You want the good news first?
The retooled Clippers are showing themselves to be a reasonably effective offensive squad. They’re working themselves a lot of high-percentage shots inside of 15 feet, even against a good interior defensive team like Houston. You see it at the outset of the 2nd quarter [11:23] with the solid pin-down action for Zach Randolph along the right baseline. By the time Chuck Hayes recovers, Randolph is launching an easy 8-footer. Al Thornton shoots 11-20 from the floor, and goes berserk in the third quarter. He delivers a devastating first step against Ron Artest, blows past him with an explosive left-handed baseline drive [3rd, 0:47.3], ultimately banking in a layup off the glass on his way down…and draws the foul. Al has also emerged as the team’s best finisher in transition.
Unfortunately — and this is a team-wide affliction — Al earns only 3 FTAs to accompany his 20 FGAs. Randolph attempts only five. In 96 minutes, the Clippers’ four guards combine for two FTAs. The Clippers are 28th in the league in FTA/game, and 29th in FT percentage. This is a problem that can be mitigated with extra shots generated from the offensive glass, but the Clippers aren’t helping themselves there, either: Their ORR is only 26.3, better than it’s been, but still not good enough.
Defensively, the Clippers are a mess. It’s as bad as anything we’ve seen during the Dunleavy era and, truthfully, since Brand’s arrival in 2001. Can some of the ill effects be attributed to a lack of familiarity with one another? Absolutely. But the overriding issues are more basic: The Clippers are a collection of mediocre-to-lousy individual defenders which, though it sounds fatal, can actually be overcome with help. But the Clippers help defense is staggered, sloppy, and illogical. If you’re Baron Davis, you don’t need to leave Rafer Alston to double Ron Artest [3rd, 10:47], particualrly since [a] Thornton is actually getting the job done. [b] There are two additional interior defenders between Artest and the rim. And even if you’re Baron Davis and you reason that Artest is working himself an unconscionably simple shot, you have to see that Artest’s easiest pass out of the double-team is to your guy, Alston, and that there’s absoultely no Clipper in close proximity to rotate onto Alston if Artest indeed chooses to pass out.
Baron Davis shouldn’t be singled out — the video is littered with segments like this perpetrated by every starter — but if you want to understand how a team gives up 46 3PAs in 27 hours, this gives you an idea.
12 Responses
hey Kevin I posted the Efficiency Rankings upon 2008-09 Clippers statistics our main problem now is defense and production upon the backcourt. I think getting rid of Kaman would be a mistake unless we get like a Hinrich, Gooden, Gordon, or Richardson in Return. We definitely need to address our backcourt issues. Last night I listened to it and they said the reason why they keep losing because young players like Gordon, P.Davis, R.Davis, Taylor, Jordan, Hart, Novak just do not know how to win games yet. I do not know if he is using that as an excuse or not. I mainly think his time is up and needs to become a GM and give a head coach an opportunity to get on the young players because they are not doing their jobs well enough to become efficient as they come.
Posted on December 4th, 2008 at 7:05 am
WHY IS EVERY OTHER COACH WHOSE TEAM IS TANKING AFTER 17 GAMES GETTING FIRED AND NOT DUNLEAVY????????? Sam Mitchell, Coach of the Year in 06-07 gets let go… it seems every other owner/GM sees the writing pretty quickly and makes a change… I’m so sick to my stomach with this season already… ugh
Posted on December 4th, 2008 at 7:33 am
Eric Gordon made only 7 attempts(made 4/10pts.) He needs to open up his offensive arsenal in order to make Randolph more forceful low down. We had the means to score 110pts. last nite. To win each game we must score 110 or more. Without Gordon’s contribution we can’t score 110.
If Eric Gordon becomes a threat, that will open up easy opportunities for Randolph, Thornton & Camby(even Kaman). Right now Clippers are not using Gordon effectively. Until they cover all their bases, loss at the end is going to repeat itself.
And don’t play STEVE NOVAK 9 minutes(mostly 4th qrt) if you REALLY want to win.
Chris. Reply:
December 4th, 2008 at 9:13 am
Unfortunately no top teams rely on a rookie starting at shooting guard to score as many points as we need Gordon to score. I agree that he will be a star, but unfortunately with Ricky Davis sucking taint and Mobley gone, this will be a long season at shooting guard. I’m all for a Kaman for Ben Gordon trade. We have 3 people with the last name of Davis, why not two with the last name of Gordon.
Eric Gordon needs to shoot more Reply:
December 4th, 2008 at 10:15 am
WOW, we are a top team in the league! Good to know.
Posted on December 4th, 2008 at 8:21 am
If we keep doing bad like this we need to try to get the #1 pick in the NBA Draft. Team chemistry has been a main issue on our second unit so far this season because Mike Taylor has not developed into an effective player efficiently.
Posted on December 4th, 2008 at 11:08 am
wow…. i feel bad for the guys who write the captions at Clippers.com.
Latest headline? you wont believe it…
“CLIPPERS CONTINUE COMPETITIVE STREAK”
that’s one of those backhanded complements you tell a girl. “you look pretty today, what happened?”
this season is a disaster! i hate ricky davis! (sorry i needed a scapegoat).
Posted on December 4th, 2008 at 11:55 am
I just heard this it’s a rumor there is a coach out there that wants to coach the Clippers from Rome it’s Burning on ESPN
Posted on December 4th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
The real problem is that Ricky Davis has not been himself. Theoretically a great off season pick-up he’s been MIA and can’t seem to get it together. As the veteran backup to Gordon and Thornton he should have been almost perfect.
Mardy Collins seems to have inherited the Quentin Ross can’t score seat on the bench which is a waste. We already have Jason Hart who doesn’t score and who leads this years team in being missused by Dunleavy. At least Dunleavy uses Taylor. The last few games I do sense the traditional Dunleavy missuse of roookies beneath the performances of Taylor and Gordon.
Posted on December 4th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
EJ’s production has been down a bit bc ZBO never ever ever looks to pass out of the post. It’s the 1st thing i noticed about him when i watched the Miami game. He is literally a black hole! That’s not to say that he’s playing poorly, or doing major damage to the team, but it’s clear that with ZBOs arrival EJ is just going to be a spot up shooter.
Posted on December 4th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Our bench is terrible. Paul Davis, Jason Hart, Steve Novak and Brian Skinner aren’t NBA players. Ricky Davis is done. Jordan and Taylor aren’t ready yet.
That’s 8 guys on our roster that would not get playing time (or much playing time anyways) on a legitimate playoff team.
No depth, zero chemisty, bad coaching, a collection of bad defenders and a history of losing all adds up to a long, long season.
Stian Reply:
December 5th, 2008 at 2:25 am
That’s total BS – Paul Davis, Novak, Skinner, and Hart are all legit NBA players but they are obviously not starters. Skinner and Hart have been in the league for years – that alone proves they are legit.
The problem is that Ricky Davis who has scored 13PPG or better every year has been MIA from day one. Add an extra 10, 12, 14 points from the SG/SF position and all of a sudden our bench scoring looks respectable. Ricky may be done for good – we’ll see when he comes back. If it’s still not working he needs to be bought out and we need to look for another backup or trade either Skinner or Davis3 for a wing.
Also, when Kaman comes back and he is used off the bench he will open thing up for shooters like Novak who needs to see more PT in a situation like that.
This season is likely lost as far as making the playoffs goes but it’ll serve us well to really find out who/what works for the future.
Posted on December 5th, 2008 at 1:49 am
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