Pardon the coachspeak, but you always learn more from losses than you do from wins. Out of all the teams the NBA has to offer, losing to the Warriors may provide the biggest learning experience possible. Sunday night the Warriors play only eight guys in total, five of which were never even drafted. But it isn’t “who” does it, it’s “what” does it that truly matters.
Under Don Nelson the names and numbers change, but the game remains the same. The Warriors want to get out and run against you, they want you to take long quick shots, and they want to turn you over. No matter who they toss out on the floor, that’s the Warriors agenda.
Why does the Warriors’ scheme give the Clippers so much trouble? Let’s take a look.
Turnovers:
- The Clippers own the third worst turnover rate in all the league, while the Warriors are the number one team in the league at causing turnovers. Obviously, this presents some issues. The Warriors are tricky because they allow you opportunities to get up and down the floor, but for the most part it’s fools gold. Running up and down with the Warriors is exactly what they want to happen. It’s hard for a lot of teams not to get sucked into this type of battle, and tonight the Clippers don’t really show much restraint. The Clippers get outscored 40-14 (!) in the second quarter and turn the ball over eight times during that period alone. The Warriors take advantage of the Clippers’ multiple mistakes in the first half by scoring 24 points off turnovers.
Smallball:
- On paper, the Clippers should absolutely punish the Warriors on the block. Chris Kaman is head and shoulders above his opponents in terms of both talent and height, but it’s rendered meaningless unless properly utilized. Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the problem lies with Kaman’s mindset. The best example of Kaman’s lack of aggressiveness is witnessed through his free throw totals for the month of March. Kaman has shot just 33 free throws this month, compared to the 73 he shot in October or even the 52 he shot in November when he was playing his best basketball. It’s become routine for Kaman to face the basket immediately upon every post entry, regardless of who is defending him. Because he’s not fighting for deep position and rarely playing with his back to the basket, Kaman has been unable to take advantage of any size mismatch. Instead of punishing smaller defenders and drawing fouls, Kaman instead has tried to take guys off the dribble from 18-feet out or launch long jumpers. Only going to the line once against the Warriors tiny frontcourt is downright criminal. Smallball looks genius if no one is punishing you for going small, and tonight the Clippers have no legitimate back to the basket presence in reality, even if they do on paper. Despite their immense advantages down low, the Clippers get outscored in the paint 56-40.
Contesting Jumpers:
- Since the trade deadline, the Clippers have posted the worst defensive efficiency number in the league. Some of it can be attributed to individual effort, but for the most part the problem lies in a general lack of continuity on the defensive end. No one exploits this better than Golden State. Outside of Corey Maggette, the Warriors suit up no one who can regularly penetrate and finish at the rim. A smart defensive club would recognize this and force a team without the services of Monta Ellis to beat them at the tin. Instead, the Clippers spend the night staring at jump shooters, giving space out on the perimeter, and practicing their patented zombie closeouts. Want to know how Reggie Williams goes for 25 points and Anthony Tolliver goes for 19? It’s almost exclusively on mid-range jumpers that weren’t contested well enough.
This was only the Warriors fifth road win of the season, and they’ve only defeated five playoff teams all year long. Clearly, the Golden State Warriors are not a good basketball team. But this game just goes to show that if you don’t make adjustments and at least attempt to knock teams off their track, they’ll run you right over.
16 Responses
Let’s not forget that this was the second half of a back to back for the Warriors, This was a disgrace. The last game I’m going to this year, for sure. Not sure how often I will go next year.
The defensive rotation and defense of the rim has been a disgrace after the coaching change and the Camby trade. It’s like night and day, they were a good team, and now they are one of the worst 3 teams in the NBA, along with the Nets and Wolves.
If I am a good free agent, the terrible way they have played out this season would give me enormous pause about the nature of the organization and the people I would be coming to play with. I know Blake Griffin’s not here, but there’s no pride, even.
I just don’t see it. You don’t let them get open looks like that, you don’t completely fail to protect the rim, and be either sloppy or clueless in your rotations.
