Utah 111 - Clippers 98 - That Seemed Eerily Familiar
by Steve Perrin on Oct 30, 2009 11:02 PM PDT
in Game Recaps
36 comments
With under a minute to go in the third period, the Clippers held a six point lead in a building in which they've won one game in close to two decades. What's more, they were beating Utah's starters in the third quarter, and Utah's bench is pretty thin. The game seemed well within reach, against a Jazz team missing one starter and two key reserves from last year's edition.
Just to overstate the case, that's 35 minutes of basketball to that point, and the Clippers were ahead 84-78. But it turns out, a basketball game is 48 minutes long, and over the next 13 minutes LA was outscored 33-14, including 15 in a row spanning a portion of the third and fourth, and the ended up losing 111-98. To make matters worse, most of the run came with Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer on the bench. In the first half, when those guys went out the Clippers reserves took advantage of them. This time around, it was a different story. And the story was Paul Millsap.
It all just seems so familiar. Here's an excerpt from the recap I wrote after game four last season, a loss to these self same Jazz.
The Clippers and Jazz were tied at 57 with 2 minutes to go in the third. In the final 14 minutes, they were outscored 32-16, and Millsap alone accounted for 17 of them, including 15 in a row in the fourth. He outscored the Clippers by himself in the final period, 15-13.
Paul Millsap is unstoppable.
The real question is, why did no one pay this guy more than 4/$32M this summer? I mean, I'm being a little facetious, but against the Clippers over the past two seasons, he has been, without exaggeration, the best player on the court, by a pretty wide margin. He's been an all pro against the Clippers. His follow shot and-one with a second to go in the third was the turning point tonight. The Clippers' lead had been four - he cut it to one, and then made the first basket of the fourth quarter as the Jazz took the lead, never to trail again.
You can bet that MDsr and his coaching staff are going to be fuming about the rebounding after this game. Overall, the Clippers were outrebounded by 13, 48 to 35, and 12 to 3 on the offensive glass. For a large portion of the fourth, the listedatbutnotreally 6'8" Millsap was being defended by 7 foot Chris Kaman - and Millsap constantly got to offensive boards against him. Kaman may have had a good game on offense, with 21 points on 8 for 12 shooting, but he had only 4 rebounds, and that's not acceptable. It shows a lack of effort.
Anyway, it's late, I'm tired, and I still have to write a preview for the Mavericks game tomorrow night. The Clippers are 0-3 to start the year. And it feels like we've been here before, and it's not good place.
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Have the Clippers planned their 2010 draft lottery party yet?
Now seems like a good time.
I've got nothing.
by bc56274 on Oct 30, 2009 11:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
replay is on now
but can’t bring myself to watch it…4th quarters are our crytonite…gotta get some z’s…last game of the ayso season tomorrow!
Roger Sterling: To my knees, Don. They're bringing to my knees!"
by Lawler's Law on Oct 31, 2009 12:27 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Really?
When I saw the live game cast on my cell phone, it was during the 3rd quarter. I thought ok…here we go again. Up in the 3rd. We need to close this game out!
And then I checked back a little later. You guessed it. We blow the 4th quarter AGAIN.
I was depressed, disappointed…you name it. I feel like giving up now.
Clippers 09-10. Prepare for a revolution.
by iankobe on Oct 31, 2009 1:18 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Depressing yes…. i don’t want to experience dejavu from last year’s record. Tired of people talking about how bad the clippers will do. Need something to show them what’s up! sigh….
Clips' Nation
Eagles!
by Goosebumpz on Oct 31, 2009 1:45 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My take on the game
I thought offensively we played well for 3 quarters. Baron was penetrating and had only put up one brick after 36 mins. He was driving and being agressive. Kaman looked excellent also. He had a variety of post moves and a number of decent blocks. Wasn’t rebounding too well though and again got lost on some defensive rotations.
I was very disappointed with Al though. The more I watch him, the worse I think he fits in the starting 5. His shot selection was very poor and the execution was worse. I won’t single him out defensively as I thought the whole team were poor defensively.
