Clips Undefeated! Beat Warriors by Nineteen. It Only Looked Easy...
by John Raffo on Dec 26, 2011 8:19 AM PST
in Game Recaps
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Whew! Finally! A real game! One that counts and everything! The brand new Los Angeles Clippers hit the floor as part of the prestigious NBA Christmas day schedule and knocked out the Golden State Warriors by a score of 105-86. The game showed both how good the Clippers are right now (not very) and how good they could be (very), and how ruthless and superior Chris Paul, for whom they gave up so much, really is. The boxscore is here.
When the original schedule came out, 20 of the Clippers' 82 games were nationally televised. That was upgraded to 23 when the 66 game schedule was announced. With ten games on ESPN, four on TNT, nine on NBA TV, fully 35 percent of the Clips games are nationally televised. Clips have gone nationwide.
In the days before the game the big question was whether or not Stephen Curry, the Warriors sharpshooting young point guard (and the player the team reportedly refused to put on the table in a trade for then-Hornet Chris Paul), would play in the game having sprained his surgically-repaired ankle less than a week ago in a a pre-season test against the Sacramento Kings. Surprisingly Curry played 33 minutes against the Clippers but was a non-factor, scoring just four points on two for twelve shooting.
The first half was a see-saw battle, both teams looking rusty and unorganized. The Clippers built up a 36-28 lead with six minutes left in the second... mostly due to a reserve unit led by Mo Williams (wearing a mismatched, but Christmas-appropriate green headband). But when the first unit checked back in the Clips went cold and Golden State, led by Monta Ellis and David Lee put on a blistering run. Blake Griffin, star of stage, screen, and fitness magazine, got caught outside and fouled Dorrell Wright beyond the three point line to give the Warriors the lead.
The problem wasn't just missed shots, it was an almost complete failure to box out and rebound (the Warriors led the Clips in rebounding at the half, 30 to 20), an inability to finish high-percentage shots in the paint, along with shoddy defense kept that brought the Warriors back in the game. The Clippers found themselves down by two at the half.
But if this game and the two preseason games are any indication (and that's a pretty small sample size), the Clippers play better in the third quarter. Griffin made a string of meat-and-potato moves inside and led the Clips to a ten point lead, 63-53 with 5:00 left in the third. But then Warrior rookie coach, Mark Jackson made an unorthodox but effective decision... repeatedly fouling Clipper center away from the ball.
Jackson seemed to realize that without Jordan the Clips didn't have much going on defensively and is well aware of Jordan's greatest weakness (the Warriors of course, signed Jordan to an offer sheet for 43 million dollars less than two weeks ago, an offer the Clippers matched). The Warriors came down the court four times in a row and fouled Jordan, putting him on the line. The young center bricked up a string of free throws that were painful to watch. While the Warriors didn't turn the opportunity into immediate poins, Clipper coach Vinny Del Negro was forced to pull Jordan from the game. And the Warriors, playing at home in Oracle arena weren't done. With Jordan on the bench, the Clippers interior defense and rebounding vanished and the Dubs closed the score to 81-79 with 8:15 left in the fourth.
Then it happened. Chris Paul, who'd been more or less invisible and only mildly effective throughout the game, took over. It wasn't magical, the earth didn't move, but Paul seemed to say, "That's enough". He hit a long two. He hit another two with the shot-clock winding down. He dished to an open Blake Griffin for another bucket, hit Griffin in the paint for another and the Clips are suddenly up by 17 with under two minutes to play. And the game is simply over. I'm not sure the Warriors even knew what happened. One minute they were in it, then they simply weren't.
Other things we learned:
- Mo Williams is in good shape and ready to play. He was the one guy off the bench who looked like a professional.
- The Clippers bench desperately needs him. The second best bench player? Ryan Gomes. Randy Foye looked lost, and the Clippers have no good backup big men. None. They desperately need some big guys.
- It's a comfort to have a smart vet out on the floor at all times. When it wasn't Paul it was Chauncey Billups who had a great line of 21/5rebs/4 assists even though his three ball was off. Nice work.
- Blake Griffin is good, but could be better. His defense was woeful (he made David Lee look like an all-star) and his four fouls made it worse. He stepped up his offensive game in the third quarter but often forced the ball.
- Clips defense needs work. They got away with it against Golden State, but will likely get shredded against a stronger team (Wednesday against the Spurs, Friday against the Bulls). Worse? Rebounds. They stepped it up after the first half but still lost the battle 48-43. Blake Griffin had 7, Jordan had 5.
- Quietly filling in the holes was Caron Butler, who scored 11 points, pulled down ten rebounds and had four assists and no turnovers. He was there when the Clippers needed him and never in the way when they didn't. 36 minutes of hard work.
- DeAndre Jordan has to learn how to make free throws.
- Clips desperately need a back up center. (See above).
- Without Chris Paul, who finished 20/9 with only two turnovers the Warriors make the game more interesting in the fourth. In the closing minutes, it was as though Paul said, "Enough of this", took the Warriors out behind the barn and returned without them. It was cold, calculating, and utterly professional. It's why the guy is one of the best in the NBA. And it illustrates perfectly why he's worth as much as the Clippers paid.
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Nugget fan here
I’ll tell you the one thing you won’t like about Billups game as the season goes along. He loves pull-up three pointers, and even though he’ll make the majority of them, he can sometimes go on stretches where he shoots them around 20% over 20 games.
Other than that, he had a good game for you guys!
Atheist for Tebow!
