Doc Rivers says he’d like to give Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan a break

In the eyes of Clippers Coach Doc Rivers, if he had to choose any of his players who need some time off during this weekend’s All-Star break, it would be Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.

That’s because Griffin and Jordan are playing heavy minutes and could use the time to rest their bodies for the final 27 regular-season games and the playoffs.

Griffin leads the Clippers in minutes played, averaging 36 per game. That’s 21st in the NBA.

Jordan is averaging 35.9 minutes.

“Griffin and DJ have played the most minutes,” Rivers said. “So I would say both of those guys” need the time off.

The Clippers have four days off before they play Tuesday night against the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center.

But Griffin will be playing in the All-Star game Sunday.

“DJ, you never feel he’s tired, in a strange way,” Rivers said. “I don’t think I’ve [substituted] DJ maybe once or twice all year because I’ve said, ‘Wow, he’s out of breath.’ He looks like he’s never tired.

“But Blake at times, he’s getting beat up physically on the floor and he’s running at the pace that he’s running, so I would say that he would benefit the most from a break.”

Even though Griffin is 24 and Jordan is 25, Rivers would like to cut their minutes.

“I think age is an issue more than minutes,” Rivers said. “I think everybody is different. I think some guys handle minutes great and some guys don’t. I think you can visually see that. Even on our team, you can look on the floor and see who can handle 12 straight minutes. That’s what I think is far more important, personally.

“If I have to do something better this second half, it’ll be that. I don’t like the 12 minutes in a row thing, and we’ve done that with DJ at times and we do it with Blake almost every night. That’s something that we have to do a better job in this second half of this season.”

Green out because of hip injury

Willie Green said he has a “small tear” in the labrum of his right hip that kept him from playing Wednesday night against the Trail Blazers.

Green, who had an MRI exam Tuesday on his hip, said he hopes to heal over the All-Star break and be back ready to practice Monday.

“It sounds worse than what it is,” Green said. “But it’s common. It’s a small one, but I did something the last game to aggravate it.”

broderick.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BA_Turner