ClipperBlog Live: San Antonio 105 Clippers 88

18 May 2012

by Andrew Han

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http://www.clipperblog.com Andrew Han

We’ll be coming on shortly, folks.
- http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.
  
  Now you can stream from Hangout without livestream as an intermediate, don’t you?
  - http://www.clipperblog.com Andrew Han
    
    Yup, but Google is still restricting the sign up period. It’ll happen eventually, but probably not before the season is over.
    - http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.
      
      Ok, I wished it could be a way to allow some “audience” guys to participate in other ways than just twitter questions, maybe through a chat or even through video. I know it would need to have another dynamic for that part but it would be interesting.
Rich

Really not much else to talk about other than Paul, because it doesn’t matter what the rest of the team does. If he plays like that, they have no shot at winning a single game.
http://barmapla.com FD

Way to play BG 36 minutes.
- griffin
  
  Bg was clearly hurting and did not want to play defense to put strain on his knee
  - http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.
    
    Man, that’s just an excuse, I’m sorry.
    
    There is no such a thing, you are there on the court, you gotta play, that’s how it is. The opponents won’t care if you are hurt or not.
http://freddyandeddy.com Ian Denchasy

Diondre Jordan is a multi million dollar mistake. He is absolutely clueless on both offense and defense, can’t rebound, can’t score outside easy dunks, and has zero court awareness. The worst part is that every game he plays actually diminishes any trade value he might have coming up this summer.

I know I’ve been defending VDN a lot in other threads, but quite frankly he did a crappy job tonight. Mike Brown made adjustments and went from blowout to having a game lost at the end. Where were our adjjstments? It was the exact same starting lineup and it was almost like watching an exact replay of game one. Man, I hate to eat crow, but that seems to be what’s on my plate rignt now.
- Rich
  
  Yea, I mean with the way Young and Bledsoe have played, there is really not much to justify playing Foye and Butler. Butler is the only true small forward, but so what? They aren’t going to win with defense, and Butler isn’t defending well in the first place. Play small and play the guys who are playing well.
- http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.
  
  I don’t really get it, because that’s exactly I’ve been saying about him. Adjustments, different plays, ways to optimize players, etc. I don’t understand how you did notice that now but you didn’t notice that before, I mean, this have been his problem for the most part of the year.
  
  I had less problem with VDN last season than this season. First because there was more ball movement, there was silly “rookie” type of mistakes and TO, but the game was more fluid, it was easier to watch. Second because now you have such an upgrade in talent and you are coaching worse?? Last year Ryan Gomes was the starting SF! Brian Cook was the backup PF. You had a bunch of rookies on the team. You have better pieces and you player and uglier game?
  
  Besides the fact that with more talent, you have higher ceiling to hit, it’s just frustrating watching them play. The Spurs really show how bad VDN is as a coach, Pop basically trapped those VDN basic plays and the players have nowhere to go, they are easily DT from the weak side, the rotation looks lost, nobody knows what they are supposed to do or even what they are doing.
  
  I don’t know if the wins made you overlook how bad the coaching was, but it has been like this for most of the season, just ugly basketball, ISO, bad help D, no ball movement, same plays over and over, etc. As I said, talent alone can bring you to the Playoffs and maybe win a round or two, but without a decent coach you won’t reach or even pass the Conference Finals and even less the Finals. So let’s hope we get a better coach next season and the way the things are going, at least THAT is going to happen.
  - http://www.freddyandeddy.com Ian Denchasy
    
    Can’t really argue except to say Popovich makes almost ALL coaches look bad and San Antonio is REALLY good. I mean, scary good. I’ll be rooting for OKC over them, but I think their system may be too much for even the Thunder to get past. Let’s face facts, VDN may not be a championship coach, but I doubt ANY coach could get this group past the Spurs, especially with our health issues. Sure, maybe a Rivers or Thibs could squeeze a couple wins out of the series, but San Antonio is a machine right now. Popovich is not just a genius in X’s and O’s, but in how he managed to keep everyone’s minutes down and have them at their peak health for the playoffs. Have you noticed how he’s blowing us out (and Utah before us) playing his starters UNDER 30 minutes a game? Mind boggling.
    