"I do not threaten, I merely state facts"
"Your Agonizer please, Al Harrington"
like last night.
seems to have demonstarated that last night, but came back at the end.
by clipperdaryl2 on Dec 26, 2011 5:45 PM PST up reply actions
DJ's Eight or Was It Really 10 Blocks
helped keep the Warriors who couldn’t throw a pea last night in SF Bay if they tried from building up a big lead.
DJ’s block in the 4th quarter? ignited the rally that seemed to energize the Clips and get them going to where CP3 did what CP3 does and BD didn’t, make game critical jumpers.
Nice win for a start.
Clips turned it on enough late to leave no doubt as to who was the better team last night.
DJ and BG need to quit biting on fakes.
BG has not been going after rebounds as aggressively and i can’t figure out why. Last season (until late in the season at least) he went after every board.
by oneight on Dec 26, 2011 8:52 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Sounds like the Dubs have their own version of CD
Only more annoying if that’s possible.
by oneight on Dec 26, 2011 8:54 AM PST via mobile reply actions
was quite amazing to watch
cp3 turning it up a notch. it’s as if he decided “time to put this game away” and just willed it to happen. his ball handling was also great. he manages the clock and gets 2 for one towards the end of periods. what i don’t understand is how are we losing on the boards with BG and DJ?
DJ goes for the Block a lot
Instead of staying on his guy to box the guy out, DJ instead almost always goes for the block as as the secondary defender. I don’t really think it’s a coincidence Bynum had a big game and Bierdrins had a big game back to back. Blocks are sexier than boxing guys out and getting a rebound.
Kaman on the other hand, is more fundamentally sound and more often than not, stays at home in the paint and boxes his guy out. Perhaps once Evans gets on the floor, rebounds will be easier to come by.
I guess Mo proves the naysayers wrong…he does play defense. He’ll be important this season. Billups isn’t getting any younger, and would probably be best playing around 30 min a night to stay fresh.
"After the first six minutes I was heavily winded"-Andrew Bynum
If a player blocks a shot and the blocked ball goes to a teammate I don’t think that anyone gets credit for a rebound.
I do agree that the Clips Bigs have to learn better how to block out on shots.
It depends on what kind of shape Reggie is in. If he is not in good shape look for a lot of uncontested layups by Clips opponents when Reggie is on the floor. If he is in good shape there won’t be as many uncontested layups but probably still be more than we would like to see.
Kaman gives no effort and had poor basic skills himself
People will complain if Jordan let’s the little guys run by him and score like Kaman did all those years. We are starting two PGs they are going to get burned on the perimeter who will get torched by quicker players often if DJ doesn’t go help its an easy bucket. Its on the rest of the team to rotate cover bodies and rebound while DJ is altering shots.
We lose that game 10/10 times with Kaman half a$$ing it better yet we are getting blown out in this game with the way the starters outside of DJ were just going through the motions in the first half. Big game Biedrins had a big game because Montage Ellis kept burning the wing players and DJ had to help leaving Beans open. Besides the guy only had 10two freaking points and stayed in foul trouble.
by KillaClip on Dec 26, 2011 1:42 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
About the back-up center..
How much of last year were they without Chris Kaman? Almost as much as this year! What about Ike Diogu and Craig Smith(who was injured a lot himself?) Definitely better than the defensively challenged Brian Cook!
None of them are on the team
So yes, it’s an issue. I’m a Diogu fan myself, but the Clps rolled with Evans, who will be out for a few more games. We’ll see what happends.
"After the first six minutes I was heavily winded"-Andrew Bynum
Isn't DJ Mbenga still available?
Laugh all you want, but the guy can hustle, play D, grab boards, and – most importantly – stay healthy.
I love Przybilla and what he brings, but durability is such an issue for him. I also liked what Ike brought last season, but I think we need a bigger true center.
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 10:42 AM PST up reply actions
+1
Brian Cook will not be able to fill the 5 roll, no matter how bad we want him to suceed.
by clipperdaryl2 on Dec 26, 2011 5:47 PM PST up reply actions
he'd be a good backup
if he didnt get 5 fouls in 5 minutes every single game
Craig Smith is in Portland.
I don’t really know what Ike is up to. I was hoping that we’d add him for the minimum.
Proud member of Club FTR
by Lawler 4ever on Dec 26, 2011 1:35 PM PST up reply actions
Smith is with Portland...
Diogu still out there… and certainly a better player than Cook. Clips are waiting on something. Perhaps DJ’s lack of rebounds and free-throw shooting will convince Olshey to make a move. No word on Pryzbilla?
Przybilla's free throw shooting isn't much better
In the end, hack-whoever sucks at shooting-free throws is one way to force any team’s tempo to slow down. It would’ve been nice to see the Clippers exploit being in the bonus more, but the guards on the team are quite capable of shooting jumpers..who am I to complain?
If I see more Hack-a-DJ I will require doses of alley-oops to make up for them.
It's not about Pryzbilla at the line...
It’s having a big defensive center ready to go when DJ isn’t on the floor.
Probably to see how things mesh before making more moves
Our defense is not in place yet. TT and Evans have not played a game yet. Until those things happen or teams start rendering DJ useless, I expect the wait and see to continue.
excited about the win
not so excited about the lack of effort in the 1st half and rebounding was horrible
No, it's the Clip Show!
I don't care about statistics.....
…I only care about winning!
They won but boy did they look terrible doing so.
Atrocious defense and can no one box out to grab a rebound? Blake had 2 defensive rebounds in 35 minutes and DJ 2 in 31 minutes. That is ridiculous.
by dulciusXasperis on Dec 26, 2011 9:35 AM PST reply actions
And they win on the road by 19...