What killed us was the start of that 4th quarter though. 2 shot clock violations and a dribble off the foot. Gave the Jazz that momentum and I thought Boozer, Millsap and Deron all played superbly for the Jazz. They aren’t an elite team but they were effective when it mattered and then we just dropped off.
Yep, we are 0-3 but when you looked at our first 3 games vs Lakers/Suns/Jazz, the best result we really were looking at was 1-2 so it’s not the end of the world.
However, our ability to perform when it matters in the fourth quarter is starting to worry me and there were a number of times last night that the plays being run ended with poor shot attempts. That worries me too. We currently look so much better in transition than we do in our half court sets (unless they feed Kaman each time).
Onto Dallas and another tough game………
Bingo! Oh me oh my!
by ClippersUK on Oct 31, 2009 2:48 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Can't wait for the 4th quarter collapse tonight...
sing it with me… JOHN WALL! JOHN WALL! JOHN WALL! JOHN WALL! JOHN WALL! JOHN WALL!
'Cause how you play, is how you'll be remembered. PLAY LOUD!
by CLiPPz WeRD 12 on Oct 31, 2009 4:11 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Remember: season starts on Monday
No room for pessimism now. When the schedule was presented, everyone agreed that October was very tough and that the team would likely be 0-4. And that with Blake Griffin in the lineup.
Remember Nº2: hopefully we will soon have Griffin to deal with the Millsaps that destroy us on hustle.
by edu_argentina on Oct 31, 2009 7:04 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
lf we had just hit our free throws . . .
Oh, wait a minute. It turns out that the problem is exactly what we talked about a couple of days ago – the inability to close out games. This is getting old real fast.
by Jax on Oct 31, 2009 7:31 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Yes and no
Inability to close out games, a big yes. And it’s one thing for Steve Nash to take over and play flawlessly, but Paul Millsap is a different story. Especially when Craig Smith is sitting on the bench, a player who is one of those (undersized) guys.
A minor no just to mention that the Clips shot quite well from the line last night. At least they’re not fumbling and making the same mistake all over again.
by citizen zhiv on Oct 31, 2009 7:35 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That doesn't help
But I think the real damage was done with the 3 consecutive turnovers at the start of the fourth which totally changed the momentum of the game
Bingo! Oh me oh my!
by ClippersUK on Oct 31, 2009 8:49 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
A Couple of Things
Not sure why Dunleavy didn’t put Craig Smith back in when Millsap started going nuts. The Kaman-Millsap matchup on defense (Kaman guarding Millsap) was never really working, and that’s what killed the Clippers. Dunleavy left Camby in because he was semi-effective against Boozer, which makes some sense, but he wanted Kaman in too because Kaman was doing well on offense. But he never tried putting Kaman on Boozer and bringing Smith back.
It’s not like the Jazz didn’t make their own adjustment. They had Boozer on Kaman, which was about the best that they could do. That meant that Millsap was on Camby. No worries there. With Smith in, Millsap has to play defense and Smith has a better chance of defending him and keeping him from getting hot.
It’s one of those things that might be solved in the long run by Blake Griffin. Worth noting that Baron Davis was saying after the game that the Clips have “no rotation,” and he said it twice. Lisa Dillman had these quotes in the LAT this morning, and SP might be able to spell out the subtext for us: what was BD really saying?
Another thing: Fasenko and Koufus played a big role in keeping Utah in the game and preventing the Clips from getting a lead.
Disappointing game, one more in the continuing series. I think it was madglove who was talking about the Clippers lack of execution after the even more frustrating Phoenix game. The Jazz put on a clinic of executing their offense, even with two young and inexperienced centers filling in, and wings who don’t score or shoot much. They played the Clips tough through 3 quarters, and then got a favorable matchup and they crushed them.
by citizen zhiv on Oct 31, 2009 7:32 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
It was madglove and I
And the problem has emerged – the inability to close oiut games. That is more than just substituting one player for another. It’s an indication of dare I say it coaching issues because this team has the players to win. This is why people cannot get carried away just because the team has better players. They are only part of the equation. Particularly when playing against good teams.
