By the time the NBA playoffs roll around, teams usually have settled on a rotation of players that generally means eight players will go most nights.
The Clippers are going to stick with the kitchen sink approach after their reserves averaged 40.1 points per game this season, fourth-best in the league. The Clippers went 40-17 when their reserves outscored their opposing bench players.
That doesn’t necessarily mean Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will lose any playing time.
“I think we have a unique team,” Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. “We’ll stay with it the way we’ve been playing and if the players need a few more minutes — Chris and Blake’s minutes have been up a bit lately — but overall because of the beginning part of our season our bench was doing such a good job, their minutes were down. Hopefully that’s a benefit for us.
“I have confidence in all our guys. Grant Hill’s helped us win games, Ronny Trutiaf’s helped us win games, Willie Green’s helped us win games so I have no hesitation putting them in if I feel they can help us.”
By early in the second period, the Clippers had 10 of their players make it into the court. Green, Hill and Turiaf weren’t among them.
“You also have to keep a rotation and you have to understand the flow of the rotation is important,” Del Negro said. “I think we’ve gotten into a pretty good flow lately.”