    ESPN radio said Sloan is probably a no-go to return to the NBA next year (or ever) and that there won’t be too many top flight coaches available. VDN probably earned one more year – not ideal but we’ll have to get used to the idea – and I really believe the Clips are going to make a play for Superman over the summer. Could VDN really screw up a championship run with CP3, Blake, and Superman?
    - http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.
      
      The problem with the Thunders is that they are a jump shot team and when shots are not falling, it’s really hard for them to get a win. Look at the last game against Lakers, of course they deserve credit for that W, but it’s not something you can always count on, because until that point the Lakers D was very good, maybe being up by 7 made them relax a bit, I don’t know. The Spurs are rolling but I wouldn’t say that it’s going to be that easy. There are two teams that I don’t want to see winning a ring, the Lakers and the Heat and actually there is only one that I would like to see winning a ring, but we’ll see.
      
      I think that if VDN gets this super team, Griffin’s 3rd year will be screwed. He likes to play safe, he will go for CP3 and D12 and Griffin will become the Bosh of the Clippers. VDN has been showing that he has problem with getting most out his players, problems with getting guys involved. Run the pick and roll for DJ too, Butler’s weapon is his mid range not a 3-pt catch and shoot, he likes to dribble to get his shot. I will never be able to get used to the idea of getting VDN for another season, the lack of adjustments makes me mad, the lack of ball movement, the defense, all of this makes me mad, I can’t watch. But let’s stay away from the VDN talk… hahaha…
      
      I still put my coins on McMillan because also don’t think that Jeff will stop his ESPN job, maybe the other Van Gundy, alhtough I don’t like him so much, he is better than VDN. But I hardly think the Clippers can get D12, who are they gonna trade? DJ is not really making a case for himself right now. I don’t think that the Clippers need a guy like like D12, they need more like Gortat, a role player C that can defend and score 10+ points or so. The Clippers really need a wing scorer so free up some load off CP3 and Blake, a guy that can penetrate and slash through the paint, but can also space and knock down jump shots like Harden, Mayo, Gordon, Iguodala, etc. Guys that can score but can defend as well. Tactically it would bring more balance to this team.
      
      Mo wants a contract extension but I don’t think the Clippers will give him that because it would be something like 10 million/yr type of money and that’s too much for him. I’m not sure what they think about Young, they will stick with him if they can’t find a better player, but he is certainly not the first option. Foye will ne an unrestricted FA. Evans and Martin too, but they should try to keep them. I wonder what they are going to do with Billups. I think that DJ deserves more of a second chance than VDN, with a better coach he may be able to step up, but he has been schooled by every big men in this Playoffs, it’s awful.
      - http://www.freddyandeddy.com Ian Denchasy
        
        Many great points, though I think that even playing it safe with a CP3/Blake/D12 lineup would yield a championship. Imagine the open looks Young (or Foye) would get on the wings with Blake and D12 down low and you could even throw Evans into the mix for a defense rivaling Memphis or Chicago’s. Bledsoe could lead the second unit of Mo, Martin, Butler/Billups, and Evans and just batter ram us into a title. DJ I’m ready to give up on and dump him just to save salary cap space, maybe get a future draft pick if a team is willing to eat his salary? Otherwise, send him to Hakeem or Kareem for the entire summer to try and salvage something. I don’t know.
      - http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.
        
