Now Boarding for Tokyo

After closing out the U.S. portion of training camp Saturday at a health club in El Segundo, the Clippers are scheduled to fly this morning to Japan, where they’ll open the season Thursday against the Seattle SuperSonics near Tokyo.

It’s not their choice.

“All the way to Japan is not something you necessarily would choose to do,” said Coach Mike Dunleavy, undoubtedly dreading a 12-hour intercontinental flight that will deposit the Clippers in Japan on Monday afternoon, local time. “Somebody has to do it, and we’re doing it, so it’s fine.

“The team we’re playing has got to do the same thing. But I would say that just about any team in the league would say it’s a tough thing to do.”

The teams play again Saturday before flying home Sunday.

“It’s great for the NBA -- we have a lot of fans out there; we’ve got to put on a great show -- but it’s going to be a tough trip,” forward Elton Brand said. “Hopefully, we can bond as a team and get some wins.”

Guard Quentin Richardson was focused on gadgetry: “I want to go somewhere where they got all the electronics they don’t got here, so I can get some and then I can be hot stuff because I got stuff they ain’t got here.”

Forward Bobby Simmons was concerned about what he would be eating, but he seemed to be uninformed about the local cuisine.

“I don’t like Chinese food,” he said.

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Rookie Josh Moore and veterans Glen Rice, 36, and Olden Polynice, 38, are expected to start the season on the injured list, leaving centers Predrag Drobnjak, who turns 28 on Monday, and Wang Zhizhi, 26, as the only players on the active roster older than 25. Chris Wilcox, who turned 21 in August, is the Clippers’ youngest player.... Players on the injured list must sit out at least five games, so none of the Clippers could be activated before the Nov. 15 game against the Orlando Magic, giving Rice more than four weeks to rehabilitate a knee injury that was expected to sideline him for two. “He can’t even run up and down the floor yet,” Dunleavy said of the veteran swingman, who was injured Oct. 17.

Melvin Ely sat out practice after suffering a left shoulder injury in Friday night’s exhibition victory over the Golden State Warriors but predicted he would be ready to play on opening night.... Corey Maggette practiced after having his front teeth capped in the morning, the result of a Karl Malone forearm Thursday night that also left his nose swollen.... Said Dunleavy, after coaching twice last week against his son, Warrior forward Mike Dunleavy Jr.: “The first jumper that went down, I was happy for him. The second jumper that went down, I was sad for me.”