What do turnovers have to do with the offensive glass? Both speak to the concept of shot opportunity. Protect the basketball and you’re almost certain to get a shot off. In contrast, a failure to get any offensive rebounds and you’re limiting your shot attempts. The Clippers turn the ball over only nine times on Friday night, but of the 39 available rebounds on their own glass, they collect only three, for a microscopic ORR of 7.6%.
The Jazz crush the Clippers inside and it’s not just about the boards. Despite Kaman’s productive night on the offensive end, the Clippers’ interior defense is shredded by Utah’s dizzying array of low action. All night the Clips are either oblivious to the screen — or are so concerned one might be coming that they miss the ball or a cutter.
The result?
68 points in the paint by the Jazz, despite the Clippers’ size advantage. Click on the video below for a further breakdown.
Is there stuff to like? Sure, but that refrain has an expiration date, one that’s quickly approaching. The Clippers play a feisty Dallas team Saturday night. Unless they can package these disparate attributes — Chris Kaman’s devastating mid-range jumper, Eric Gordon’s confidence, the good ball movement — into a coherent package, they’re going to find themselves stuck in the same morass as last season, only with a better vibe.
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