Running Diary: 30 minutes of mess

03 Jan 2013

Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers

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Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

You don’t know you’ve been different until you’re back to being the same. Welcome back, angst. I missed you. What follows is a highly subjective, moment-by-moment, tour through last night’s third quarter, or, as I like to call it, my least favorite 30 minutes of 2013 thus far.

10:18 – Clippers down 17. Festus Ezeli grabs the arm of a rising Blake Griffin and brings Blake down hard on his shoulder and the back of his head. Blake lies on the court, dazed. Mike Smith hopes Blake won’t look up at the Jumbotron replay, worried that it will “give him the willies.”

After a huddle around the replay monitor, the refs announce a Flagrant 1 and the Warrior fans boo. I am not enjoying you, Warrior fans. I don’t care for your Miami-esque white T-shirt “whiteout;” I don’t like that you jettisoned your muscle-suit-wearing mascot with the Rocketeer face gear when Oklahoma City stole the Sonics because mustache man’s name happened to be “Thunder,” and I don’t like you booing Blake’s concussion.

Mike Smith mentions that moments like this can change a game. Blake misses the free-throw.

8:43 – Criticizing Chris Paul is like criticizing Derek Jeter: it can be done, but only in very small doses. And don’t get me wrong, I get the meta-game mindset of the True Point Guard. It’s not just this pass in this moment. The True Point Guard knows how many shots each of his court brothers need to Get Involved, to Instill Confidence for Down The Line, Make Shots We Need To Make In May, and so on.

But here is what I am screaming at the television: YOU’RE CHRIS PAUL! YOU’RE CHRIS PAUL! YOU’RE CHRIS PAUL! (I should mention that I have a roommate, that I don’t know him very well, and that he came home with what I can only assume is/was a girlfriend at just this moment.)

But I digress. My point is, there are unselfish passes and then there’s just plain weird. On consecutive possessions Paul passes up open 3s at the top of the key so that 1. Blake can shoot a 22-footer and 2. Matt Barnes can shoot an, admittedly, equally open 3 from the top of the key. BUT YOU’RE CHRIS PAUL.

7:56 – Ralph Lawler: “Willie with a long two ball, which is considered the worst shot in basketball.”

6:42 – Vinny adjusts, goes small, brings in Lamar to help facilitate a gummy offense. Good things start to happen.

Chris Paul gets that Garbage Pail Kids grouchy look and starts just outright messing with Stephen Curry, who has thoroughly outplayed CP3 tonight. First, with Curry guarding him at the three-point line, Paul fakes right, goes right and runs straight through him, popping up from the bang-bang play and walking towards the line before the ref signals the foul. Cowed, he signals block. Paul makes both freebies.

Lamar immediately gets into the act, throwing an aggressive trap on Curry and forcing a steal from the Warrior waif. Lamar is doing all kinds of good Lamar things, except that he keeps missing layups. Those, you kind of wish he would make.

6:02 – After a scramble, Andris Biedrins appears to control a 50/50 ball. Paul reaches into Biedrins’ arms and just straight snatches the ball back, then glowers at Andris like “You can’t have that. I’m taking that. Because I’m Chris Paul and you’re Andris Biedrins, and I don’t love your haircut, and don’t you know that I ALWAYS SNATCH BASKETBALLS OUT OF PEOPLE’S HANDS?” (which, as my 200 Twitter followers know, is a thing I love pointing out).

Opines Ralph: “I’d want Chris Paul in my foxhole, I guarantee you that.”

5:18 - No one is making shots. Jamal is missing. Paul is missing. Barnes is missing. LO makes a wide-open 14 footer. Everyone is stunned. It pulls the Clippers to within 12. The white out seems anxious.

4:49 – Wait, no they’re not. The white out taunts Blake Griffin after he heaves a desperation corner three that HITS THE SIDE OF THE BACKBOARD. Mike Smith quips: “He never has to be embarrassed about a missed free throw again in his life, because nothing could be worse than that.” Warrior fans are standing in their seat to point and laugh. I’m not loving you, Warrior fans.

In other news, the Clippers have three field goals in the quarter.

4:23 – Chris Paul has remembered he’s Chris Paul… maybe too well. He just tried to slalom dribble between three defenders before settling for a fade-away three. PASS CHRIS!

ALL TIMES: Jamal Crawford has literally – a word I swear I am using correctly – done four things this quarter that have made me involuntarily slap myself in the face. A one-on-three up and under attempt while Matt Barnes stood wide open in the corner pointlessly waving his arms turned me momentarily into Macaulay Culkin. Literally.

