What do Earl Watson, Dahntay Jones, Tyler Hansbrough, Troy Murphy and Jeff Foster all have in common? They all love to beat the hell out of their opponents. Troy Murphy was the best defensive rebounder in the entire league last year. Dahntay Jones plays the type of defense that could make a previously partial viewer absolutely loathe him. Earl Watson is one of the most underrated perimeter defenders in the game. Tyler Hansbrough made an entire collegiate career out of finding dogs overpowering people down low. Jeff Foster just may be the dirtiest player in the NBA. The idea is, these guys aren’t going to run by you and they’re not going to shoot the lights out, but they will lure you into a drag out, nasty, ugly affair. Without Granger, playing that type of game was the best chance the Pacers had at winning, and the Clippers allowed themselves to get caught up in the mud.
This was by far the Clippers worst offensive performance to date and the box score numbers are not for the weak stomached. The team went 29 for 90 from the field, which totals out to an unbelievably bad 32.2%. In addition to shooting poorly, the Clippers only managed to get to the line 14 times against an incredibly physical opponent in Indiana who did not shy away from contact. Kaman struggled with his jumper for the second night in a row and finished 3 for 19 from the field, while Al Thornton cooled way down with a 2 for 15 performance. That’s a combined 5 for 34 outing from two of the Clippers primary scorers.
Surprisingly though, most of those 34 combined looks were good ones. This was not a case of Al Thornton reverting back to his inefficient ways and chucking up contested deep jumpers. Instead, this was just Al missing multiple chances from point blank range. Dahntay Jones did such a great job banging with Al in the post that when Al was finally able to free himself from Jones, he often hurriedly and excitedly put up an off balanced attempt. Some of these misses can probably be attributed to Roy Hibbert’s presence as well – Hibbert may have “only” blocked 3 shots, but he altered another handful as well. Despite the terrible totals, getting Al Thornton looks near the rim is pretty high on the list of desirable scenarios for the Clippers offense. He just failed to finish.
Speaking of missed chances, what’s been eating Chris Kaman lately? No one expected Kaman to keep up his torrid early season pace, but in his last 5 games he’s gone 28 for 82 (34%) from the field and has continued to turn the ball over at an alarming rate (3.4/game). Should this be cause for concern? Is Chris Kaman regressing as the season moves forward? If you follow the same theory that was just applied to Thornton, the answer is no. Upwards to 8 or 9 of Kaman’s misses tonight were easily convertible bunnies that are usually a guaranteed two points. This slump hasn’t gone on long enough to justify hitting the panic button quite yet. Give some credit to the defenders who have pestered Kaman the last two games. Ryan Hollins and Roy Hibbert are both extremely long, and their length and shot blocking ability caused Kaman to alter the release point on his jumper just enough to throw it off. Kaman should regroup well against the smaller teams awaiting him next in Detroit, Memphis and Houston. If he struggles mightily in those matchups, especially with Gordon back, then there may be some real cause for concern.
Game Notes
- Gordon’s triumphant return back to the lineup, and his home state, was rained on a bit tonight. Gordon looked a little rusty on the defensive end keeping up with Luther Head, who sparked a completely stagnant Pacers offense in the early going. Gordon showed off his trademark explosiveness on the offensive end, but it only resulted in 6 points off 2 for 7 shooting and a game low mark of -22 in 27 minutes. Surely it wasn’t the homecoming Gordon had in mind. Before the game, Gordon said he was “100 percent”, but expect a few games of Gordon shaking off the cobwebs.
- The Clippers pick and roll defense has been notably better this year, but tonight it fell apart when it was most needed. Two T.J. Ford/Troy Murphy pick and pop plays in the 4th quarter[4:52, 1:46] resulted in absolutely back breaking buckets. Murphy is a tough cover in those situations for any big man, but the Clippers would be well served to tighten up in that area of defense. There are plenty of big men out west (Nowitzki, Frye, Odom) who can destroy the Clippers off that simple two man game.
- There was a point in the third quarter where both teams were shooting under 30%. The main beneficiary in an ugly contest like this? Garbage man extraordinaire, Marcus Camby. Camby’s line through three periods was absolutely ridiculous – 10 points, 20 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. It’s scary to think how the Clippers would have fared the last two contests without his services.
