Cleveland Cavaliers 126, Los Angeles Clippers 119 - How Embarrassing
by Steve Perrin on Feb 12, 2011 1:18 AM PST
in Game Recaps
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PrintLongtime readers of Clips Nation may be wondering about the delay on this recap. Did Steve have Friday night plans, forcing him to watch the game on the DVR, so that he didn't finish watching until long after the game had concluded? Where is the dang recap? What's taking so long?
Well, I watched the game live. Usually I like to sit down right away and write my recap as soon as possible. The game is fresh in my head, it's good for business since it gives everyone something to read and comment on, and it lets me move on to other things. But tonight I've just been avoiding this moment. Because frankly, I'm not at all pleased to write about this game.
Obviously Cleveland's losing streak was going to end at some point. They weren't going to lose every game for the rest of the season and run their losing streak to 55. Nor are they now going to finish this season with 9 wins, tying the all time futility mark. They're going to win more games this season, and the streak was going to end against SOME team. But why did it have to be against the Clippers?
Let's be clear about one other thing: this was not the Cavaliers team that lost 26 straight games and set a new NBA record for consecutive losses. Because the last 16 of those losses came without Mo Williams, arguably their best player, who was out of the lineup with a hip injury. He returned for them tonight, a bit unexpectedly, and he was nothing short of great. From the moment he checked into the game he was slicing and dicing the Clippers on his way to 9 first half assists. He finished the game with 14 assists, tying a season high, and he did so in just 31 minutes off the bench. He also scored 17 points and hit the game tying basket on a VERY difficult jumper with 6 seconds left. It's not like I've watched a lot of Cavaliers games this season (I think I've watched one before tonight), but I can tell you this much - they're better with Mo Williams in the lineup.
So the Clippers didn't lose to a team that had lost 26 straight. Then again, the Cavs had lost 10 straight and 20 out of 21 WITH Williams in the lineup, so they're still pretty much the worst team in the NBA. In other words, there's still plenty of reasons to hang your head if you're the Clippers.
Starting with the defense. The Cavaliers are last in the league in offensive efficiency. They are 29th in field goal percentage, at just under 43% on the season. The Clippers gave up 110 points in regulation, and allowed them to shoot 50% from the field. Terrible. Most appalling of all is that the Cavs, devoid of anything resembling a low post threat, scored 52 points in the paint. How is that even possible?
In addition to Williams, both J.J. Hickson and Antawn Jamison had huge games. Jamison tied his season high with 35 points, and sank the dagger three pointer in the final 24 seconds of overtime with 5 seconds on the shoot clock. Hickson had 27 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocks. Among those blocks was the play of the game - a rejection of a Blake Griffin dunk attempt with 3:30 left that turned into a transition three pointer on the other end. It was the first time this season that Griffin has had a dunk blocked, and I'd venture that it will be the last time.
While the Clippers' defense was porous, the offense was mostly fine. Baron Davis had 26 points (the third time in five games of this road trip that he has upped his season high), 7 assists and zero turnovers. Randy Foye scored 23. Griffin finished with 32 points and 13 rebounds.
But although Blake's final numbers look great, he was less than impressive down the stretch. He was 8 for 16 from the field at the end of three quarters, but finished the game 11 for 26. That puts him at 3 for 10 in the fourth quarter and overtime, when the game was on the line. And one of those 3 field goals was a cherry picking dunk. The dozen or so isos the Clippers ran for Griffin down the stretch resulted in just one basket, seven misses and two turnovers. Going into the season we thought that he was a long way away from being a player that the Clippers could just throw the ball to on offense and get a bucket - we've started to think maybe he is that guy after some great games. But you know what? He's not that guy. Not yet anyway. He will be, but he's not that guy yet. Vinny Del Negro would have been better off calling Baron's number down the stretch as he was able to break down his defender pretty consistently; but clearly the Clippers missed Eric Gordon tonight, as they have in every game Gordon has sat out.
