The Clippers have now dropped consecutive games for the first time in 2012. We’ll try to figure out how.
1. Is it fair to say the Clippers played right into the hands of the Warriors, or were the Warriors just better?
Charlie Widdoes, ClipperBlog: The Warriors were just better. Mark Jackson’s team won matchups in the frontcourt (Ekpe Udoh went for 19 and 8 against DeAndre Jordan) and backcourt (Monta Ellis had 32 points on 20 shots), while forcing the Clippers into 17 turnovers on the night.
After being down as much as 18, the Clippers stormed back and beat the Blazers in Portland, 74-71. This game was so confusing and unexpected that we had to bring in a fourth to run a 4-on-3 on these questions. Your contributors tonight: Nick Flynt, Jovan Buha, Jordan Heimer and Michael Shagrin.
1. What was the key to the Clippers big comeback?
The Clippers had a good shot to win a game that was closely contested throughout, but a late Caron Butler 3 went off-target. The ClipperBlog crew is here to pass judgment, second-guess (or not), and also hint at their personal music tastes in this 3-on-3.
1. Who (or what) takes the majority of the blame for the loss tonight?
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: An NBA player, well versed in Nuke Laloosh’s rules of generic answers, will tell you that the entire team is to blame for a 21 turnover effort. That’s true. Also true? If Blake Griffin goes 5 from 9 from the line we’re buckling our safety belts for overtime basketball.
The Clippers edged the Magic 107-102 in an overtime thriller. Our three ClipperBlog contributors discuss the drama in Orlando.
Jovan Buha, ClipperBlog: (a) Glen Davis turns the ball over, leading to Caron Butler making a 3-pointer off a Chris Paul assist to put the Clippers up one with less than two minutes to go. The Clippers never trailed again after taking back the lead.
(b) Jason Richardson misses a 3-pointer, Ryan Anderson misses a tip-in lay-up and Chris Paul secures the rebound, gets fouled and makes both free throws. If either player scores, they could’ve been looking at another overtime (with a loss almost guarenteed with no centers available). Instead, Clips secure the win.
(c) Ryan Gomes and Butler grab offensive rebounds, leading to Mo Williams free throws (00:39 in OT, 105-102 Clippers). Gomes didn’t play much, but he had a crucial rebound.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: (a) Paul’s shot to put the Clips up three with a minute left in overtime. Who has been more clutch than Paul this season? Does anyone looked more comfortable and less rushed shooting with the shot-clock ticking down?
(b) and (c) Gomes and Butler’s offensive rebounds on the Clippers final full offensive possession. Welcome home, Ryan Gomes! I don’t know a Clippers fan who doesn’t want Gomes to turn his disappointing season around. His offensive rebound with 39 seconds left denied the Magic the chance to set up a good final shot, sending the game to its ice-it-at-the-free-throw-line phase.
Michael Shagrin, ClipperBlog: (a) Butler’s go-ahead 3-pointer. Down by two points in overtime, Williams took it down the floor (we all held our breath as he seemed to setup for a PUJIT), he dished it to Paul, who hurled a skip pass to Butler on the other side of the floor. Bingo. Clippers don’t give up the lead again.
(b) Paul’s baseline stepback on Dwight Howard. This happened immediately after Butler’s triple to extend the lead. Nobody is supposed to hit that shot over D12, particularly someone a foot shorter than him.
(c) Reggie Evans putback layup in overtime. The first basket for the Clips in OT came on a second-chance opportunity, after Evans rebounded his own point blank miss. This shot gave Evans his season high of seven points.
Jovan Buha, ClipperBlog: The Magic spread the Clippers thin and dissected their defense possession by possesion. Sure, they were hot (68 percent is ridiculous), but most of their shots were chippies and high percentage attempts. Jordan was forced to leave to Howard to prevent perimeter penetration, which allowed Howard to get dunk and lay-up after dunk and lay-up. The Clippers need to figure out/improve their rotations to say the least.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: Part of it was just hot shooting — it seemed like the Magic were making everything they looked at from outside. More troubling was the Clippers’ pathetic defense against Howard. It wasn’t just that Howard was scoring, but how easily he was doing it. There was a lot of talk coming into this game about DeAndre Jordan’s improved defense, but tonight his tenancy to over pursue shot-blocks left him out of position more often than not.
Michael Shagrin, ClipperBlog: The Magic only made one shot from outside the key in the first quarter, with all 13 of Howard’s points coming from the painted area. The lack of interior defense by the Clippers showed a glaring Achilles heel with the the dominant big man scoring at will. There’s not really all that much Del Negro or the post defenders could have done to stop Howard, particularly in light of both the Clippers’ centers fouling out anyway.
