That’s how Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich characterized Blake Griffin after the Clippers’ 93-90 over the Spurs in San Antonio Wednesday night. “He deserved to be picked where he was picked, that’s for sure. He’s a heck of a competitor.”
As always, it’s tough to evaluate basketball without visual aids, but here are some general observations:
- Aforementioned monster scored 23 points on 10-for-14 shooting from the field and zero turnovers. He went 3-for-4 on shot attempts outside the key, 3-for-4 from the line, and gobbled up seven rebounds.
- With the Clippers up a single point with five seconds to play, DeAndre Jordan stepped to the line for two free throws — and hit them both. Preseason or not, don’t underestimate the confidence that comes with pulling that off with the game on the line in a visiting arena.
- Al Thornton put together a great performance off the bench: 18 points on 8-for-11 shooting. Four of the eight shots came in the immediate basket area and only three of those 11 attempts came beyond 15 feet — something you like to see. The other member of the small forward platoon, Rasual Butler, had a far less productive night: 1-for-7 in 25 minutes.
- Gregg Popovich game significant minutes to 14 players, while Mike Dunleavy rested Marcus Camby, Chris Kaman and Eric Gordon. Sebastian Telfair is still nursing a sore right hamstring.
- Blake Griffin, from the AP recap: “It was cool,” Griffin said of his first-quarter, head-to-head matchup with perennial All-NBA post Tim Duncan. “I’ve watched him for as long as I can remember, since I was 8 years old and he was in his first year in the league. It was really cool to go up against him.”
- Clippers’ defensive efficiency for the game: 87.4. The defensive rotations sounded tight.
33 Responses
I’m excited but I realize that preseason has pretty much ZERO bearing on the regular season. I’ve been burned too many times in the last 20 years. Still – it’s good to see. Cautiously optimistic.
Ian Reply:
October 16th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Yeah, it’s important to remember that we went undefeated (if i remember correctly) in the pre-season last year!
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 10:06 am
great blog BTW. I read it every day.
D.J. Foster Reply:
October 15th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Thanks Eddie – and I;m with you on being “cautiously optimistic”. Well put.
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 10:07 am
I was listening on 980 am and must say that it went down to the last seconds.
Mentally , I was preparing myself for a Clippers melt down. There was some trash talkn on the
Pounding the rock site; saying Blair is better than Griffin and Hill is a better PG than BD.
Although this is only pre season , It is good to see the Clippers putting consecutive wins together. Last season they were only able to win three games in a row. Baron had an off night shooting wise but still managed some good assists. BG had a nice game, hopefully the Spurs fans recognize .
andrew Reply:
October 15th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
I found that hilarious – that Spurs fans think Blair is better than Grffin – proof ? like 4 articles vs. 45834958340 articles that had Griffin at #1. They also use points per minutes and rebounds per minutes which is faulty logic to say the least.
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Blake looked awesome last night no doubt but Blair had a double double not BG and hill is better than BD at this point
Kevin Reply:
October 15th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
You can have the double doubles. I’ll take the W’s.
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 11:53 am
I wonder how TD felt about playing against a guy who said that he had been watching him since he was 8. LOL
Ian Reply:
October 16th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Old, that’s how.
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
While preseason usually doesn’t matter, I think it IS important for the Clips this year. While established teams don’t need to sweat the preseason, this is a Clips team that never came together at any point last year. The 2008 offseason was a mess training camp and preseason ball didn’t do anything to help the team gel, and it only got worse as the regular season dragged on.
This team really NEEDS good news to move forward on a strong note. For the Clips this year, training camp and preseason have been hugely important. I hope they can take the momentum they’ve been building and keep it going when the games start mattering to the other teams too.
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
It’s time to use players wisely if Clippers are serious about high aspirations.
No more changing starting lineup every 3 games. Following seems reasonable.
STARTING 5:
Baron Davis
Ricky Davis
Blake Griffin
Chris Kaman
Rasaul Butler
SECOND UNIT:
Telfair
Gordon
Deandre
Craig Smith
Al Thornton
Supporting Cast/Fillers
Camby
Collins
Novak
Skinner
This will give Clippers an experienced/talented starting unit and talented and speedy second unit. This is the way to go.
