Clippings: The evolution of the small lineup

Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty ImagesAt the start of the season, Ty Lue and the Clippers only went small out of desperation. All of their bigs were healthy while they dealt with intermittent absences on the perimeter, so small lineups would get the rotation out of whack. Lue wanted the Clippers to have the option to play small, but they didn’t have the bodies or the practice time.

Now that the team’s perimeter players are once again available, small lineups have become more routine for the Clippers. They closed against the Jazz and the Nets with the small lineup and have sprinkled it in elsewhere, like in Minnesota. Even as the Clippers had some difficulty early on playing small, Lue…