Want to achieve posterity at the Elias Sports Bureau? Here’s a formula for you:
Schedule back-to-back games against a team whose frontcourt consists of Shaquille O’Neal and Amare Stoudemire. Suit up only one big man — a 20-year-old rookie drafted in the second round.
Go.
Whatever overarching philosophy the Phoenix Suns are employing during their Gentry Reboot, it runs second tonight to a single offensive goal — abuse the Stoudemire-Thornton mismatch unmercifully.
In the game’s first six minutes, Stoudemire beats an undersized Thornton…
- In the left post with a running right-handed hook over his left shoulder [1st, 10:24]
- On a pretty S/R with Steve Nash, where Amare slips the screen, splits the defenders, then catches a pinpoint bounce pass from Nash en route to the hole, before going up for the slam [1st, 9:42]
- Again in the left post — this time with a baseline spin and nifty seal for a layup attempt that misses. Amare collects the ball and throws in the hook. [1st, 9:02]
- On a deep pick and roll — this time with Grant Hill — where Amare gets under the defenders, catches the easy lob pass from Hill, then slams it home. [1st, 8:35]
- Working off the dribble from left elbow, aided by a solid screen from Steve Nash [1st, 6:33]
You can’t really fault Al, or the help, or the coaching even. This is a cosmic loss. Al does the only thing he can do — try to cancel out Stoudemire on the other end. Thornton leads all scores in the first quarter with 14 on a whopping 13 shots and a pair of FTs. Most of the jump shots are fairly clean looks.
In fact, the Clippers have one of their better offensive games of the year, even before temps d’ordures. They turn the ball over only seven times. Eric Gordon works his way to the line for 13 attempts, turning a 5-12 night from the field into an efficient outing [64.9% TS]. The six dimes, five boards, and only one turnover are nice to see.
Ultimately, the Clippers allow that Stoudemire-Thornton mismatch — and their size disadvantage in general — to bleed into every facet of their defensive game. They’re so worried about Stoudemire at every moment that they begin to slough off the perimeter out of fear of getting beat inside, or they intuitively cheat a step toward Amare, even with Steve Nash coming down the lane at full speed. The Clippers are completely outmatched in the paint, even when they exert 100% effort. DeAndre Jordan deserves an attendance award just for showing up.
At least it won’t be forgotten.
[Image courtesy of ESPN.com]
14 Responses
It was tough b/c the guys on the floor were trying, just to big for the clips. Well, Baron didn’t look like he cared
Posted on February 19th, 2009 at 7:27 am
Trade Baron. He is dogging it. Looks like Andre Miller from his lost Clips year. What’s the point? Get him to a team that wants him – the Rockets – and let us get something back for the future. This year is so over.
Posted on February 19th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Baron has no heart and will continue to sour the young guys. the young guys could be the next portland. we just need to make sure that we gather QUALITY players with a will to win regardless of the situation. the real qualities of a person show when the chips are down and Baron qualities STINK! It would be hard to find someone to take him after his performance this year.
Posted on February 19th, 2009 at 9:24 am
Wake up. The problem is not Baron, it’s Dunleavy.
Kevin Reply:
February 19th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Exactly. It’s sickening to see how Dunleavy is so in love with the most complicated playbook in the league, a playbook that has won shit in the last 10 years.
Stian Reply:
February 19th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Funny enough, guys like Collins and Jones can come in halfway thru the season and they have no trouble with any playbook. Only 10-yr NBA veteran Baron Davis does. That can only man one of 2 things: Baron is either a full-on retard or he simply refuses to get with the program. Either way, he is utterly useless and needs to be removed ASAP before he can poison the whole team.
Posted on February 19th, 2009 at 9:35 am
i’m not sure who i hate more, baron davis or mike dunleavy…..
dunleavy is coaching this team straight into the ground…..he is so damn stubborn, and we will never be a good team with the dunce at the helm….2005 was an aberration…..
baron is a pussy…..it is very true that character is revealed when a team is losing…..baron is a fucking sissy….fear the beard????fuck that, fear the ass bruise that kept him out for more than a month…..
i guess baron is disheartened because the team is losing so much…..doesn’t he realize that he is one of the big reasons why they are losing???
the one bright spot is gordon, even through the losses, this kid is progressing beautifully…..
and what the hell is up with kaman??? another classic clipper…..injury prone headcase that fooled the front office with flashes of potential…..
i guess now he knows why the clippers didn’t want him playing in the olympics…..big centers need time off after the season to rest their legs…..7 footers carry a lot of weight, and it wears them down over the course of the season…..they absolutely need the rest in the offseason…..
kaman is just a moron…..
fuck this “team”…..but i’ll still root for them…..i just don’t know any better…..i guess i’m a sadist…..glutton for punishment…..kick me in the balls and i like it….
Posted on February 19th, 2009 at 11:24 am
I am kind of depressed considering the Trade deadline came and went and we don’t have anything to show for it other then Alex Acker? I was kind of hoping for a little bright spot in all this gloom.
Posted on February 19th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Maybe we’ll win out the rest of the season and make the playoffs as the 8th seed LOL.
Posted on February 19th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
We traded away 2 bigs for nothing…
Posted on February 19th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
BARON DAVIS IS A PUNK. He says he would have become a gang banger if he hadn’t discovered basketball? Right. He would have had his fat ass kicked every day of his life. Even bangers have heart. Baron is a poser and we should trade him for whatever we can get. Give him to somebody, I don’t care. Let him sell hot dogs, it’s about all he can handle at this point. Hey, Baron, you want see a baller with talent, heart and star power? Take a look a few lockers down at that kid named GORDON. I only hope we can shed Davis and Dunleavy before their stink gets all over the rookie.
Posted on February 19th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
It is just pitiful what I seen on Wed. There should be some changes coming this summer. The Clipper organization should trade players or go with a new coaching staff. I won’t mind Dunleavy being GM because he brought in some talent (Camby, Zbo).
Posted on February 19th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
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