(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Damn.
The Los Angeles Clippers had their 2016 preseason opener at Oracle Arena against the defending Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors. It was as bad a preseason debut as you could imagine for the Clippers.
In Kevin Durant’s preseason home debut, it was Klay Thompson that dominated the Clippers with a game-high 30 points on 10 of 14 shooting from the field in only 21:20. Durant wasn’t bad either, sliding in with 21 points on 6 of 10 shooting. Durant and Thompson combined for 42 first half points, while the Clippers had only 33 points as a team at halftime.
The Clippers never led. The Warriors led by as many as 53 points, winning by a score of 120-75.
Simply brutal. Of course, this is what the preseason is for – to knock off that one-sided optimism from media day, training camp, and any open scrimmages.
The Clippers were eaten up in all facets of the game, but the perimeter and fast break were sharp mismatches. In the first half alone, the Warriors outscored the Clippers 17-2 on the break, with multiple three-pointers that exposed a lack of transition defensive awareness by L.A. And while Thompson, Durant, and reigning MVP PG Stephen Curry combined to shoot 20 of 32 from the field (62.5 percent), Clippers guards Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, Jamal Crawford, and Austin Rivers were 1 of 25 from the field (4.0 percent).
That’s one 4.0 that will be a failing grade.
Let’s not get too deep into this one. Burn the tape. Blake Griffin played and looked healthy, so that “watch” is over. Marreese Speights was the first big off the bench, while Brandon Bass and Raymond Felton got first half minutes. We didn’t see Paul Pierce, Alan Anderson, or the rookies until after halftime.
The Clippers are right back at it tomorrow night, at STAPLES Center, to host the Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors actually beat the Warriors on Saturday, 97-93. It’s preseason, but what a nasty taste this leaves.
Don’t like the chemistry between Blake and CP3 in the starting unit. The two of them are ball stoppers who both like having the ball in their hands. I think the Clippers starters are better off playing pace and space with a stretch four. That is why I suggest starting Mo Speights at PF and bringing Blake Griffin off the bench. Unlike last year Clippers who started Paul Pierce at PF, and were undersized at the PF position, the Clippers now have a legitimate 6-10 big in Mo Speights who can stretch the floor without giving up size. The Clippers starters would have more space to operate and the Clippers bench would have Blake play the 6-10 Lamar Odom type of facilitator mismatch with their second unit. It would relieve Rivers and Crawford of playmaking duties and allow them to concentrate on what they do best which for Austin is to defensively shade opposing players, and Crawford could concentrate on getting buckets.
Well, I hope this game isn’t a sign of things to come but I expect in many ways it is. Everybody knows the Clippers wanted to look good against the Warriors because of who the Warriors are.
A person can blame it on the pre-season but that’s not all of it. There are some serious problems with the Clippers. These problems were there last season and they’re there again this season, though those problems from last season may be even worse this season.
Austin Rivers led the Clippers in something last night. He led them in minutes played, 27 of them. In those team leading 27 minutes he was 0-8 from the field and 0-4 in threes. He was 1-2 from the line so he did score a point, I point.
Of course he won’t be this bad every game, but in the overall he will be bad, as he was last season, and he will play bad for more minutes this season than he did last season so the overall effect will be that he will hurt the Clippers more.
The Clippers other big off season signing was Grandpa Crawford, and he was 0-7 from then field with a total of zero points. HIs even more elderly teammate Grandpa Pierce was 1-3, which likely will be a typical box score for him all through the season.
Yep
The Rockets game was interesting. They beat the Knicks 130 – 103. Looks like their new run and gun offense centered around Hardin may work out well. If so, the Rockets could be a surprise team this season.
I just checked out DeAndre Jordan’s box score against the Warriors. Some of it is pretty typical for him against good teams, He played 22 minutes and scored 4 points, and he had 4 rebounds. But the one thing that really sticks out is something I’ve never seen before, ever, by anyone. He had a +/- of -51 in 22 minutes.
The clowns that comment on here are unbelievable.
Mo Speights should start over Blake Griffin because Blake is a ball stopper and Mo is a great 3pt shooter?
Mo Speights has averaged 15 minutes per game his entire career. Blake Griffin is a 5x All-Star and 4x All-NBA player.
Mo Speights made a career high 24 threes last year. You read that right, 24 made threes.
The Clippers offense is so dysfunctional with Blake and CP playing together they were the #1 offense in the NBA in 2013-14 and 2014-15.