Big Shot Butler? The Clippers Never Win When Rasual Makes a Big Shot
by Steve Perrin on Nov 13, 2010 10:42 PM PST
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This is an off the top of my head observation, and I certainly haven't gone back through each of Rasual Butler's 92 games in a Clipper uniform to make this list comprehensive. Having said that, to the best of my recollection, every time Rasual Butler has hit a big three in the closing minute of a close game as a Clipper, the team has gone on to lose the game.
- Last season in the second game, Rasual tied the game against the Suns with a three with 11 seconds on the clock... and the Clippers let Steve Nash score the game winner seconds later.
- Last Saturday, Rasual made not one but TWO threes in the final 47 seconds of the second overtime to tie the game in unlikely fashion... and the Clippers let Deron Williams score the game winner seconds later.
- Last night, Rasual made a three to put the Clippers up three with 29 seconds to go. The Pistons got 4 points in two possessions around a single Clipper free throw to force an overtime that they easily won.
Conversely, I can remember at least one game (the fateful water main game in Memphis last season) where Sool had a chance to win the game at the buzzer and did not; I feel like there were others, though I can't name any off the top of my head.
Help me out here, Citizens. Has Rasual Butler ever hit an actual game winner for the Clippers? Are there other "not-game-winners" like the three above that I've forgotten? What about other misses on game winners?
I have no larger point here. It's not a knock on Butler as it's not really his fault that the team is unable to get the stops necessary to make his heroics count for something, that as long as there's still time on the clock for the opponent, no matter how little, the Clippers will find a way to lose. It's just an observation.
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The Celtic game
Rasual made that 3 to tie it.
by baron_davis needs a fro on Nov 13, 2010 10:51 PM PST reply actions
Right you are...
Good one. 8 seconds left, Butler with the corner three to tie it, Rondo misses two, Baron hits the GW.
In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd
by Steve Perrin on Nov 13, 2010 11:02 PM PST up reply actions
not that one
Butler had a great game, a career high 33, in a game where the Clippers were missing Kaman and yet still built a big lead against the Cavs. But his final points came at the 4:26 mark and the Clippers lost. Sool had a 15 footer to take back the lead at 32 seconds but missed.
In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd
by Steve Perrin on Nov 14, 2010 10:31 AM PST up reply actions
You know, you could write the Clippers never win_______(fill in the blank).
And your statement would be true.
I've got nothing.
This has just crossed my mind
but has Kaman ever made a clutch shot in his time here as a Clipper? 7 years and I don’t recall any clutch play from Kaman.
by baron_davis needs a fro on Nov 13, 2010 11:21 PM PST reply actions
He always seems to be more of a 1st half player
Same reason why he’s never reached 30 in spite of so many 20 point 1st halves.
last year against the pistons
Home game….I remember Butler hit a three in the final minute to win the game
by JJClipperfan on Nov 14, 2010 12:05 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Incase you didnt see
http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=1-5IdHl2oz4 Home game in february not sure why I remembered it…Rasual hit a big three with 20 seconds to go and then got a block on the other end.
by JJClipperfan on Nov 14, 2010 7:59 PM PST up reply actions
Last year against Denver he made some key threes
also I think he was key in both the wins against the Knicks, if I remember correctly.
"It's better to be an optimist who is sometimes wrong than a pessimist who is always right"unknown
well
DEN he had a great game, but the Clippers had a 15 point lead going into the fourth and it didn’t come down to the wire, nor did Sool have a big fourth quarter.
In the first NYK game, Sool had a chance to put the Clippers up with a three with 8 seconds left, down 2, but missed. In the second Knicks game, he made two threes early in the fourth, but that was it. He had a chance to pull the Clippers within one in the final minute but missed. So no, you do not remember correctly. Sorry.
In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd
by Steve Perrin on Nov 14, 2010 5:43 PM PST up reply actions
I think if Gomes makes both free throws.....
We wouldn’t be having this conversation right now. Our small forward free agent sucks!
Agree totally. I don’t see enough games to ascertain what he is likely defensively though, as I would forgive offensive short comings if he was a great defender.
What other small forwards are available?
by Natedog1977 on Nov 14, 2010 12:47 PM PST up reply actions
No free agent SFs left worth a dime
The Clippers should explore a trade for the following SFs who are on teams that should probably be considering cutting payroll. In about a month teams will realize if they are playoff caliber or not and decide to either cut cost and rebuild or add pieces to make the playoff run.
Help us Altered Beast you're our only hope.
by ClipperChuck on Nov 14, 2010 1:50 PM PST up reply actions
I was just thinking the same thing when I heard he got waived. I’m surprised The Bucks gave up on him so quickly. He’s a young guy perhaps he can come off our bench.
I’d rather give him a shot than keep giving big minutes to the likes of Butler. We’re not making the playoffs this year, so we might as well try to develop some new talent. Alexander never got a fair shake and I think he could be a solid hustle guy off the bench.
by Raining Buckets on Nov 14, 2010 1:47 PM PST up reply actions
why would we need another marginal SF?
Proud member of Club FTR.
I'd give Alexander a look.
He’s got some size. He had a shot in college. He’s athletic. He’s young. I wouldn’t play him over Aminu..just a guy that can relieve others for a few minutes. I’m sure he would be a cheap addition too.
well...
