Clippers vs. Indiana - Game Preview
by Steve Perrin on Dec 4, 2009 11:01 PM PST
in Game Previews
22 comments
2009/2010 NBA Regular Season
vs
8-11 6-11
Staples Center
December 5th, 2009, 7:30 PM
Prime Ticket, 980 AM
Probable starters:
Baron Davis
PG
T.J. Ford
Rasual Butler
SG
Brandon Rush
Al Thornton
SF
Danny Granger
Marcus Camby
PF
Troy Murphy
Chris Kaman
C
Roy Hibbert
The Back Story:
November 25 in Indianapolis, Indiana 86 - Clippers 73 - Recap Box Score
The Big Picture:
It goes without saying that readers of a Clippers blog are more than a little too wrapped up in the whole fandom thing. But while we all tend to ride the ups and downs of the team, these last two games have been particularly manic. When the Clippers went on a 22-0 run at the end of the Memphis game, suddenly we were all convinced that everything was coming together. After all, the team had won four out of five, Eric Gordon was back, and Blake Griffin would be back soon. Ooops. Gordon strained his hamstring during the big comeback, sat out the next game, and is questionable tonight. Then the day of the Rockets game, MDsr casually mentioned that Griffin would likely be out until at least 2010. As for the game itself, if a 22-0 run to close a game makes you believe your team is good, a 0-16 run sort of has the opposite affect. The reality of course is that the Clippers are neither as good as they looked at the end against the Grizzlies, nor as bad as they looked at the end against the Rockets. It's strange we got so excited after the Grizzlies game at all - I mean, who were those guys playing in the first three quarters? Same team right? It's not particularly logical to think that 4 minutes of inspired basketball could eliminate all the issues that made them look like crap for long stretches of most games. So of course it didn't. Still, at least we know they're CAPABLE of playing well (at least with Gordon). Is that a good thing, or does it just make us all the more frustrated when they come out flat yet again? As for tonight's game, if Gordon can't go it doesn't bode well for the team. Chris Kaman has had one great game and four horror shows in his last five games, the worst of the bunch being a 3 for 19 outing the last time these two teams met 10 days ago. In fact, Baron Davis, the Clippers most consistent player this season outside of Gordon, was the only LA player who bothered to show up in Indianapolis. Kaman 3 for 19, Al Thornton 2 for 15, Rasual Butler 0 points in 27 minutes - I'd say all of these guys are due to have big games, as the odds are against them being this bad again. But who knows? One thing is for sure - we could use some good news tonight. At least the Clippers should have some extra incentive tonight, looking to avenge what was MDsr termed 'an awful loss'.
The Antagonist:
Funny story. The Pacers have lost 8 of their last 9 games. They are struggling as much as any team in the league right now. Even the Wolves and the Nets have wins this week, but not the Pacers. So guess the one team the Pacers managed to beat in the last 16 days. Go on guess. That would be the Clippers. And not only did the Pacers win - they won by 13... and dominated the fourth quarter... without their leading scorer in the lineup. Ladies and gentleman, your 2009-2010 Los Angeles Clippers! Danny Granger sat out the game against the Clippers, but he's back, and he's averaging 25 points a game. The Pacers also have Mike Dunleavy Jr., son of the coach of course, back from a prolonged absence with a knee injury. (I think he came back ahead of schedule - wouldn't that be nice.) When fully healthy, Granger and MDjr are the Pacers two best players - and the Clippers lost to them when neither of them played, so maybe we should be too optimistic with both of them back. In the first game, Troy Murphy hurt the Clippers, hitting a couple of crucial threes in the fourth, and scoring 18 points. But overall, let's hope for the fans that this is just a better game than the first one, in which the Pacers shot 38% and the Clippers shot 32%. Yuck.
The Subplots:
- Tired team. The Pacers are on the last night of a four game Western trip and are winless so far. They lost last night in Utah, and stand to be very tired. Tired team, one win in their last nine games, back to back... the Clippers should have this one. That's what worries me.
- Gordon. I really don't know if Gordon is going to play in this game. I hope he does. The Clippers really need him. He tested the hammie before the Rockets game before deciding. He must be close to returning, right?
- Baron and T.J. I didn't see the first game, but apparently Baron Davis and T.J. Ford got tangled up a couple of times, and were none too happy with one another. Baron channeled his anger into a couple of quick baskets that kept the Clippers in the game for awhile in the fourth, but in the end he just didn't get enough help. It will be interesting to watch the matchup between the two tonight to see what happens.
- Granger and the three. (I'm recycling this bullet, since Granger didn't play in the first game.) Danny Granger has seemingly fallen in love with the three ball - he's leading the league in three attempts at almost 9 per game (a stunning 8.9). In fact, almost half of his field goal attempts (47%) this season are from behind the arc. He was always willing to shoot the three - but this season he's been quite the chucker, and his percentage is down to 37% after being above 40% the last two seasons (he made 5 of 11 a couple nights ago in Sacramento which helped his percentage). MDsr may put Butler on Granger on the perimeter - but whoever draws the assignment will have to be alert and stay close.