…I’m not sure if I’d use the word atrocious in this case.
Held the opposition to 86 points....
….that will win you a lot of games
Great point given the offensive nature of the Dubs
"[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.
Yeah but it never looked pretty
I’d say the Warriors went cold more than our defense started to click.
by dulciusXasperis on Dec 26, 2011 12:26 PM PST up reply actions
they held the warriors to .390 fg%
The bench and the starters w/ DJ played great D most the game. Biggest drought was when we had starters in and DJ wasn’t in with them. We need a big man though
by KillaClip on Dec 26, 2011 1:49 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
itd be ok that they shot that much if they hadn't gotten all those offensive rebounds...
but we played alright defense
clip fans getting picky
we normally got blown out at GS… 19 point win is Yeah!! OK now down to business at SA we’ll see how good we are.
CP3, wow didn’t realize he was that good.
It’ll be a good run.
clip dan
Go Clips! (And what took Paul so long to get going?)
Cook may not be the answer to our center problem, but I’m quietly turning into a fan of his. His 3-pointer is a keeper, and even though he’s a personal foul waiting to happen, I can’t fault him for lack of effort. He takes charges that often get called against him, and last night he had 6 rebounds in 16 minutes. When Evans joins the team, I kind of suspect that the two of them will be an adequate stop gap.
Meanwhile, Paul seemed awfully passive last night until his awesome last 4 minutes. He was 3 for 8 the whole game, until he went 4-4 at the end. My hunch is that he and Billups wanted to keep the game a little slower vs the Warriors. He also may be a step slow these days. But he sure looked like Nash at the end, didn’t he?
Thanks for the write-up, Swami!
"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT
Agree on Cook.
Cook looked poised and confident. Hit some big shots to stop GS rallies.
by MySDClippers on Dec 26, 2011 9:43 AM PST up reply actions
I also liked Cook
on clipperblog they totally destroyed him. But considering his abilities I totally think he did alright. They even dismissed his rebounding but then again he had 6 defensive rebounds.
In an ideal world Cook is a end of the bench player but for the moment he’ll have to do. I don’t see that changing quickly: Evans is still injured and chance are that any FA big will require some time to get in game shape (not to mention that it are slim pickings for the moment).
Your capslock is stuck, please buy a new keyboard
by BelgianClipper on Dec 26, 2011 10:07 AM PST up reply actions
+1
The Cookie hate seems reflexive to me. I’ve got no problem with a stretch 4 who does a decent job on the boards and knocks down triples consistently. His defense is surely inadequate, but no worse than plenty of others who’ve played that role (Radmanovich and Tim “I only hustle in a contract year” Thomas immediately come to mind). Under no circumstances should he be a backup 5, but it’s not his fault he’s being forced to play that role. He’s definitely shown that he deserves 10-12 mins a game.
As for Paul, I’m not sure “passive” is the word I’d use to describe his play through 3-1/2 quarters. He was very active on D and controlled the tempo throughout. The way he played looked a lot like his usual MO: Try to facilitate for his teammates and distribute through most of the game, then take over down the stretch. It’s probably exaggerated early on as he’s trying to get to know his teammates — in other words, he may be a little overly differential while trying to figure out what he’s got to work with — but the general pattern is how he (like many great PGs) typically plays.
Proudly enduring the pain since the days of Bill Walton's foot.
Now living the good life in Lob City, CA.
Paul tends to become more "aggressive" as the game goes on.
He typically tries to get his teammates more involved early in the game. He looks for his own offense more as the game goes on.
Proud member of Club FTR
by Lawler 4ever on Dec 26, 2011 1:46 PM PST up reply actions
Hack-a-Shaq ll
I thought Marc Jackson made a mistake with his intentional fouling of DJ. The strategy is such a pace killer for both teams. Considering the pace that GS likes to play with, it couldn’t have helped get their guards into any kind of shooting rythm. They did cut the lead some, but immediately thereafter, their guards couldn’t buy an outside shot.
And it might not be the right message to send your players in the first game you have ever coached. We need a “gimmick” strategy to compete with a team that we have thumped 11 of the last 12 in our building? Just seems to me like something you keep in your bag for an important game late in the season.
+1
GS is all about playing fast offense. Hack-a-DJ gave the Clips all the time to get organised on defense.
Your capslock is stuck, please buy a new keyboard
by BelgianClipper on Dec 26, 2011 9:50 AM PST up reply actions
Nellie Jackson
I was a little surprised that he didn’t do it some more in the 4th. Had the game stayed 5 or 10 points out of reach throughout the quarter, I bet he would have at some point.
The Hack-a-Whoever strategy has no place in the sport. It’s OK to foul a couple times, but last night was more than anyone wants to see. There needs to be a stronger disincentive, then. Perhaps the NBA ought to have a maximum team foul rule. For instance, if you go above 12, then the shooter gets 2 out of 3. Or above 15, and the oppositions gets free throws and the ball out of bounds. Maybe intentional fouls in certain contexts should receive a technical. The rules committee ought to get on this one.
"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT
wrong team to do it with
GSW couldn’t execute a halfcourt play if their live depended on it. If Mark Jackson is going to stick at GSW they need to get him players that can play the style he wants.
The ESPN-crew was going ballistic with every assist Ellis gave put he just isn’t a half-court PG.
Your capslock is stuck, please buy a new keyboard
by BelgianClipper on Dec 26, 2011 10:02 AM PST up reply actions
2 things I take with me to next game
- halftime adjustment: Butler seemed to help out with defensive rebounding in the second half.
