Leave it to the Clippers to give Golden State their fifth road win of the season. After that performance, I really have no desire to spend any time on a recap tonight.
I knew that having Monta Ellis out of the lineup was a bad thing for LA. A 46-14 run over 13 minutes before halftime was the difference in the game - as 46-14 runs often are. During that stretch, the Clippers were completely awful - embarrassingly so. They couldn't come close to defending the Warriors, which is bad enough. But how can you possibly only score 14 points in 13 minutes against the secod worst defense in the NBA?
The Clippers had trouble making shots all night, as their 38% shooting would attest. The real question is why they would take 26 three point attempts when their advantage is on the inside against this team. Part of the answer there lies in the fact that Chris Kaman was ineffective, scoring 9 points on 4 for 11 shooting, and committed 4 turnovers. He played only 20:33 in the game, compared to 23:27 for DeAndre Jordan - in a game that was within 9 points in the fourth quarter.
If the Clippers win another game this season, it won't be one we expect them to win. They won't beat the Knicks next Sunday. They won't beat the Warriors on the 10th, making Clips Nation Night less fun than it might otherwise be. They could maybe win a game if they get up for an opponent. But in these games against other lottery teams, we can be certain that they'll be disinterested and undisciplined.
The possibility of Don Nelson picking up two road wins against the Clippers in his final ten games greatly enhances his odds of catching and passing Lenny Wilkins for the all time wins record. I think you have to figure he'll get there now, assuming his players care at all about getting it for him. After all, they only have to win two other games, not counting the ones against the Clippers.