What Popovich did vs the Lakers is a common coaching strategy. You play your starters and bench their regular rotation minutes in the 1st half, challenge them to win the first half, then you sit and rest the main starters, and tweak and experiment with bench in the second half. So, everything normal for 1st half,,,and Kawliflower, LMA, etc played 17 minutes. You do this vs spread the 17 minutes across the whole game, because it keeps all rotations normal, as continued practice...for 1 half. MDA is continuing to tweak with bench and Lou's time on the court. To this day, he's still rolling out more plays for Lou. That's best achieved using Pop's approach to playing the 1st Half with normal rotations. This has been mentioned by MDA and Bev in pre-game and post-game interviews of Denver.
All 12 players on the active roster should play exactly 20.8 minutes each in staggered 4 minute bursts.
Stay in rhythm! We're one week away from the Playoffs, so you can't allow your key players to lose their touch. I don't expect a lot resistance from Detroit, Sacramento or Minnesota and probably not from the Clippers either. So the best way is to reduce the minutes of Harden, Ariza and Beverley a little bit (around 30) and play Troy Williams and Montrezl Harrell a little more.
Ryan Anderson will start tonight but play only 15 minutes after being out 2 weeks with a sprained ankle Mike D'Antoni says he'll try to limit his starters' minutes over next 4 games. When asked if that also includes James Harden, Mike laughed Mike D'Antoni says Ryan Anderson will play 15 minutes in the first half tonight and that's it. Eric Gordon will sit 1 of the 2 games Source D'Antoni said Eric Gordon likely to sit out either Sunday or Monday, reduce minutes of others in some remaining games. Beverley, Harden want to play remaining games since there are no more practice days. Source MDA said James Harden and Pat Beverley will play every game as long as he's healthy. MDA said he will reduce the minutes of some starters in consultation with the team trainers and doctors. Source
I'm conflicted. Obviously hope were healthy and at full strength going into the playoffs, but you also know how badly Harden wants MVP. And honestly I want it for him. If he wants to ball out these last few games to try and earn it, I don't have a problem with it. He has proven to be durable and has earned our trust. I do worry about Gordon and others though. We've been somewhat lucky with health so far this season and this is the absolute last time you want to risk jinxing that.