- Maybe the most damning stat of the night, outside of the putrid shooting totals: Clippers as a team had 9 assists…and 14 turnovers. When the team isn’t shooting well, taking care of the ball or sharing it, the offense is going to perform poorly like it did this evening.
- A pet peeve of mine when watching younger kids practice is that most of them warmup incorrectly. They’ll get on the court, and almost without fail they’ll start jacking up threes. I understand that – shooting three pointers is fun. They count for more points, I get it. But for warming up purposes, it makes no sense to start from deep. The smart way to warmup is to start right next to the basket, and slowly move your way out as you make shots, get a sense of range, and gain confidence. Baron Davis essentially does that tonight. Instead of settling for outside looks early, Baron gets 3 of his first 4 buckets by driving to the hole for easy layups. And what do you know? A confident Baron hits back to back threes as a result. Baron finished with 25 points tonight, tying his season high and continuing his trend of playing well after a particularly bad individual performance.
The Clippers will return to action Friday night in Detroit, likely after some serious soul searching over the holiday.
37 Responses
What a dreadful team! At least during the Corey Maggette and Elton Brand years the Clippers had consistent production. EB provided a 20-10, while Maggette was good for 17-20 points. This 2009-10 Clipper roster is filled with far too many inconsistent players –Kaman, Thornton, Baron, and Butler. Now fans are deluding themselves with hopes that a kindergarten corp of Griffin and Gordon can actually salvage the season. It isn’t going to happen Jack. The smart thing to do is to fire the coach, unload the contracts of Kaman and Baron, and build around the babies –Griffin, Jordan, and Gordon.
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Recall Brand & Maggette Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 11:50 am
All 3 parties(Clips,Brand & Maggs) have seen setbacks since the bitter divorce battle.
DUNLEAVY’s over confidence is to blame for this fruitless and careless decision.
Trade Baron to GSW for Corey & a rookie PG. And trade Kaman, Ricky and Skinner to Philly for ELTON BRAND.
Then we can start competing with all seriousness.
STARTING 5:
Griffin
Brand
Telfair
Thornton
Gordon
2nd Unit:
Camby/DeAndre
Smith
Collins
Maggette
Butler/Novak
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Stian Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Trading Baron to GS to Maggette I could understand but taking back a broken down old man like Brand with almost 70 mio. to go on his contract?! Are you INSANE?!
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rbm Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Not really. Brand is back in full form. And they both had better career satisfaction with Clippers. If we are in rebuilding mode for next 3 seasons, then we don’t need Brand. At the same time we should not expect much from this season either.
We let go 2 tough bodies(Brand/Maggs) and added several melting candles instead. We deserve what we’ve got right now.
Weak in analyzing pros/cons. Unable to understand or recognize- from where the killer bullets are coming from.
Entire Clippers management staff should go hiking. Believe me, they’re not even smart enough to remember to carry drinking water for their long stretch.
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Stian Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 3:07 am
Yeah, Bland is back in full form – OUT with a hamstring injury!
And when he is healthy is a shadow of his former self and averaging career low numbers across the board. The Sixers are cursing themselves for ever signing this guy and taking him off their hands would be the last thing on Earth I’d do.
Anybody that wants Bland (and Maggette) back at this point is out of his mind.
rbm Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Are we better off now than before?
Quality players don’t sign with Clippers if they’re 100% healthy.
We could have kept Brand/Maggette for another 5 seasons to keep the house in order. Look what’s happening now.
Most ridiculous thing: trying to rebuild under BARON DAVIS!!!! Ya…same Baron Davis.
Stian Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
I can’t stand Chuck Davis and his weak Debby Downer attitude but I’d rather be stuck with him @ 65 mio. and trade him along the way than be on the hook for 130 mio. between Bland and Maggette.
Remember, the ONLY reason the Clippers ever made the post-season with these 2 geniuses was when Sam Cassell took it upon himself to get it done – and that was with a pre-injury EB. This guy has since had worse and more frequent injuries than even TMac.
You are delusional to think Brand 2009 is anywhere near Brand 2006.
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rbm Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Stian, I agree with you 100%. My opinion only reflects our dire situation.
We have a serious problem when it comes to attracting quality players(in their primes) Cassell, Mobley, Camby are exception because they gave it all inspite of where they’re playing. They’re not just players; they’re MEN with great character.