D.J. Foster Reply:
October 15th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
I think K.A.’s head might explode if Ricky Buckets played over Gordon. Yikes.
Huh? Reply:
October 15th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Ricky over Gordon? That’s insane. Ricky can’t even hit iron on a 15 foot jump shot.
bongstradamus Reply:
October 15th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
in my fantasy world, DeAndre starts and Kaman comes off the bench. And Ricky Davis gets bought out.
markshimmyjackson Reply:
October 15th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
this guy got jokes. ej needs to start for sure but camby as 3rd string? hILARIOUUS.
Clipper Derrick Reply:
October 16th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Is “get serious” really Ricky Davis in disguise?
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
If our goal is to win 35-40 games, starting Gordon is OK. And if we are serious about winning 50+ games, Thornton & Gordon must come off the bench to solidify our scoring power. They can benefit from playing with second unit as they’ll become go to guys. It’ll help them define their role as well. Ofcourse, both will play major role to finish games with
Griffin & Baron. Their overall minutes are not going to diminish. Let Baron engineer first quarter to get maximum from Griffin & Kaman. Ricky & Rasaul are long range threat at any given time which can make defending interior zone much more difficult.
Camby should take regular season casually. Let him play 12 min. a game if necessary. We need him for play-offs. If possible trade him.
SamMays Reply:
October 16th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Gordon should be playing 35-40 minutes a night. You can’t do that coming off the bench… And you want to start Ricky Davis? I hope you’re kidding or very, very drunk.
Ian Reply:
October 16th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Uh, Gordon is already a go-to guy. He gets the last shot at the end of games, how much more go-to does it get?
pezz Reply:
October 17th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Obviously I’m with you on this Ian…just wanted to mention KA actually talked about this in his live chat the other day….if I remember right he said Gordon isn’t the go-to guy at the end of the game yet, b/c he needs to get better at kicking it out on the drive. He’ll get better…and if we get Baron 1.0 back (see what I did there?) we’ll have two legitimate last-shot threats.
Posted on October 16th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Admit it “get serious” – you are ricky davis. Although frankly I’m surprised that even you would think you should start.
EricGordonsAnkleBrace Reply:
October 17th, 2009 at 12:33 am
hahaha lmfao
Posted on October 16th, 2009 at 11:00 am
So if our goal is to increase our win total, we should bench the best shooting guard on the roster. Makes sense.
get serious Reply:
October 17th, 2009 at 8:05 am
If Thornton & Gordon come off the bench alongwith Telfair and DeAndre, Clippers bench can produce 40-60 points any given nite. It’s great for both and for the team.
Let’s do what’s good for the team. Not for an individual player.
Posted on October 16th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
I don’t like Ricky Davis. If you don’t start him, trade him. But I am all for Thornton & Gordon becoming the leaders of our 2nd unit for their own good.
Ian Reply:
October 16th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
So you’re saying that a former 6th man of the year should only be used in a starting role? AND you’re saying that a guy that was arguably our best player last year could be utilized if his minutes were given to a pothead that was considering retirement not long ago? Right? Or am I reading your post incorrectly?
Posted on October 16th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Get Serious just threw the ball of the backboard to cheat his way to a triple double
Clipper Derrick Reply:
October 16th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
LMAO
Posted on October 16th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Whats the giveaway at the season opener this year? Hopefully not a fake jersey ugly ass shirt like last years! That thing is unwearable!!!!
neiljphx Reply:
October 17th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
it’s in the pile at the bottom of the closet of crap i wear only if i’m 100% sure i’m not leaving the apt. all day. and i’m still awestruck by it’s awesome level of uglyness anytime i put it on.
i vote for a monthly schedule calender with a different spirit girl (or 2) every month.
RaymondInClipperland Reply:
October 17th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
It is a Blake Griffin t-shirt.
Posted on October 17th, 2009 at 12:34 am
Like many of you, I fail to realize what good does benching arguably our most consistent player. I don’t necessarily like the idea of benching Thornton either, but at least from the game on TV this past Monday Night, Butler deserves the starting spot at small forward. Benching Gordon for Ricky Davis is like a typical Dunleavy move, but even Dunleavy has better sense than that.
Posted on October 17th, 2009 at 9:53 am
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