We need to stop thinking of BG as a savior. He’s not. He’s another potentially good player but he’s a rookie. He’s not a playmaker and has issues shooting. BD and the boys have to step up, play defense and execute the offense. Problems seem to be what they are doing on offense and defense.
We’ll see, but this does not bode well.
by Jax on Oct 31, 2009 7:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Closing out -- I agree
It’s not just a single substitution and “the rotation.”
I think that coaching is a big factor but there are others. One of them is the players on the floor answering the bell and making plays down the stretch. As you say, BD and the boys have to step up.
They have to get over the hump and notch a few wins. The loss against Phoenix was a particularly bad one, but they can get over it. We knew that a road game against Utah and playing Dallas the next night wasn’t the best cure, and it’s strong medicine.
I like the way they shot their free throws tonight, and BDavis played a very nice game against an extremely tough opponent in DWilliams. Davis was going to the basket and working very hard. The good thing is that he was so effective, that he was rewarded by his style of play. He’s not going to give up, and he’s going to lead the Clips to some wins and then we’ll see where they’re at.
Still, coaching is an obvious problem when you see a team like Utah and how they execute and their relentless focus. They’re just working their system, but of course they have a lot to build on and a solid core. Dunleavy, who always has his share of excuses and then some, pointed out that a big part of the Jazz and Jerry Sloane’s success is that they’ve always had a great point guard, and the transition from Stockton to Williams was fairly seamless. He’s not wrong. And it looks like the transition from Malone to Boozer to Millsap is going to go pretty well too.
by citizen zhiv on Oct 31, 2009 7:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Jazz
were without several good players last night. I’ll say it again, a poor carpenter always blames his tools. Sloane would do well whatever talent he has. If he had a great SF, he’d build a team around him. If he had a great PF, he’d build a team around him.
It’s time to stop looking for reasons to avoid the obvious.
by Jax on Oct 31, 2009 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The obvious is that
Sloane is one hell of a coach.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on Oct 31, 2009 12:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
We need to stop thinking of BG as a savior. He’s not. He’s another potentially good player but he’s a rookie. He’s not a playmaker and has issues shooting. BD and the boys have to step up, play defense and execute the offense.
Completely agree. 100%.
by Michael White on Oct 31, 2009 8:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I suppose I agree.
But you have to remember Blake is a #1 pick. Rookie or not he’s miles apart from all the other rookies, a few of which are already starters on their teams. Blake is slated as “NBA ready” and we all know that just by watching him in the preseason.
Because he can already hold his own in this league, that makes him a difference maker. Maybe not a savior, yet or ever, but he certainly would be helping this team. And not having him on the floor is a setback.
That’s the whole point of the lottery and the whole point of a top 5 pick; acquiring a player than can step in immediately and contribute to the team.
And Blake actually passes very well for a PF lol.
Anyways, with that being said, I completely agree that’s no excuse for an 0-3 start and the boys need to step it up. Because even without Blake we made moves to strengthen our bench. We’re better than our record shows and we’ve seen that product on the floor. Just not with any consistency.
by dulciusEXasperis on Oct 31, 2009 8:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree that it is frusturating
Different roster, same problems. Loose balls getting away, guys being out of position, etc. I see a lot of what I would call “coaching issues”.
I also see of a lot of encouraging signs. Kaman looked great. The guards played really well. Only 9 turnovers. All good things.
One thing that continues to surprise me after 7 years is Dunleavy’s handling of the SF position. I think AT off the bench and as the go to guy would be a lot better use of him. He is not suited to be a role player. He stinks at it. He is out of rythym. If he were the 6th man, and the offense ran thru him during those stretches (isos, penetration, etc.), I believe we would see a much more effective Thornton.
It’s funny that for years we chided the coach for starting the more conservative player (Ross) over the more exciting player (Maggette), and now it is the opposite. For two years we have called for Mardy Collins and now Rasual Butler.
But to me, Butler seems like a better fit for the starting 5. Bring Al off the bench. Give him the ball.
