In a rare confluence of offensive efficiency and defensive moxie, the Clippers put together their most impressive half of basketball this season. They outscore Sacramento 35-13 in the first quarter, missing only eight shots in 24 possessions, and go into halftime with a 58-32 lead. Everything works.[...]

The Clippers’ early scores materialize when they aren’t able to get the designed shot, but improvise nicely to work themselves clean looks beyond the arc off smart reads [1st, 10:52; 1st, 10:17].  Unfortunately, the Clippers can’t hit their open shots, particularly Steve Novak, who[...]

Gutsy. That’s exactly how the Clippers played tonight. Absolutely, positively, undeniably gutsy. When presented with multiple opportunities to simply roll over and die, the Clippers refused and continued to scrap against a far superior team. One of the most disheartening things about this seas[...]

The game isn’t without moments.  For a couple of minutes at the beginning of the fourth quarter, DeAndre Jordan looks unreal.  He opens the period by unfurling a beautiful post sequence on the left side against a good defender, Chris Andersen.  Jordan catches the ball in the post, faces up, th[...]

David Thorpe has a new feature up at ESPN.com, in which he assigns each rookie a veteran to study.  Eric Gordon’s homework: Gordon is already a beast to defend with the ball in his hands. But to make himself even more difficult to defend (and prepare for), he’ll need to learn how to play[...]

By all measures, the Clippers should be buried after a first quarter in which they give up 31 points on 24 possessions.  Guards are getting to the rack at will on the Clippers, whether it’s Rajon Rondo, Will Bynum, or even Roko Ukic.  Rondo shreds the Clippers defense tonight in the first peri[...]

Teams are getting wise to the Clippers, and you can tell just by the way they defend Eric Gordon.  When Eric has the ball up top, the defense snaps to attention — not just EJ’s man, but the interior guys, too. They watch the rookie intently as he sizes up the court.  On the Clippers first poss[...]

From Marc J. Spears in the Boston Globe: “Several NBA sources said the Clippers are quietly considering relieving coach/general manager Mike Dunleavy of his GM duties and bringing in someone else. Rumored candidates include former Heat GM Randy Pfund, a former Lakers coach, and ex-Lakers and G[...]