As if the loss didn't sting enough, non calls both in regulation and overtime seemed to go against the Clippers. On the final play of regulation, Baron Davis' attempt appeared to be on it's way down when it was rejected by Hickson. I'll tell you this much - when an eight foot shot is blocked two feet from the rim, it's probably going down. And I'll tell you something else - that block, during the other 47 minutes of the game, is a goal tend. Then, with 24 seconds left in overtime, the Clippers down one in need of a stop, Ryan Gomes grabbed a rebound and was then knocked to the ground by Hickson going after the rebound Gomes already secured. No foul was called, the ball went off Gomes out of bounds, and on the subsequent inbound play Jamison hit his three to essentially end the game. The Clippers were victimized on both of those plays by the referees' tendency to swallow their whistles at the end of close games - a phenomenon documented impressively in the book Scorecasting, which I'm currently reading. But if the intent is not to impact the game via officiating, they achieve the opposite by ignoring obvious fouls and violations in critical situations. If goaltending is the correct call, then it's clearly a problem to allow it to happen at the end of a close game - a much bigger problem then not calling it at any other time in fact.
I also have to say a word about the Clippers' performance in close games this season. In games decided by one possession (and I'm including all overtime games even if the final margin is greater than 3, since those games clearly could have been decided by one possession in regulation), the Clippers are 2-7; and the two wins are deceiving in that we know that neither the win in Chicago nor the one in Sacramento demonstrated the team's ability to close out a game. On the contrary, the Clippers were dreadful down the stretch in each of their one point wins, and only escaped humiliating defeats when their opponents missed crucial free throws on the final play. So basically, the Clippers have only won close games this season when their opponents have run out of time and/or missed free throws. Take a handful of those games the Clippers arguably should have won, switch the results, and suddenly LA is legitimately in the playoff race.
Luck plays some role in this, it would seem. Just on the first five games of the Odyssey alone, the Clippers have lost two games that they led in the final 10 seconds. In Atlanta, a great defensive play that seemed to knock the ball off Joe Johnson was ruled to be a jump ball, and the Clippers lost at the buzzer. In Cleveland, Williams hit a jumper falling away with a hand in his face to tie the game in regulation. The Clippers are that close to being 3-2 on this trip instead of 1-4.
It's to be expected that a young team might have difficulty closing tight games. The task hasn't gotten any easier with Gordon out of the lineup. But as long as the team can't win the close ones, they still have a long way to go.
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The writing was on the Wall with yesterday's preview
I was almost expecting this to happen today once word got in that Mo Williams would be playing today. These things usually happen to the Clips. Hickson was tending the goal.
OT execution was bad, as they went to Blake on the block several times in a row. A bit too predictable on offense. The Cavs were just very motivated and played with great intensity. I guess Byron Scott’s closed door tongue lashing worked. When’s Carmelo coming?
This is going to be my team, and we're going to rise together.
-Clipper Darrell
Where was the defense?
The poor play by the DJ tonight set the writing in stone -that Clips need Kaman. 4 Cavs scored more than 17 points, hence it was clear that there was no defensive intensity that night. Can the coaching staff permanently address this defense issue? Otherwise, the Clips will always be the Clips.
Embarrassing
The D was horrendous tonight. Sure the Clips got screwed by some bad no calls at the end but the Cavs were really outplaying them throughout the game. Twice the Clips were down 6 with only a couple minutes remaining. You leave way too much to luck if you eventually crap out.
Help us Altered Beast you're our only hope.
It's nights like these I'm proud to call myself a Clippers fan.
YEAH BABY! YEEHAW!!!
I've got nothing.
Outrageous
Who is the sick person who wrote the Clippers Report on Feb 11 saying that when Gordon comes back VDG will have to choose between Foye and Gordon who will start.
are you serious has he been watching any Clip games?
i guess i’ll have to go with Foye yeah we ain’t missing a beat without Gordon in fact let’s trade Gordon geez
by Brian Ahmed on Feb 12, 2011 4:43 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
This is the comment
Foye, meanwhile, has seen a lot of minutes at the shooting guard spot since Eric Gordon went down with a sprained right wrist, and his outstanding jump-shooting might make head coach Vinny Del Negro think twice before re-inserting Gordon into the first five once he returns from injury. Foye did his usual pick-and-pops from the perimeter, while also showing he can get to the basket a la Gordon, on the way to 23 points and also had three steals in 44 minutes.
Sure, Foye gets to the basket
at which point he blows the open layup very consistently.
theclippership.tumblr.com
There were so many factors working against the Clippers tonight.
1. We suck on the road, nearly as bad as Washington.
2. Mo Williams returned and didn’t even have a minute restriction >:(
3. Cleveland was recently royally chewed out by Byron Scott and were motivated. The fact that we couldn’t put them away early only give them more confidence. Had we been able to strike a huge blow early on, they could have folded.
