Clippers 99 - Sacramento 89 - Kim Hughes Keeps the Game Ball
by Steve Perrin on Feb 20, 2010 11:01 PM PST
in Game Recaps
77 comments
I'm going to dash off a quick recap and then head back to the LBC.
In his post game comments, coach Kim Hughes had specific praise for several players. He called Eric Gordon their go to player down the stretch. He liked Chris Kaman's game, particularly his rebounding. He commended Steve Blake for his leadership. And he liked DeAndre Jordan's activity on defense. And of course he was happy that the team got a season-high 11 three pointers.
Gordon was clearly the difference for the team tonight. With Kaman on the bench to start the fourth quarter, Gordon put the team on his back and carried them down the stretch. He set the tone early with an aggressive drive and jam that was dunk-in worthy. In all, he scored 14 points in the quarter - on only six shots! Among his five made field goals were three and-ones and a good old three-pointer. He finished with a season-high 30 points.
Kaman had a nice game on offense, but I was most impressed with his 16 rebounds, which tied his season high. He led the team to a 45-32 rebounding advantage against a Kings team that is not necessarily bad on the boards.
It's not surprising that Steve Blake was better tonight than he was in his Clippers debut - it turns out that two practices with his new teammates is preferable to zero practices with his new teammates. 11 points and 12 assists is yeoman's work. When Travis Outlaw and Drew Gooden get on the court to add a few more scoring options, Blake is arguably the kind of point guard the Clippers need. A distributor who can get the ball to Gordon and Kaman and Outlaw, who can also hit the spot up three on a kick out. I still don't think he'll be a Clipper next year, but he's going to help them win some games down the stretch as he did tonight.
It's interesting that Hughes went out of his way to praise DeAndre without being asked a question about him. On paper, DJ had rough game - 2 for 7 shooting, 2 turnovers, 5 fouls. But Hughes said something that I totally agree with - for DJ, it's all about defense. I've said it before - if DeAndre can block shots, rebound and play post defense, he'll have a career in the NBA. That's all he has to do to be effective. He had a horrible time hanging on to the ball tonight - certainly a concern, since good hands are essential to effective post play - but Hughes said he yanked him out of the game when he failed to hustle back on defense, not when he missed shots he lost balls. DJ's had plenty of 8 for 9 shooting games, and would have been about there tonight if he'd just held onto the ball (he lost or dropped at least four dunks by my count). But defense is the thing that will get him minutes, and Hughes seems pretty determined to get that message through to him.
The glaring problem with the Clippers tonight, as it has been for awhile, was turnovers. They committed 24 of them, and Sacramento scored 30 points off of those turnovers. If LA had taken care of the ball, this game would not have been close at any point in the second half. EJ, for all of his prowess in the fourth quarter, 7 turnovers in the game (though only one of those came in the fourth). That's not acceptable. Some were maybe a little dubious - for instance, the refs were calling the discontinued dribble very closely tonight - but he also had some that were completely on him; a couple of terrible passes at Kaman's feet come immediately to mind.
While we're on the subject, the refs made this game pretty unpleasant to watch tonight. We all know that NBA players travel a lot and carry the ball a lot, and personally I'd love it if the NBA cleaned that crap up. But you can't simply begin to call things differently in the 55th game. It was as if these refs decided that for this game they were gong to go by the rule book.
Beyond that, there were just some strange calls. Like at the end of one period, when Bob Delaney clearly waved his arms indicating no shot when Mardy Collins gave the foul the Clippers had to give in the final seconds, and then for some reason changed his mind and decided it was a shooting foul. Or in the fourth quarter, when six seconds into a new clock, Delaney decided that the shot clock should not have reset. Never mind that Rodney Mott had already signaled that the ball had hit the rim and that the reset was correct. The fact that Delaney blew his whistle and stopped the game AFTER Tyreke Evans had gone for a steal and was out of the play as Gordon drove to the basket was particularly annoying.
In the end, the Clippers got the win that Kim Hughes needed. There may not be a lot of wins in these final 27 games, but hopefully there will be at least a few against the Kings. We'll see if they can get one against the Bobcats on Monday.
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The most important part of this win was
that Gordon finally realized that he has to demand the ball and carry this team on his back. I hope Hughes tells him to play more like he did in the 4th quarter.
" Baron for the win, BINGO!!!! The Clipers Win, The Clippers win!!! "
Ralph Lawler
Absolutely
EJ finally took charge! He was the best guy out there in the 4th, and importantly, it looked like he KNEW it. Maybe he finally felt like he had enough room out there. He needs to remember, he doesn’t have to turn passive again once Baron returns.