- Paul plays at the end of the game: thanks to some screens the Clippers got Paul matched up with Kwame 2 out of the 3 times. That was brilliant considering Kwame is the guy you want to match Paul up with: too slow to close out and mediocre shot-blocker.
Your capslock is stuck, please buy a new keyboard
I'm fine with the win
They are just starting to figure out how to play together. CP3 was as advertised – a killer when it counts. Foye will come around.
Butler is perfectl as an SFon this team – he can board, he can shoot, sort of a jack of all trades.
DJ is young and has so many tools. He just has to learn to put it together on D. Same with BG.
They played a team with two lightning quick guards. Given Billups’ age in particular, and the lack of boards off teh bench, that’s a particularly difficult matchup.
Reggie Evens is definitely going to help this team. They need a tall backup C vet and they should be fine.
Love Mo as 6th man. Hopefully he’ll embrace that role.
Teams need to learn how to win. I thought that last night was a great learning experience. And they have one of the best killers in the business in CP3 to help them get there as we all saw.
19 point win was great I thought given these circumstances.
"[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.
BTW Kwame is terrible - talk about a waste of cash!!
"[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.
One thing I forgot to mention
As much as we are worried about how we match up with other teams, I think we should be focused on how opposing teams have to match up with us. As Chauncy keeps saying in interviews, we have two great PGs who can score or pass, an SF who can also score or pass (4 asts last night), a killer PF and an athletic C. I really like the potential of our O and I am comfortable trusting that they will get it together (as BG said last night after the game).
"[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.
+1
Happy to come in behind one of Jax’ more lengthy posts, and back up the positive vibe. Hola, amigos! Unlike SP, my own trip was happily scheduled for the last 10 days with a Christmas return, so I got to watch the game on a flight home from Houston—up to the last 6 minutes, when I was deplaning and CP3 decided enough was enough and took over. Not really so familiar with celebrating a relatively ugly win that included a killer instinct in the 4th quarter ON THE ROAD, but I believe that I could get used to it. I have a lot of sympathy for Swami Raffo and his posts on the adjustment and saying goodbye to some of our favorites (NO Clippets tonight! Redbeard and EJ and AFA!), but winning is good.
The Clips came out pretty flat, aside from hitting a couple of early 3s, but they did alright with the ebb and flow of the 1st quarter. Biedrens seems to be one of those guys who plays with extra confidence against the Clippers, and the lack of rebounding was glaring. The Clips seemed diffuse around the basket, and it might have been that Butler wasn’t making his presence felt yet. His 10 boards were important, and his role is going to be crucial. Jax is right about the jack of all trades aspect, rather than a guy who just jacks up shots, and starting out with a double digit rebound game is great. DJ and BG will get their rebounds, but the team needs to be much better organized on the defensive glass, and at the start of games too.
I also liked Mo coming off the bench. That should be one of the Clips’ primary weapons, and it’s an impressive complement to the savvy and solid starting backcourt of Paul and Billups. Mo has the speed and the ability to hit shots. Expect to hear Milph lobbying for Mo to get 6th man recognition as the season goes on and he puts up good numbers. The announcers last night noticed that VDN is going to have a dilemma getting CP3 back on the floor, although he’s going to err on the side of leaving in Billups—and last night Billups responded by immediately hitting a 3 when Mo went back to the bench. VDN might have a tendency to leave Griffin and Paul on the bench a little bit too long in the 2nd/4th rotations, something to watch against the Spurs and the Bulls, but the other value of Mo is that both Paul and Billups will do better playing fewer minutes. And we know that Foye can heat up and make plays too… and VDN will also have to find minutes for Bledsoe at the end of next month (I predict that Bledsoe becomes one of the first Clippers to come back early and healthy from injured reserve)!
Disappointed that not only DJ, but also BGriffin, got off to such a bad start to the season from the line. Announcers said that on DJ’s makes his form looks good, and he just needs repetitions, which is wrong, since we know that DJ has been working hard on his free throws for a couple of years. Maybe they’re right and he just needs to work twice as hard. DJ’s free throw debacle isn’t so surprising, but Griffin is going to get fouled a ton and he needs to find his FT stroke right away, and get up towards 80%. He’s off to a slow start.
The glaring weakness of the Clips is the lack of depth up front, and EJ’s defense is missed as well. But the fact is that Chris Paul is a killer in a way that Clipper fans have never seen, and Chauncey Billups is almost as good—he’s what we said after the amnesty pickup, Sam Cassell 2.0. It was an off night, and the Clippers still did just fine. It’s really extraordinary.
by citizen zhiv on Dec 26, 2011 10:39 AM PST up reply actions
Good point on VDN and his rotations
They showed Blake on the bench a couple of times in the 3rd quarter and I kept wondering how long until he goes in especially with our second unit big men struggling. Same with CP3 and deep into the fourth. My only thought is that he’s trying to conserve guys for the shortened schedule.
Remembers when you could buy a nosebleed ticket at the Sports Arena and end up courtside.
It's probably going to be a process for him to figure out what works best.
I’m not a VDN fan, but I think he and the staff can probably find a solution.
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 10:57 AM PST up reply actions
And Mo was playing well
"[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.
Nice to have you back Zhiv.
I hate that you come out swinging and rip off a five-hundred worder without breathing hard.
Agree on all points but one: Bledsoe. If he had surgery in October, he’s already behind. It’s a mystery as to where and how the injury happened and exactly what the surgery entailed. Clips said it was meniscus injury but nothing more specific. Apparently no one’s talking.
Yah agreed - couple of things
First VDN great call to put CP3 back in right at the end of the third – he responded by hitting a shot at the buzzer. CP3 the killer.
