![]() ![]() That type of playing time isn't sustainable for either player. And with backup center Marreese Speights sliding over to power forward to give Pierce a break, Jordan checked out of the game only when the Jazz were intentionally fouling. Rivers played 39-year-old Paul Pierce 18 minutes after halftime on Friday, more than Pierce played in all but two games during the regular season. Down two starters, the Clippers are going deep into their thin bench. When Griffin was out during the regular season, Rivers relied heavily on his son Austin, who has been sidelined since March 29 with a hamstring strain. The last issue for the Clippers going forward is depth. (Jordan also went to the free throw line before Utah started intentionally fouling.) Given Paul's dominance of the ball, the Jazz might consider trapping him on pick-and-rolls and forcing another Clipper to make a play now that Griffin isn't an option. While the Jazz had no answers for Paul in the pick-and-roll game during Game 3, they might try something different now that they know Griffin isn't involved going into the game.Īccording to NBA.com/Stats, Paul made all four field goals the Clippers scored during the final five minutes of Friday's game, and he attempted six of their seven shots. We've also yet to see how defenses might adjust to the Clippers' smaller lineups without Griffin given extra time to prepare. Playing either Griffin or Paul with reserves should give LA a better chance of creating efficient offense, limiting what has been the Clippers' biggest weakness in the postseason - seeing leads dwindle or deficits grow with the second unit on the court. First, it takes away the possibility of Clippers coach Doc Rivers staggering his two stars, something he's been reluctant to do in the past but had done early in this series. ![]() Griffin's absence might be felt more keenly during the playoffs for a few reasons. But in the 10 games they played with Paul and Jordan but not Griffin, they went 8-2 with a slightly better point differential adjusted for opponent quality and location than in games when both Paul and Griffin played. The Clippers went 3-7 in the 10 games they played with neither of their top two players, and went 5-6 when Griffin played and Paul did not they also lost a game when both Griffin and All-Star center DeAndre Jordan rested due to a back-to-back. The Clippers' All-Star point guard also missed seven games during that span with a hamstring strain and then sprained his thumb not long before Griffin's return, an injury that kept Paul out through the All-Star break. This season, Griffin's absence, after knee surgery in December, was complicated by concurrent injuries that Paul suffered. The win was a reminder of how effective the Clippers have been when they play small and spread the court anytime Griffin is absent for an extended period. That second half featured a virtuoso performance by Paul (10 assists and 34 points, 24?after halftime). ![]()
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