Austin Rivers is targeting the middle of a first-round playoff series as a realistic return date, relays Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Rivers is sidelined by a left hamstring strain that he suffered Wednesday against Washington. There’s no timetable for him to play again, but the general feeling is that he will be ready sometime in late April. “The goal was game one of the playoffs,” Rivers said, “but it’s looking like hopefully mid first round, early second round. We’ll see. You never know, I might heal faster than I think so. In my mind, my goal is to be back by the first round, for game one or game two, which is ideal. So, we’ll see.” The playoffs will start two weeks from today.
There’s more news out of Los Angeles:
- After becoming the first player to reach 10,000 points in a Clippers uniform, Blake Griffin wanted to focus more on the postseason than his future in L.A., writes Bill Oram of The Orange County Register. Griffin scored 36 today in a win over the Lakers, then brushed aside questions about free agency. “I’ve loved my time here, absolutely,” he said. “But my main focus right now is the season. I said this before the season, I’m not doing the whole free agency talk. I’m not talking about any decision I can’t make right now. Like I said, my main focus is getting this team right and moving forward and being right heading into the playoffs.”
- Also reaching a milestone today was coach Doc Rivers, who posted his 800th career victory, Oram notes in the same story. Those wins have come over 18 seasons with the Magic, Celtics and Clippers. “I’ve learned everything is a big deal,” Rivers said, “but you don’t have to sweat it all.”
- The Clippers are just 33-29 after a 14-2 start and there is concern that the core could be broken up this summer, writes Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times. With Griffin, Chris Paul and J.J. Redick all headed toward free agency, Plaschke thinks a significant playoff run will be needed to justify keeping the team together.
If Blake plays how hes been playing lately along with Paul and Redick I think they can win it all but we gotta wait and see how good Blake plays in the playoffs. If they don’t make the West Finals re-sign Paul but move Griffin for Melo, I like Paul’s chances playing with Melo who he would likely co-exist better with and Melo is exactly what the Clippers need to win because he is a go to scorer and he can just let CP3 lead.
what i don’t understand is the suggestion that the clippers are gonna have to decide whether to keep chris and blake. We don’t have any other options and we cannot let them go for nothing. So i just think writers gotta start realizing that
The thing is they are both older and looking for their last contract ……
Do you want to give Chris Paul that max deal for two hundred million dollars? And Blake Griffin will want close to that as well.
That’s a huge decision and a lot of money for guys that get hurt all the time
I would let them walk if they don’t make it past the first round and I think with their player option, they will walk anyway on their own.
Alright then what is the alternative? Become the laughing stock of American professional sports again? Easy to say let them walk, but I haven’t heard anyone suggest what they would do without them and where that would leave JJ Reddick who is also expiring
They are already the laughingstock for the last 30 years.
Remember, they’re the Clippers.
The alternative is to draft well over two or three years and sign two very good players or great players.
Not an older Max guy who’s on the wrong side of 30 and has an injury history. Clippers have two of those wanting several hundred million dollars.
Time to start over, its the best. Its happening to the Lakers as well.
Draft who with what picks? And who are these good or great players you think they should sign? Come on, don’t suggest that they do something else when you don’t even have an alternative plan
Also Blake Griffin just turned 28 and won’t be illegible to get 35% of the max. Try harder Gary