4. There were quite a few questionable calls/no-calls against us that changed the course of the game. The right calls being made wouldn’t necessarily guarantee us the win, but would have made things a heckuva lot easier.
5. Our guys didn’t know how to play defense. We gave them open 3’s and open lanes. Matador defense.
6. Vinny’s substitutions sucked.
7. Cleveland was flirting with having the worst losing streak of the 4 major American Sports Leagues all to themselves. They obviously didn’t want that and I guarantee you that the NBA didn’t want that sole honor. I’m not saying there was a screw job, but it makes you wonder with some of the calls. We seem to always get terrible calls against or in favor of the other team when Workman is part of reffing crew. It’s just an observation.
Even with everything working against us, we deserved to lose. I would have loved to have skated out of there with a win, even after a bad showing. We didn’t deserve to win and they outplayed us. It’s frustrating for us as fans, because it just adds another glorious honor in the Clipper hall of shame. It’s already tough to hold your head up high as a Clipper fan without this added to the resume. I hope that it will light a fire under this team. You can’t half-ass it and expect not to lose just because a team sucks. This was an embarrassing loss for them and they’re going to have to deal with it. This pathetic performance overshadows the wins against Miami, San Antonio, Lakers, Chicago, etc.
Proud member of Club FTR
so do we blame David Stern?
i know he hates the Clips anyway but yeah i figured he didn’t want this losing streak to make history in his league and he’s more happy that the usual shitty Clips can end the streak
by Brian Ahmed on Feb 12, 2011 4:46 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
the league wanted wiz vs cavs
The refs are not against us we get a fair amount of calls we just are he worse free throw shooting team. The ref excuse is not working in one case Blake should have way more T’s for how he complains but he recieves a lot of slack while being a talkative rookie
by KillaClip on Feb 12, 2011 7:25 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
Nice Recap
I’d agree there were many factors at play.
Our team isn’t very clutch, which is an issue that should be addressed.
Though I did like to see them come back from 6 down late in regulation to then lead by 2 to force the tough Williams J.
Too damn bad. More fodder for Clipper trash talk.
This is off subject, but I had an un-related nightmare that’s inspired me. The Clipper loss was probably there in my subconscious, but the point is – one can only hope this motivates our guys even more. Whether perception or reality, there is one big deficit in this country, and it’s right here in Clips Nation.
"The need to be right - the sign of a vulgar mind."
by ghost_ride on Feb 12, 2011 7:36 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
I imagine that it will light a fire for the next couple games
Good recap, too. I would add your implied thought that this is merely a frustrating, inglorious bump in the road. We’ll get our asses back up and into the ring again.
IMO, the big Vinnie substitution worth questioning is his three guard line-up at the end of the game. It worked in the last couple minutes of regulation, though. Bledsoe can be a spaz a little too frequently, but he also makes things happen, including some big rebounds and free throws. He deserves some qualified praise. In the name of Club D, I like having him in there with Baron.
On the other hand, to echo Benwinship’s comments below, Griffin at center wasn’t working very well. I would have rather seen DJ in there than Gomes, or perhaps Ike. -If you don’t mind me asking, what other substitution flaws stick out for you?
"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT
I had thought the fire would have been ignited sooner
The stinkers against the Heat and Magic seemed like they should have woken up the Clips a bit. Granted that the Clips didn’t have a good chance to win, but I thought they at least play with some passion.
I don’t think the Clips really showed any urgency or effort against the Cavs. Boggled rotations, lazy defense, poor boxing out- these are effort/energy plays. They were lazy on offense too, the ball wan’t moving much.
Already, all the idiots are out with their "same old Clippers, worst franchise in sports" refrain.
It’s like they forgot that Eric Gordon is out right now and that we have Blake Griffin.
Clippers // Chargers // Rays // Gators // Boise State
"The Lakers do win games. But things can change." - Blake Griffin
Blame VDN. Why, you ask?
The team effort was there all night, and the Clippers played very hard. The Cavs absolutely wanted this win more, while the Clippers are starting to feel the bitch that is having to be on the road for so long, and missing key pieces, not just Gordon.
However, this is Vinny’s fault. Why did he go small in the final minutes of the game? Where was DJ, and/or Diogu, to get the stops needed in order to regain control of the game? If he wanted to experiment a little, how about going VERY by putting Griffin at the SF then Diogu and DJ at PF and C, respectively?
