Team’s strategy helps players find harmony

PHOENIX — It’s all about sharing the basketball and not caring who scores, and that’s why the Clippers have found harmony this season.

It also helps that the Clippers have remained healthy.

They have five players scoring in double figures, led by forwards Tobias Harris (21.0) and Danilo Gallinari (18.8). Entering Monday’s game against the Phoenix Suns, the Clippers were sixth in the NBA in offensive efficiency (109.3), fourth in scoring (115.6), eighth in field-goal percentage (46.8%) and fourth in threepoint shooting (37.5%).

And perhaps more important, they are having fun being one of the surprise teams in the NBA.

“We do a good job of playing together, moving the ball, sharing the ball, playing with pace,” coach Doc Rivers said. “We’ve gotten away from advancing the ball. We’ve got to get back to that. And then we’ve got to get more stops in a row.”

Lineup changes

Even when Rivers has changed the starting lineup, it hasn’t affected the team’s performance.

Boban Marjanovic started his sixth game of the season Monday while fellow center Marcin Gortat has made 20 starts. Monday’s starting lineup also included rookie point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (17 starts) and shooting guard Avery Bradley (20). Point guard Pat Beverley has started 16 games but now he comes off the bench.

“It changes in the fact that Boban plays and starts and then Trez [Montrezl Harrell] backs up or Marcin doesn’t play that much,” Rivers said. “It depends on the game. Other than that, the only other position we changed a little bit is the guard position. Do we go with three guards or do we try to stay bigger?”

Evans with Suns

Former Clippers guard Jawun Evans signed a twoway contract with the Suns on Friday and was in uniform Monday. The Clippers waived Evans in October.

“Great guy,” Rivers said of Evans. “I’m happy for him. I thought he deserved to be in the league. I’m really happy that he just kept working at it. He’s going to find his way and he’s going to find his niche at some point.”

TONIGHT

VS. TORONTO When: 7:30. On the air: TV: Prime Ticket; Radio: 570, 1330. Update: The Raptors have the NBA’s best record (21-7) but have lost three of their last four games. Kawhi Leonard leads Toronto is scoring (26.1), rebounds (8.3) and steals (1.9).