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Refuge of the Roads

Posted by Kevin Arnovitz on Tue, 12/19/06, 07:23am:

Category: General

After Wednesday night's game against Boshless Toronto at Staples --- and there are no gimmes at this point --- the Clippers play 9 of the next 12 on the road, including games at Houston, Dallas, and Utah in the next week. Assuming they play .500 H/R ball [a 3-9 record], the Clippers will return from Minnesota on January 10^th, 13-22. If they want to be any better than 13-22, the Clips must pick off some road wins, while still sweeping Sacramento, Boston, and the Knicks at home next week.

Professional Basketball Team	Road Ws	Home Ls	TOTAL
San Antonio	10	3	+7
Utah	12	5	+7
Phoenix	8	2	+6
Houston	7	2	+5
Dallas	8	3	+5
Denver	7	4	+3
Minnesota	4	3	+1
NOOCH	5	5	0
Portland	6	6	0
Los Angeles Lakers	3	4	-1
Seattle	4	6	-2
Sacramento	3	6	-3
Los Angeles Clippers	1	5	-4
Golden State	1	5	-4
Memphis	2	7	-5

At the start of the season, I privately made a promise to myself not to judge the season numerically until after that January 10^th game. Measuring the Clippers' schematic progress was one thing, but I pledged that I wouldn't really look at the overall W-L number.

In their struggles --- and even before Thomas, Magette and Cassell [ed. 1626p] got knicked up --- the Clippers have made repeated references to their health. They aren't making excuses...but...[1] it got me wondering just how their injury situation stacks up against other teams.. Are the Clips really worse off than the Lakers, who have Kobe on an iffy ankle, and are completely without Odom. What about Utah, with their best player [and make no mistake, anyone you asked prior to the season "Who is the Jazz's best player," would've cited AK] missing the first month and day-to-day most of the second? And the Spurs, who were without their second or third best player depending on where you rank him, for the better part of a month, and have a sore-kneed Duncan? What about Phoenix, who has a mid-percentile Amare, Nash, who has a grilled cheese sandwich for an L-5, and Barbosa, with a bum ankle? Houston without McGrady? NOOCH with David West out, Peja useless and Chandler brittle? Hell, Golden State is treading water without Jason Richardson?

The point is that, all things considered, the MASH tent could be a lot worse for the Clippers. They still have their projected starting five out there. Maggette is fine and their backup centers are all okay. Granted, Sam Cassell is an enormous missing piece for the Clippers, but good teams perform without key players. We saw it on Sunday against Houston. The Spurs didn't miss a beat without Mano. The Nuggets started a deli platter and a pair of Wallabees last night against Washington and won.

So enough veiled references to the health situation. This is a deep team that should be competitive every single night.

[1] Have you ever noticed how "I'm not making excuses, but" parallels good old "with all due respect..."

Comments

Dave wrote:

Injuries to players are not an issue. Issue is: Dunleavy plays key players 40+ min. and doesn't make an attempt to go deep. If he keeps doing it on the road, we will come back from the road with heads hanging like chads.

12/19/06 09:01:14

Craig wrote:

I've never heard announcers for any team complain about injuries as much as the Clippers spokesmen. It's one of the few things that I dislke about Lawler, injuries being his favorite excuse for the team's poor play.
Injuries are part of the game and every team has their share. That's why they have, what is it now, thirteen players on the roster. Injuries are opportunities for players who don't get playing time to get a chance to show their wares. Any good team will continue to win while enduring the normal amount of injuries.

12/19/06 09:49:47

Rastan wrote:

Just a quick typo correction. You've got a Clippers misspelling in the sentence: "Granted, Sam Cassell is an enormous missing piece for the Clppers, but good teams perform without key players."

I don't want you to fall into "Pinto's Preview" territory here, haha... (I'm a fan of Matt Pinto, but the guy needs to give his Preview a quick proofread before posting it on the Clippers website... and also learn the difference between "its" and "it's".

Keep up the good work!

12/19/06 10:39:40

Dave wrote:

Is this an institute of higher learning?
For a newcomer, who's spell-bound...please be aware, that we miss spell a lot here. Clippers are called by several strange names. And you are welcome to call clippers 'Kipplers' as well. And we love to use its its and more its for everything. So be patient. Read twice if you have a hard time understanding our OHPINIONS.

12/19/06 11:04:32

basketball wrote:

Injuries are part of the game. Good teams adjust and other players make up for the injured players. Right now, the Clips just aren't getting it done. You can't blame injuries.

12/19/06 12:38:04

M. Pepper wrote:

Once the Clippers have a chance to travel East, those Road numbers will change.