Not to diminish Bledsoe, after all, he was the one player who made those clutch free throws that I thought sealed the deal, but why keep him out there for the defense also, instead of switching to the big men?
Why is VDN a coach? Look at Chicago now!!! How about a REAL f’ing coach?
Donald heckled ME!!!
by DonaldSterlingSucks on Feb 12, 2011 5:04 AM PST reply actions
you are right
VDN cant handle close games. he cant think right at end games. three small guys at the same time is not a good idea. bledsoe has some good games but a rookie with a lot of errors. wow and he did it again. kept Bledsoe at the end game again against the Raptors. The Clippers won games because of their players and not because of VDN. They should be up there at the standings if they have a better coach.
i don't blame Steve for delaying this recap
yes i stayed up checking to see if it got posted then took a long nap and as i woke up i went to check for the recap again and it’s here yay… the overtime is a typical Clip choke type of game obviosly they felt the pressure that they can’t be the team who snaps the streak along with never being mistaking for a mentally tough team the whole season… the Toronto game can’t come soon enough as once again we gave the NBA folks something to laugh at and i have the feeling the Clips are gonna bring their A game and beat the Raptors convincingly on Sunday shit they owe it to all of us after what we watched last nite
by Brian Ahmed on Feb 12, 2011 5:07 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Also, this is a recap that figures to be heavily read
And on top of that, this is almost like a state of the union address for Steve. This is a big moment for Griffin’s Clippers.
"The need to be right - the sign of a vulgar mind."
by ghost_ride on Feb 12, 2011 7:41 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
The Clippers aren't good.
Maybe this is a wake up call for all involved. I hate the loss but don’t think it’s particularly meaningful. Ultimately it’s a tough road loss to a bad but very motivated team. The reality is that despite obvious improvement this year the Clippers lack depth, patience, experience, confidence and perhaps… good coaching. The coaching staff and the front office should look at this and say, “Okay, why did that happen and how can we keep it from happening again?”
still a young team
it’s great we are talking excitedly about the clippers, but in reality the team still has a lot of growing to do. the clippers now have some great young talents but that doesn’t translate into instant wins. our D needs a ton of work.
blake can generate a lot of buzz but he’s not a go to guy when the game is on the line. as well as baron has been playing i would be hesitant to call on him as well. until we have a few more options at the end of the game we’ll lose a lot of games like this.
by zac4president on Feb 12, 2011 9:45 AM PST up reply actions
OKC, Philly, Memphis are young teams who are winning games
we just don’t have any leadership even Charles Barkley said it on a halftime show on TNT when we played the Kings on Thanksgiving… 53 games into the season we can’t use youth as an excuse anymore we should be better than 20-33
by Brian Ahmed on Feb 12, 2011 11:08 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
+1 Bingo
Biggest weakness is a lack of weapons this team has no where near enough scorers or pure shooters. A team can win without a jump shooting Center but to do so you need more scoring options to compensate for the missing pieces. A starting SF in this league has to get you at least 11ppg with our style of game.
Observations from being at the game
Nothing is worse then watching your team lose with 20000 people cheering for the other team. Ugh..
Couple of things I noticed:
For the team intros Blake was the last Clipper introduced, and the fans cheered. And not just a few either, like every one who was there. It was practically a standing ovation. I’ve never ever seen anything like that. It was crazy. Pretty obvious Blake is something special and everyone knows it.
The Clippers D was horrible. The Cavs must have had like 12 dunks. I know its easy to blame DJ but I don’t know what more he could do. The guard penetrates, DJ moves over to help, and the pass goes to his man who’s wide open. Where’s the helpside D? Where is Griffin and Gomes? Freaking Ryan Hollins had like 4 wide open dunks.
Agree completely with Steve on Hickson’s “block”. Any other point in the game and its a goaltend. I can’t remember a game ever ending on a goaltending call.
The atmosphere was incredible. It felt like a playoff game. The fans were cheering for every made basket and rebound. I think going in the fans knew this was a game they could win and as the game moved on and the Clips couldn’t pull away it kept building. Tough to win on the road when the crowd is really into it and team is going all out with nothing to lose. Good teams would have put this away early and the fans would have given up. The Clips have a way to go to be a good team.
