Game Thread: Clippers at Portland

Feeding The Delusion

I’m very pleased the Clippers beat the Spurs, because if they hadn’t things would have been grim, but it’s a mistake to start thinking DeAndre Jordan is going to consistently put up stats like he did last night against the Spurs. Games like last night only fuel the delusion that there’s more to DeAndre than there actually is.

DeAndre has a long history of putting up his best statistical nights against teams that put smalll forward size players out on the floor at center. He did it numerous times last season, and everytime he did it all the DeAndre DeLusionaries here pointed to it as a clear indication he was finally a real starting center instead of a second round draft choice who should be coming off the bench for 20 minutes a game against the other team’s second unit center while earning the league minimum. Then reality would set back in again.

He did it numerous times last season, he did it a few times early in the preseason, and he did it again last night.

He played against the Spurs starting center Boris Diaw and the back up center DeJuan Blair. Diaw is 6’8″ and a slight 235 pounds, and he’s averaging 5 points and 3 rebounds a game.

Blair, the back-up center who DeAndre went out of his way to “glare down”, isn’t much different. He’s 6’7″ and averages 6 points a game.

The two of them together are probably one of the smallest and least productive center tandems in the NBA. They are no match at all for a seven foot center who can run and jump, even if that’s all the guy can do. He can get wide open dunks on his little counterparts all night long, and he easily can keep them from scoring as well. That in no way indicates what he can do against real NBA centers, as last season made clear again and again and again.

Also it’s a mistake to overlook that the Spurs top to bottom had a off night.

Still, it’s a very good thing the Clippers won.

I still hold out some hope for Lamar Odom. Obviously he’s terrible now, but there’s a chance he can get into shape by the time the playoffs get here, and then he might be ble to do something good at center.

I do not hold out any hope the 40 year old Grant Hill is going to come back and be a significant help, and neither do I hold out any hope 36 year old Chauncey Billups is going to come back from a very serious achilles injury and help.

The Clippers need another shooting guard. Randy Foye played well last night against the Lakers. Utah singed him for only 1 year at $2,500,000. I don’t know why the Clippers couldn’t have done that. They can use him.

I’m also holding out hope that Dwight Howard will tire of playing second fiddle to Bryant and his act and will sign with the Clippers.

The Clippers definitely have to do something at center. Almost anything si better than DeAndre.

I was at the game last night Demote and you have to realize DJ has improved his moves in the post and his defensive intelligence as well as performance.

On numerous occasions he made decisive moves with those little hooks with either hand. The key is he knows what he wants to do on the block now and whether the shot falls or not, the guy has put in the effort both physically and mentally to improve so zip

I think today against L.A. should be another good test, but to disparage the guy for scoring against one of the best big men of all time, See DJs stats above, is just incorrect.

I will say that even though Blake had a solid stat line, there seems to be something off. It looks like he is a little less explosive and in that first quarter he really stopped the flow of the offense. Am I wrong about this or does anyone else see that?

LETS BEAT THE BLAZERS!!

DJ is ballin’ out of his mind! Blake still looks off to me, but Paul is rolling early. Good start for the Clipps

Who has the edge athletically, Bledsoe or Lillard?

DeMote, DJ is making his freethrows and is beasting. What do you say now???