for the opener is uncertain after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Sept. 26, although he shot baskets for the second consecutive day. Richardson has a sprained right knee, Dooling and Odom sprained ankles. Ely has tendinitis in his left big toe and Wilcox a strained right quadriceps.

"I want to play healthy guys," Coach Alvin Gentry said. "We're not going to have anyone out there who's going to injure themselves [further]. We've got eight months of basketball, if we're lucky, ahead of us. Our whole thing is to get them healthy to the point where they can go out and play at a high level."