I still don’t believe having EJ and Kaman back is enough. Not this year but next. Even with those two playing does this look like a playoff team?
they cheered for blake?
not that i have any sympathy for their team today, but i admit that cavs fans are classy.
Surprisingly Sanguine
Just as I wasn’t especially concerned before the game and expected the Blake Effect to assert itself and provide an easy win, I find that it doesn’t seem to be a big deal that the Clippers lost and turned out to be the team that ended the streak. Once again, if the Clippers were in playoff contention it would be a different story. It would be great for them to win 20+ out of the last 30, but it’s not going to happen. So they lose a tough game against a wildly desperate home team that hits big shots and gets a bunch of favorable calls and non-calls down the stretch. Not a big deal.
And I don’t mind that the team can provide a nice “It’s the Clippers” headline and seem like the old, classic patsy. Happy to provide the service one more time, why not? We all know that the Clippers are a completely different team and that they’re well on their way to becoming a powerhouse. Yes, they might lose this particular game because “it’s the Clippers,” but they won’t mess up their future, and that’s the important thing.
And they have a long way to go still. These bumps and close road losses are part of learning how to win and close out games. It’s good to put the pressure on Griffin and see Baron Davis step up while Eric Gordon is out. Once again, it’s important to remember that Gordon’s defense is missing, not just his scoring and stellar 4th quarter and end of game play. Mo Williams, like Derrick Rose and Dwayne Wade, doesn’t play the same game if Eric Gordon is guarding him.
Griffin missed a ton of pretty easy shots. That was the big difference, I think. The goaltend was probably close enough to be a non-call for a team that has lost 26 straight. No worries. The Clips need to get Gordon and Kaman back and turn into a beastly team and win 30+ games. Marching on.
so the beastly line is now 30 wins? Sweet! guess that means teams like the Warriors will be beastly too!
"The world is full of idiots and I am the world" ... Sleepy Freud 12/08
by skeptic von urquell on Feb 12, 2011 9:05 AM PST up reply actions
based on 1-13
And other factors like Kaman’s injury and Gordon’s injury. With other factors, like BD’s slow start, a new coach, and the natural uncertainty shown in Griffin’s first 20 games as a pro , 30+ wins is pretty good.
by citizen zhiv on Feb 12, 2011 10:36 AM PST up reply actions
How did the Bulls win then?
New Coach, Injured key players, modest start, and whole new group with Chemistry. 35 wins should at least be the expectation peak.
Gordon is missed
I agree forget the boxscore when it comes to Gordon it’s his defense and court smarts and knowing how to end a game.
If Gordon was playing against Cleveland with their terrible defense he would have scored thirty going away. VDG with his coaching lost another game for the Clippers.
right now home blake >>> road blake
BG scores 25 points on 54% at home. 20 points on 46% on the road. He’s definitely been rattled with the added defensive attention this road trip. Even when he isn’t doubled he’s not making his moves with the same confidence. He’s missing a LOT of layups and short shots around the hoop. It seems he’s always off balance when going up. He’s shooting way too hard off the backboard and way too flat. The coaching staff needs to keep working with him on his foot work, developing a left hand, and improving his shooting touch. Iavaroni is supposed to be a good big man coach. He needs to earn his pay check.
process / transition in becoming a good team
Kellerman was talking about this on espn710.
1. Lose and not compete at home or the road
2. Compete but can’t close out at home.
3. Feed off energy at home and close out at home.
4. Comepete and win consistently on the road.
5. Learn how to win in the playoffs.
The clips were able to get to step 3 so far this season let’s see what
F--k this shit
This was the same old Cavs team that lost 26 in a row. Come on, Mo Williams isn’t that freakin good. He’s a nice player….that’s about it. So the excuse for us; eh Mo came back, he’s such a good player that it justifies the loss. No one else had to deal with him.
No, f—k that. Clippers defense look horrid all game long. How many times did a Cavs player have an open lane right to the basket? Like they had freakin Moses parting the red sea of Clippers players.
F—king ridiculous.
Yes I’m angry, but I just finished watching the game for the first time so I need to vent haha. Playing catch up.
by dulciusXasperis on Feb 12, 2011 8:35 AM PST reply actions
Take Blake off the court
and your Mo Williams analogy could be replaced with any Clipper that played in the game. I am not sure the players on the court last night for the Clippers were any better talent wise than the Cavs.