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
by mikey p on Oct 31, 2009 8:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
We chided him
not because Maggette was more exciting but rather that we needed his scoring. We don’t need scoring from the SF position starting now.
by Jax on Oct 31, 2009 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Memphis Funk beat the Raptors
Thought I would note that Zbo had 30 (Bosh had 37) and the Funk got a nice win against the Raptors, with a 39 point 4th quarter. Thunder also won. Harden, coming off the bench and playing 16 minutes against the Pistons, was 1-6 with 2 points.
As far as the lower reaches go, the Kings and Wolves seem to be in their own world. The Thunder and the Funk are going to be more competitive and more interesting to follow and watch. The Clips have that tough schedule and they’re battling, and we have to see how they respond and what happens as things balance out.
by citizen zhiv on Oct 31, 2009 7:45 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Depressing to watch
The Clippers might be 3-0 right now if games only lasted 3 quarters. It is really unfair of them to do well through 3 quarters and get our hopes up, only to fall apart in the last quarter and leave us all angry, annoyed, and disappointed. I might have to turn off the TV after the third quarter from now on. My blood pressure will thank me for it.
DeAndre for MFP - Most Funniest Player
by ClippChick on Oct 31, 2009 7:46 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, my wife doesn't watch the games after the half for the same reasons
I don’t blame her.
by Polish Rifle on Oct 31, 2009 7:55 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Patience needed
I’ve become a fan of the Clippers because I’m a fan of Eric Gordon. In watching the Clippers so far this season, it’s obvious they have improved. They will be even better once Blake G joins the team. Their interior defense is very weak, Thornton can’t guard and the big guys can’t guard anyone out on the floor face-up. Baron Davis is in much better shape this year after losing some lbs. However, he’s not taking control of the offense 4th quarter when games are decided in the NBA. Last night he took two ill-advised shots late 3rd quarter when the Clips could have expanded on their lead. Utah turned it up a notch and went on the big run to take control. Phoenix had Nash and Utah has Williams to control tempo and get the ball in the right hands in the right position. Both are superior point guards to Davis; that’s a fact.
Have some patience and faith. I can’t believe posters are already talking about next year’s draft. How pathetic is that?
by Mike Wr on Oct 31, 2009 7:47 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
The Clippers are an improved team from last year. At least, I am thankful for that. Kaman is earning his contract and Baron is earning 75% of his.
I really feel we’d be in a better position to win if Dunleavy would stop tinkering with lineups like this was a preseason game.
It’s very simple: START BUTLER. BRING THORTON OFF THE BENCH IN “SCORING MODE”.
I am certain that one move, putting in a starting lineup that values ball movement, floor spacing and defense (like every good team in the league does), and establishing a REGULAR ROTATION with defined roles for the bench players will push the team towards success.
by DariusN on Oct 31, 2009 9:11 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
No legs
The 4rth quarter is the hardest quarter to play in basketball. BD,MC & CK have aging legs. Legs are very important in playing the last quarter. The substitution pattern must always consider this closely.Preserving your best players for the 4rth quarter should not be a problem if you have a deep bench and the Clippers does. There is always the danger though of playing your 1st five as much as you could if the game is close.
Coaches know the individual abilites of their player. Matching their talents with others so that they can play effectively is the challenge. I thought this was put together during the preseason. There seems to be a hesitation of continuing what was started when BG was injured. Even DJ looked like he lost his confidence. I guess that’s why we are the Clippers. Losing seems to be natural for us!
by nelsan on Oct 31, 2009 9:13 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Good point that is rarely mentioned
conditioning has a lot to do with the fourth quarter. It is part of the reason why the Clips always seem to flame out.
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
by mikey p on Oct 31, 2009 1:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I had hoped by not watching or paying any attention to the games I’d wake up today and see a surprise win instead of the expected fourth quarter breakdown. One thing is a constant in the Dunleavy era, if Sam Cassel is not running the game in the 4th his Clipper teams never seem to execute enough to win the tough games.
