(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
The final score doesn’t show it, but the Clippers had a historic Wednesday night. 46 first quarter points, the most for the franchise since 1986. Let that sink in for a bit. The Clippers shot 77.3 percent from the field, 75 percent from beyond the arc (6 of 8 on 3s), and 75 percent on free throws. It was LeBron-esque. Caron Butler had 17 points, there were alley-oops galore and the Clippers racked up and 18-point lead despite giving up 28 points (the Rockets shot 50 percent in the quarter themselves). And then they came back down to Earth. The rest of the game wasn’t as exciting as the first 12 minutes — the Clippers scored just 60 more points — but for one quarter, we saw the Clippers’ offensive potential realized. Onto Last Call:
Buzzer Reaction
 Los Angeles Clippers |
106 | Recap | Box score |
96 |  Houston Rockets |
MVP: Caron Butler. It’s fitting that in a game essentially won in the first quarter, Butler would be the guy doing the damage. Always a hot starter, Butler rattled off 17 first quarter points to lead the way.
Defining moment: This was like having five LeBrons on the floor. The Clippers scored 46 points in the first quarter, shooting 17-for-22 from the field to record their highest scoring quarter since 1986.
That was… a sprintathon: What happens when two teams start this fast? They eventually slow down. The Rockets held their own on the break, but they missed James Harden a ton in the halfcourt.
- D.J. Foster
Tweet of the Game
So. Many. Points.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) February 14, 2013
Clippers: 20 points on 9 possessions | 222.2 points per 100 possessions. Seriously.
— Kevin Arnovitz (@kevinarnovitz) February 14, 2013
Eric Bledsoe Per36 Stat o’ The Night
| REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | +/- | PTS | |
| Eric Bledsoe | 4.2 | 6.4 | 0 | 2.1 | 0 | 0 | -16.9 | 4.2 |
ClipperBlogLive’s Best Moment
Fast forward to the end. Just trust me, Clippie Blog fans.
DeAndre Double:
Check Your Messages
The Rich Man’s Matt Barnes
We’re talking about Chandler Parsons. In a very Matt Barnesian, “I don’t give hickory hoot how much we’re losing by” sort of way, he made the little cuts, the smart fouls, and the timely put backs. He did just about everything he could to give Houston a fighting chance against this unforgiving Clipper machine.
While Barnes also can do all little things on both sides of the ball, what sets Parsons apart is the precocious polish to his game. Beyond being in the right place at the right time, he makes the right decision and does so with a deft touch. When he was trapped under the basket falling out of bounds, he neatly ricocheted the ball off Chris Paul’s lower half in order to preserve the possession. No problem, just a routine play for workman.
- Michael Shagrin
Grammy Dopelganger
Sunday night, I sat on my couch to watch the Grammy Awards and saw a singer whose face I had never before seen: Miguel.
I shot up from my couch.
“That’s Caron Butler!”
It wasn’t Caron, but it definitely could’ve been.
(In related news, Miguel was incredible for the first quarter of his song, but was pitchy throughout the rest.)
- Fred Katz
Big Shots, Small Concerns
The Clippers near-historic first quarter was such a whirlwind of bucket-getting that you’d be forgiven for thinking the game was over after only 12 minutes of play. Of course, it wasn’t over yet. In the remaining three frames, a combination of Clipper turnovers and Rocket offensive rebounds (13 to the Clippers’ 6) brought the game back down to Earth.
But amid those small concerns there was a beacon of hope for the rest of the year (you know, in addition to the victory): This might have been Chauncey Billups’s best game in a Clipper uniform. He was crafty, steady, and efficient—six for nine from the field, including four threes, all without a turnover. He’s so savvy at initiating contact while maintaining his balance, and as D.J. mentioned in CBL, he’s clearly an upgrade over Willie Green, especially on defense. Granted, he’s suited up for a mere six outings, but the Clippers are 5-1 in those games.
- Patrick James
The Final Letter
February the 13th, 2013 Los Angeles
Dearest Clippie,
My services have been rendered obsolete. Modern warfare has advanced beyond the abilities of a sub-6-foot Asian Sergeant. Tonight, I have seen things against the Lone Star State’s Houston militia that chills me to my very core and shall not soon be forgotten. I am an old duck in a vast pond, and this is a young duck’s game.
Where I shall go, what I shall do, I do not know these things. But I know that you and the little blogs are in the care of good men. A blog of your stature will be much sought after, and my presence can only hinder you going forward. Remember me as you do in memory and know that when the wind blows it is a whisper from my lips to your ear.
Sergeant Major Andrew Han
- Andrew Han
Efficiency In Movement
When you get old, you learn to cut out a bunch of the crap you don’t need in your life. You hone in on your tastes. You know what you like, you know what you’re good at, and you know what it takes to get the job done.
Caron Butler and Chauncey Billups can’t really move. They are older men with declining bodies playing a young man’s game, but they eliminate the advantage their defenders possess by working in a small space. Athleticism doesn’t mean much in a pocket. When Butler or Billups take a spot up three, or a simple face up shot with no dribbles, they become quick in the only way it matters — at least offensively. We know Chris Paul will get guys wide open, feet set, no one within spitting range type looks. When Butler or Billups don’t hesitate or try to do too much, they render time irrelevant.
- D.J. Foster