- Junior versus Senior. Since he came into the league, Mike Dunleavy Jr. has faced his father's Clippers 17 times. The son has not fared particularly well, winning only six of the meetings. However, he has done better recently winning three of the last five.
- What to do with Kaman? When these two teams met 10 days ago, I had a bullet about Kaman's scoring being off. Since that game, he's made 22 out of 58 field goals, and half of those came in one game against Detroit. Basically, aside from the Detroit game, he's been sub-terrible, and it's amazing that the team has won at all as badly as he has played. He needs to redeem himself against the Pacers tonight.
- Pacers pace. When you think of teams that play at a high pace, you think of the Warriors, the Nuggets, the Suns and the Knicks. But as it happens, the Pacers actually play at the second fastest pace in the league, behind only Golden State. The Clippers will need to pick up people in transition and limit Indiana's easy buckets.
-
Movie Quote:
I still got nuthin'. - Get the Pacers' perspective (whatever a Pacer is) at Indy Cornrows.
0 recs |
22 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
Kamans Problem
Is that if you look at the first 8 games or so..he caught the ball and AUTOMATICALLY did something with it..shot it..or put it on the floor in an attack..
Since then, He thinks he can be Shaq from 2001 and just hold it..and wait..and wait..for a doubleteam..or not. By the time he has seen if a Double is coming, he’s already had the ball in his posession for 3 times longer than he did in the first 8 games..And the results have been awful. Give them a reason to double you..make that jumper as soon as you catch it..Either that, or put it on the floor and go aggressively to the basket. Kaman shoots a great FT %..let’s use that to out advantage…
Kaman!! Quit waiting for the damn doubleteam. Just be automatic again.. Catch and shoot..Or catch and drive…Forget the “wait for a Doubleteam” move..you suck at it…
Kaveman shoot..not think..
The Clippers must shoot the ball well.....
I say anything under 55% from the field for the Clippers, and the Pacers will beat us. The Pacers are a threat from outside and if the Clippers can manage to limit the Pacers 3pt field goals, they can get a W. I hope MDsr and the coaching staff has told the players to guard the Pacers trailing the court. I hate when teams don’t cover Murphy, Dunleavy, Granger, etc…and they get a wide-open three.
You'd think the coach should know how to play his own son
Is Jr healthy?
I read on espn insider
that the coach is limiting Mike Dunleavy Jr to roughly 20 mins when the games are close. He doesn’t want to overwork his player after just coming off an injury. That could be good news for us. Can we somehow restrict C Dunleavy to just coach 20 mins, or will that be too much damage?
2 pacers in movies come to mind...
Wayne’s World and Good Burger…so not movie quotes, but movie shots or stills…
Roger Sterling: To my knees, Don. They're bringing to my knees!"
Not to get moKi started
But it occurs to me, thinking about the Clipper woes and the absence of Eric Gordon and the Real Ricky (formerly Davis2), who showed against Houston how he badly he can still play, and the New Ricky (Sool Butler), who has been looking much too much like 0809 Davis2, that our old fave Mardy Collins really hasn’t been getting the minutes and the love during Eric Gordon’s absence.
Could the SG situation be any worse? Let’s not forget that Kareem Rush already took the strongest hit from the Curse. Should we talk about that frisky little Curse and its fine mojo during these first 20 games? Well played, old friend.
But the thought that prompted this is the Adelman switch, putting Battier on Baron Davis and suckering CMDSr into letting the Clips get out of their flow and potent inside game. I was just thinking that Mardy Collins would have done so much better in that matchup against Brooks. Collins seems to have a good comfort level around the basket, even if he doesn’t post up regularly, he handles the ball, and the Clips are more inclined to play an inside game when he’s on the floor. Ricky Butler’s defense hasn’t been anything to write home about this season (whereas EGordon’s defense, when he came around against the Funk, was notably superb), although I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch KA’s breakdown of the Rockets 3 point barrage yet, so I don’t know the primary culprits. I know it wasn’t MC, because he wasn’t playing.
The big step for the Clips is to get Gordon back, followed by Kaman coming back around, followed by BDavis and MC still battling and Thornton continuing his strong play. But the SG gap has been killing the Clips. Real Ricky did nothing against the Rockets and doesn’t need to see the floor. Ricky Butler should be put on a short leash and it would be fine if he had a minor rotation spot as Thornton’s backup. He’s been killing the Clips as Gordon’s replacement at SG. That leaves Mardy Collins. Most of the water is under the bridge already, and we’re hoping that Gordon will be back and the problem should be resolved. But regardless of Gordon’s status, Collins deserves to be moved up and get some minutes. Ask moKi—he’ll tell you.