Jovan Buha, ClipperBlog: It would definitely hurt them, but I’m not sure how much. At best, he’s their fourth or fifth most important player behind Paul, Blake, Butler and Jordan (you can throw Mo somewhere in there too). However, if Mo is forced to start, the bench takes a big hit production-wise with Bledsoe still out. If Foye starts? Well, you can fill in the blank. It won’t be pretty.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: If the Clippers are built to absorb any loss for a 3 weeks or a month, this might be it. Not the Clippers won’t miss Billups’ deadly shooting, but Williams is a former All-Star playing some of the best ball of his career, Eric Bledsoe is healthy again, and Randy Foye, well, Randy Foye was a lottery pick. The back court depth will allow Chauncey to take his time coming back.
Michael Shagrin, ClipperBlog: Between bad and very bad. The aspect of a long-term Billups injury that tilts towards being ordinarily bad is that there are plenty of backup guards on the Clippers who could nicely fit into the starting rotation, albeit with less talent and leadership. The way this injury could be very bad is if Vinny Del Negro can’t find a rotation that allows Williams to be the offensive spark with the second unit. Williams didn’t have a great game tonight, but his value is immeasurable amongst the offensively-challenged reserves.
The Clippers demolished the Wizards 107-81 to kick off their six-game road trip. Our two ClipperBlog writers — and guest contributor John Krolik — discuss what happened at the Verizon Center in Washington.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: The most encouraging takeaway from a blowout win? That it was indeed an emphatic, never-in-doubt, Wizard-destroying blowout win. The Clippers never took their collective foot off the gas, beating the Wiz by at least ten points in each of the first three quarters, and resisting the temptation up twenty to stop running the offense and start freelancing. Three quarters of dominating play earned the starters a fourth quarter on the bench cheering on the scrubs.
John Krolik, Cavs: The Blog:The Clippers’ offensive efficiency was off the charts. Ninety-five of the Clippers’ 107 points came from the paint, the free-throw line, or the 3-point line – the most efficient areas on the court. That’s not just a product of talent, it’s a product of discipline. Even with a comfortable lead, the Clips continually looked for high-percentage shots instead of relaxing and chucking up the first shot available.
Breene Murphy, ClipperBlog: Just that there was a blowout on the road. The ClipperBlog crew hung out tonight and the big question was: How many games has Ralph ever called like this in his 30+ years? 4? 5? Love seeing the starters getting rest at the start of a road-trip heavy month.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: DeAndre Jordan. Blake was good – DeAndre was perfect. 18 points on 9-11, 7 offensive rebounds, 3 blocks, and the dunk of the game. But honestly, picking one over the other misses the point. It was the tandem of Jordan and Griffin that was collectively unstoppable – the Wizards won’t be the last team on this road trip that simply lack the size, speed, and strength to match up with the Clips’ front court.
John Krolik, Cavs: The Blog: Call me spoiled by expectations, but I’m going to go with DeAndre. In a vacuum, Blake would probably get my pick, but DeAndre was the best possible version of himself, which you can’t say about Blake. 9-11 shooting from the field, one vicious dunk after another, and 7 offensive rebounds, all while shutting down the Wizards’ attempts to attack the rim.
Breene Murphy, ClipperBlog: Blake’s always more impressive. But if you’re going more relative on this, I would say DeAndre Jordan. DeAndre’s amazing dunk-rescue of Mo’s faith-based pass was the cherry on top of an incredibly efficient night.
Jordan Heimer, ClipperBlog: Um… shoot underhand? Hypnosis? A freak, but fortuitous ulna-break a la Rookie of the Year that results in perfect shooting form? Trolls on Clipper comment boards refer to Blake’s woes from the charity stripe as “free throw despair.” To his credit, Griffin continues to attack the rim regardless of the frustrations that await him at the line – but their ineptitude will inevitably cost them a game sooner rather than later.
John Krolik, Cavs: The Blog: I’m going to get cute and suggest that Blake and DeAndre work with Rick Barry this off-season and bring back the underhanded free throw, especially for DeAndre, whose arms and giant hands are going to make it tough for him to become a good “conventional” free throw shooter. Some of Blake’s free throw issues are mental, and I think he’ll get back to 60-65 percent when his confidence comes back, but I’d love to see him make the underhanded free throw cool again — I’d like to meet the fan or player who thinks that shooting free throws underhanded is more emasculating that being on the wrong end of one of Blake’s throwdowns.
Breene Murphy, ClipperBlog: Can we get Blake to take some rhythm dribbles? At least one? I like that he’s trying to “react” as much as possible in his free throws, but it’s not like he’s a good jump shooter to start with. DeAndre, however, will probably always be a bad free throw shooter. Maybe the rest of the Clippers just have to ignore Blake and DJ’s free throw mojo for now.