Resting players is new normal

Sitting players out of regular-season games for rest, a standard NBA practice these days, is laughable to prior-generation superstars Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing.

Hall of Famers Jordan, who now owns the Charlotte Hornets, and Ewing, the Hornets’ associate head coach, have said as much to coach Steve Clifford — that they took pride in striving to play all 82 games, even as they prepared for potential long playoff runs.

Being of Jordan’s and Ewing’s generation, Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers gets that point of view. But rather than take a “back in my day” attitude, Rivers has adapted to the times and deferred to sleep and conditioning experts.

“I don’t talk to any of the ex-players about rest because they kill me. They don’t want to hear it. We were programmed differently,” said Rivers, who played 13 NBA seasons at point guard.

“I played every minute. I was (ticked) when (Atlanta Hawks coach Mike) Fratello took me out. I wanted to play 48 minutes a night,” Rivers recalled.

“When I first got in the league (as an advance scout for the New York Knicks in 2000), everybody tried to play 82 games,” Clifford said. “(Resting players) definitely works for some teams. I understand, but I know, talking to Michael and Patrick, they don’t understand it.

“I’ve talked to trainers in this league who say rest is critical. I’ve heard other trainers who say you should train in the summer in a way to prepare yourself to play 82 times a year.”

Quote mark

■ Jim Barach of WCHS-TV in Charleston, W.Va., on NBA All-Star Weekend’s Taco Bell Skills Challenge: “What does that mean, spectators have to watch a power forward put together a chalupa?”

■ Reader Jim Corrigan, to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, on LeBron James’ No. 1 critic: “When will Charles Barkley become known around the NBA as the ‘Round Anchor of Rancor’”

Beal’s deal

Washington’s Bradley Beal shot 7 for 8 last week against the Thunder, drawing this compliment from his coach, Scott Brooks: “Certain guys, you can just see it. Once it leaves his hand, you know it’s going in. I don’t even know if he hit rim on any of his shots.”

Cuban amused

Mark Cuban says President Donald Trump’s tweet suggesting that the outspoken owner of the Mavericks wasn’t smart enough to be commander-in-chief “gave me a little giggles.”

A vocal supporter of Hillary Clinton during the campaign, Cuban said that he woke up a day earlier to Trump’s tweet, which read, “I know Mark Cuban well. He backed me big-time but I wasn’t interested in taking all of his calls. He’s not smart enough to run for president!”

Cuban retweeted it with an “Lol.” Speaking to reporters before a recent game, Cuban said he woke up thinking “there must be peace and harmony throughout the entire world because the president of the United States has chosen to wake up and tweet to me.”