Take a step back and really look at who the Clips put on the floor every night. There are so many holes that EJ and Blake hide. Last night was the ultimate embarassment but certainly not a big surprise.
That doesn't excuse their defensive effort though
Yeah, we don’t have much of an offense outside of EJ and Blake but defense can be played by anyone as long as there’s a desire and effort. The Clips aren’t going to outscore opponents like the Knicks, Suns, Warriors, etc. They just don’t have those kinds of players. So defense, like for most teams, is a must in order to walk away with the win. So to allow Jamison to score 35 (average 17.6) Hickson 27 (average 12) and to allow Gibson and Williams to score 17 apiece off the bench (again below both their averages); that’s just pitiful and a poor effort on defense. These guys aren’t that great by any means. They shouldn’t have scored as much as they did.
by dulciusXasperis on Feb 12, 2011 10:21 AM PST up reply actions
Clips' D
Clips haven’t played good defense all season. There have been a few stretches in games where they have played amazing defense, but on the most part, this is not a good defensive team. They don’t guard the perimeter well, allow a lot of open shots, and don’t rotate to defend the rim.
I remember watching the Heat@LA game and Wade was getting into the paint and getting layups and dunks. I figured that Wade is Wade, and he can get to the rim at will. But the Clips kept having the same problem.
Penetrating the paint in an attempt to make the winning shot...
…is a losing proposition if you shoot the ball thinking you’re going to draw a foul or get a goal tending call. it’s just not going to happen, especially in Cleveland’s home court on a 26 game losing streak, and why Baron shot the ball instead of kicking it out for an open mid-range jumper is beyond me. He should know better.
Having said that, along with the other extremely questionable calls, the lack of D for most of the game was inexcusable.
Other than Baron's last second shot against the Celtics last year
I do not recall one single game winning buzzer shot in the last two years. Maybe someone could prove me wrong but I sure don’t remember any.
novak
had a game winner last year i believe. and not longer with the clippers lol.
by zac4president on Feb 12, 2011 9:49 AM PST up reply actions
Thanks guys
I guess this shot was rewarded with Novak just signing a 10 day contract with the Spurs. Isn’t it amazing we have to go back 2 years to find such information. I really love EJ but he has missed the boat each time given the opportunity so far. Not sure the Clips have a real defined closer yet.
i will neve forget that novak shot
and isn’t that a little sad.
Embarrassing..but let's move on.
Our future still looks bright. The Cavs will suck for many years to come. Maybe we won’t be in the national spotlight anymore and we can win games quietly. I would prefer that. Blake is still a rookie and not polished. He’s great, but has a lot to work on..which he will improve. Maybe he’s going through his rookie wall, but it doesn’t show on the box scores because he’s that good. He’s not playing with the same energy and missing shots he would not have missed earlier in the season. We’re a young team. Losing to the Cavs was inexcusable. But they have to move on and try to forget it. With our injured players back, more experienced and improved BG,EB,AFA and a couple new additions next year we should be a good.
I view this as the beginning of a 10 game winning streak
Playoffs here we come!!
"The world is full of idiots and I am the world" ... Sleepy Freud 12/08
by skeptic von urquell on Feb 12, 2011 9:04 AM PST reply actions
Clippers better pound the shit out of Toronto
Whatever, good for Cleveland. I knew that the Clips were gonna lose this game so this doesn’t surprise me at all
Worst defense
The Clippers lost because Cleveland scored 126 points the most this season. They team averages 94.6 0n offense.They only scored 57 against the Lakers. No defense and VDG coaching and substitution destroyed this game.
Strange, irritating news coverage
That last second goal tending is easy to see if you take the right camera angle (coming from the opposite side of the court). So why are news sources omitting it from their coverage? ESPN mentions that the Clips thought it was goaltending, their anchor guys say it was a “clean block all the way,” and then they
don’t show any helpful angle. Huh? They also conveniently overlook the over-the-back that set up Jamison’s last 3 pointer.
I’m irritated, but not infuriated. The Cavs played super-hyped most of the game, and they needed every ounce of it to beat us. Blake didn’t play very well, particularly on the defensive end, and frankly was out-hustled by Hickson. Their guards also got into the lane too easily, which probably wouldn’t have happened had EJ been here.
"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT
Oops
I meant to say don’t show any helpful angle.