12/19/06 13:06:47

Allen Iverson wrote:

I'm going to Denver

12/19/06 14:12:58

Q. D. wrote:

FINALLY A.I. TRADED. NO MORE WAITING, NOW I HOPE WE DON'T GO TRADING MAGETTE FOR DUNLEAVY JR.

12/19/06 14:34:05

tb wrote:

I am so disgusted!!!

Having a chance to pick up AI and letting it go. Even if he only has three good years left in him I want those three good years. Now we have to sit back and wait for our "potentials" to grow up (yes it would be great if Korolev could develop motor skills or if D Ewing was 6'10" - NOT GONNA HAPPEN).

What really pisses me off is that the Clips act as if they want to trade for AI thereby injecting the uncertainty into the players on the team without being serious. I mean, AI was traded for Joe Smith, Andre Miller and two nose picks - how much cheaper can he go???

So now we are left a locker room without any chemistry, a 38yr old leader who knows management was willing to trade him, a passionate penetrator who wants out, a defender with back spasms, a shooter without a touch, a kid trying to grow up, a tired All-Star, and a center with severe ADD. Now that my friends is the bunch you want to build on...

I read somewhere that a guy thought the Nuggets brought in AI so they had a chance against the Clippers. Wrong, they brought him in coz they had the chance to. We did too but we let it slide...

Good news is it will be harder to raise ticket prices next year...

12/19/06 14:51:49

Adam wrote:

Disgusting. Cannot believe we didn't trade Mags and Livingston for AI. If Livingston reaches his potential, he MIGHT be as good as AI. We will only have Brand for 3 more years anyways, why not try to win in those three years by acquiring one of the top 5 players in the league? It's good we threw 25 million at Dunleavy, this FO really knows what its doing. Fuck you Baylor and Sterling, you stupid pieces of shit.

12/19/06 15:33:28

M. Pepper wrote:

good post TH

I love how you summed up the team

12/19/06 15:51:07

John R. wrote:

Re: Reactions

LOL

12/19/06 16:24:49

M. Pepper wrote:

While I don't think Iverson would have reversed our fortunes, I am disappointed in the Clipper management for giving the appearance that all is well.

Dun's extension was their big move.

It signals that they are content with the direction of things.

12/19/06 16:44:10

Craig wrote:

I'm wasn't in favor of giving the
sixers Livingston in the deal, so I'm not too disappointed. I just hope that they do the right thing when they trade Maggette.

12/19/06 17:13:55

Channeling Garnett wrote:

The Clippers can still make a big trade involving Maggette and another team that lost out on AI.

And if they don't, time for a serious players only meeting/outing. One that isn't scheduled by Sam. Someone else needs to step forward... anyone, anyone? Brand? Boy Wonder?

12/19/06 17:49:14

Q. D. wrote:

I hope we can use Maggette for a Rashard Lewis. But I would be more pissed off, if we got Mike Dunleavy Jr.

12/19/06 17:55:09

mikedunlevyneedssuitsthatarentfromthe70s wrote:

if we really do get mike dunlevy jr... i'm going gold and purple... if that bald fuck does turn into the asshole little leauge coach who plays his son more than the better players.. im gone.. it's been great...call me when that cueball's contract is over...otherwise bring me lewis, miller, anyone.

12/19/06 21:25:21

MattP wrote:

Last season, Corey goes down early, and it could've gone badly, but the team plays, well, like a team, and weathers the storm. Sam plays like a kid, EB's a beast, and Kaman is averaging a double-double. Man, this was a TEAM - a team that played hard for 48 mins. Something's changed and it isn't injuries. It seems like effort to me. I'm still holding out some hope that things will turn around, even if the teams stands pat, but someone has to step up and put an end to this complacency bullshit. EB's not a leader. I hope Sam can do something. Swagger counts! There's still time.

12/19/06 22:23:10

tb wrote:

Kevin, this site is working as therapy for me, send me a bill at then end of the season... OK, so while I am mad as a hippo with a hernia about this whole AI thing, I take pleasure in two things: 1. I don't own Sixers season tickets and 2. The Clips are finally talking the talk and appear to no longer be in denial.

We need to get back to basics, getting the guys back in the huddle and playing like a unit.

Next step: Whoever-the-leader-is-now (Ideally each team has a leader???) should have a talk with Corey and figure out if he is in or out. If he is in then no more trade BS, but if he is out then bench his ass and create a common ground for the guys who are committed to get us out of this growing hole we now find ourselves in.

Angry Clipper Love :)

12/19/06 23:06:29

JR wrote:

I agree with TB regarding Maggs. Lets ask him to step up and become the superstar his biceps portray him to be...He can give us 20+ a game! if he really decides he wants to and MD isn't such an ass on O.
As for AI, Denver is going to be a very exciting team to watch this season.
F that rebuilding BS, he knows how to win.

12/20/06 08:46:23