In preparation for their first round meeting with the Grizzlies in the playoffs, we invited Chip Crain and Red Coleman from the TrueHoop Network’s famed Grizzlies blog 3 Shades of Blue to run a little 5-on-5 with some of our guys. Let’s hear your thoughts and predictions in the comments section.
1. Were there any important lessons learned from the regular season matchups between these two teams?
ClipperBlog’s Kevin Arnovitz and Jovan Buha answered some questions on the revitalized rivalry between the Clippers and Lakers in a feature on ESPN.com:
Kevin Arnovitz, ESPN.com: (1) Chris Paul. (2) Kobe Bryant. (3) Blake Griffin. And I feel ludicrous leaving Pau Gasol off the list because he’s one of the best reasons to watch basketball in Los Angeles. The point is that if you have the next six months free and unlimited resources, rent a place within five blocks of Staples Center, buy two sets of season tickets and die happy.
Here’s an excerpt from ESPN.com’s 5-on-5 about the Chris Paul trade:
D.J. Foster, ClipperBlog: Fact. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Look at it this way: Chris Kaman was gone. Eric Gordon wasn’t a lock for a contract extension. Minnesota’s unprotected 2012 first-round draft pick could always end up being another Adam Morrison. It’s a 400-foot homerun instead of a 500-footer because they were seemingly negotiating against themselves, but the Clippers got the league’s best point guard. That’s a win.