With Chris Paul out, Clippers still have lots of options on ballhandling front
Clippers guard Pablo Prigioni (9) puts up a shot as Pacers guard Rodney Stuckey (2) tries to block it from behind during the first half.
The usual progression doesn’t apply when Chris Paul is out of a game, because the Clippers cannot rely exclusively on their backup point guards for their ballhandling needs.
Power forward Blake Griffin can grab a rebound and start a fastbreak. Small forward Lance Stephenson can dribble on the perimeter, probing the defense for an opening. Shooting guard Jamal Crawford’s passing reflects that he was a starting point guard earlier in his career.
The Clippers’ versatility handling the ball makes them seemingly well outfitted to sustain the loss of Paul with inflamed rib cartilage for what Coach Doc Rivers said would be “a couple of games for sure.”
Paul sat out the Clippers’ game against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night at Staples Center, the fourth game he has missed this season because of injuries to his groin and his rib area.
Austin Rivers started in Paul’s spot, but he was hardly the only Clipper to bring the ball up the court, even among the starters. Griffin likes to initiate the offense whenever he can in transition, often putting teams in a vulnerable position.
“What he does is he forces guards to pick him up a lot of times,” Pacers Coach Frank Vogel said before the game, “so our bigs have to go and chase shooters around the perimeter.”
Austin Rivers said the Clippers’ ability to play at a fast pace no matter who’s on the court helps them persevere through injury absences.
“The good thing that we have going for us is the way we play, we get up and down,” Rivers said, “so whether Chris is playing or not, we’re going to get up and down, we’re going to score.”
Stephenson has taken his playmaking skills to another level in recent games, largely because his teammates have learned to maximize his unselfish style.
“Early in the year, Lance was breaking out and no one ran with him and I think what’s helped him is now they’re running with him and they’re finding out what Lance really wants to do is pass,” Doc Rivers said. “You tell a scorer that if you run you’ll get the ball, everybody starts to run and I think guys are running with Lance.”
Rivers said part of the reason he acquired Stephenson and backup point guard Pablo Prigioni was to give him the option to rest Paul a few games this season even if he wasn’t injured. Now using them heavily isn’t an alternative but a necessity.
The Clippers would much prefer to have their All-Star point guard available, of course, but all things considered they didn’t find themselves in a terrible spot.
“It’s just going to be a different challenge — not an easier challenge — with Chris Paul out,” Vogel said.
Character reference
Vogel said he vouched for Stephenson in a conversation with Rivers before the Clippers acquired Stephenson in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets.
“I love the kid,” Vogel said. “His image is inaccurate of not being a good locker-room guy and all that stuff. Our guys really liked him and our coaching staff really liked him.”
Twitter: @latbbolch
Get our high school sports newsletter
Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