"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT
Small line-up down the stretch
Unlike many on this board, I actually think VDN has been a good fit for this young team (he won me over early in the year by going with the U23 lineup and letting the kids play and learn).
That said, I absolutely HATED the decision to go small down the stretch.
By going with Blake at center, Gomes at the four, and three guards – for the most important minutes of the game – we gave away the overwhelming size advantage we had going into the game. Blake was ineffective on offense at C without another big to play off of, and on D Blake was drawn away from the post so we had nobody on the floor to clear the rebounds. Where was Diogu? Why did Cookie log a DNP? We should have dominated the boards in this game.
And a separate point, can we put an end to the trade Kaman talk? I’m as frustrated as everyone, but when (and if) the guy gets healthy, he offers an offensive weapon at C that we just don’t have. Kaman of last year would have been unguardable with Cleveland’s lack of size. He would have either drawn Hickson away from the post and left Blake with a smaller defender, or he would have hit that jumper from the elbow over a smaller defender himself. I love DJ, but he’s just not able to take advantage of his size mismatch and score on the low block on a consistent basis (let alone step away from the basket).
Sorry, I’m new to posting here, but had to vent after this one.
Completely agree
I’m glad you and DonaldSterlingSucks brought this up. VDN has been in love with the 3 guard lineup ever since the Lakers game. Last night, it cost us, we needed and inside presence down the stretch.
Hickson's "Play of the Game" was a foul
His block of Blake’s dunk in the 4th quarter was an obvious foul. He was pulling Blake down with his left hand while blocking the shot with his right. The only reason he could challenge the shot was that he was preventing Blake from elevating using his left.
Hickson is NOT a good defensive player, he just hides his defensive lapses with fouls that don’t get called.
But the NBA does not call fouls on “highlight reel plays”.
JJ
He’s a garbage player but give the man some props, sick block. Tough loss for the Clips though I’d love to see them in the playoffs
Ball Chat - Episode 20 - Melo in Yellow - 2/8/11
Irreverent, informative, entertaining. A welcomed curveball to mainstream watered down NBA analysis.
it was a good block, all ball. it was a big time foul when he knocked Gomes down for the rebound and the ball went off Gomes setting up their 3 point bucket. that was BS.
Fire Jasen Powell!
Still a foul
He got all ball up top, but a body foul down low. Look at the picture in the recap, he’s pulling Blake down. Also watch the replay.
Come on guys
You lost the game…but think of all the life you breathed into this franchise and their fans. And you gained another fan!
I love LA! Clippers, that is. Why? They beat the Heat and lost to the Cavs.
i don’t think it should have even gotten to the po9int where it was a goaltend or not…we should have just blown them out the water!!
by Fan of the Game on Feb 12, 2011 1:06 PM PST up reply actions
A tough loss, but I’d rather lose to the Cav’s than a lot of other teams. I was much more upset with the loss to the Lakers. As Clipper fans, we can relate to the struggles the Cav’s are having this year, and at least I can feel good for their team and fans to get this monkey off their backs. The team the Cav’s had on the floor last night wasn’t terrible. Jamison is a true professional, and Hickson had a great game. They played a tough and emotionally charged game.
As the Clippers stand now with Gordon and Kaman being out, they have many shortcomings. When(?) they return to the lineup, I think we will really see how good they can be.
Hopefully this loss will recharge the team and they can win the next three before the All-Star break.
by thewhiteshadow on Feb 12, 2011 11:42 AM PST reply actions
Hopefully this will finally put to rest the ridiculous idea that this team is somehow going to make the playoffs this year.
We keep reading on here about people dreaming up trade scenarios to help the Clips “before the playoffs” or about how many games we need or what we have to go record-wise to make the playoffs….
This team isn’t a playoff team. It’s barely a .500 team.
Regardless of how good Blake, EJ and Baron have looked, the fact is this is just another case of Clipper fans going way, way overboard over a couple of big wins over championship contending teams (remember last seasons wins over the Lakers and Celtics?) and forgetting the bigger picture.
You know…. like how we’re 13 games under .500? And we’re already at the all-star break?
This happens EVERY SEASON. This team isn’t contending anytime soon until the rest of the youth (Aminu, Bledsoe, DJ, etc.) can catch up to EJ and BG. And there aren’t any big-time free agents coming here until the team can start to establish more of a “winning tradition” than a winning record over a 20 game span.
I think maybe this loss was a good thing, for the fans. A bit of a reality check was definitely in order.