Second VDN has a different set of issues this year, perhaps chief amongst them the Phil Jackson problem of having to manage all star egos. Mo clearly doesn’t like coming off the bench – and really why should he? He’s a starting PG in this league for half the teams probably. IF VDN can successfully manage that, the Clips will go along way in the playoffs IMO.
"[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.
'89 detroit pistons?
Was just thinking about our backcourt and thought of the ‘89 pistons. Here’s their championship line-up – isiah thomas, dumars, aguirre, mahorn, laimbeer; bench: vinnie johnson, rodman, edwards, and salley.
Just need to sell mo on being the vinny johnson. Actually, we’re not too far off from this championship line-up although we lack that front court depth. Hoping evans can be somewhat like rodman.
by KeithClossrules on Dec 26, 2011 1:44 PM PST up reply actions
Chauncey's performance was exactly why I was less than excited to acquire him
Obviously, I’m happy about the win, but that guy should not be taking the most shots on our team unless he catches fire (which he most certainly did not last night). Without that CP3 run in the fourth, we might very well be complaining about how Billups shot us out of the game last night. I’m not exactly surprised that Billups came out gunning, but I am disappointed; I was pleased with how he curbed his chucking ways in the preseason games and showed a willingness to make the extra pass.
On a similar note, I really don’t think VDN should play Billups and Williams at the same time. They are both shoot-first PG’s, and when they were out there together, it totally killed any semblance of offensive execution. I think we can afford to give Foye some more burn and save our 35-year-old starter from having to play 38 minutes again.
All you guys who talked about boxing out (or the lack thereof)… I COMPLETELY AGREE.
Also, was anyone annoyed that VDN didn’t bench the starters at the end? We were up by 20; sit ‘em down and don’t leave them open to the karmic injuries that always happen when you leave your starters in a blowout. Also, maybe VDN needs to look at the schedule and realize that it’s not smart to play your starters so many minutes this year if we want them to have anything left down the season’s stretch… But I’m probably expecting too much out of the guy.
Anyway, good win and things are going up from here. It’s going to be a process, but I’m stoked for this season.
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 10:25 AM PST reply actions
You could make the argument that he wants them out there to get playing time together...
And some of them, Paul in particular, are really not in shape.
Yeah, that was what I figured as well.
I just remember times last season where he left guys out too long, and it made me nervous.
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 10:32 AM PST up reply actions
I agree...
When I was researching Chris Paul’s knee info (shameless self promotion) I stumbled on some incomplete data about injuries in the lockout-shortened NFL season. There were ten ACL injuries (in practice and pre-season games) a week after game one. But there were only nine recorded ALL of last season. ACL injuries apparently often happen when players are out of shape but playing hard or playing tired.
Vinny needs to be cautious.
It would be interesting to have seen
What the team would have done with Chauncy at the point, EJ at SG and Kaman off the bench
"[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.
Probably EJ not getting enough shots haha.
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 10:42 AM PST up reply actions
Yup
Having Chris Paul is a real champagne problem, I must say.
I really liked that team and its depth. As I said above, it’s going to be tricky to find Bledsoe minutes, although he’ll take away Foye’s court time, which is fine. Bledsoe would have been a key factor on the Kaman-EJ-AFA-Billups team, and he’s still a big part of the Clippers future. And obviously he’s going to learn a lot pretty quickly from playing with Paul and Billups.
But it would have been great to be able to bring Kaman off the bench last night, and quickly too, when DJ and BGriffin were out of sorts on the defensive boards. No hack-a-DJ with Kaman on the roster, just his blocks and rebounds and dunks. But instead I’m going to be excited, like SP said, about watching the Hornets. And in the meantime the Clippers will win some, and perhaps a lot, of ugly games that they might have given away, although Billups would have made a big difference.
by citizen zhiv on Dec 26, 2011 10:44 AM PST up reply actions
Agreed
I think Bledsoe will end up being a big key for this team as a defensive wing given his athleticism.
Bottom line – nothing can match CP3 the killer. We all witnessed that last night. Kobe-esque. WInning covers up alot of issues and problems. Having said that, those problems will need to be corrected, or the majority of them, if we are going to win a championship.
"[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.
I think part of the problem is that, aside from CP3, we don't have a guy who can iso and drive to the hoop
The ability to take anyone to the rack off the dribble is the part of EJ’s game that we are going to miss the most. CP3 can do this when he’s got the mismatch, but it’s not really his main priority.
As for our other guards right now, as good as they are, they are more shooters and prefer to shoot. And Caron is probably not quick enough anymore.
Anyway, this isn’t really a complaint but more an observation. What do you guys think?
I hope that Bledsoe can come back healthy and be able to fill that role.
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 10:49 AM PST reply actions
I don't really see that as a big problem
if they can get the Paul-Griffin pick and roll working. That should really improve whole the offense and open up the game.
Your capslock is stuck, please buy a new keyboard
by BelgianClipper on Dec 26, 2011 10:52 AM PST up reply actions
Agree, our offense can be even more dynamic than just ISO
Remembers when you could buy a nosebleed ticket at the Sports Arena and end up courtside.
I can agree with that.
I just think that, ideally, it’s nice to have more options/weapons to keep the defense honest. But I’ll live. :-)
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 10:56 AM PST up reply actions
How much of that is VDN's poor offense?
There was more movement than usual. More passes than usual, but it still looked stagnant. CP3 should be running the pick and roll with BG or Gomes (when he is in there) until someone stops it. BG and DJ need to learn how to cut to the basket. We need to see more screens to set up CB4/CB3/Mo for a spot up. We have two of the most dynamic players at their respective positions to be limited in what we do.
by mustang6944 on Dec 26, 2011 12:31 PM PST up reply actions
You forget about BG
He took Lee to the hole a couple times with ease last night.
