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Robinson, Motley are making the most of their minutes with the LA Clippers

By Garrett Chorpenning

SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 20: Jerome Robinson #10 of the LA Clippers goes to the basket against the San Antonio Spurs on January 20, 2019 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 20: Jerome Robinson #10 of the LA Clippers goes to the basket against the San Antonio Spurs on January 20, 2019 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Jerome Robinson and Johnathan Motley are finally breaking into the LA Clippers’ rotation, and they’ve been making the most of their minutes.

Some of the LA Clippers’ youngest players are finally getting some run in the big leagues, and they’re showing why they belong up there, rather than down in the G-League.

Agua Caliente’s finest, Jerome Robinson and Johnathan Motley, have recently become regulars in LA’s rotation. And although they haven’t been putting up huge numbers, they’re getting more run than they’ve gotten all season.

Robinson in particular looks like a far more confident player than he was prior to finding his new place in the rotation. In his first eight career games in LA, which took place from late October to mid November, Robinson was playing roughly five minutes and scoring just under three points per game. In his last four games, he’s played 10 minutes per game while scoring 3.8 points.

Robinson has also shown off a little bit of his defensive ability since he’s been up with the Clippers, though some touchy fouls have kept him from playing extended time on either end of the floor. But his agility has helped him keep individual matchups tight, and he’s been able to draw a few charges as well. For a player that wasn’t expected to make much of an impact on that end of the floor, he’s looked very nice.

It isn’t likely that Robinson stays in the rotation once Danilo Gallinari returns, since his offense won’t be needed as much. Assuming the Clippers make some trades though, he could find himself back in before too long. Otherwise, we won’t see him playing big-time minutes until next season.

Motley, on the other hand, has been a consistent player in LA’s rotation since he was brought up at the beginning of the month.

In 65 total minutes of action with the Clippers, Motley has recorded 48 points, 17 rebounds, and four assists while shooting 51 percent from the floor. His Per 36 numbers (26.6 points, 9.4 rebounds) are almost identical to his normal averages in the G-League this season (25.6 points, 10.9 rebounds), which is a great sign of how well he’s adjusting to life in the big leagues.

He’s been most effective when he plays alongside Patrick Beverley and Tobias Harris, posting a ridiculous point differential of 54.2 per 100 possessions. It’s a very small sample size, but still, it shows us that he’s played his best when he’s on the floor with some of LA’s best performers.

The duo should get some more run this Friday against the Chicago Bulls, but since Gallinari is expected to return on Sunday when LA hosts Sacramento, their minutes will probably be slashed after that.

Next. Avery Bradley deserves praise for his recent stretch. dark

For the time being, let’s all enjoy our glimpse at the potential future of the LA Clippers — it probably isn’t going to last long.

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