Post#70 » by Captain Ballmer » Tue Apr 16, 2024 6:55 am
Maybe they don't want to repeat last year so they preserving him.
Last season when calendar hit 2023, his minute restriction lifted;
January to April 2023, games played for each month 12, 9, 11, 4. Minutes per game 35.1, 37.9, 34.0, 37.3
Those heavy minute 36 games in 3,5 months took his knees in 2nd game of PHX series. We can say his body has like 35-40 piece of 36 mpg nba game for each run.
This season, he played first 27/27 games and missed the next 4 games with knee maintenance(coincidence?). Then he played the next 41/43 games and missed the final 8 games.
41 games > last season 36 games but per game minutes the load was pretty much the same. His condition level of knees is probably at where it was in the beginning of Phx series and due time to break down soon. So this 3 weeks of rest might be blessing in order for him to play another 25-30 game stretch he can be elite again.
Wishful thinking.
2023 Clippers W/L Count (51-31)
(Russ at bench 42-15)
without PG13 3-3
Without Kawhi 7-4
Without Russ 6-6