I don't think it was Gordon demanding the ball........
……… As much as it was Blake in the “leader” role at PG running the offense and distributing. If you look at his line tonight, it’s EXACTLY what a team with as much offense (EJ, Kaman, Rasual, etc.) as the Clippers potentially have, needs.
BD-hypes will tell you that it’s just “one game” but you’ve got to start somewhere and if Blake can keep playing at this kind of level and with this sort of efficiency, Baron has to be moved.
"Remember kids......... petty and cheap shot-ish doesn't make you a true fan, it just makes you petty and cheap shot-ish."
by Themanthemyththelegend on Feb 20, 2010 11:44 PM PST up reply actions
no it seemed like it was Gordon
Most of the big plays made by Gordon in the 4th were off of dribble drives by Gordon and did not involve Blake. I think Gordon may finally realize just how good he is.
" Baron for the win, BINGO!!!! The Clipers Win, The Clippers win!!! "
Ralph Lawler
by bestclipfan on Feb 20, 2010 11:46 PM PST up reply actions
Agree
He was playing well in tandem with Blake, admittedly. But since Blake obviously wasn’t going carry the team, it seemed EJ knew that he had to step up.
I don’t think it’s really about Blake playing better or Baron playing worse. It’s really on EJ. The onus is on him to be aggressive no matter who’s playing the point.
Yes. Blake only took 6 shots and scored 11.
Gordon didn’t have to contend with his point guard not getting him the ball or taking shots early with time left on the clock. Gordon had a lot more freedom out there tonight. It was basically him or it was Kaman. When Kaman was on the bench, it was definitely Gordon. He shot from outside with ease and drove to the hoop when he needed to. He clearly knew that it was on him to secure the victory and he handled his business.
I’d like to see him be as proactive with Baron on the court, but part of that will be on Baron as well. Baron is the best playmaker and passer on the team, but it’s all emotional with him. He could play the Blake role better than Blake, but it’s if he feels like it.
Baron has been a star player (and is paid as one), so he likely feels that there is a standard that he needs to play up to. As a result, he sometimes he does too much. Blake just came in and played within the offense. He made smart passes and took smart shots. Nothing was forced.
by Lawler 4ever on Feb 21, 2010 1:06 AM PST up reply actions
Dude
I’d rather have Blake shooting more efficiency than Baron just chucking it up.
Clippers 09-10. Prepare for a revolution.
I would too.
Blake spreads the floor and looks to set up his teammates. Baron is more talented, but his priorities are out of order (shoot first, pass second, chuck 3’s) and that can be detrimental to the team when he’s off.
If Baron were playing tonight, EJ probably doesn’t even get the opportunity to go off. I think it is very important that EJ takes charge in the last 2 months of the season to show his teammates as well as himself that he can be the man down the stretch. Baron could be so much more dangerous than he is if he played to his strengths and not to his weaknesses.
The post-game comments from the players said a lot. I hope Baron was listening.
by Lawler 4ever on Feb 21, 2010 4:02 AM PST up reply actions
A little of both, I think
Sometimes Baron shoots too much, taking shots away from EJ. Sometimes nobody else is stepping up, though, so Baron takes it upon himself and starts shooting.
Baron sometimes seems to disregard EJ and not pass to him. But I’m very inclined to believe that on those occasions, Baron is just following the play call. Either that, or he just doesn’t think EJ as playing aggressive enough. Both of these would/should be remedied if EJ is explicitly made the top option by the coaching staff. At this point, I put it mostly on the coaches: Bench Baron if he’s not obliging, and lecture EJ if he’s not pushing hard.
I don’t see what Baron has to lose in any of this. I agree that he should play to his strengths, and chucking is not among them.
BTW, I missed the post-game comments. What was said?
EJ said that he is learning to be a leader
and that he is trying to lead by example.
" Baron for the win, BINGO!!!! The Clipers Win, The Clippers win!!! "
Ralph Lawler
I agree!!
There have been plenty of times that EJ would have a hot hand with Baron coming down the court & ignoring EJ.
With Blake running the floor it seems like there is more passing to the open man.
Insufficient data
Things might be different now, if the offense really is more free flowing. Baron’s a smart guy, and I seriously doubt he’s being spiteful towards EJ. Let’s see what happens over the next few weeks.