Not worried about that at all.
"[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.
You're absolutely right. BG does count for that. I was referring more to our backcourt.
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 11:03 AM PST up reply actions
Understand - but we have two superstars who can do that
I think that is fine.
"[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.
caron was beasting when he got the ball
I want more iso for Caron he still has skill to get to the rim just not getting the touches in truth he should be our second or third option.
by KillaClip on Dec 26, 2011 1:56 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
I can't believe how unbelievably pessimistic this write-up is
It was the FIRST game and they won by 19. Don’t get your nickers in a twist man.
"I'd never buy my girl a watch... she's already got a clock
over the stove." - Charles Barkley
everyone enjoys a win
its just that we all noticed that there is a lot of improvement to be had with the team.
Check out http://fullyclips.com/ - Really Great Clippers blog!
I agree - we will be winning alot of games this year
and nitpicking about how we can do better. Apparently that’s what fans of good teams do. ;-)
"[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.
2nd half adjustment and Blake
I’ll give VDN credit on his 2nd half adjustments since he struggled with that last year and getting our guys (or at least Caron) to hit the Boards harder and most importantly getting Blake going. Our team still does best when it’s inside-outside and we played the opposite to start the game with Chauncey jacking up shots. Need to reverse course and get Blake going early.
Remembers when you could buy a nosebleed ticket at the Sports Arena and end up courtside.
I agree. We can't have guys jacking up 3's early on and freezing Blake out of the action.
Perhaps his lack of touches led to his lack of motivation in the first half? I certainly hope not, because last year’s Blake played hard no matter what.
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 10:59 AM PST up reply actions
Don't know about motivation
but he had slow starts during the two preseason games as well. Perhaps just a indication that the team needs to gel and that guys like Chauncey will settle down knowing they’ll get there’s during the flow of the game.
Remembers when you could buy a nosebleed ticket at the Sports Arena and end up courtside.
That’s a better and more positive explanation for it. Good stuff.
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 11:02 AM PST up reply actions
Great point
"[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.
Furthermore, I think that VDN needs to make it clear that Blake is the 1st option.
If VDN has already done this, I don’t think Billups got the memo.
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 11:01 AM PST up reply actions
Don't worry about that - the team will figure out who the best options are
Do you really think they need to tell Chauncy what’s up? They are vets
"[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.
I think Chauncey can use a reminder once in a while
Just ask any Knicks fan.
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 11:08 AM PST up reply actions
That's what we pay CP3 to do
"[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.
Yes indeedy!
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 11:11 AM PST up reply actions
My feeling is that he will not mince words in private
"[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.
Although I did think he was playing solid team ball in the preseason.
It’s fair to say that he saw the offense stagnating last night and was trying to get something going.
And yes, he’s a vet, and deep down he knows. I guess bad shot selection is just a pet peeve of mine!
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 11:10 AM PST up reply actions
I understand
I just think that Chauncy has earned the right to play by feel and instinct (unlike a certain former Clipper PG who shall remain nameless)
"[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.
Totally fair
Dude is a champion and has earned his right. Just excuse me if I’m a little hesitant to trust a guy whose first instinct is to jack up a 3 instead of pass.
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 11:16 AM PST up reply actions
I agree
If he were the primary PG I’d be a little more worried. But this is CP3’s team and I suspect that his approach will be infectious.
"[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.
I definitely felt that way during the preseason
The unselfishness and crisp ball movement seemed to stem from CP3’s attitude. I have a good feeling that those things will be back in the next game.
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 11:26 AM PST up reply actions
He is the starting "shooting guard"
Gordon is gone now. DJ is a non-factor on offense. SOMEONE needs to shoot the ball.
"After the first six minutes I was heavily winded"-Andrew Bynum
by oasisman on Dec 26, 2011 11:54 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
this
Proudly enduring the pain since the days of Bill Walton's foot.
Now living the good life in Lob City, CA.
wouldnt even put as a non factor this team needs to use pick and roll
Dj can put up point in the half court and fast break if our team attacks the basket more often we have open lobs for DJ. We settled for jumpers to often.
by KillaClip on Dec 26, 2011 2:00 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Some of those low percentage shots Billups took..had me frustrated.
He was cold and he was taking horrible shots. He even had guys that were open to pass off to, but instead took the low percentage shot. These things can take a team out of the game fast. I hope it’s not a habit.
BTW, anyone get goose bumps thinking about CP3 and Sam's 1st games?
We were down big to Seattle in the third and Sam hit three straight threes to seal the game. Couldn’t help but be reminded of that when watching CP3 last night.
Remembers when you could buy a nosebleed ticket at the Sports Arena and end up courtside.
CP3 kept talking in the preseason about his interest in Clipper history. Does this mean he'll be bringing back Sam's testicle dance?
I certainly hope so.
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 11:07 AM PST up reply actions
+1
We won by 19 guys. where a game up on the Lakers. guess you want aliens to come down and sign with the Clippers next?
by clipperdaryl2 on Dec 26, 2011 5:50 PM PST up reply actions
Yah we must have won
since we don’t see the usual naysayers on the board today
"[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.
funny how 710 points out so many positives in the laker loss to the Bulls and they can point out so many faults in the Clippers win over the Warriors.
It was a 19 point win, but it was not a good game for us. I know we will get much better. Blake should concentrate on the boards and let the offense come to him when it’s time. We need a back up big desperately. Please improve the FT shooting. Take good percentage shots.
