Los Angeles Clippers (2) vs Portland Trail Blazers (3)
Moda Center
7:30 p.m. PST
April 29, 2016
ESPN
NBA/Getty
1. Spin me a 40-word scenario where the Clippers take Game 6.
Aaron Williams (@aaronsmarter): Dame and CJ meltdown, DJ blows up, Crawford goes nova, Pierce comes back, Stotts gives up, Jeffrey Green, playoff hero. Did it in half.
Brandon Tomyoy (@dingyu): Lillard and McCollum are contained, and Portland’s role players don’t step up. Luc Mbah a Moute becomes a wall, Jamal and Austin score like it’s OKC revisited, Jeff Green builds on his big Game 5, and Cole Aldrich swallows the paint alive.
Roscoe Whalan (@RoscoeWhalan): After hanging tight through three quarters, like they did in Game 5, Jamal Crawford carries the Clippers down the stretch on the back of a series of clutch threes — including a 4-point play — which ties things up. Then, out of a timeout on the final possession, DJ gets fouled and steps up to the line for two free throws. The Portland crowd roars as he air balls the first. DJ takes a deep breath, relaxes his shoulders and collects himself before tossing the second one up. Swish! The Clippers win! We’re going back to L.A.
2. Who’s a pending free agent on the Clippers you’d like to see in LA again next year?
Williams: BRING BACK COLE.
Tomyoy: In terms of building a history with players, Jamal has to be considered, but if the decision was solely based on need, Cole Aldrich is the guy. He has the highest Player Efficiency Rating among the entire second unit, and he’s the big man off the bench that can both score and rebound that the Clippers have been lacking in seasons past. Plus, his style of play around the basket offers a level of finesse that helps the team to provide a more varied attack.
Whalan: In order of preference: Cole, Jamal, Jeff (Green), Austin, Luc, Wesley, Pablo, Jeff (Ayres). Cole has been a revelation. Jamal, as frustrating as he can be, has been so durable and still can score in bunches. I’d like to see what Green could do with a full season in LA — and with a healthy squad. And also, I just have a soft spot for young Austin.
3. Does the winning team of this series go more than 5 games with GSW?
Williams: Absolutely not. I staunchly believed that the Clippers could take a Game 7 away from Golden State with both their All Stars intact and motivated. With the improved bench chipping away, and some creative lineup wizardry (mostly turning off Pierce’s alarm clock on game day and/or bribing his driver to go the opposite direction of the arena), the Clippers could edge the Warriors with their defense and size advantage in the paint. Rivers-Crawford-Green-Pierce-
Tomyoy: If it’s the Clippers, getting to five games against even a Curry-less Warriors team would be defiant. For the Blazers, on the other hand, they have a chance to make it a more competitive and longer series. Don’t forget that the Blazers gave Golden State one of their nine losses on the season, and if there is one other guard in the league that has both the range and explosiveness that almost reaches Curry’s otherworldly levels, it would be Lillard.
Whalan: Both have a puncher’s chance; the Blazers a better one than the Clips. As we’ve seen in this series Lillard is always one made bucket away from catching fire and that alone gives the Blazers a chance at stealing one off GSW. That said, the chances likely end there. I can’t see a second round series with the Warriors going the two-week distance — even with Curry missing time.
A big “Grats” to the Fred Katz on his new gig!
I really wanted to see Curry vs CP3 in the playoffs. Not that I think the Clippers would have won, but it would have been a great series because of those 2.
I like Doc as a coach (or think he’s above average), but I’m not sure he’s going to want to give up full control. I really don’t see him wanting to trade anyone. In his mind the Clippers would have won it all if it wasn’t for the injuries. I’m guessing there’s no major changes this offseason.
Do they re-sign Green and Crawford? I’m not sure they can sign anyone better.
Re #2: Cole Aldrich is all right in a limited way, but I don’t want to see any of the others back.
The key thing is for the mindbogglingly awful GM Doc Rivers not to come back. If he does come back, then most of these not very good players likely will too. If he doesn’t come back, a new competent GM will be done with most of them.
Austin Rivers has to go, and a competent back-up point guard has to be brought in to replace him. GM Rivers is trying to make his son into the Clippers point guard after he trades Paul, but that would be a disaster. Rivers is a terrible point guard, even worse than 39 year old Prigioni, who didn’t even make it into the NBA from South America until four years ago. The only reason Prigioni is here is that because he’s so old, it’s a good excuse for GM Rivers to play his son at point guard instead of him. If there was a real backup point guard instead of Prigioni, then Rivers couldn’t play point guard.
The result of all this back-up point guard foolishness by GM Rivers in favor of his son is that the Clippers have no adequate replacement for Chris Paul. That was evident in the last game, game 5, when daddy’s boy had a +/- of -23, by far the worst on the team, and also only had 3 assists in 37 minutes. That followed his game 4 performance where he was 1-7 from the field, and that followed his game 3 performance where he had 4 points and a +/- of -10
No player is more responsible for the last three losses than Austin Rivers. He’s not the only player that should be blamed, but no player is more responsible for those three losses than him.
He can’t shoot well enough to be a shooting guard and he is woefully inept at point guard. That’s why New Orleans got rid of him, and it’s why the Clippers should get rid of him too. All of the talk about what a great defender he is is nothing but deception.
I can’t really blame him because he tries really hard and seems to have a good attitude. It’s not his fault his dad puts him in the game. He’s playing the way he usually plays.
A. Rivers has a player option at 3.4 mil next year. We can only pray some team is foolish enough to try to sign him for more money.
I supposed the rumors would officially start after the Clippers lose this series, but I’m guessing the Clippers are going to keep Doc as GM.
Everything will be forgotten about. Even most Clippers fans are just blaming injuries and don’t see anything wrong with this season.
As for #2 you’re right Cole is the only one that should be brought back. Only problem is Doc isn’t going to be able to get anyone better than Crawford or Green