I can see what he's talking about and somewhat agree
Yes Eric did what he needed to do but he wasn’t calling for the ball (I believe). Blake would walk the ball right up to EJ or literally pass it to him after he received the ball on the inbounds play. Blake knew EJ had the hot hand and was the probably the only guy who could keep the win alive.
Both where great either way and did their part.
by dulciusEXasperis on Feb 21, 2010 8:21 AM PST up reply actions
although I do agree with you on the play of Blake
it has only been a couple of games and I already love how he runs the offense and I wouldn’t mind him as a starting Pg unless we get Wall.
" Baron for the win, BINGO!!!! The Clipers Win, The Clippers win!!! "
Ralph Lawler
by bestclipfan on Feb 20, 2010 11:47 PM PST up reply actions
I counted 4 or 5 dropped passes/missed slams for DJ as well
That seems like a question of playing time, though. If he plays strong defense and takes better advantage of slam opportunities, he’ll really be worth having around.
yeah more playing time for DJ
should make him more confident and DJ wears his confidence on his sleeve, if he isn’t confident you can clearly see it in how he is playing. I think that giving DJ so much playing time will help him develop his skills and his confidence so that next season when we may need him more(assuming Camby doesn’t come back) he can come in contribute. I don’t expect DJ to be like Howard and put up 20 point games but if he can come in rebound the ball, play D and get some blocks then I think he will be a good pro.
" Baron for the win, BINGO!!!! The Clipers Win, The Clippers win!!! "
Ralph Lawler
by bestclipfan on Feb 21, 2010 12:11 AM PST up reply actions
at the game tonight
i was there watching the game right behind the basket, and i’ve noticed the few times DJ missed easy shots he immediately stops and starts sulking instead of getting back on D. once he could of gotten the offensive rebound easily if he just paid attention. i hope it’s just the lack of playing time.
by zac4president on Feb 21, 2010 4:24 AM PST up reply actions
Anyone know what Kaman is doing after he scores?
That “wiggle” with his fingers under his chin. Is that something new? Has it been addressed? I didn’t completely watch the two losses. I saw it at least twice in the first half of the Kings game.
for his girl maybe
thats the only thing I can think of
Davis, Blake and Gordon
I think all three of them playing together would be great. Right around this time last season I had all but given up on Baron, but earlier this season I had a change of heart with him. Yeah he chucks up shots that shouldn’t be even considered, but he is capable of making up for them with big plays on D. The three of them playing together would give us one of the better backcourts in the league. If not the best.
Kaman played aggressive
That was cool to watch. I guess he’s tired of being heckled now. Good game, but it was the Kings. Anyways, the glue worked this time.
by DonaldSterlingSucks on Feb 21, 2010 3:55 AM PST reply actions
Gordon "the Jewel"
Next year is Gordon’s option year,So long Clippers.
Next year Gordon should finally be healthy ,not bad for a kid who would be a Junior in College and was just 21 last December.He plays the other teams best player on defense and will be named to this years NBA second team on defense.He was named to the Olympic team because the great players and the powers to be respect his team game.Kaman you will improve your game when you are double or tripled and you finally pass the ball.
Gordon: not an option year
Gordon is locked into the Clippers for two more years (LAC will exercise their option and keep him). Then he is an RA. So he’ll be here for at least six more years unless traded.
It was the Kings, relax everyone
Before you guys start referring to Blake as our savior, remember, it was just the kings. I like Blakes game, but he is not gonna be our stater when Barin gets back. The team shot lights out last night but that is rare. Most nights this team can’t shoot worth a damn, how good is Blake gonna look then. If our team always shot like this, Baron wouldn’t have to shoot so much. Eric’s play had more to do with Kim Hughes making him a focal point on offence than Blake being pg. Clippers know this season is over and they need to focus on Gordon and Jordans developement. I’m pretty sure those to guys are gonna be the focal points for the rest of the season.
by MannyA on Feb 21, 2010 7:41 AM PST via mobile reply actions
A lot of people on the Kings board want EJ
Think he’d compliment Evans really well.
by dulciusEXasperis on Feb 21, 2010 8:50 AM PST reply actions
Would've been interesting
If we wound up with the 4th or 5th pick like we easily could have…would Dunleavy had the balls to do the right thing and take a point guard?
Would that be the right thing?
DraftExpress predicts Kalin Lucas will be the 2nd PG drafted this year with pick #25. NBADraft.net thinks the 2nd PG drafted this year will be Armon Johnson at #16. Aside from John Wall, the PG class is extremely weak this year. To get a PG, the Clips would probably need to trade the pick (Ricky Rubio?).
