LOS ANGELES -- Can we start a point guard controversy in Los Angeles? It'll have to do in a city that hasn't had an NFL team in 16 years. Besides, Baron Davis versus Eric Bledsoe is much more fascinating than Chris Miller versus Chris Chandler, the QBs who split starts for the 1994 Rams.

What makes this compelling is that Davis is the Clippers' highest-paid player, with $13 million coming his way this season, yet at times he's been their greatest hindrance by clogging the offensive flow and shooting 32 percent.

Bledsoe is making $1.5 million on his rookie scale contract. Yet it was Bledsoe providing the energy and impact so noticeably absent in Davis' three starts this season, and it was Bledsoe leading the Clippers to their first victory of the season -- in convincing fashion -- over the Thunder.

Watching Bledsoe use his quickness to get to the basket or set up teammates, and even knock down the open jumper on his way to a stat line of 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting and eight assists, it was easy to forget about Davis, who was behind the Clippers bench sitting out his second consecutive game with a sore left knee.

Coach Vinny Del Negro isn't going to waffle like Andy Reid, though. He gave no indication that Davis wouldn't regain his spot in the starting lineup upon his return (which would be sooner rather than later if Davis knows what's good for him).

"We need our veteran guys," Del Negro said. "We need to get Baron back, get [Chris] Kaman and Blake [Griffin] playing at a high level. We need everybody."

They don't need a whole lot more out of Griffin, who stays in double-double territory and had 18 points and nine rebounds Wednesday. Kaman, the team's second-highest paid player, scored only four points, but it was not a night to dwell on the negatives for the Clippers.

While Bledsoe's night wasn't as electrifying (and didn't feature as many dance moves) as Kentucky teammate John Wall's home debut in Washington the night before, it did earn Bledsoe a standing ovation when he was removed with a minute left to play and the Clippers ahead by 17. He also drew compliments around the locker room.

"Tough point guard," Eric Gordon said. "I like how he plays. Very scrappy."

"He was the MVP of the game tonight," Griffin said. "The way he led us, the way he called plays. He was poised."

Not bad for a guy making his second NBA start. At least this time he had ample warning, as opposed to Monday night when he saw his name listed among the starters in the pregame locker room.

"Eric Bledsoe did a very nice job for us, pushing the tempo, creating shots," Del Negro said. "He rushed a few but you can deal with that. I liked his aggressiveness."

"If I play hard like that, that's what I can do," Bledsoe said.

The Clippers still face a difficult climb out of the Pacific Division cellar, with a four-game trip to Denver, Utah, New Orleans and San Antonio that begins Friday. But at least they know they have a viable option at an important position.

At the moment, the Clippers actually have fewer issues than the Thunder, who need to address their weak defense and dismal 3-point shooting (4-for-26 Wednesday and a league-worst 19 percent on the season) before we can rightfully consider them a threat to the Lakers.

The old saying for quarterbacks and catchers is that if you have two you're considering starting, then you really don't have any. For the Clippers, though, having another player to consider at point guard means they can stop worrying about when they're going to win their first game.

Dimes past: Oct. 27 | 28 | 29 | Nov. 1 | 2 | 3

Elias Sports Bureau

Jason Kidd scored only three points on 1-for-6 shooting from the floor (including 1-for-4 from 3-point range) but he handed out 12 assists in the Mavericks' one-point win at Denver. It was the 21st time in Kidd's career that he registered at least a dozen assists in a game in which he had no more than one field goal. It's the most such games for any player in NBA history. John Stockton did that 18 times (the second-highest total).

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