Over much of the past month, the Clippers have been a decisive defensive team. They’ve slowed opponents with initial traps and quick recoveries. When ballhandlers find freedom or connect with their bigs, the Clippers’ weak side rotation has been prompt. Marcus Camby anchors that enterprise, but even Al Thornton has become a better decision-maker many nights. When the Clippers guards get beaten off the dribble, they quickly find their next assignment in the defensive rotation — whether it’s running spot shooters off the line, or dropping low to strip the ball from a unsuspecting post player. Most nights, it’s this brand of defense that’s kept the Clippers competitive.
Not so on Sunday against San Antonio.
The Spurs shred the Clippers early, scoring 39 points on 23 first-quarter possessions. This is vintage Spurs basketball, predicated on Tony Parker’s incursions into the paint and Tim Duncan’s presence in the post. We see it on the Spurs’ first score (1st, 10:58), when Parker skirts the baseline while Duncan dives low. The lethal Parker-Duncan combo draws the entire Clippers’ unit in, leaving Keith Bogans alone in the corner. The Spurs have accumulated a lot of jewelry running this stuff, and here Bogans drains the Corner 3 that might as well have “Made in Bexar County” inscribed on its base.
The patented Spurs Corner 3 off the drive-and-kick is a lethal novelty, but the Parker-Duncan screen-roll is an enduring monument. The Clippers choose to trap Parker, with Marcus Camby acutely aware to focus on nothing but the rolling Duncan. What makes Duncan the most fluent low post practitioner of our lifetime is how he eludes even the best help defenders with his agility and touch:
Duncan works pretty well with Ginobili, too (I think Duncan could probably work with any passable point guard). Here, when fronted by Kaman, Duncan with Ginobili’s assist, goes back door. Thornton, being mindful of Jefferson, doesn’t have time to react:
The Spurs, as the Rockets did about ten days ago, beat the Clippers from beyond the arc, draining five of eight in the first quarter. Ginobili gets free of Gordon by pretending to set a flex screen underneath, then darts out to the arc leaving Gordon to trudge through the morass of big bodies beneath the basket (1st, 3:57). Ginobili sinks another one when he gets free to the same spot because Ricky Davis, for whatever reason, decides it’s more important leaving Manu to chase Bonner away from the action, even though Novak is already on Bonner. (1st, 0:16)
Doubling Matt Bonner off the ball is not a winning strategy for an NBA defense:
Bonner converts the fifth 3PM on the Spurs’ final possession of the quarter when Thornton drifts aimlessly toward Parker on the other side of the floor even though there are three Clippers in closer proximity to him. Ginobili hits a couple of more from behind the line in the opening minutes of the second quarter. He’s always on the move. Steve Novak’s unintuitive defensive instincts betray him on the first, yielding Ginobili a clean look from up top (2nd, 10:13). Then Ginobili runs Butler around a stagger screen with Blair and Bonner at the elbows (2nd, 8:23).
The Clippers trail by 23 at this juncture. They cut it to seven early in the third quarter, but a few tough possessions — one the product of Camby’s tendency to stay close to the basket even against stretch big men (Bonner’s 3PM at 3rd, 2:12), one that’s no fault of their own (Ginobili’s tough, well-contested, right-leaning jumper against Gordon at 3rd, 1:30), and one on a crafty interior pass by Keith Bogans in traffic to DeJuan Blair at the buzzer (3rd, 0:00) — extends the Spurs’ lead to 13 and essentially breaks the Clips.
The Clippers don’t help themselves much with their shot selection in the first 20 minutes of the game. We get a glimpse of the worst habits of Baron Davis and Thornton, each taking a few low-percentage jumpers, usually off-balance, contested, too early in the shot clock or all of the above. After that, they play sound offensive basketball for about 18 minutes. Thornton becomes more selective, doing most of his work on the attack and attempting 17-footers only when uncontested. Davis is also assertive, both in the post against the Spurs’ point guards and off the dribble. But the Clippers become selfish during a 16-0 San Antonio run that buries them, illustrated by Baron’s fallaway in transition against Richard Jefferson (4th, 9:03).
What’s frustrating about the Clippers inconsistency is its inconsistency. Tonight is a somewhat uncharacteristic loss, not unlike the Houston loss. The Clips are done in by bad perimeter and help defense. Eric Gordon is atypically impatient, while the team as a whole performs well on the glass and protects the basketball through three quarters.
It would be far more instructive if the Clippers could produce some recurring basketball patterns to their losses and stick with them.
11 Responses
Let’s put this one in the shed and never bring it up again. Far from an impressive game.
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Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 12:52 am
I brought my brother with me tonight for the first clippers game, let alone his first live basketball game, and it was not a good first impression for him.
