Rubio wants Minnesota to stop using rash of injuries as excuse

Injury-ravaged Minnesota looked across the court and saw the Los Angeles Clippers — a team without MVP candidate Chris Paul due to injury. But without him the Clippers this week are 3-0 with road wins against Memphis, Houston before coming to Minnesota.

The Clippers just steamrolled the Timberwolves Thursday and made Minnesota’s complaining about injuries look like an excuse. Granted, the Clippers are the deepest team in the NBA — CP3 gets hurt and Eric Bledsoe comes in and plays better than most team’s starter — and the Minnesota injury list is extensive. Still, players in Minnesota seemed to have a built-in excuse for some sloppy play.

And that’s what Ricky Rubio told the Pioneer Press after the game — no more excuses.

“The players that are healthy have to step up and do a better job,” Rubio said. “We can’t say we’re playing bad because of the injuries. I don’t think that’s the way. In a way, be a man. Everybody has to step up and know his new role. We are here to win games and have fun, but I don’t think we’re having fun, and we’re going to change it.”

So, does he have another excuse for him shooting 22 percent since coming back from knee surgery?

It’s a nice sentiment, but the problem is just the volume of front-line injuries in Minnesota: Kevin Love (hand surgery, out 8-10 weeks), Chase Budinger (knee surgery), Brandon Roy (chronic knee issues), Josh Howard (released due to knee injury) and Malcolm Lee (knee surgery). Rubio himself is still on a minutes limit following ACL surgery (and is not himself yet on the court). Then on Thursday Nikola Pekovic had a bruised thigh and Alexey Shved rolled his ankle.

Minnesota is forced to rely on the guys that shouldn’t be getting this much run. Every team deals with injuries but every season there is a team or two whose season is undone by the volume of them. This year Minnesota seems to be that team.

You want someone in the locker room to step up and say “time to just play better, guys” that has to be the players’ attitude. It’s just not enough sometimes.