By making(by forcing) Griffin & Gordon carry the burden for next 3-4 seasons would make things worse for all involved. They need help. And they need it now.
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Posted on November 26th, 2009 at 12:05 am
If you look at Dunleavy’s last year as coach and GM of the Bucks, they compiled a .305 winning percentage. Must be the injuries right?
Vin Baker and Glenn Robinson both played 82 games, no real big injuries I could see. I wonder what happened there?
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Posted on November 26th, 2009 at 1:11 am
at least it was quick and done early. i went to see 2012 to get right after that putrid display.
and all day football tmrw is a good distraction as well. ‘man o man’
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Posted on November 26th, 2009 at 1:13 am
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! (Forgot to mention that)
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Posted on November 26th, 2009 at 2:37 am
I’m thankful to be a Clippers fan, but it comes with it’s hardship and this season so far is harder than last year because our expectations have been higher. It seems to me that this team is afraid to win, how else do you explain another terrible 4th quarter. Actually it was an awful 2nd half when you get outscored 52-30. Baron plays well & nobody else can make a lay-up the entire game. Other teams without their best player find a way to win against us, yet we can’t close out on anybody. I’m thankful for the drinks I’m about to enjoy with loved ones.
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Chris. Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 6:15 am
On the injury note, Ben Gordon hurt his ankle last night for Detroit and didn’t play the 2nd half of the game. I hope he plays against us because we play down to the scrubs level and don’t/can’t beat them.
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Beard The Curse Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 9:01 am
We just lost to a horrible pacer team WITHOUT Danny Granger. It doesn’t matter who plays. These guys don’t care.
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Chris. Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 6:29 am
With Ben Gordon, Tayshaun Prince & Richard Hamilton out on Detroit they have nobody yet they will probably beat us by 10 points, that’s pretty much all I’m saying. I wish their players were healthy because then we’d have a chance because we can’t beat scrubs the way this season is going.
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Posted on November 26th, 2009 at 6:10 am
Great recap, D.J. In hindsight, I wonder why any of us thought Clippers were a lock to beat Indiana—a team that had a better record than the Clips before the game, and, obviously, afterward. Sure, the Pacers were without Granger, but these Clips have proven that they can, and will, lose to anybody, on any night, no matter how great the match-ups look on paper.
Listening to Mike Smith, who had the Clippers getting to 9 and 9 on the season as soon as the dips made their first shot last night, ponder whether the Pacers had a “run” in them only adds insult to injury. Since when do you need a “run” to make up a four-point lead. Especially against the Clippers. I miss the days when Ralph was flanked by Bill Walton.
Oh well. Happy Thanksgiving. Here’s to hoping for some hustle in Detroit.
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Posted on November 26th, 2009 at 9:16 am
In the 4th quarter of close games, there seems to be a correlation between the amount of time MD Sr. spends standing up, yelling instructions to his players and their performance on the floor. They seem to freeze up afraid to make a mistake. I wonder if the owner could require him to sit in a chair with a seatbelt attached to MD Sr. Tape over his mouth would also be useful.
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Posted on November 26th, 2009 at 10:49 am
If only Baron could be consistent…
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Posted on November 26th, 2009 at 11:26 am
I can’t believe anyone is seriously talking about cory mags and brand. Really? Let’s be honest, the players we have are much better than those yokels. Cory is a one trick pony and eb has lost his magic touch. The problem is dunlevy and his system. It’s not a match for these players talents. Sadly, i think it’s time to let him go and do it now so that griffin can come into his own under a new coach and system. win 30 this year and shoot for 45-50 next under that new system.
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Posted on November 26th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
There can be no excuse for such a miserable performance. Does anyone really believe Don Nelson & Golden State would take BD back? They practically ran him out of town. Also, & I know that this is sacrilege for most Clipper fans, I’m not convinced that Eric Gordon, as talented as he is, is going to be the force to put the boys over the top. He’s real short for a shooting guard (not 6:4 as listed) & has a lot of trouble guarding the big guards he has to cover. He also has difficulty going to the basket because of his size. I hope I’m wrong because he’s a great kid & a solid player. What do the rest of you diehards think?
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gsr Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
He’s only 20. But still he plays like a vet. No one should expect a monster performance from Gordon until he turns 23.
Give him a break!!
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Stian Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Eric Gordon is a great talent who already plays wih a lot of poise and the ONLY untouchable player on the Clippers along with Griffin.
