Rivers still sizing up his tall lineup
For Clippers coach Doc Rivers, the risk versus reward of starting a gigantic lineup made up of 6-foot-10 Danilo Gallinari and 6-9 Tobias Harris at forward and 7-3 Boban Marjanovic at center has yet to be determined.
Rivers used that lineup for the first time this season at Orlando and found some success in the victory. But in an NBA where small-ball is all the rage, he still wonders how his big guys can be an effective group.
“Don’t know yet,” Rivers said before the Clippers practiced Sunday at the team’s facility in Playa Vista. “It doesn’t change with the Gal and Tobias factor [because] it’s the same. Like, it doesn’t matter who you start with them.
“Every night a team has to decide who they are going to put on Gal or Tobias. Teams switch that a lot. They try to figure it out a lot. So that doesn’t change that dynamic at all. It makes us a bigger team having Boban in. It makes us another factor if he rolls, so that helps.”
The 290-pound Marjanovic, who had 10 points, 11 rebounds and two assists against the Magic on Friday, is as skilled as any big man in the NBA. He can score down low, deftly pass, block shots, set screens and run the offense from his position.
The multiskilled Harris had 21 points, seven rebounds and two assists against the Magic, and the all-around play of Gallinari netted him 13 points, two rebounds and three assists.
“As I said, I don’t know if I’m going to do that every night,” Rivers said about using the big lineup.
“I’m going to do it at times and we’ll just see. I like our five [center] as a revolving guy and we’re going to do that more and more.”
Essentially, Rivers said it’s smart to use their best players. He just happens to have a lot of size in the lineup that he’s not afraid to use.
“We’re not small,” Rivers said. “We’re big and so let’s not try to be small, know what I mean? We can play small. We can play Gal and Tobias at the five and the four [power forward]. I would rather have the versatility that we have than not having it. Some teams, the small lineups give them the advantage, where this team, our big team gives us the advantage and we should take advantage of it.”
On Monday, the Clippers will face a Minnesota team at Staples Center that starts 7-0 Karl-Anthony Towns at center and 6-9 Taj Gibson and 6-8 Andrew Wiggins at forward. Rivers was asked if he’ll stick with his big lineup of Gallinari, Harris and Marjanovic against Minnesota.
“Most likely,” Rivers said. “But we haven’t really talked about Minnesota yet. So I’m not sure.”
Gortat benched
Marcin Gortat had started the first eight games at center for the Clippers and his last 186 straight before he was replaced by Marjanovic. Rivers said Sunday that Gortat not starting and not even playing against Orlando was “not like a controversy or anything. I decided to start Boban.”
Rivers said obviously Gortat “wasn’t thrilled.”
TONIGHT
VS. MINNESOTA When: 7:30. On the air: TV: Prime Ticket; Radio: 570, 1330. Update: The Clippers are looking to break a six-game losing streak to the Timberwolves, L.A.’s longest active skid against a single opponent . ... Embattled guard Jimmy Butler, who began the season requesting a trade from Minnesota, leads the team in scoring (22.3). He also is the NBA leader in steals (2.64).