Or they could pick the best available wing as a backup plan should they strike out with LeBron. And should LeBron sign with the Clips, they’d probably need to trade away the rights to their pick anyway.
Draft Express!
Let’s get it started! Have to say I haven’t begun to delve into the Clippers lottery options yet. Would like to try to make it through February living in ignorance, but it could be tough.
Probably should examine the rest of the schedule and the tanking strategy first, and at the same time see if the team gels a little bit with BD coming back strong (no rush! let the back loosen up! ping pong balls are calling!), new players coming in, and getting comfortable with The Kim Hughes Experience.
by citizen zhiv on Feb 22, 2010 10:39 AM PST up reply actions
Yes, I concur. There’s a lot more basketball to play before worrying about the draft. I had to consult the mocks out of curiosity when I couldn’t think of a PG draft prospect I liked after Wall. But I’m not ready to show Baron the door. He just may redeem himself yet, and I’m especially curious to see how Outlaw fits in on this team. Even before the Clips traded for him, I thought he might be a good upgrade on Butler and a good rotation partner for Thornton.
well they arent getting him! ;)
by big0lbad on Feb 21, 2010 10:25 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
I find that ironic
Eric Gordon’s game reminds me a lot of Kevin Martin, who they just got rid of because he wasn’t meshing with Evans.
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 Feb 21, 2010 2:05 PM PST up reply actions
Nope, don't agree
Gordon is more explosive, has a bigger body, is much stronger defender, and in my opinion a much better talent. Martin is 6’7’’ 185lbs, Gordon is 6’3’’ 220lbs! He is also 27 years old. Martin is a one year wonder. I highly doubt he ever scores 25 points a game for a seaosn ever agian in the NBA.
HVYDRT007-"EJ's value is diminishing Game By Game"
Where to start?
I said his game reminds me of Martin, not his body. In case you were worried, I can definitely distinguish between KMart and EJ in a police lineup, but thanks anyway.
One year wonder? Which one year are you referring to? It seems strange to call him a one year wonder when he had three outstanding seasons in succession before being hurt. I’d say 07-08 was his best year, but it wasn’t his highest scoring year. And he’s never scored 25 points per game in a season yet, so saying that he won’t do it again seems like an odd thing to say.
EJ reminds me of KMart in that they are both efficient scorers, who can shoot the three and can also take the ball to the hole. KMart is better at getting to the line right now, but EJ is getting better and better at that as well.
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 Feb 21, 2010 5:32 PM PST up reply actions
KMart nickname
i thought that nickname was Kenyon Martin’s? throughout that post I kept thinking “what’s he talking about Keyon Martin being efficient!?”
Roger Sterling: To my knees, Don. They're bringing to my knees!"
by Lawler's Law on Feb 21, 2010 6:42 PM PST up reply actions
I think comparing their games is diminishing EJ's talent level.
Martin is shooting less than 40% from the field this year. He is 4-21 in games he has played this year. With that said, he is not a winning player (only time will tell with EJ). Martin may have been an effective player for a season, but he will never have those same numbers again.
Think about this for a second…..Gordon scored 30 points last night on only 17 shots. In fact in Gordon’s 6 games this year that he has scored atleast 25+ points, he has attempted 17, 16, 14, 15, 18, and 12 shots. Martin has scored 25+ points 7 times. In those games he attempted 19, 14, 27, 22, 25, 18, and 15 shots. Gordon has not attempted more than 18 shots in a game this season. Martin has attempted 18+ shots in a game 8 times, and that was in only 25 games. Martin is effecient, but in a different way. He gets to the foul line A TON. Martin averages 9 free throw attempts per game and shoots 90% from the foul line, that means that he averages 8 points just on free throws on a nightly basis. Gordon is averaging 5.1 free throw attempts per game, and just 3.7 points on free throws on a nightly basis.
With all that said, Gordon is a very unique scorer becuase he can put points on the board with very little shot attempts.. EJ can score 25+ points on an astonishing average of only 15.3 shots a game. Martin scores 25+ points on an average of 20 shots a game.
HVYDRT007-"EJ's value is diminishing Game By Game"
Pretty big assumptions there
Martin is 26. What says he won’t have a season like that again? He’s going to a Rockets team that has no true scorers. He’s also a much better passer and ball handler than EJ at this point.