If we had 4more starters of his caliber at their respective positions we’d be in the playoffs every year. No way EGor should get traded – unless it’s for Kevin Durant.
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Posted on November 26th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
I was not in the fire dunleavy camp until now. For whatever reason, he is not getting the players motivated. At the end of the day, the coach is responsible for that. Motivated talent always beats motivated non talent like the Pacers minus Granger. We need someone to motivate this team. And for whatever reason, Dunleavy is not finding ways to motivate these guys.
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Posted on November 26th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
wow i bet the same person who wants brand and mag back is the same who wanted mag to be traded for years..
then if kaman ever gets traded some other chump will want to make a dumb trade for him back..
you don’t know what you have till its gone and Kaman is great Center who needs better looks and MORE HELP!
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Posted on November 26th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Kaman is awful.
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Stian Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
No, but he had an AWFUL game.
After how well he’s played up until the last few games its silly to claim Kaman is awful. He is one of the better Cs in the league, warts and all.
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bpr Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
He has physical tools; he has zero basketball IQ, gets too easily distracted (ADHD or Non-ADHD, whichever it is), gets too flustered when a double-team approaches, even if they’re both much smaller, and still has that incredibly annoying habit of dribbling when the ball is passed to him in the post. For every good possession he’s involved in, there are at least two bad ones.
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Posted on November 26th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
well other than BD, Kaman, and Thornton i don’t see anyone else wanting to help
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Posted on November 26th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
I’d rather have Brand than Kaman, but it’s an extra 4-6mil a year and 1 more year on the contract.
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Stian Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 3:09 am
Why on Earth would you want Brand (out with another injury as of yesterday) over Kaman when we have Griffin at the 4 spot?!
Man, some of you people are freakin’ nuts.
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Chris. Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 6:34 am
Some of these people need to stop being that abused girl who goes back to their wife beater husbands because “they can change.” Brand left us out in the cold and it’s always effing 80 degrees in LA. Screw him and the broken horse he left on. The same people probably think Danny Ferry could still come back and save this sinking Clipper.
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rbm Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 9:12 am
Brand left because Dunleavy gave him a wrong signal. If you tell Brand “take it or leave it” he’s going to leave it ’cause he has self-respect.
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Stian Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
WTF are you talkin about?!
Brand took it upon himself to work out a handshake agreement with Dunleavy to stay for x amount of dollars if he would get Baron. When his agent found out his client had cut a deal without him in the loop he threw a shit fit and EB backpeddled and hid behind his agent like a little girl behind momma’s apron.
Don’t insult Clipper fans with your revisionist history BS that has nothing to do with how it really went down. Not to mention that EB ended up doing us a HUGE favor with his backstab – we got Griffin out of it and the Sixers are stuck with a broken down 80 mio. dollar player they can’t get rid of for another 3 years.
Bongstradamus Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Dont forget to point out this is the same Dunleavy that said he “signed” Kobe Bryant too. Except….he didnt. A deal isnt a deal until a signature is on the contract. Thats like me saying I signed LeBron…really. At least, he said he would be a Clipper off the record.
EB gave us nearly a decade of double doubles and then had his first major injury. He gave 4 seasons of 80 games each season and another 2 of 60+. He was an ironman by Clipper standards.
Youve got the revisionist history.
1999 Clippers record: 15 wins, 67 losses. Pre-EB
2000 Clippers record: 31 wins, 51 losses. EB arrives for Tyson Chandlers rights (Pick #2 in draft).
Best trade Elgin Baylor ever made.
He made a huge improvement to our team. In fact, you probably became a fan because of him, or at last indirectly through what he contributed.
And when he finally got real minutes in Philly before getting a hammy injury, EB was back to his double-double form.
If you really love the team, respect the guys that actually gave us a legacy to follow.
FireDunleavy .com Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
I was just saying I’d rather have Brand for 1 year than Kaman. I don’t think the Clippers should try to trade for him or anything.
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Posted on November 26th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Why the hell do we want Brand back? We got BG.
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rbm Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
‘Cause we don’t want Blake Griffin to get injured and jeopardize the future of Blake & Clippers.
If we don’t act smart & quick, that’s what going to happen.
Bad luck gets accumulated ’cause we keep making bad decisions.
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Posted on November 27th, 2009 at 9:32 am
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