No. 15 – 11
No. 15: Griffin, W. Johnson, Jordan, Teodosic, Wallace (-10.9, 2-1)
This rotation started in three consecutive games, including Griffin’s last with the Clippers. However, instead of focusing on that, I’d like to pay a little more attention to Tyrone Wallace. This is the lowest-ranked starting unit that includes the G-League standout, who has burst on to the scene for this Clippers team. He averaged 12 points per game during this three-game stretch, including a 19-point, 6 rebound, 6 assist performance against New Orleans — joining Ben Simmons, Lonzo Ball, and Dennis Smith Jr. as the only rookies to put up those numbers in a single game this season.
No. 14: Beverley, Griffin, W. Johnson, Jordan, Rivers (-10.6, 0-2)
Like Wallace, this is the lowest you’ll see Beverley appear on this list. Unsurprisingly, the two times that he appeared in this rotation were the ones in which he went down with injury, versus the Spurs, and his comeback game against the Knicks nearly two weeks later, the last game he played before undergoing season-ending surgery. In those two games, Bev shot just 5-19 from the floor, and he was visibly off. The news that followed was a harsh blow, but fans knew something had to be up. For someone like Beverley to be that off his game requires something serious.
No. 13: Griffin, W. Johnson, Reed, Teodosic, Wallace (-6.7, 0-1)
Enter Willie Reed, who was something of an enigma with the LA Clippers this season. In his lone start with this group, he scored 8 and grabbed 3 rebounds in a loss to the Timberwolves, but posted the second-lowest plus-minus among the starters, behind only Wallace. He also had some efficient games off the bench early on, including when he went 6-6 from the floor against the Suns. Ultimately, his fate was decided in the Griffin deal, and what he does from this point on will be interesting to see. This isn’t the last time you’ll see his name appear in our rankings.
No. 12: Beverley, Gallinari, Griffin, Jordan, Rivers (1.7, 3-4)
We’re out of the darkness now, as every lineup from this point forward has a positive overall score. This rotation is actually the most frequent we’ve seen thus far, starting a total of seven games from Oct. 24 to Nov. 5. During that stretch, the Clippers played six home games, and faced off against three teams that currently qualify for the playoffs. This was back when Griffin was being viewed as a potential MVP candidate and the Clippers were atop the Western Conference standings after a 4-0 start — a mirror image of where the team sits now, right?
No. 11: Griffin, W. Johnson, Jordan, Teodosic, C. Williams (3.1, 1-1)
The presence of C.J. Williams has been understated this season. His numbers don’t show all of what he’s been able to accomplish on the floor this season, so I’m resorting to the eye test to tell you that the team just looks better when he’s playing. The 28-year-old rookie (that’s correct) has been an efficient scorer, and in this particular group, he averaged 12 points per contest.