He played rookies and end-of-the-bench youngsters for long stretches of games. In fact, he relied on them to keep the 2017-18 Clippers competitive.
Forced into something he has avoided mostly for the entirety of his previous 18 years as a head coach, it’s far too early to call it a trend.
So, as the offseason winds along, and a deep Clippers roster continues to take shape with a mix of veterans and youngsters, Rivers might want to do some self-reflecting. Because with the bevy of capable guards on the roster, it’s increasingly more likely that entering year No.