Clips Nation - Clippers-Hawks game coverage: Feast on the EastWhat it do babyyyhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47967/clipsnation_fave.png2013-12-04T20:21:57-08:00http://www.clipsnation.com/rss/stream/49363772013-12-04T20:21:57-08:002013-12-04T20:21:57-08:00Clippers stumble out of the gate, lose 107-97
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<figcaption>Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Clippers miss 12 of their 13 three pointers in Atlanta and open their seven game road trip with a loss to the Hawks.</p> <p>There were so many things wrong about the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a> loss in Atlanta tonight that it's difficult to isolate just one thing. Actually, that's not true. Three point shooting was easily the biggest factor in the Clippers' loss, but there were others as well. Through three quarters, as the Clippers trailed by between seven and 16 points more or less the entire time, the Clippers had made just one of 12 three pointers, while the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Hawks</a> were 9-18.</p>
<p>It was fitting then that the biggest shots of the fourth quarter, the shots that slammed the door on any chances the Clippers had in the game, were three pointers. The Clippers opened the fourth with four straight points to cut the deficit to five points, the closest the game had been since midway through the first quarter. On the subsequent Hawks possession, the Clippers played some great defense and had Atlanta pinned against the sideline as the shot clock ran down. <span>Lou Williams</span> forced a three pointer as the shot clock buzzer was sounding -- and increased the Atlanta lead to eight. At that point, the Hawks had made more desperation threes (<span>Jeff Teague</span> hit a less difficult buzzer beater in the first half as well) than the Clippers had made threes of any kind. Later in the quarter, the Clippers were still in the game, down nine with a little over five minutes left, when <span>Kyle Korver</span> hit a three while being fouled by Chris Paul. Korver's four point play stretched the lead to 13 and effectively ended the game. Korver finished the game 6-9 from beyond the arc, single-handedly outscoring the Clippers by six points from deep.</p>
<p>That this occurred in the second game since the Clippers lost starting shooting guard <span>J.J. Redick</span> is troubling to say the least. It's pretty amazing just how pedestrian the Clippers supposedly formidable offense looks when there's no perimeter threat. Starting wings <span>Willie Green</span> and <span>Jared Dudley</span> combined to shoot 7-19, 2-7 from deep. Basically, the Hawks were willing to give up those looks in favor of packing the paint to cut off Paul's driving lanes, and Green and Dudley were unable to make them pay.</p>
<p>At the same time, this is not a matter of a game the Clippers would have won had they simply made more three pointers. It would have helped immensely, there's no doubt about that, but this was not a sharp or energized team tonight. Although Blake Griffin had a good start and finished with 24 points, I didn't like his body language a bit, and he was ineffectual on the defensive end, where he gave back back all the points he scored, allowing <span>Paul Millsap</span> to go for 25. Millsap combined with <span>Al Horford</span> (21) and Korver (23) to score 69 points on just 49 shots. Bad three point shooting doesn't explain why the Clippers were completely unable to stop a Hawks team that was 19th in the league in offensive efficiency coming into the game.</p>
<p>For all the talk of how terrible the Eastern Conference has been this season, you couldn't prove it by the Clippers example. There are only three Western Conference teams with losing records -- two of them being bottom feeders Sacramento and Utah. The Clippers are 3-4 against the East this season, and have yet to beat an East team on the road. If the Clippers were beating up on the East the way every other West contender has been, they'd have a very different record at this point.</p>
<p>It's a terrible start to their seven game road trip. Now they have to go into Memphis tomorrow night and face their nemesis after a demoralizing defeat in Atlanta. There's no time to feel sorry for themselves, but if they don't make at least a few perimeter shots, it won't really matter.</p>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2013/12/4/5177050/clippers-stumble-out-of-the-gate-lose-to-hawks-107-97Steve Perrin2013-12-04T16:15:01-08:002013-12-04T16:15:01-08:00Clippers-Hawks open thread
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<figcaption>Jeff Gross</figcaption>
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<p>The Clippers open their two week long road trip in Atlanta against the Hawks. The Clippers have a chance to have a very successful East coast trip, and they need to get off on the right foot.</p> <table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" cellspacing="5" border="1" cellpadding="5" align="center"><tbody>
<tr>
<th bgcolor="silver" colspan="3" align="center">2013/2014 NBA Regular Season</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240"><center><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/472353/bvv028jd1hhr8ee8ii7a0fg4i_medium.gif" alt="Bvv028jd1hhr8ee8ii7a0fg4i_medium"></center></td>
<th width="20" align="center">vs</th>
<td width="240"><center><img alt="5mdhgjh3aa92kih09pgi_medium" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/284384/5mdhgjh3aa92kih09pgi_medium.gif"></center></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240"><center><b>12-6</b></center></td>
<th width="20" align="center"><br></th>
<td width="240"><center><b>9-10</b></center></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="silver" colspan="3" align="center"><b>December 4th, 2013, 4:30 PM</b></td>
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<tr>
<td colspan="3" align="center"><b>Philips Arena</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3" align="center"><b>Prime Ticket, KFWB 980 AM, KWKW 1330 AM</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th bgcolor="silver" colspan="3" align="center"><b>Probable Starters</b></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b><span>Chris Paul</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">PG</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Jeff Teague</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b><span>Willie Green</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">SG</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Kyle Korver</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b><span>Jared Dudley</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">SF</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>DeMarre Carroll</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><span><b>Blake Griffin</b></span></td>