My take
Billups needs to shoot less. He’s a great shooter but our offense doesn’t need for him to shoot 10 mostly contested 3 pointers. He needs to shoot in the flow of the offense and not force bad shots.
Paul needs to play how he did the last 5 minutes the entire game. He needs to be involved in our offense at all times.
Caron was just beautifully perfect. He fit into the offense and is a major upgrade at SF.
Deandre is definitely worth the monster contract! Not only did he have 8 blocks but the warriors became scared to shoot in the paint and would try these high arcing floaters over treeandre that never worked. Only problem is while he is roaming the court searching for a block we lose him as a rebounder. That is something we have to live with and that is why Blake has to be double the monster he was last year on the boards.
Also I liked our bench play I was even fine with cook. And mo played great which is why I think he was pissed he didn’t get to finish the game. Our backcourt is going to be very crowded when bledsoe gets back and I worry either Chauncey or mo or both won’t be happy campers.
by NoBandwagoners on Dec 26, 2011 12:30 PM PST via mobile reply actions
I think bledsoe is going to be the x factor guy off the bench
He is going to be on the court at the x position and mainly get the 2nd unit jumpstarted. Every team needs an x factor, giving him the option to just play his game is the best way to use his talents. He can block shots, get rebounds and outrun anyone on the court at 6 feet tall. He is a weapon if used properly, i would like to see him on the court with Evans, Leslie/Gomes, Thompkins and Paul just pushing the tempo and keeping a constant assault throughout the game.
wine um, dine um, 69 um
by flightofthegriffin on Dec 26, 2011 6:17 PM PST up reply actions
watched the game in oakland...
during warm-ups, the warriors fans were watching in awe as the clips were showing off some fancy dunks. kinda reminded me mike taylor’s pregame dunks… but bigger.
not too many clips jerseys in attendance. maybe i’m just used to seeing a swarm of the away team’s gear at clips home games.
the over-the-backboard circus shot was absolutely amazing.
and deandre’s block-and-steal-in-one-move play was insane.
and yeah, cp3 basically silenced the whole oracle and sent them to the exits early when he took over at the end.
there were a couple times where it did look like billups struggled to match up with sgs. my main worry is that at the end of the season, he’ll be dying to go somewhere else so he can run the point full time again.
but overall, great time to be a clips fan.
Eye of the beholder
Not too many clips jerseys in attendance
I, on the other hand, couldn’t believe how many I saw (like 10 or 12!). For most of the last decade I’ve pretty much been the only one.
Proudly enduring the pain since the days of Bill Walton's foot.
Now living the good life in Lob City, CA.
I saw a lot too
if anything I don’t see enough Clipper gear at home games.
Also the grinch was repping the Clips :D
Help us Altered Beast you're our only hope.
by ClipperChuck on Dec 26, 2011 1:12 PM PST up reply actions
about chauncey shooting so much
Wasn’t he being guarded by a half injured curry most of the game? Seemed like the ankle might’ve been keeping GSW from leaving him on the notorious “ankle breaker” that is CP3, so they let Curry take his best shot at Chauncey. I think I only saw Chauncey post up Curry a few times, so maybe he wasn’t taking full advantage of that mismatch, like he said he likes to do with smaller guards, but I don’t mind him shooting over curry.
As for DJ, he seemed like a presence out there. Sometimes I don’t like all the blocks and going for everything, but it seemed like there were quite a few occasions where DJ was just closing out on a shooter, and made them think twice and missed the shot. Maybe they were just missing, but I think DJ got in a lot of people’s heads with all the blocks. I am pretty worried that a smart team and coach will exploit DJ’s aggressiveness and Blake’s weak help defense (ie. See San Antonio Spurs) so it’ll be interesting to see how it unfolds.
DJ in people's heads
That was absolutely happening. Saw Curry have to adjust his arc a couple times mid-shot with DJ flying out at him. And on one play Klay Thompson had a clear path to the hole but instead rushed a ridiculous line-drive floater from a ludicrous angle on the baseline because he clearly was more worried about not letting DJ time the block than he was about, you know, actually putting up a shot that had a prayer of falling. Though I do think DJ gets a little overaggressive at times, last night the problem was less about DJ and more about nobody rotating over to pick up Biedrins.
Proudly enduring the pain since the days of Bill Walton's foot.
Now living the good life in Lob City, CA.
Leaking out
Since no one mentioned this I thought I would. Another part of the rebounding problem was that guys were off to the races before the ball was secured. Whether it was being tipped around after a missed shot or after a DJ block. There were plenty of times that you see 4 or 5 Dub players still there while the majority of the Clippers team is ready to break. Too eager to get the exciting fast break lob that they forgot that rebounding is a team effort.
Biggest positive for me
is only 10 TO.
Through 3 games (including preseason) the Clips have 26 turnovers. That sounds like a number they would’ve had in like one game last year, especially early on.
Between that, and having strong 3rds, and closing out quarters, especially the 4th…. I don’t recognize this team at all (in a really good way)
thats what happens when you have 2 heady veterans leading the team
instead of erratic baron davis and mo williams!
Some observations
At halftime I believed the Clips were shooting like 33%, that’s when I knew they would win for sure because how can you only be down 2 at the half when you’ve only made a third of your shots? Eventually the Clippers offense clicked and they scored 64 points in the 2nd half.
Gomes played some solid minutes as a PF. He stayed close to the basket and got himself some easy baskets. He has a much better chance of earning his keep as a backup PF than as a backup SF.