        as I said somewhere else, DJ’s major problem is not his offense. Chandler is very limited, his points is off dunks and put backs basically, but he defends! DJ needs to defend well. And about his offensive game I don’t know if he is completely helpless when he post up or if VDN doesn’t support him enough, because why did they try to post him up as one of the first plays of the game? I don’t understand. ANyway, he can be our Chandler, limited offense but great D, he should focus on D than trying to learn something he won’t be that good, look at D12, although he improved, it’s pretty clear that post moves is not his thing, he keeps just using brute force to get to the paint, Bynum has way better moves than D12.
- bobby
  
  deandre had more than 1 rebound unlike Flake Griffin
  - griffin
    
    blake had 20 pts with a messed up knee go somewhere else that crap. Go the fakers already and get off this blog.
Steve T

Hey guys. Watching the game, it looks like the Clippers are really tired. Guys come in and can play a few minutes hard and then LOOK absolutely exhausted. Are you guys seeing that too?
Nick_C

Why can’t they play Bledsoe at the 2 if the Grizzlies can play Tony Allen at the two? Bledsoe has no problem guarding 2s, and it’s not like he’s a worse offensive player than Allen.
- Rich
  
  No clue. And it’s not like the Spurs are playing big twos who like to take people to the post. They play a spot up shooter and a slasher. Bledsoe would be better at guarding both of those guys compared to Foye.
  
  And DeAndre Jordan shouldn’t play another minute. His ONE thing is defense, and he’s been probably the worst defender on the court this series for the Clippers.
  - http://www.freddyandeddy.com Ian Denchasy
    
    They should sit Diondre the rest of the series as he keeps diminishing his trade value by the minute! He looks completely lost and Duncan isn’t even working hard to get his points. Almost like he’s toying with him most of the time. Splitter is garbage and he’s looking like an all-star.
Rich

And honestly I think the guys here at clipperblog go to easy on Jordan. They kill Griffin for the same things Jordan does (and normally does worse) and make no mention of Jordan. Yet, it’s DeAndre, not Blake, who is getting paid 10 million dollars a year. That salary demands that he be held more accountable, and not just given a pass for whatever reason.
- http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.
  
  DJ has been very awful. As he has no offensive game he should at least compensate on the defensive end, which doesn’t happen at all. He has been schooled in this playoffs by every opponent big men, you put him to defend Duncan and you can clearly see how Duncan score at will. Bynum did the same thing. He was supposed to be a Chandler type of guy, but VDN doesn’t even use him on pick and roll. I agree and think that DJ has a lot of work to do and if he doesn’t, they need a solid defender C to be a starter. But at the same time defense is not just about one on one defense, it’s about help D, it’s about rotation, about DT, it’s about communication. I think that the lack of coaching ability end up exposing too much the players weakness in this case, so that’s another factor that doesn’t help him.
  - http://www.freddyandeddy.com Ian Denchasy
    
    So, given that he costs 10 million a year and is plummeting in trade value by the minute, what can be done about him? Suggestions, please!!!
    - Clips4
      
      He needs to work on his post game this offseason and live up to his 10M/year contract.
      - http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.
        
        I think that more than post game, offensive game, he needs to work on his D. I mean, they saw him as a Tyson Chandler type, limited offense, but a guy that can score off dunks, put back and second chance points. But Chandler brings D and that’s what DJ needs to do. But there are two things that I said before, one is to box out, Dj and Griffin are not doing it properly, they are trying to out jump guys, it won’t work with physical and smart big men, as it has not been working in the playoffs. They both need to learn how to set screens properly, Evans showed how important is to set it correctly, during two important possession against the Grizz he freed CP3 so he could go to the paint and score over the mismatch, one time with Z-Bo and the other over Gasol. This is an overlooked thing that is really important, it’s not something that shows up in the usual stats, but it’s crucial for the game.
http://www.mimiayele@wordpress.com mimi ayele