Then, Jamal hesitates on a three, goes between his legs, draws a double, and knocks down a 20-foot with Harrison Barnes in his face. It’s the fourth and penultimate basket of the quarter. (Later, one of the post-game commentators mention Jamal as a “bright spot off the bench.” Um, not tonight guys. Points ain’t everything.) (Wait, double parenthesis. In a post-game interview, Jamal says “we need to watch the tape.” Uh huh.)

2:18 – Bledsoe comes in and Barnes goes out, because why try playing three adequate perimeter defenders at the very same time?

2:05 – Jarrett Jack drives for a layup. Mike Smith: “When he slithers to the goal like that is he a Jarrett knife?” a. That is a very obscure joke, and I didn’t appreciate having to Google the reference. b. Too soon, Mike. We’re getting eviscerated here. (Oh wait… now I see – it works on two levels.)

1:35 – OK, we all know David Lee is the best player in the NBA, but would he be quite as good if you guarded him ALL THE WAY OUT TO 15 FEET???

1:02 - Klay Thompson makes his 14th wide open 3. Mike Smith: “Jamal is shaking his head like he’s thinking ‘Oh yeah, that’s the guy I’m supposed to put up a hand against.’”

Oh yeah. Oh yeah, indeed.

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Pingback: Los Angeles Clippers Blog – News, Commentary for NBA Clipper Fans » Last Call: Warriors 115 Clippers 94
FD

Clippers played the other day on the road, so that didn’t help. VDN doesn’t really do much for the team. As far as the Clippers playing bottom feeders, it’s still hard to win 17 straight. Worst of all DeMote’s posts cursed the Clippers the last 2 days.
Bongstradamus

Thank God we have VDN on the bench pulling guys jacking up piss poor 3s and trying to score on a triple team with 2 wide open men in order to keep us in the game.

Oh, wait…
- Clips4
  
  Like I’ve been saying, when the Clips aren’t making shots in transition, their half-court sets are not creative enough to generate easy buckets and they jack up 3′s. I missed the game last night, but obviously we died by jumpers last night.
http://www.facebook.com/matt.nespoli J Matthew Nespoli

now that they’ve lost two in a row, is it PC to start the fire VDN chant again???
- Bongstradamus
  
  I’m remaining as consistent as possible. I didnt want the team to pick up his option this past summer and go for a top tier coach. I still feel the same way. I dont think we should fire VDN during the season unless it gets catastrophic, but I dont think we should extend him either.
  
  Motivational speakers are a dime a dozen. Deepak Chopra and Tony Robbins can get players motivated too. Heck, they can even get them to spend money just to hear them speak. Guys who know X’s and O’s and can see a path to victory down 6 with 8 seconds on the clock can only be counted on maybe 2 hands. And we need one of them to really put ourselves in the best position moving forward.
  
  We have 2 future Hall of Famers on our roster and we’re still using a Wal-Mart coach bought on clearance 3 years ago. Its time to upgrade.
Craig

You can’t win with such poor shooting….let’s hope they snap out of it on Friday….
Louis

My thoughts exactly. There was a stretch in that quarter where the game was there for the taking. Clippers couldnt generate any offense in the halfcourt. Eventually it went to the sub-3:00 TV timeout and the window closed.
I know the Clippers were supposed to lose eventually, but they haven’t been getting any good looks — they’re not just missing shots that used to fall.
- Clips4
  
  I’ve been harping on this all year but the Clippers really struggle when the game slows down and they are not making their transition baskets after generating steals. They are at their best when they do so. The lack of a half-court offense (we ONLY run 5 plays) will come back and haunt us in the playoffs. This team is perfectly set up to incorporate some of Jerry Sloan’s flex offense playbook to diversify the pick and roll and isolation heavy sets that are run. When opposing teams show hard on the pick and roll and then double up on CP3 and Jamal Crawford, the offense pretty much dies and we go into scramble mode. I am not sure if people have noticed, but we have more broken plays than we did last year I feel.
dooder

The Warriors seem to have the Clippers number. And Curry is better than CP3 when they matchup. Blake is getting the physical play he dishes out. So no whining. (see the shove on Lee into CP3,puzzling) This team needs Chauncey to be a true Title contender. Chris Paul as good as he is? Is not as smart as some seem to give him credit for. The Team responds to Chauncey. And he is their Leader IMO. Not the best player per say. Chris Paul is not as humble of a guy as Stockton was. Who is? I will say this again. Chris Paul is a great player. Chris Paul is not a great Leader. Big difference. There are some traits missing in him that Chauncey has. And as unselfish as he is sometimes. I don’t ever remember Stockton or Nash as PG’s demanding Iso ball to close many games. Great Player but not the essential and necessary glue guy. That would be Chauncey. I hope I don’t get kicked off this site for stating my opinion. The smugness and cockiness of this team sometimes I am not a big fan of. This Team needs Chauncey’s maturity and Wisdom to keep things steady. Not too high,not too low. Just steady.
- Tim
  