The hack a DJ was painful (especially witnessing it in person and having him on my fantasy team) to watch but I don’t think it will be a huge problem going forward. For starters teams will only implement it if they get over the bonus quickly into a quarter. Also DJ’s foul stroke does seem improved (though he airballed the last one) and he didn’t get any lucky bounces. I don’t think he’ll get to Biedrins/Chuck Hayes level of bad over the course of the season.
Help us Altered Beast you're our only hope.
Votes
3 Votes – Chris Paul : Controlled the game for us down the stretch and looked after the ball. Showed why we gave up so much for him.
2 Votes – DeAndre Jordan : Doesn’t need to be a big factor offensively other than setting screens, rebounding and finishing lobs. Set the tone on defense and was a real factor in holding the W’s to 86 points. Worth every penny if remains consistent on defense every night
1 Vote – Brian Cook – I know most will disagree but our bench scoring has always been a problem and I thought he played his role well and hit his open shots. Tried hard on defense and rebounded well.
Getting To The Free Throw Line
How frequently the following players have gotten to the free throw line and FT%
Billups 1 per 6.50 minutes .894
CP3 1 per 6.83 minutes .853
D. Rose 1 per 7.81 minutes .815
Over his career Billups has gotten to the free throw line more often and made a higher percentage of his free throws than both CP3 and D.Rose
Sounds good to me.
I would imagine Butler is up there too
"[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.
Makes sense - doesn't shoot them as much - thanks
"[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.
You Can Look Up His Numbers If You Want
However, I remember one game, I think it was a pre-season game last season in which Maggette scored either 16 or 18 points without making a field goal. Ironically he fouled out of that game. It must have been basketball Karma. LOL
Billups is definitely up there
to be a TS% superstar you need to make layups/dunks, shoot 3s and get to the free throw line. The mid range jump shots (especially long 2s) are bad shots unless wide open.
Help us Altered Beast you're our only hope.
by ClipperChuck on Dec 26, 2011 1:57 PM PST up reply actions
In an interview, Blake even stated they played terribly
I dont have terribly high expectations for this team, but last nights game was just ugly. 4th quarter was sexy, but everything else was pretty cringe worthy.
Can’t wait to see this team gel though. Gonna be sexytime when they do.
by Ricekrispy10 on Dec 26, 2011 1:28 PM PST via mobile reply actions
I hope then that they play 'terribly' all season
Donald heckled ME!!!
by DonaldSterlingSucks on Dec 26, 2011 1:31 PM PST up reply actions
There's probably going to be a lot of ugly games this season, and not just from us.
It’s been said many times, many ways, but I’ll take an ugly loss over a pretty win any day.
Proud member of Club FTR
by Lawler 4ever on Dec 26, 2011 2:03 PM PST up reply actions
Ohmeomy Ralph Lawler
CLIPPERS on the rise. #5 in new NBA Power rankings behind Heat, Bulls, Thunder & Knicks.
6 minutes ago
so worst team
of the 5 that have played and won, haha.
Bulls should be last
Barely kept up with the Lakers…
by Ricekrispy10 on Dec 26, 2011 1:52 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Don't be fooled just because the Lakers lost Odom
they’re still a decent team.
"Things change when something is taken away from you" -BG32
bulls looked horrible at times that game though
their offense was taking horrible shots and the ball was barely moving. I couldn’t really tell if the Lakers were better than I thought they’d be (Murphy looked pretty solid) or if the Bulls were just having an off night. Right now it’s just way too early to have rankings. As the clips played the only non-playoff team from last year, and were a non-playoff team themselves, yea, I agree, they have to be last of the winners. I wouldn’t have even be surprised if some people still ranked the Lakers and/or Celtics higher than the Clips since they barely lost to other potential title contenders.
definitely interested in seeing how the lakers come out
against the Kings tonight. I have a feeling the b2b will be tough especially traveling for the first time outside staples. If the Lakers kill the kings, maybe they’ll restore some faith in them.
dang NBA TV
telling me I can’t watch the Laker game, when I don’t live anywhere near KCAL. Guess I need to find a feed.
In other news
Steve Novak is apart of the New York Knicks! Gosh, why wasn’t there a “Breaking News” report on that??? :(
"Things change when something is taken away from you" -BG32
Haha I posted a FanShot about it but that was during a busy week of CP3 action
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 3:21 PM PST up reply actions
yea saw that
Can’t wait to see Spike sporting his Novak jersey, once he become a fan favorite.
I hope he becomes for the Knicks what Channing Frye was/is for the Suns
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 3:25 PM PST up reply actions
Maybe spike will even get his hands on some
Air Novies
http://youtu.be/ocp6V5e0k6w
might even be too limited for him to obtain though. Most sought after shoes in the league.
Tony Kornheiser: "Earth to Chauncey Billups! Stop shooting!"
That made me chuckle.
"When I get into the lane, man, it’s like you’re in Baskin Robbins, you know what I’m saying? You just pick whatever you want." -Chris Paul
by Raining Buckets on Dec 26, 2011 3:23 PM PST reply actions
anothing thing I thought was funny
was on ESPN they showed some other clips from the interview with CP3, and he was talking about that run in with DJ a few years ago in pregame. He admitted he took notice, and even said he tried to get him on the Hornets. I guess any avid clips fan knew of that due to Mike Smith talking about it, but I was glad that kind of thing was shared with the national TV audience. DJ did have an impact to the Clips being an attractive destination for CP3.
22 Assist and 10 Turnovers that will win you lots of games!
Out of the two ESPN games we had the higher rating being that the game
was on at 10:30pm EST and up 69 % from the same time slot last year.
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