LOS ANGELES – Can you blame the Clippers for being anxious to get away from downtown as soon as possible?
The schedule-maker struck again this weekend, and even by NBA standards, or the standards of the arena that the Clippers share with the Lakers and Kings, this was extreme: Back-to-back games tipped off within 22 hours of each other, from a 1 p.m. start Saturday to a noon game Sunday, with the “spring forward” aspect of Daylight Savings Time meaning even less rest.
Don’t you think somebody in the league office – somebody anywhere, actually – might have spotted a red flag?
Nope. So, less than a full day after beating Chicago Saturday, the Clippers tipped off against the Milwaukee Bucks with their top two stars, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, sitting out with, respectively, groin soreness and knee soreness. The result was probably predictable, a 124-117 loss in which Damian Lillard went for 35 points and 11 assists and Giannis Antetokounmpo 34 points and 10 assists.
It shouldn’t have been surprising that Kawhi and PG had the day off. Commissioner Adam Silver can complain about load management techniques, and the league can take steps to make sure its top players play as many games as possible … but at some point, shouldn’t player safety be a priority?
(And here’s a memo to prospective ticket-buyers: It is always wise to check for schedule patterns before deciding when to spend your hard-earned money. No 65-game minimum for postseason awards is going to change that, as long as back-to-backs exist.)
The remedy is in sight, at least, located at the corner of Century and Prairie in Inglewood. The Intuit Dome opens in a few months across the street from SoFi Stadium, and you can imagine the giddiness with which everyone from owner Steve Ballmer on down is anticipating the Clippers having a home of their own. And the bells and whistles that come with an ultra-modern facility will be nice, but the main advantage will be having some say in their…
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