  No one is going to run you off this site. The Clippers were humble through-out the streak, and I did not see the cockiness you speak of. Paul is a great leader, only a great leader would put himself to the side in the face of a historic comeback, and force feed the hot hand as Nick Young drained 3′s, and then fly in the face of conventional wisdom on the pick and roll, and make the bounce pass to a cutting Reggie Evans down the lane for the hoop and harm with Game 1 vs Memphis hanging in the balance. But, this is CP’s show, and he did close that game drawing the foul on Tony Allen in the closing seconds as a prime-time player should. Only a leader like Chris Paul would beg to get back on the floor down 27 when the game seemed all of lost. I, for one, appreciate the fact the even though I know Chris Paul is not milk and cookies, as he portraits himself. But I like the fact that the Cornerstone of the Franchise, says all the right things, and does all the right things. He might not have your respect, but you could bring a laundry list of players, coaches, GM’s, and average Joes who have nothing but positive things to say about Chris Paul. The only person who ever said anything bad about CP was Jarrett Jack, and so what, his input don’t count on here, and he took back just about everything he said anyway.
  - dooder
    
    OK that’s fair. I wouldn’t say I don’t respect him. I just think from having watched him a lot. Even in New Orleans. That he is a different brand of PG than say? Nash and Stockton. He’s more of a ball dominant PG sometimes. Which is not my preference. Watch how long Chauncey actually holds the ball as opposed to CP3. I like the decisions and deliberate pace of the way Chauncey plays. CP3 seems to be probing the defense sometimes when it’s not warranted. Or showing off his handles needlessly. Just make the smart play and if you miss a shot? That’s fine. No player is perfect. I guess since he has never advanced his team really far. I have some serious doubts. Prove it by being instrumental in your teams success when the level of BBall is at it’s highest. The Clippers are unproven and so is CP3 in terms of BBall at the highest levels. Chauncey is not! I have seen him raise his game as the level of games themselves raise. In other words? Being able to do what is needed. Not what you think needs to be done. Big difference! The only measure of greatness or legitimacy is being able to beat the competition at it’s highest level’s and adjusting your game accordingly. Not easy at all! Come the playoffs I want to see this team be a little more versatile.
    - Clips4
      
      If you’re talking about ball-dominant, you cannot say that CP3 is like Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook. THOSE guys are ball-dominant. CP3 is a pass-first PG who scores when he needs to. He is second in the NBA in assists and has been in the top 3 in the NBA in assists virtually every year he has been in the NBA. You also forget that CP3 is unproven because his Hornet teams never had the talent that the Clips have this year. He took a bum Hornets squad to the playoffs two years ago and single-handedly almost beat the Lakers by himself. CP3 is a winner and knows how to win. Basketball is a team sport and he now has the talent on his team to win it all that he never had in years past. The only question is the coach. Is VDN capable of leading the Clips to a title this year? The difference between championship teams and everyone else is that their pros outweigh their cons. Can the Clippers’ depth, scrappy defense, and transition game outweigh their lack of a half-court offense? If they can overcome their lack of a half-court offense, then the Clips will win it all in spite of VDN and not necessarily because of him.
      - Tim
        
        Clips4, I like how you turn any critique on anything Clippers, and twist it right into your anti-Vinny dialogue.
        
        Clips4
        
        Well, it’s true. The Clippers play their best when their scrappy defense leads to transition baskets. However, when they get stopped in transition, they do not have a well-developed half-court offense that is too simple and predictable. In other words, they do not have a viable backup plan to help win them games. On most nights so far, their talent is winning games and basically outweighing the con of their half-court offense. It remains to be seen whether it will be a sustainable thing en route to a championship. I’m not worried about their defense. It looks okay with the exception of letting opposing teams with shooters light them up. Outside of that, their defense is great and credit that to VDN for better defensive rotations. However, the half-court offense needs to be there if the Clippers cannot impose their will in transition and come playoff time, that offensive execution will serve them well. The Clippers are unique in that they rely on an up-tempo transition game while most other teams rely on calculated half-court sets and will run whenever the chance presents itself. The Clippers want to run up the court every possession.
        
