Clippers’ Cole Aldrich making the best of playing time

There was a stretch in which Cole Aldrich didn’t play in 11 consecutive games, his time with the Clippers relegating the 6-foot-11 center into one of the biggest cheerleaders in the NBA.

But Aldrich is playing now, and his production and activity has helped ease some of the Clippers’ burden after losing Blake Griffin (partially torn left quad tendon).

Aldrich has played in five consecutive games and he was at his best in the last two, which Griffin missed.

“Cole is playing terrific,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said at his team’s shoot-around Wednesday as it prepared to face the Charlotte Hornets.

In the last two games, Aldrich combined to score 21 points, grab nine rebounds, hand out five assists and block two shots.

“I thought he had been coming on, in watching him in our workouts,” Rivers said. “We probably thought we waited longer than we should have, really. I think Cole, when he started out in camp, I didn’t think he was in great shape. And I think he got into amazing shape. He’s been great.”

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