EJ’s hard to project, as discussed he hasn’t shown any substantial improvement this year over last. We’ve been discussing Rudy Gay a lot around here and that’s another player that got off to a good start and then kind of plateaued. So we know we have a solid player but can he take the next step? Would love to see him have the kind of efficient year that Martin had in 2007-2008 next year, then we know we have something truly special.
FA in 2010.
by ClipperChuck on Feb 21, 2010 9:19 PM PST up reply actions
Why are you focusing only on this season?
Martin has had a very tough year and of course he’s been injured… I suppose it’s possible that injuries have diminished his ability. But he’s always been an efficient scorer, in very much the way the EJ is – decent overall percentage for a perimeter player, augmented by a very good three point shot, and the ability to get to the line.
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 Feb 21, 2010 10:44 PM PST up reply actions
"I can definitely distinguish between KMart and EJ in a police lineup, but thanks anyway"
giggle
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
yeah
Nice to see SP get a little feisty. FAN8 likes to bull around in the china shop from time to time. As SP says, this year? When Martin is hurt and the former team around him has disappeared, except for new untraditional PG Tyreke Evans?
I’m gonna go with Daryl Morey, rather than FAN8. We’ll be watching what Kevin Martin does in the playoffs with a great, unselfish team that plays hard, with a strong coach.
My guess is that he does some scoring and has some nice games.
by citizen zhiv on Feb 22, 2010 10:44 AM PST up reply actions
Morey is the man
Not only did they get a solid young replacement for McGrady to complement Yao when he’s back next year but he also got some lottery picks from the Knicks who if they fail to land a Lebron/Wade with a Amare/Bosh/Boozer combo is really going to struggle. The only downer is they gave up Carl Landry who is one of the most efficient players in the league but they probably realized they would lose him next year when he is a FA anyways.
FA in 2010.
by ClipperChuck on Feb 22, 2010 12:02 PM PST up reply actions
A few thoughts
This game was something of a disaster as far as ping pong balls and the race for the bottom are concerned, but it was better for Kim Hughes to get a win and for the Clips to establish some small shred of credibility (and watchability), rather than turning into a total clown show. It was pretty entertaining, actually, although the unending stream of Clipper turnovers continues to be hard to stomach.
We saw a lot of interesting stuff out there. The matchup between Evans and Gordon was fun to watch, and Gordon did a pretty nice job on him through the first half as the Clips built their 15 point lead. Evans has been having his way with a lot of guards and players and teams, and Gordon presented a new challenge for him. And then when Gordon made plays in the 4th quarter it made for an impressive finish and a nice victory. KA has a nice breakdown of Evans vs. Gordon up. The only thing is, I would have expected Gordon to have scored 30 at least 5 times already this season, if not 10. The fact that he got just 30 and for the first time makes us remember that he’s been struggling through a minor sophomore slump and he has been subject to a number of the team’s woes.
But the matchup that I found to be perhaps even more interesting was an unlikely one, between Beno Udrih and Steve Blake. Watching them on the floor, it really started to put Steve Blake and his role and skills into perspective. It’s weird and doesn’t make sense to simply “compare white guys,” and PGs and their backups are all one big group, ranging from Evans and Derrick Rose to Telfair and Collison and Aaron Brooks. But Udrih is interesting because he was slated to be the Clips’ PG, with a mid-level deal, until the BDavis deal happened. And then he went out last year and spanked the Clips and BD early in the season, before we knew just how pathetic 0809 was going to be. He played out of his mind, and then didn’t do much the rest of last season or this one, although he has teamed up well with Evans on occasion. But the view last night suggested that Blake is solid and steady and energetic, clearly a match for Udrih and probably even better. Other white guys come to mind, like Kirk Hinrich, and Blake seems to do a lot of the same things, though he’s not as tough on defense, and he’s a relative bargain. It’s like the question of why would you spend 10 mil on Dampier or Dalembert or Gadzuric (or Kaman perhaps), when you can have Pryzbilla or Pachulia at a fraction of the cost. He seems to be a substantial upgrade over Telfair. So I guess I’m saying that we could have been watching a Clipper team with Udrih as their PG the last two seasons, and the new backup, Steve Blake seems to be a better player. Now we just have to see how he meshes with Baron Davis and what the other new players do to the team. But having a guy who can come in and play some solid PG minutes makes for a stronger foundation. It could be fun to watch.