That’s enough. I need to think about something else.
TNT57 Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
I burned my tickets. Seriously. Torched them.
Posted on March 29th, 2010 at 12:10 am
Turnovers – Keep playing freeball w davis and this is what happens.
Smallball – Kaman is just too unpredictable and can’t play ‘D’ not even if his life depended. This dude can do it all , but decides not to… Its frustrating.
Contesting Jumpers – Where is Camby? He was the Clips D with his presence, leadership and high block percentage.
All in all , the clips new another overhaul!!.. again..
Posted on March 29th, 2010 at 9:04 am
I turned it off at halftime disgusted. Fool that I am, I recorded the 2nd half thinking the Clips would make a better effort. After watching the top NCAA teams bust their gut on playing defense, it’s pathetic to see how little effort the Clips are giving to the defensive end and how selfish they’re playing offensively.
Posted on March 29th, 2010 at 9:09 am
yeah! we need as many lottery balls as possible.
Posted on March 29th, 2010 at 9:43 am
I love this write up
Posted on March 29th, 2010 at 10:31 am
I was looking at Wesley Johnson, guy has game.. would love to have him on board, but we would need to keep losing to get closer to a top 7 pick scenario.
Posted on March 29th, 2010 at 11:37 am
WTH is wrong with you people? IT IS NEVER OK TO LOSE. LOSING IS ONLY ACCEPTABLE IF YOU ARE A LOSER! DO YOU WANT THIS FRANCHISE TO ALWAYS LOSE? ACCEPTING LOSING, and BEING HAPPY ABOUT LOSING will beget nothing more than more LOSING.
Mike Wr Reply:
March 30th, 2010 at 7:36 am
+1.
Shawn H. Reply:
March 30th, 2010 at 9:45 am
+2
Posted on March 29th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Losing in the process of building a future winner is acceptable. What if we get the 6th pick but miss a guy at 5 that becomes the next Kobe or LeBron? See? Losing at this point makes perfect sense. MOST of these dead beats will be gone next year. Unfortunately the 2 biggest dogs KAMAN and DAVIS will be back. Don’t lose sight of the big picture.
Josh Reply:
March 30th, 2010 at 1:43 am
Oh come on. Moving from 6 to 5 might get you a marginally better player, but bringing that player into an environment where losing was accepted, if not encouraged will spoil even the most competitive player’s desire. Last I checked, there’s been one LeBron in our lifetimes, he didn’t get drafted at 5, and he still hasn’t won anything.
Posted on March 29th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
You think we like being the biggest losers in the league? No, we want change more than any fan base in the league.
Posted on March 29th, 2010 at 2:15 pm
There are numerous bad things about the Clippers, but without a doubt the single worst thing is Baron Davis. He was terrible against the Warriors, and that means he’s really terrible. The Warriors are the one team he should play well against. They play a free flowing game likehe always says he wants to play, so he doesn’t have to worry about anybody defending him or about him defending on the other end. He’s got more motivation to [play well against them than against anybody else, but still he was terrible — both on offense and defense.
He statistically is the worst shooting point guard in the league. Opposing point guards light him up night after night. He’s old, heavy, slow and toxic. How can anybody possibly think he’s not terrible?
It should be obvious by now to everyone why the Warriors didn’t match the Clipper’s offer to Davis. The Warriors knew what Davis was like, and they wanted nothing else to do with him. They essentially dumped him onto the Clippers. now the Clippers should dump him anyway they can.
clippafan4life Reply:
March 30th, 2010 at 3:48 am
the warriors are tearing it up without him tho like statistically i mean they r badass!
Posted on March 29th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
So you’re telling me that you weren’t exited about seeing EB and BD together? thats BS! We clipper fans asked for the baron that single handed took Golden State to the playoffs not the ball of crap that we got. his overall shooting, passing, etc, percentage is way way under.
Posted on March 29th, 2010 at 10:28 pm
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