LOS ANGELES – The L.A. Clippers have the tough task of playing against the slowest and arguably the most disciplined team in the Utah Jazz this postseason. And they'll have to do it, at least for the first couple games, without one of their best bench players of the season in Austin Rivers.
Rivers has missed the last two and a half weeks with a left hamstring strain he suffered against the Washington Wizards. Surprisingly, the Clippers have survived to win seven straight games to close out the regular season, all without Rivers, and take hold of home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Clipper players are amped and ready to go, but so is Rivers despite his inability to play.
“It sucks because I would like to play tonight,” revealed Rivers. “I'm seeing all these other guys play tonight in Game 1, I'm really anxious right now. I can only do so much, but I'm gonna cheer my teammates on. These are two big games man. Taking care of home court advantage is crucial.”
Rivers was ruled out for the remainder of the regular season not long after suffering the injury, but said he's still targeting Game 3 of the seven-game series as his return date.
“Yeah,” answered Rivers when asked about his Game 3 target. “Luckily, we have a lot of space in between games. We don't play Game 3 until Friday. So either Game 3 or 4. It'll be Friday or Sunday. so that's a good week that I have to get ready.”
As Rivers noted, the Clippers play just two games in six days, both at home, before flying to Utah to for the road Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday. Those extra days off will certainly help him get re-acclimated to intense basketball.
“I haven't been able to do much so far,” said Rivers. Today (Saturday) was the first day I've been on the court running at an okay pace, up and down, doing all kinds of different warm ups, dribbling up and down the floor. That's the first time I've been on the court and I felt good. I was hoping for nothing and it felt good today.
“I went on the court a couple days ago and it didn't go as I planned. It didn't good and they took me off. I waited a couple more days, a little more treatment. Today we tried it again and it worked, and then we went harder toward the end of the workout where I was running up and down the floor and it felt a lot better. I think a week should be enough time, it's just hamstrings are tricky so you just have to be careful, but I think a week should be enough time.”
Rivers averaged a career high 12 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists on 44.2% shooting this season. Against the Jazz, Rivers has been incredibly effective and efficient, putting up 15 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.8 three-pointers on 56.8% shooting from the field and 50% from beyond the arc.
The hardest part for the young Rivers? Trying not to rush back from such a delicate injury for what he calls the most fun time of the year.
“I'm trying not to [rush back], but everything is going against that. I want to come back right now. I keep telling them ‘I'm good! Can I shoot? Can I do a workout,' and they keep saying, ‘You can't do that.'
I've got people who are just thinking of me who are saying, “Take your time,” but I'm like, ‘Man its easy for people on the outside to say that. It's the playoffs! This is the most fun time to play as a player, this is where all the real players are playing, at this time of the year and that's where I wanna be at.”
Rivers will have the next couple of days, mostly at home in Los Angeles, to get some workouts and treatment in to try and prepare for Game 3 on Friday night. He wants to get out there
“It's a little bit annoying,” Rivers explained. “Actually, not a little bit. It's VERY annoying, I want to play.”
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