It was obvious that Kaman’s rebounding was going to make SP happy. That’s a key to the 2.0 equation. After Kaman’s near-shut out a couple of games ago (GSW?) I was thinking he wouldn’t be able to put up his offensive numbers in the new Kim Hughes system, which wouldn’t be force-feeding him, but a bit of ship-steadying and the arrival of Blake and the challenge to be more active on the boards has helped him, I think.
And DJordan should improve with more minutes, although it could get confusing when Gooden and Outlaw join the rotation. The clear focus on defense and rebounding that SP points out should build a strong foundation for Jordan, and it could lead to some breakout games. Worth remember the destruction that DJordan and BD were putting on the Funk in that first half on that fateful evening in Memphis, the day of the quake in Haiti. With a lot more minutes and a few solid games Jordan could get things flowing again soon, which could be really fun to watch.
But we have to remember that the goal now is to lose, not win, but that doesn’t mean that the Clips can’t do it in style. And it’s always tolerable to win games, so there’s that.
How do you figure Gordon is in a sophomore slump?
Because he hasn’t hit the arbitrary number of 30+ point games that you think he should have? He’s shooting a higher percentage from the field, averaging more points per game, increased his rebounds per game (only slightly though) increased his PER, and has seemingly been able to shut down top flight SG’s throughout the league. The areas in his game that have regressed are free throw shooting and 3P%, which as a result has dropped his TS% slightly; but he has picked up other areas of his game.
The Clippers this season have really not been able to score, not nearly to the ability that the 2008-2009 Clippers were. Not terribly surprising since the team traded away its best scorer from last season and just traded away the guy who accounted for 2 of the 5 30+ point games this year (Gordon just got 1, Thornton had 2, Baron had 1, and Butler has 1.) In 2008-09 the Clippers had 19 games where a player scored 30+ points (Baron 1, Gordon 5, Randolph 8, Thornton 4, Mike Taylor 1.) It was a different style of play this year where they are much better defensively, the pace was slower and Kaman was the focal point of the offense (who has never had a 30+ point game in his career.) I don’t blame Gordon or Thornton for not exploding in games like they did last year, Gordon has averaged more PPG, but the style of play was different.
Statistically, Gordon has not regressed, perhaps he hasn’t improved to the level that people believe he should have, but his game has improved, especially considering the way he’s played defense this year.
by Michael White on Feb 21, 2010 10:06 AM PST up reply actions
Throw Injuries into the hat...
He’s had to deal with nagging injuries this year as well, and tried to come back too early a couple of times at least.
But as far as PPG, his rookie year he was brought along kind of slowly at first, so I wonder if his Points Per Minute Stat is about the same.
Sophomore slump may be an overstatement
Part of the disappointment in Gordon is a general team disappointment. It would have been great for things to go better on the whole, with the team playing better and winning and Gordon contributing. Gordon’s game is being refined and he is maturing and going through his learning process, and he’s playing hard and you’re right, he has been playing some great defense, and last night was in fact a fine example of that. Gordon and Baron were clicking nicely when the team was playing its best, and part of the loss of Griffin from the lineup was the expectation that he would make plays and make other players better and Gordon, with his athleticism and shooting touch, would have been a prime beneficiary.
Those 5 30 point games came in a season where Gordon got a slow start with limited minutes and opportunities, playing behind Mobley and Ricky Davis at the beginning of the season. Thus, as he put up 30 5 times in 50+ games last year, it would be nice if he had matched the number in the first fifty games this year. The injuries have been a big factor, taking away ten games and undermining consistent excellence.
It’s good to see that the other stats show that he is still playing hard and playing well, and his defense has been notably good. But you still have to see that Gordon has been slightly funky at times this season, mishandling the ball in particular and showing moments of futility and frustration. These moments are so noticeable because they’re so rare and Gordon is so solid that they almost seem impossible and shocking. We don’t expect him to stumble.
Perhaps now in the new regime and with the lineup changes and feeling a bit better, Gordon will come on a bit and put a nice run together. He started hitting more free throws recently and last night was a nice effort, and maybe he’ll really get it going now. He hasn’t been playing badly, but he hasn’t been great or especially exciting as often as we might have liked this year. It isn’t his fault, and he has worked hard and made a good effort, but things just haven’t come together. Some strong play now with the pressure off and things loosened up a bit would be great.
by citizen zhiv on Feb 21, 2010 1:30 PM PST up reply actions
Visually
his ball handling, passing, and mental mistakes have distracted from his solid shooting skills. That and the fact he’s got the best shooting skills on the team but doesn’t come close to shooting enough. This 4th quarter was great to see because it is one of the few times where he acted like the go to guy he has to be for this team.