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Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 1:07 am
I don’t understand this review we have been killed by the three ball all season we only stand at a higher percentage at it becaus we rarely face teams that use it as often as the Magic. Another thing is the rotation scheme the players don’t rotate until the game is almost to late for them to recover.The Clips still have a huge problemwith ballmovement they rarely get anyone involved as a team and swinging the ball around consistently is a dream that will never happen. You still didn’t mention the Novak shooter who didn’t have a single shot unlike his shooter brother Bonner who had brilliant plays at the other end. Or the fact that the rotation as been terrible for weeks and the bench players arestarting to slug around (espcially Telfair and Smith) because they aren’t getting consistent mintues. Want a little more subsatance than what we got here.
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Kevin Arnovitz Reply:
December 14th, 2009 at 9:57 am
TCO:
The Clips have had some awful games (HOU, SAS, etc), but even after last night, they’re 7th in the league in opponent 3PT percentage, 10th in opponents’ 3PM/game. They’ve played the #1 team, #3 team, #5 team (twice), #7 team, #8 team, and #9 teams in 3PM/game.
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Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 3:31 am
It was all about teamwork with the Spurs performance against the Clippers. Finally coach Pops has found a way to get the best out of all his players without relying too much on his big names.
RJ is feeling more comfortable being a Spurs and seems to be doing everything right at the moment. George HILL is getting better and better every game and is proving a great deputy for Manu and PARKER. Then there is the beast, De Juan BLAIR who seems to be looking good in becoming Rookie of the Year type of player. Lets not take away anything from Roger MASON, Matt BONNER, Antonio McDYESS and Keith BOGANS as their little contribution is equally important.
These performance allowed the Big Three to shake up all the pressure that was handed on them from Day 1 to carry the Spurs. If the entire supporting cast keeps this up, the Spurs could probably heading to a great finish.
Now what about Manu? (Please read my post)
Well I had my fair share of doubts about him being getting back to his usual form. Don’t get me wrong, as we all know that he still best fighter on the court the Spurs can ever have but my problem with him just how much more longer can he still do it considering the amount of injury he has already suffered.
Looks like after three consecutive games, I would like to agree that good old Manu is back for good. He seems to be more confidence these days and let us pray that will continue for the coming months.
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Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 7:56 am
The Spurs scored more in the first quarter than the Clips did in the entire second half. Yikes.
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Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 8:34 am
Is anybody fed up with all the stat rationalization going on here? Here’s a stat for you. We’re looking up at both the KINGS and the THUNDER in the standings! Want another? In 20 plus games we’ve only beaten ONE decent team! And we must lead the league in 4th quarter collapses? I realize K needs to write about something, but the bottom line is this team has no heart and that comes down from both the owner and the head coach. PLEASE TRADE CAMBY so he can end his great career with a winning team. He’s the only player with any pride and it hurts to watch him flounder with this bunch of under achieving duds. TRADE KAMAN. He’ll never be a smart player and his game will vanish completely as soon as he signs his next 5 year contract. TRADE BARON. Nobody would want his contract or his lack of leadership but this isn’t working. TRADE THORTON. The guy is all energy and no smarts. TRADE EVERYBODY except Gordon and Griffin and start over.
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Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 10:13 am
i agree that most of the current rooster must go but do you really want the current GM making the choice of who to then next select? i think we should just suffer through the next 11/2 years and hopefully get another good draft pick or two and then do it the portland/thunder way. all i want is a team that gives it 100% each night – regardless of W’s or L’s. i just want to see heart and passion. you know it is bad when your 5 year old will not watch the game with because as he says, “why do you watch the Clippers dad? They always lose! I like the Lakers!” From the mouths of babes!
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Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Just goes to show how brains win ballgames. The teams that the Clippers have had the most problems with over the last decade, Utah, San Antonio, Lakers… all have GREAT coaches which usually results in teams with SMART players.
The Clippers have and have had guys that just dont get it. Maggs, Thornton, Kaman, Ricky Davis… All nice guys, i’m sure… but I mean they are just shmucks on the court.
Fortunately… Blake Griffin may be one of those dudes who “gets it” (judging by Dunleavy’s early praise)
Can you win games consistently with 3 “stupid” players in your rotation?? Forget about talent…because i can argue that Al Thornton is more talented than Matt Bonner any day of the week without arguement. But Thornton, Kaman and Ricky Davis are just clueless. i dont think you can name 3 “stupid” guys in the Spurs top 8 players.
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Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
To KA Stats alos had Kaman as a top Center because of his scoring but yet he from what he say he hadbig numbers on more shotsmost missed. Same applies here to the three ball yo don’t put a stat out when we have seen all year this team get burned by the 3 ball.
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Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
umm as much as I like stats, the highlights look alot like the Clippers just didnt give a crap lol
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Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
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