The plus to that thought would be that VDN is supposedly good at getting the most out of young talent. He has all the tools. The guy could jump and get his head to the rim. He was one of the strongest in the rookie camp workouts. But if we kept Cook over Blakely, what would be different about Joe Alexander, to two seem to be quite similar.
Energy * Focus * No Excuses
by Takebb909 on Nov 15, 2010 6:30 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
with you, nb
too much panic around here, after a tough first 10 games and then one loss.
Play Aminu now!
That’s the solution. He looks great.
Alexander is a guy who hasn’t panned out, and the Clippers aren’t going to make him an NBA player.
by citizen zhiv on Nov 15, 2010 2:18 PM PST up reply actions
Sool seems to hit a big shot at some point in every game.
Whether or not he misses 4 3’s before that is irrelevant when judging his desire to succeed. I know we dont want him going 1 for 5 from deep every game, but every team needs an unflappable ego late in games. EJ seems to be developing this, but it never hurts to have 2.
rasual is the most confident 3 point shooter we have on this team
ive recently started trusting gordon in the clutch, but i respect rasual’s confidence to take big shots to close games. he completely believes he can make those shots. while it hurts him during other points of the game, if gordon/baron drives in and the man off rasual cheats and leave him open, im completely fine with kicking to him for a three.
we have enough players not ready to take big shots, im willing to give the play ers that are ready a try. the celts game came in mind with the clips, and hes hit other big shots that havent come in exactly the last minute.
i also remember butler hitting a buzzer beating 3 pointer to win a game on the road with the hornets, where he started at the 2 alongside cp3 for some time. i also particularly remember in the playoffs, when dwyane wade got hurt in game 5 in miami against the pistons the year before they won the title, rasual really dragged them to victory in that game. that playoff pedigree is more than anyone on this team aside from baron has, even if it was only so brief.
Good post
That’s the one thing Sool does well… he’s the same taking a shot in the 1st quarter or taking a game winner. While some players have shown themselves to be afraid of taking those shots, Sool isn’t which is very rare for a role-player. He’s kind of the poor man Derek Fisher on this team.
Help us Altered Beast you're our only hope.
by ClipperChuck on Nov 14, 2010 3:43 PM PST up reply actions
He's not afraid to take big shots...
Unfortunately, he’s also not afraid to take bad shots. For every big shot he makes, he has 10 ill-advised bricks and bonehead mistakes.
I’m not trying to knock any Butler fans. I just wish we didn’t have to rely so much on such a streaky and limited player.
by Raining Buckets on Nov 14, 2010 4:55 PM PST up reply actions
I agree with that
Its for lack of better options that Sool gets some much PT anyways especially when looking at the entire game. With that said at the end of the game where defenses have tightened up his low percentage looks is still better than most of the Clipper options.
Help us Altered Beast you're our only hope.
by ClipperChuck on Nov 14, 2010 6:52 PM PST up reply actions
The Hee Haw Dimension
The Clips aren’t winning and they can’t catch a break, but why fall into the “Hee Haw” mode of “Gloom, Despair, and Agony on Me/Deep, Dark Depression, Excessive Misery.” The Clips have some pieces, but not enough. Now that Gordon’s playing inspired basketball, we can see how the pieces would jell, but there are too many injuries, too many rookies, and maybe too much Baron Davis for it to happen. That’s just the way it is. I think the Clippers are interesting instead of depressing. Bledsoe, Aminu, and Griffin are all already upgrades over the guys they replaced. Once they all get some seasoning, it’s possible to see the Clips as having five guys on the floor who can both score in bunches and defend actively. I can understand the discouragement at years of futility, but seeing if the Clips can get to a positive point is a lot more fun and interesting than rooting for a mega-team like the Lakers or Yankees.
That's the spirit
then again, if it weren’t for bad luck, we’d have no luck at all.
In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd
by Steve Perrin on Nov 14, 2010 4:54 PM PST up reply actions
Like UK football
I have to confess that I am pulling for the Heat as well as the Clips. The idea of three guys in their 20’s deciding the fate of a multi-billion dollar enterprise like the NBA over dinner is just too delicious not to support. Having lived in Kentucky for 20 years though, I’ve seen the University of Kentucky football team pull itself out of the “If it weren’t for bad luck” syndrome and put together a winning program. Achieving and sustaining that is a lot more worthwhile than anything the UK basketball team’s ever accomplished. I view the Clips as having a good chance of getting out of the “poor, poor pitiful me” syndrome and that would be a tremendous accomplishment given the ownership situation.
Isnt it entertaining to have the likes of Blake, Gordon, Bledsoe, Aminu and Smith?
…I said “Are you not entertained!!!”
This club would be absolutely foolish not to put DJ in the best big man camp on the planet. What a waste if not.
Aminu is going to be nice. Do u mean I’m the only one who saw him clean pick guys on several occations? 1 bad pass is worth trying more minutes.
Craig needs more passes down to him. Since Blake goes so hard right and starts to exhaust himself, take him down to about 28 mins and Craig at 20 mins. Maximum effeciency.
Energy * Focus * No Excuses
by Takebb909 on Nov 14, 2010 9:34 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Farouq is so active on D
1 miscue shoudnt put him back on the pine. The Kobester had 8 turn overs tonight vs Phx. Guess all the rings gives u some leeway! haha
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