It's all Gordon, then maybe Griffin
The team w/out EJ is pretty hopeless. We’ve seen that. Our 2nd unit got really hot against Denver and we were able to hold on, but outside of that there’s no one we can really count on.
Thornton’s emergence has been a very welcome surprise however. If he can keep it up, and Baron can find that happy medium between last year and his Golden State days, we’ll take it.
One thing that impressed me about EJ’s Memphis game was that he looks more ready to lead the team. Throughout his rookie year and before his injury this year I think he was somewhat taken for granted, and even he didn’t seem to give himself enough credit. Now that he’s had a chance to watch the team operate w/out him, I think he has a better idea of what he has to do, and he’ll probably be more comfortable doing it.
With that, I’d say he’s pretty much the franchise right now, and the big question mark is can Griffin join him and make this a playoff bound, bicameral legislation.
Bicameral
Good word, man. And I strongly agree that without EJ, this team really lacks the horsepower. That implies (at least as I see it) that our team’s woes are not primarily due to Dunleavy. His coaching has been flawed, yes, but I don’t think we’re capable of much more while we’re missing our young guns.
I might nuance things a little differently from you. I’d say that without EJ, the team is one strong player short of being pretty good. EJ gives us that missing cylinder so we can go the distance. That’s not to say, then, that the Clips are a bunch of schmucks w/o him, nor does it mean that EJ has to be a superstar any time soon.
Movie Quote
Since one of the original owners of the Pacers reportedly suggested the name because he loved both auto racing (pace cars) and harness racing (pacer horses, which are big in Indiana), I respectfully submit the following for Steve’s consideration:
"The first time someone calls you a horse you punch him in the nose, the second time someone calls you a horse you call him a jerk but the third time someone calls you a horse, well then perhaps it’s time to go shopping for a saddle."
Lucky Number Slevin (2006) – The Rabbi (Ben Kingsley)
i think donald sterling will be crying a couple of bucket loads after tonight's game...
dunleavy will have his usual post game soliloquies…like this one after the houston game:
"I’m disappointed by our mental and physical toughness," Dunleavy said. "At this point, I’m just… we shoot a great percentage in the first half, ball’s going in the hole for us, we’re playing a good game and then, uh…"
"Uh" being shorthand for almost getting shut out for the final 6:52 of the game until Baron Davis hit a three-pointer with a second remaining.
Dunleavy looked like he’s had it with this crew. Once you question mental toughness, it’s only a small step to calling out their lack of heart.
not sure if it’s been posted by you can read the the rest at
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/11180/dunleavy-running-out-of-patience
by whyamiaclippersfan on Dec 5, 2009 10:07 AM PST reply actions
Memphis
They’ve had some pretty good wins lately. Blazers & Mavericks. They have about the same talent level as we do, though they are younger overall and we’re hoping Griffin can put us over the top in the 2nd half.
They need a veteran presence
but then when you compare matchups, seems to me that the Clippers have the slight advantage. Conley vs Baron. Gordon vs Mayo. Thornton vs Gay. Camby/ Griffin vs Randolph. Kaman vs Gasol. Then you go bench vs bench and management vs management. Pound for pound, we have the slight advantage because of our bench…
The only advantage I see there for the Clippers
is Baron vs. Conley.
by Michael White on Dec 5, 2009 5:32 PM PST up reply actions
If Griffin can play superb defense
and a tad less on offense vs Randolph, I’d put the 4 spot as advantage. Otherwise I agree.
by RockyMountain on Dec 5, 2009 6:14 PM PST up reply actions
As of now, Blake Griffin is a concept.
He’s no more real to me than the mythical Griffin.
by Michael White on Dec 5, 2009 6:35 PM PST up reply actions
It's crazy
That Gordon is such a big matchup positive over Mayo right now. Remember during the draft how many skeptics there were? I remember this one dude, tw on Clipperblog would go on and on of how much better Mayo was than Gordon and how he heard we were trying to move up in the draft and that it had better had been to go after OJ.
As it stands now, w/ Rose having a lukewarm sophmore campaign and with Lopez on a powerhouse loser, the door seems open for Gordon to claim the top of that strong draft class. There might even be more competition from this “weak” class w/ Jennings & Evans.
Anyway, I think Gasol over Kaman is a pretty big positive in their favor.
Camby & Randolph are pretty close. Camby is pretty much the anti-Randolph.
One would have to side with Rudy Gay at the 3 even w/ Al’s recent emergence.
BD over Conley is a pretty big plus for us. As is EJ over Mayo so far.
Our bench wins also, but maybe by less than we think…
Dude has to play to claim that title
can’t do if from the bench.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
True dat
Let’s get back on the horse tonight and get a W.
We're all waiting around
for updates…he said he’s play if he could get through a full practice on friday according to rotoworld. wonder how it went yesterday.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