Slump or lack lack of progress?
Whether you call it a slump, or a lack of progress, I think there’s room to be disappointed. I would like to do a thorough post on this at some point, but as a starting point, the main thing is you can’t compare Gordon’s 08-09 stats to his 09-10 stats (or rather, you can, but it misses a key element). Without pinpointing the precise point in the season, the easiest thing to do is to look at the All Star Game split, since BR.com gives me that. In 25 games after the ASG last season, he shot .475 overall, .419 from three, .835 from the line, averaged 18.9 points and 3.1 assists. In 43 games this season, he’s shooting .467, .364 from three, .734 from the line, 17.4 points and 2.8 assists – down in every category, significantly so in three point shooting and free throw shooting. Based on his month over month progression last year, I was certainly hoping for, if not expecting, more this season.
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 Feb 21, 2010 2:27 PM PST up reply actions
Kind of interesting
that 4 out of 5 of Gordon’s 30+ games last season happened w/o Baron in the lineup. When I get more time tonight, I’m going to compare Gordon’s stats and %‘s w/ and w/o Baron. Since Baron has only missed 2 games this season, I wonder if that has anything to do w/ Gordon’s drop in performance.
I find it curious that people are lamenting the lack of 30+ point games
and the fact that Gordon is NOT shooting enough. Yet, people are discussing how they don’t want Rudy Gay because he is like Al Thornton who shoots more. Well which is it? Do you want an efficient scorer, or do you want chuckers. Again, Gordon’s PPG are up this year, and the team’s overall offensive rating has improved over last season, despite having 14 fewer games where 1 player scored at least 30. Perhaps the team is just better and there are more offensive options this year. Randolph is gone sure, but Kaman (while nowhere near as good of a scorer) is having his best offensive year as a pro to partially offset the loss of Zbo.
And its not rocket science that Gordon is going to get more points in a game when Baron is out. Baron scores 15.6 points per game. When Baron is out, somebody has to replace that scoring at its not going to be Steve Blake, Mardy Collins or Bobby Brown. I get it, Baron is an ineffecient scorer and this week its en vogue to blast Baron while stroking Steve Blake, but Baron does put the ball in the basket a lot during a game. When he’s out somebody else has to. Butler is a streaky shooter, Kaman puts in his 20 points but that’s about it, so the guy who HAS to pick up the slack is Gordon.
EJ is an efficent scorer. I am surprised people want him shooting more. What will happen once he starts doing that, will you guys start calling him a smaller Al Thornton who is a better outside shooter?
by Michael White on Feb 21, 2010 3:47 PM PST up reply actions
You're right about at least two things
First, EJ gets to shoot more when Baron’s out. Baron basically missed January during the 2008-09 season, and during that time, EJ’s attempts went up to 16 per game, compared with ~12 once Baron returned.
Secondly, when EJ had to shoot more, his shooting %s went down. SPs reference above (BR.com) gives a month by month breakdown that makes it clear.
So all you Baron bashers out there, don’t get too excited yet.
On the other hand, EJ does need to shoot more, and probably Baron less. Both players have to get on the same page about this.
Worth noting
Let’s remember that we were watching Gordon very carefully last year, and at the same time any hope that the Clippers would be successful was long gone. He was new, and we liked him although he was less heralded than OJ Mayo, Derrick Rose and Wussell Restbwook. We were looking at the minute details and especially his efficiency. It was fun to watch. He became a known quantity, and we had expectations that he would be improved this year.
He hasn’t been bad, and he has also been essential to whatever limited success the Clips have been able to muster. He has been quite good, but he hasn’t been absolutely deadly or super explosive or great or especially amazing. It’s a little disappointing, but yes, it’s definitely a different equation from last year.
by citizen zhiv on Feb 21, 2010 4:29 PM PST up reply actions
lack or regression in ball handling skills
maybe because mdsr/hughes have given him more opps at pg, his lack of ball handling and passing have been greatly exposed. Hopefully the touches helps him improve these.
Roger Sterling: To my knees, Don. They're bringing to my knees!"
by Lawler's Law on Feb 21, 2010 7:06 PM PST up reply actions
With some determination
EJ should be able to stop dribbling the ball off his feet.
I hope you're not serious about the Clips being better off trying to lose again this year
"[Fans are] not technically a lot of times savvy. They don't understand and they don't weigh issues the way that [I] weigh them."
Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
No I'm not serious
Just trying to manage my own meagre expectations.
Always best for them to win.
by citizen zhiv on Feb 23, 2010 9:07 AM PST up reply actions
Blake
Most of us probably underestimated what Blake could do for us at first blush.
Right after the trade went down, I wondered, “is Dunleavy trying to tie Hughes’ hands so he could make a case for himself to come back as coach next year, or just to make him look better?”
Whether he meant to or not, Dunleavy has likely made the team a lot more watchable the rest of the way with that trade, with BD set to mentally check out of another lost season. It could also be a motivator to Baron, having a clearly less talented guy threaten to out-play him at his spot. He’s never really been faced with that scenario with guys like Mike Taylor, Jason Hart, Mardy, Telfair, Bobby Brown, etc.
Re: Tanking. If the team is putting forth the kind of effort they did last night, it’s hard to root for them to lose. Though there are a couple interesting SF’s in the draft that are likely to go in the 6-8 range, so either way.
What's funny
The team is actually not that much worse now than they were when they went on that run to nearly get to .500 before the water main broke. Blake is a better backup PG than Telfair and Outlaw (when healthy of course) is a better SF than both Thornton and Butler. The team loses some going from Camby to Gooden, but its not like a few days ago when the drop off was from Camby to DJ or Smith. I’m not sure that Gooden can give you starter minutes, but he’s still a better PF than Jordan, Smith or BSkinnz.
by Michael White on Feb 21, 2010 10:10 AM PST up reply actions
It'll be interesting...
Definitely interested to see how Outlaw plays. Looking at his career numbers, it seems like he could definitely help us…very solid 3pt shooter, though his overall FG% is down this year quite a bit. I remember hearing Portland never really liked him, wonder why.
Charlotte should be a little bit tougher of a matchup on Monday.
id like to add this.
The thing I love about Steve Blake is he knows how to play with a super star SG. Maybe this will help EJ even more?
by big0lbad on Feb 21, 2010 10:05 AM PST via mobile reply actions
You guys who think Blake is better for this team than Baron
are dellusional. It’s not like Baron was taking shot away from EJ. Gordon was right around his average of shots. But he made more than his average amount of FT and 3pt shots. Baron is the better player, you guys act as if Baron isn’t a willing passer
im not counting Baron out
But it is nice to have someone to replace Baron in the lineup when he’s not bringing it. Any thought of going small with Baron, EJ, and Blake in the lineup with Outlaw at the 4 and DJ at the 5?
by big0lbad on Feb 21, 2010 11:22 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
Gordon playing hurt
Gordon is the only player wearing high black protective socks. That is protect his feett and to give him better circulation . He got the injury when he entered the NBA and has been playing hurt for two years. That is why his ballhandling has decline it is difficult to change hands when dribbling.
Kim's small lineup
This is the lineup we will be seeing a lot in the next weeks:
PG Blake
SG Baron
SF Gordon
PF Rhino
C Kaman
by DonaldSterlingSucks on Feb 21, 2010 4:11 PM PST reply actions
I think it is more likely we would see
Smith at SF, Outlaw should play soon so that should help the forward problem.
" Baron for the win, BINGO!!!! The Clipers Win, The Clippers win!!! "
Ralph Lawler
Gordon...
Good to see him assert himself.
I can’t help but being dissapointed that EGor didn’t make a bigger stride this year. His play seems the same or slightly worse than his play during the second half of last year.
He’s been good but its “3rd option on a championship team” good… I wanted him to show progress towards maybe being a “2nd option” guy.
I can't believe you guys, lol.
If yoiu guys think Gordon is having such a bad year compared to his rookie year, what do you think of OJ Mayo’s sophmore year? Also, to say that he is a “3rd option” is beyond words. This is a guy in his second year. He might go down as the best Clipper to ever play for this franchise. How can you guys be saying these things about a player of his caliber. EJ is easily one of the best shooting guards in the NBA already, and he has yet to scratch the surface. THis kid can score 20+ points a night. He just needs the right point guard around him. Steve Blake is the perfect PG for EJ’s style of play.
HVYDRT007-"EJ's value is diminishing Game By Game"
The question is how ban we unload Baron?
I hope dunleavy can pull a Zach randolph trade with Baron so we can change the
attitude of this team. I think Baron has shut it down again. This is totally unacceptable
with the kind of money he’s making.
That was one ug;ly game like the Bulls game
Clippers still lose games like those most nights
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