To say this season has been a gauntlet is an understatement. The LA Clippers and every other team in the league have to feel like they have played a game every night during this season.
Between the constant games and the strict COVID-19 protocols that the league has in place, this has not been an easy season for anyone. Fans have seen the LA Clippers drop several games simply because they just did not have the energy needed.
It’s finally time for the LA Clippers to catch an easy part of their schedule and get some much-needed rest.
The Clippers have played 61 games entering Friday night’s contest against the Houston Rockets. While they have been lucky in that they haven’t had any postponed games due to COVID, the team still has had quite a daunting schedule. That schedule has led to a lot of players missing a lot of games. According to Spotrac:
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- 120 combined games have been missed by Clipper players due to injuries
- 9 games have been missed due to rest
- 6 games have been missed due to personal reasons
That’s a lot of games, especially considering that the majority of the games missed were by players that have an actual part of the rotation for the team. While the Clippers have persevered, for the most part, they need a break to try and get healthy.
Luckily, they are getting that now.
The Clippers only have one back-to-back left on their schedule which comes on May 13 and 14, two of their last three games of the season. Given that playoff seeding will likely be locked in at that point and that the second game comes against the Houston Rockets, it stands to reason that key guys won’t play in the second night.
To make matters even better, the remaining games we have are, on paper, easy. According to Tankathon, the LA Clippers have the 25th toughest strength of schedule remaining. If they can get away with more rest for their key guys, it’s only going to benefit them in the long term.
Sure, there’s the question about chemistry but with the season being the way it is, every team will be in the same boat when it comes to guys not having a lot of time on the court together. Luckily, when the Clippers have been healthy, they look great.
The team needs rest and finally, finally are going to get it.