The Clippers’ dysfunction and bad chemistry have been well-documented, and the cultural issues that surround the club must be addressed before the 2009-10 season opener. But even if the Clippers return to training camp as a svelte, rededicated bunch, there are some fundamental weaknesses that [...]

Watching the postseason over the past couple of weeks has offered a reminder that the NBA, at its essence, is a game of exploiting mismatches in the halfcourt. Good teams do this effectively when their offenses are humming.  The standout defensive teams? They’re the ones who can recover from, [...]

Sometimes I forget that watching your basketball team can be a source of actual fun. The first half of tonight’s game serves as a reminder. Granted, the Pistons are without Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, Allen Iverson, and Rodney Stuckey, but the Clippers’ offense is fluid, which canR[...]

In the first half the Clippers miss a ton of easy looks. In the second half they can’t find one. There’s no reason that these five starters — each of whom is traditionally a proficient offensive player — should have this much trouble generating shots in the halfcourt. The two[...]

In the spirit of Harold Pinter, let’s tell the story of this tragedy in reverse. [4th, 0:06.6] This game ends for the Clippers the way it begins — with a Zach Randolph airball from 27 feet.  What do the Clippers want, down two points with a hair over six seconds remaining?  According to [...]

This is an exciting time for those trying to find new and compelling ways to understand basketball through analytical means.  The sphere of advanced statistical analytics is experiencing a golden era, and I was fortunate enough to be at ground zero this past weekend — the MIT Sloan Sports Anal[...]

With the Clippers’ two most efficient scorers out of action, we’re back to the dark days of January when it was tough to discern anything meaningful from a game like this.   Going in, the game isn’t without some potentially intriguing storylines. In Eric Gordon’s absence, Mik[...]

Posting an 87.7 offensive efficiency number against the league’s most porous defense requires a special level of bad execution and indifference.  The best illustration of this comes at the conclusion of the first quarter, when the Clippers watch a one-point lead evaporate, leaving them with a [...]