Hopefully the Mav’s partied hard after beating the Lakers and will allow us to make a game of it until we pick a point in the 2nd half to crawl into the fetal position and let them run over us. Trade Kaman now while he’s healthy and everyone is enthralled with that shooting%. It will only go downhill from here for him.
Many are making excuses for our 0 – 3, soon to be 0-4 record because of the competition. In each game we have been in the position to win, and in game we have come up woefully short. This is not so much about the competition but about our ability to play winning basketball. Kobe won game one, Nash won game two, Millsap won game three. One is still MVP quality, the other is one of the oldest point guards in the league, and the 3rd is a decent but not great PF. If you can’t stop Millsap how can you expect to stop the real elite players in the league during a game’s turning point.
Maybe Blake Griffin is the answer to all these questions, I guess in six weeks we will find out, and hopefully he can stay healthy enough to contribute so we can find out. For all the improvement we say we’ve made this looks like the same team from last year, good enough to play for 3 quarters, not good enough to actually win against a quality opponent. I guess the test will come when we play another non-playoff team and see if we can beat up on them. If in fact the Suns weren’t the first team on that test.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on Oct 31, 2009 9:16 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
He will not make a big difference in closing out games under this MDSr "system"
They should let Kim Hughes or some other coach take the reigns, the sooner the better.
by Jax on Oct 31, 2009 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Butler has to improve his Defence,
the guy just won’t commit defensively and that cost us this game and CMDsr has to come up with better rotations in the 4th. and stop experimenting so much.
AT is our starter and you can not blame him for this loss, he is the guy fighting for boards and even trying to drive the ball. EJ also is driving the ball and giving 110% but Sool just is not in to it or it looks that way at least.
Everything starts out New, Gets Old and Dies or is Destroyed.
by HVYDRT007 on Oct 31, 2009 11:13 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
No way is Rb responsible
For this loss. You see passed the 20% from the floor by AL yeah, or the 3 TO’s at the start of the fourth to change the games momentum. Or MDSr’s poor play calling. But RB’s D……..
Bingo! Oh me oh my!
by ClippersUK on Oct 31, 2009 11:52 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Your steadfast support of AT...
… is mostly on the mark, but I don’t agree with all of it. You’re right that AT has a lot of strengths and is playing hard. I haven’t checked his boards yet, but it looks like he’s rebounding better. And clearly, he’s not to blame for our losses. I also agree with the gist of your comment above, that Butler has looked out of sync— He’s had some trouble defending bigger players, and I don’t like it when he tries to create his own shot. He looks better when he plays off our starters, catching and shooting as a second or third option— I think it’s apparent, he is not the guy to keep the 2nd unit afloat.
I think this last point is what your argument has been overlooking. That is, the 2nd unit often HURTS when AT is not in there. In part, it’s Butler’s deficiencies that make him the better choice for starter. Likewise, I’d much rather have AT out there when the 2nd unit plays early in the 4th.
That doesn’t mean that Butler should be in there at game’s end. In many cases I’d rather see AT. Do you suppose that might be what you’re really arguing for?
by SilverClip on Oct 31, 2009 12:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not the game I saw
First let’s give Butler some credit for hitting a huge shot to tie the game against the Suns—not sure that has been mentioned, but if we’re going to critique Butler it’s not a bad reminder. I didn’t notice that Butler played a bad game. He wasn’t especially visible and effective, but he wasn’t highly problematic.
AT I thought was fairly problematic, especially by comparison. He was visible missing shots, getting the ball in his hands and not making plays or moving it. He wasn’t out on the break and he wasn’t grabbing extra defensive rebounds when others like Koufus and Millsap were getting offensive boards.
We need to see what Butler can do as a starter, and if things work better that way, what Thornton is like coming off the bench.
by citizen zhiv on Oct 31, 2009 3:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
agreed
if Butler is pretty much invisible in game then that is mostly a good thing but if Thornton is invisible or visibly bad then we have a problem. So far I think Butler has played much better this season and I think he should be moved to the starting lineup and Thornton can become a scorer off the bench.
In Gordon we trust
by bestclipfan on Oct 31, 2009 5:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
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