Doc Rivers: Patrick Beverley's Minutes Restriction Won't be Lifted Soon
LA Clippers guard Patrick Beverley hasn't been getting his usual minutes on the floor since the team's second-round series with the Denver Nuggets began last week. The defensive-minded point is playing roughly 12 minutes per game right now as he eases his way back from a calf strain.
It's a heavy minutes restriction, and one that has left the Clippers looking less-than-stellar on the defensive side of the floor on more than a few occasions.
Unfortunately, his cap won't be lifted in the near future.
Ahead of tonight's contest, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said that Beverley's restriction won't be lifted anytime soon, though he could play a few more minutes in Game 3 — think somewhere around the 13-16 minute range.
It's still a bit surprising that Beverley isn't all the way there yet, as Rivers maintained for weeks that his injury was nothing serious. And while that may be true, the team seems to be taking extreme caution as he's worked back into the rotation.
The Nuggets have some injury concerns of their own, as star center Nikola Jokic is considered to be a game-time decision for tonight's contest.
The seven-footer injured his right wrist (his shooting hand) early in Game 2 and played through it, but he was in pain throughout the game. He's been listed as "questionable" since Sunday afternoon and kept that status through Monday morning.
The LA Clippers and Denver Nuggets will take the floor at 9:00 p.m. ET. The game will air on TNT.