@Steve T. I agree with you. I think playing the Memphis Grizzlies was being in “BootCamp” for the Clippers and they came out banged up with Injuries ,whereas the Spurs have been resting, recuperating, and no injuries. Referees didn’t help the situation by penalizing Griffin with unjustified fouls (a hold foul and a flaggrant foul on T.P.) and CP3 not having enough wiggle room to shoot. Blake did better this game playing 36min/scoring above 16pts, CP3 scored here and there, Bledsoe nor Nick young though fast didn’t deliver like in Game in 1, props to Butler/Mo/ Foye for clean 3s, Evans contributed with RB and FT, and a couple of dunks by Jordan. Team is exhausted and injuries have made the odds against them insurmountable the last 2 games. Game 3 on Saturday, home crowd support might be the much needed boost. Keep the faith!!!
Bootstrenf

like I’ve said, we should be running a lineup of Paul, Bledsoe, young, griffin, and Martin…

Martin seems to be the only one who can guard Duncan….I really don’t know why deandre is starting…
- Rich
  
  Me either. At least with Paul and Griffin, who ahve both been bad, you can justify it because you know they CAN explode on offense. What is it that Jordan is suddenly going to do? Who here thinks he’s all of a sudden going to play lock down defense? He hasn’t done that the entire playoffs. Who here thinks he’s all of a sudden going to grab 20 rebounds? We know he certainly isn’t going to go get 25 points. It’s like, you watch him play and you say to yourself “I can’t find a single thing that this guy does well. Not one.”
- http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.
  
  It’s easy to say, that’s not how it works. It would be a mess if they do like that, changing 3 starting guys. Let’s say for instance that they do it and the starting 5 play well, but they can’t play 48min and now you have a worse bench to play with, the bench, who are supposed to bring energy, then what? You gonna play Mo, Foye, Butler, Evans and DJ. You frontcourt has no offense ability at all, DJ is not reliable on D. Mo is not used to run the plays for Foye and Butler, lately he hasn’t played as a PG, so the offense is gonna be pretty much dead. VDN is already pretty bad and you want suddenly to change the line up, you will have to change the plays as well. It’s not so simple, just put 2 or 3 guys that played well the night before and expect things to work. Bledsoe had a good night at game 1 and that was it, he doesn’t do that every night, if he did he would be a starter or a 6th man at least. You can’t be caught in 1 game hype, you have to make adjustments, not to change everything. But we have VDN, you can’t expect much anyway.
  - http://www.freddyandeddy.com Ian Denchasy
    
    I wish you were wrong, but (unfortunately) you are 100% right and we’ll just have to live with the results. Sigh.
- http://barmapla.com FD
  
  DeAndre was so lost today. You can’t start him anymore. Reggie only 3 minutes in the 1st half.
http://clipperblog Al

They were close at the half. Why is Reggie not playing on Duncan ? DJ is getting torched! Pick n rolls and just one on one defense. Reggie makes a steal on Duncan from behind with pure hustle and VDN immediately benches him ?
http://clipperblog Al

Let’s face it, the Spurs are not going to let CP3 beat them. They are making him pass the ball to our players other then Griffin and say beat us.
http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

The guys were debating over the players looking down, with no will, some people are speculating about them being tired, but I think it has more to do with the frustration, the impotence of being completely outcoached and consequently, outplayed.

Imagine that you are trying your best, but nothing work, all your plays are broke down, the opponent are trapping you with help D, disrupting your rotation, they are moving the ball. you just feel powerless, you feel lost, desperately trying to come up with something, to make a play, any play, but nothing happens.

your coach which was supposed to make your life easier is actually making it harder due to his lack of plays, his lack of adjustments, it feels like the opponents are even more prepared than before, when you were supposed to have to gap to work with. Imagine that, it must be very frustrating because it’s beyond you, you are doing your best but nothing comes up and you know that usually when you do your best you can do something, but not this time.
- http://www.freddyandeddy.com Ian Denchasy
  
  Can’t disagree other than to say we DID beat them during the regular season and could have taken 2 of 3 had it not been for a bad inbounds play. Hence, we definitely have the talent to hang (when healthy, that is), so I’m optimistic we can come back stronger next year. If we can get rid of Jordan, which is a big IF.
  - Clips4
    
    What we did in the regular season is meaningless when the Spurs weren’t at full strength every game when we played them.
  - http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.
    
