As the NBA season enters its eighth week, injuries have begun to mount. As usual, some teams have been hit much harder than others. The Chicago Bulls will once again be without Derrick Rose because of a season-ending knee injury, and the Milwaukee Bucks have seen several rotation players – Larry Sanders, Carlos Delfino, Zaza Pachulia and Brandon Knight – miss significant time.

The Los Angeles Clippers have avoided a catastrophic injury, but have had their continuity stunted by nagging injuries to a handful of players. Matt Barnes, J.J. Redick, Maalik Wayns and Reggie Bullock have all been sidelined with substantial issues.

“It’s just part of basketball,” Willie Green told RealGM. “Obviously, we don’t want to have any injuries but when guys go out and sacrifice their bodies it happens. We are faced with a few injuries now, but the good thing is that we have guys that can step up. We expect to continue to win games.”

Doc Rivers is thankful that Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan haven’t missed long stretches, but Barnes, Redick and Bullock are key to the team’s long-term success.

Those absences have forced the Clippers to increase Green’s minutes, while also signing Stephen Jackson to fill an active roster spot. After winning 12 of their first 17 games, Los Angeles has split eight games in the month of December.

“If anything, the injuries have hurt the timing and the rhythm of our team,” Green admitted. “It is an opportunity though for guys like myself to step up. You put a 15-man roster in place with the expectation that there are going to be a few injuries throughout the course of the season.”

Green, who played in just five of the team’s first 17 games, is averaging 22.4 minutes per game over the last eight. He has been pushed into the starting lineup seven times. He is shooting a career-low 30.6% from the field (he shot 46.1% in 2012-13) and a dreadful 25.8% from downtown.

“I’d rather our injuries happen earlier, like they have now, then later,” Green said when asked about the timing of it all. “Hopefully everyone will be healthy and at full strength going into the playoffs.”

The Clippers have been under the tutelage of Rivers for less than six months, but his reputation as a player’s coach is already paying dividends. The coach has kept the lines of communication with his players open as playing time has shifted.

“Doc is a great communicator,” Green said. “He talks to everybody about their roles and what he expects us to do on the basketball court.”

Jackson, who debuted with the Clippers last Wednesday in Boston, finds himself back on an NBA roster almost solely because of the team’s injury woes.

“I wasn’t just sitting at home, watching television and eating popcorn,” Jackson told RealGM. “I was working out, keeping the faith that something good would happen.”

Jackson can do a little bit of everything for the Clippers, but will be counted on mainly to defend and be ready whenever Rivers has to lean on him.

“It was a great pickup. We all know Jack can score; he’s a good defender,” Green said of his new teammate. “He’s an enforcer as well. We need all of those attributes right now. He’s a veteran, knows how to play the game.”

The Clippers have been able to tread water through their first 25 games, sitting fourth in the tough Western Conference heading into Monday night. They figure to only get better once Barnes and Redick return.

Barnes has only played in eight games and Redick was struggling from downtown (35.9%, down from 38.8% for his career) before suffering a broken hand. They haven’t had the worst injury luck in the NBA this season, but among those with championship aspirations the Clippers have dealt with a lot.

“We haven’t really had a full group yet because Matt Barnes really hasn’t played yet,” Jamal Crawford told RealGM. “When we get our whole team back, we like our chances against anyone.”

Speaking with four members of the Clippers last week in Boston, to a man they shrugged off excuses or adopting a ‘woe is me’ attitude. Injuries are a part of the NBA and good teams prepare for the eventuality.

“It’s part of the process,” Crawford explained. “Every team goes through injuries and stuff like that. Hopefully we get those guys back and implement them in with what we’ve done to keep it all together.”