        Tim
        
        Ok, got it, improve the half court offense, and defend the perimeter better. I think the Clippers found themselves in situations vs GSW where key buckets could be made, in spaces where the momentum was shifting our way, where a player like Big Shot can draw the foul, get to the line, stop the clock, quiet the crowd, and keep things going the Clippers way, but instead, we jack up a hasty shot, don’t box out, and give up the transition 3 to Curry, and here we go again. Hill on the perimeter is tougher to get shots off on. We need our players back, healthy and contributing. Another thing, the Clippers after this tough week can always regroup and reassess their situation, practice, and improve on their body of work for where they are at this season. I expect the half court offense to improve between now and the end of the season. I expect the perimeter defense to improve between now and the end of the season. One thing that will accelerate both points for improvement are 2 players who have yet to contribute, Grant Hill, and Chauncey Billups. Billups is good with the timing of the game, feeling when a play needs to be made, and stemming the flow of the opposing team. A player like that keeps the opposing team from going on long runs, and helps prevent scoring droughts for the Clippers. Billups equals key buckets, hence Big Shot maker. Would love to see Bledsoe, Barnes, and Hill on the court together, with LO, and Blake, to see what jump shooting teams can get, like nothing! The Clippers have options, and time is on our side.
        
        Clips4
        
        I agree that the Clippers have time. Although, if I was VDN, I would implement some flex offense sets in the half-court. That will rectify the ball-watching on the weak side and make sure there are always options after the initial action on the pick and roll dies and that iso-ball becomes the last resort. I have looked around on Youtube to see some basketball analysts break down the flex offense Jerry Sloan ran in Utah and they are things of beauty to watch. I totally think that this team is built to run the flex because Blake Griffin although not as consistent a jump shooter or as refined offensively as Karl Malone became, is a much better passer and explosive athlete than the Mailman could ever dream to be.
- Clips4
  
  CP3 is a great player and a great leader. He does not have the experience Chauncey has and the Clips do play with a chip on their shoulder. I do not think it is cockiness but CP3 isn’t perfect. He knows that and that is why he looks up to Chauncey because Chauncey has a ring and Finals MVP trophy. The team is missing Chauncey who is another clutch guy who can knock down big shots down the stretch. If we had Chauncey back, we would be playing 3 guys in winning time who can make clutch shots. The idea of iso-ball is a coach’s decision when VDN basically tells CP3 to make something happen down the stretch. I forget between either Henry Abott or John Hollinger, but one of them wrote an article a couple of years back on hero-ball. They had said that the Hornets were the most efficient team in crunch time because they actually ran plays while the Lakers were the least efficient team in terms of offense because they ran away from the triangle offense to let Kobe work his magic. The triangle offense was the most efficient offense the first 43 minutes of the game. The Hornets had CP3 who could call a play and run it to perfection whether to create a shot for himself or dish to the open man. This only works with a creative playbook of half-court sets. When you have a playbook as small as VDN’s and you only run 5 plays essentially (iso-Crawford, iso-CP3, iso-Blake, pick and roll with Blake, mirror pick and roll with Blake) other teams know that the pick and roll is coming and try to get a switch or will trap the ball-handler to get the ball out of his hands and make someone else beat them. VDN is a Ford. Why would you want a Ford when you can get a Toyota coach? There are tons of better and more reliable coaches out there with proven track records. VDN, like Bongstradamus said, was a bargain coach 3 years ago. I’m not clamoring for him to be fired mid-season. We can definitely do much better to upgrade. Good coaches can be motivators (NBA players need to already be pretty motivated if they are to amount to something). The great coaches differentiate themselves by quick thinking, play-calling, and creativity when it matters the most. Is VDN a great coach? That remains to be seen. Given his track record so far, VDN has not proven anything.
Clips4

Here is some of the reasons why we lost to GSW.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3TB_ZDZnHI&list=HL1357278264
Patrick

To be honest, the reason we were losing wasn’t that Vinny’s offense seemed to be bad but more that we missed so many open shots. The defense on the other hand was suspect but whether it was Del Negro’s fault or a lack of effort from the team is hard to determine.
http://www.facebook.com/joey.brooks.777 Joey Brooks

beautiful. absolutely beautiful. I feel reaffirmed with a kindred emotional and analytical hissy fit. (I had a chillingly similar experience watching)
Tim

Any word on when Chauncey or Grants availability? We need these guys on the court already, this is getting ridiculous!!

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