    That game against the Spurs was the beginning of the doom’s day. That game was already decided, I think it was up by 3 and with the possession and it turned into a TO and a 3. Then back to back loss to the T-Wolves, loss against Phoenix, all this games I think the Clippers were up by double digit at some point and they lost it.
    
    I don’t think that the problem is the Spurs at full strength, I think people are getting a bit carried away with these games against the Spurs, they are good, but they are not invincible. A full strength Clippers can steal some W off them and a Clippers with adjustments between games could get some W against the Spurs. But the point is that regular season and Playoffs are two completely different animals.
http://clipperblog Al

Clippers come home and get some home cooking! I believe !!!
Mv22

Look, cp3is obviously hampered by his injuries and so is Blake. Both are playing at 50 percent. Sa
N Antonio is a well rested machine playing at home. We ave no chance unless Paul and Blake heal to full capacity. This is not on coach. He has done a good job with this team given the situation. Now we get one day of rest and then back to back games at Home. Maybe home cooking will energize us. If not, it was a great season and we’ll be back, improved and healthy next season.
- Bootstrenf
  
  I refuse to call vinny a “coach”
  - http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.
    
    +1
Mv22

Btw look at what’s happening to Miami with one of their important players injured.
- http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.
  
  I don’t trust Spoelstra. I can imagine the Heat with coaches like Pop, Doc, etc and really making more out of that team.
  
  It’s not the first time that one of the stars clashes with Spoelstra, LBJ gave a bump on him last year.
  
  Take the Celtics Big Three, they never ever challenged Doc Rivers in that way, never. When your players don’t respect you, there is something wrong.
  
  I tried to watch the Heat last season but it was just ugly basketball for me, no flow, no ball movement, just LBJ and Wade alternating ISOs plays, it was too awful to watch.
Meohmy

deandre needs to go. You cant have 2 players with a low bball iq on the floor and u cant bench Blake. So DJ needs to go
- Rich
  
  This. I also don’t think you can play two post players major minutes when neither one of them can (or wants) to shoot the ball from 15 feet. Now, Griffin has shown he CAN shoot that shot, he jsut doesn’t want to. So they need someone down there who will. Obviously, at no point in the next 10 years is that going to be DeAndre Jordan.
  - http://www.freddyandeddy.com Ian Denchasy
    
    That shot is only going to get better for Blake as his mechanics improve. He’s getting more confident and it will open up his drives when they have to come out and challenge it.
    
    Jordan’s motion is so funky he’ll either have to come up with some sort of hook or work on his feet to get him into better post position for short layups and more dunks. He’s not built like Shaq, so he can’t bully his way down low and his defense is simply non existent. I just hope we can get some sucker of a team to take him on and get something decent in return.
    - Clips4
      
      DJ’s shooting motion isn’t bad. Chris Mullin said last night that his shooting motion isn’t bad. He has the foundation for a jump shot. He needs practice time in the gym and repetition for muscle memory. His form looks a lot better than Blake’s
      - http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.
        
        The problem with Blake’s FT is that he pauses, do it at one motion.
        
        he bounces PAUSE then he elevates his elbow PAUSE then he elevates his arm PAUSE he strokes the ball. that’s doesn’t look good.
        
        about his jump shot I think it’s about confidence, he has that shot, he shot well even in his first summer league – before getting injured -, he did bank shots, fade away, just like the other night against the Hawks or last year against the Pacers or in those 2 games in preseason against the Lakers. His release is a bit slow, but he doesn’t seem to have a problem with jumping back for a fade away. So I think he should do some pick up games and only try jump shots. He needs to get his confidence up so he doesn’t hesitate.

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