(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Buzzer Reaction
 Los Angeles Clippers |
 New Orleans Pelicans |
MVP: J.J. Redick finished off his stellar December by leading all scorers in the game with 26 points on 9 of 15 shooting. Even when the rest of the team started out cold, the Duke alum fired off the first 13 points for the team en route to their fifth straight victory.
That was … a great road trip: While the trip started off with the discovery of Blake Griffin’s injury, tonight’s win in New Orleans sealed the first 5-0 road trip in the history of the Los Angeles Clippers franchise. Not a bad way to ring in the New Year.
X factor: DeAndre Jordan lead the way on the glass tonight, pulling down 20 rebounds to go with his 11 points on 5 of 7 shooting. In addition, he had three blocks, including one during a sequence that started with a stuff of Anthony Davis and finished 32 seconds later with DJ scoring a basket on the other side.
— Brandon Tomyoy
Tweet(s) Of The Game
Despite Clippers' lack of size compared to the Pelicans, they came up with 13 offensive rebounds and held the Pelis to 5
— Rowan Kavner (@RowanKavner) January 1, 2016
.@cp3 has just passed Lenny Wilkens for 12th on the @NBA's all time assist list. Chris is now at 7,212. #Clippers
— Isaac Lowenkron (@isaaclowenkron) January 1, 2016
Happy New Year from 30,000 feet. 🎉✈️ pic.twitter.com/FVpofHjzts
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) January 1, 2016
Check Your Messages
The Misters Big Shot
It’s a luxury to have as many good shooters as the Clippers have had this season. JJ Redick, Jamal Crawford, Paul Pierce, and Chris Paul are all great at hitting timely shots just when their crew needs them to. However, the true blessing is that these shooters have all seemingly found their stride at a time of extreme need with Blake Griffin out of the lineup for at least another week.
A great example of the value of having multiple players on the floor was made evident by the Clippers’ final basket of tonight’s win over the Pelicans. On the second night of a back-to-back, the Pels were able to keep things close headed into the final seconds of the game until Jamal Crawford hit a jumper to extend the narrow lead and put the Clippers out reach of their feisty New Orleans antagonists. The shot was made possible not just because of Jamal’s uncanny ability to create shots off dribble, but also due to savvy of coach Doc Rivers; Doc drew up a play out of the time out that used JJ Redick as a decoy, drawing just enough help away from Crawford to allow him to hit on his attempt. New Orleans could barely afford to leave either Redick or Crawford in that situation, and having the personnel to be able to force them into making that decision is a luxury the Clippers were able to capitalize on in the clutch – and should continue to do so in the future.
-Aaron Williams