"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 12, 2011 1:27 PM PST reply actions
Thank god that i couldn't watch the game live.
I got home last night and watch the replay and Baron’s shot should been called a
goaltending. Blake needs EJ out there and its starting to show he looks tired. He’s
mr 1st quarter and EJ is mr 4th Quarter. Every game we lose is precious right now
because as little hope i have, I still think the clips have a very slim chance of making
the playoffs. All we can do is stay positive and cheer them on.
What A Long Strange Trip It Still Is
The Clips are still very much a Dead team—more than other struggling teams. Bottom-dwellerss for such a long time, the Clips have entered the “long strange trip” zone because they have more than big time talent (Griffin, Gordon) and complementary talent (Kaman, Baron, Diogu) but can’t get everybody on the floor and can’t get out of the “something is going to be really bad even if everything else is good mode.” They can be almost first-tier good and Cavs-bad in the same quarter if not the same play. Somebody is smoking the wrong mushrooms here.
My best guess is that this group of Clips will eventually get over the hump and get to somewhere between last year’s Thunder and this year’s Hawks. If management catches some lucky breaks in the draft and trades, maybe the Clips will take the Lakers place at the championship table. But it’s hard to see the hallucinatory mediocrity of the present as lasting less than another full year or until Bledsoe and Aminu become solid pros. Too bad Garcia’s dead, he might have liked the Clips as they are.
I'm glad this happened.This will only make Blake better.
He out of all people takes motivation from things like this, and it’s just going to fuel his fire and make him work harder (if that’s even possible).
"The perception here in Los Angeles has always been that the Lakers find a way to win games and the Clippers find a way to lose …"
"I recognize it, but I'm not going to accept it," Griffin said. "I'm not going to say, 'Oh, that's fine."
by TheEricGordonShow on Feb 12, 2011 2:10 PM PST reply actions
Just another game
So what if we gave the Cavs their first win after 26 straight losses. The truth is, they were a much more motivated team compared to the Clips. Granted our defense was lacking, but they buried their shots when they needed to. And yes, Baron’s shot was a clear goaltend, and Gomes’ failed rebound attempt was due to over the back by Hickson. We can be bitter about those facts, but so what? We lost the game, plain and simple. Forget about it, and move on.
Bring on the Raptors.
Btw
My hat’s off to the Cleveland faithful. They got that arena rocking like its Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Way to support your team Cleveland.
Please.
I get the feeling that most Cavs fans are only coming to the games right now to spite LeBron or something. When they realize that Sullinger is not going to be the next LeBron, the attendance will go down the crapper.
Clippers // Chargers // Rays // Gators // Boise State
"The Lakers do win games. But things can change." - Blake Griffin
I don't WANT Sullinger to be the next LeBron
That would be a bad thing.
I get the feeling that most Cavs fans are only coming to the games right now to spite LeBron or something.How would you know? I pay attention to the games because I love this team, and so do other Cavs fans I’ve talked to. If I wanted to watch games to spite LeBron, I’d watch the games in which the Heat are getting beaten. But I’m not doing that because I don’t want to. Has it ever occurred to you that this team and its fans want nothing more to do with LeBron?
I love LA! Clippers, that is. Why? They beat the Heat and lost to the Cavs.
not that i want to needlessly add fuel to the fire,
but you cannot see, in a still image, whether or not the ball on its way up or down in a still image.
panel three still images together, add three more, five more, and the still image is pointless…
i might as well add, i was one of us folk that thought the block was clean. i thought baron shot a flat hook that could conceivably be blocked. and i thought the goal-tending noise here was just belly aching.
but, after further review, the “block” was a goal-tend. the espn highlighted angle is pretty bad, but the other angles show that the ball had surpassed it’s peak and began downward movement.
"Energizing the process, or turning it upside-down, fans now participate, writing blogs and posting comments and videos [...] the dialogue is to discourse what road rage is to driving." -Mark Heisler
by falconPUNCH on Feb 12, 2011 11:44 PM PST up reply actions
apparently, i didn't look at your image closely the first tim,
they are not just stills.
egg. face.
apology.
"Energizing the process, or turning it upside-down, fans now participate, writing blogs and posting comments and videos [...] the dialogue is to discourse what road rage is to driving." -Mark Heisler
by falconPUNCH on Feb 12, 2011 11:47 PM PST up reply actions
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