<th width="20" align="center">PF</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Paul Millsap</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><span><b>DeAndre Jordan</b></span></td>
<th width="20" align="center">C</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Al Horford</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th bgcolor="silver" colspan="3" align="center"><b>Advanced Stats</b></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b style="text-align: start; ">96.2 (8th of 30)</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">Pace</th>
<td width="240"><b>95.4 (12th of 30)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b style="text-align: start; ">110.1 (4th of 30)</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">ORtg</th>
<td width="240"><b>103.5 (17th of 30)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b style="text-align: start; ">105.3 (14th of 30)</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">DRtg</th>
<td width="240"><b>104.5 (12th of 30)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th bgcolor="silver" colspan="3" align="center"><b>Injuries/Other</b></th>
</tr>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b style="text-align: start; "><span>Maalik Wayns</span> (meniscus surgery) out</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center"><br></th>
<td width="240"><b>Kyle Korver (bruised ribs) proabale</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b style="text-align: start; "><span>Matt Barnes</span> (torn retina) out</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center"><br></th>
<td width="240"><br></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: right;" width="240" align="right"><b><span>J.J. Redick</span> (wrist) out</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center"><br></th>
<td width="240"><br></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th colspan="3" height="20" bgcolor="silver"></th>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p> </p>
<p><b>The Back Story:</b></p>
<p>-- 11/11/12 in Los Angeles -- <a style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; background-color: #ffffff;" class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clippers</a> 89, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Hawks</a> 76<b style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"> | <a href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2012/11/11/3632656/clippers-bring-down-hawks-89-76-chris-paul-blake-griffin/in/3394053" target="_blank">Recap</a> | <a href="http://www.nba.com/games/20121111/ATLLAC/gameinfo.html" target="_blank">Box Score</a></b></p>
<p>-- 11/24/12 in Atlanta -- Hawks 104, Clippers 93<b style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"> | </b><a href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2012/11/24/3686972/atlanta-ambushes-crumbling-clippers-104-93" target="_blank"><b>Recap</b></a><b style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"> | </b><a href="http://www.nba.com/games/20121124/LACATL/gameinfo.html" target="_blank"><b>Box Score</b></a></p>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2013/12/4/5175858/clippers-hawks-open-threadSteve Perrin2013-12-04T12:42:09-08:002013-12-04T12:42:09-08:00Hawks vs. Clippers: Q&A with Clips Nation<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2013/12/4/5173732/hawks-vs-clippers-preview">Hawks vs. Clippers: Q&A with Clips&nbsp;Nation</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>Check out Lucas Hann's answers to questions from Hawks blogger Daniel Christian in advance of LA's game in Atlanta tonight.</p></p></div>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2013/12/4/5175808/hawks-vs-clippers-q-a-with-clips-nationSteve Perrin2013-12-04T06:00:17-08:002013-12-04T06:00:17-08:00Clippers-Hawks: The Questionable Blogger
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<figcaption>Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>To help prepare for the Clippers' next game against the Atlanta Hawks, I exchanged some questions with Daniel from SBNation's Hawks blog, Peachtree Hoops.</p> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;">Right now, the Hawks are sitting at 9-10, but that record is still good enough for 4th best in the Eastern Conference. The Clippers are headed to Atlanta to kick off a 7-game road trip, where they'll face a Hawks team hungry to get back to .500 on the year.</div>
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<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;">It's been over a year (!!!) since the Clippers played the Hawks, with both meetings last season coming in November. To get a hometown perspective on the Clippers' faraway opponents, I exchanged some questions with Daniel Christian from SBNation's Atlanta Hawks blog, <a style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" href="http://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Peachtree Hoops</a>.</div>
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<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;">*******************</div>
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<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;">1. The Hawks are in their first season in a long time without star forward Josh Smith. What differences does that make in how they play?</div>
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<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;">The Hawks most certainly play differently without Smith on the floor, but that has more to do with the coaching change than anything else. Smith was the most versatile defender on the team, a lightning rod on the break, and an enigma in the half court offense. He'd show flashes of sheer brilliance driving to the basket or posting up down low-- his great court vision made him a constant threat to find the open man on the wing, which really only augmented his effectiveness around the basket. Still, the Hawks never consistently got Josh Smith either on the block or moving towards the hoop. He loved to drift on the perimeter, and some of that is attributed to Larry Drew's offensive structure last season, some to the fact that he'd often play the three, and some to the fact that he's just sort of obstinate about shooting jumpers. Those 18-footers-- which he was atrocious at-- often stalled the Hawks' offense and broke the flow of otherwise successful possessions. One of the main positives with Smith gone is that the offense has no hold-up. There is great ball movement, and new coach Mike Budenholzer only enhanced the pace and energy of this team. Defensively, the Hawks greatly miss Smith's versatility to guard both the wing and the post and everywhere in between.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;"><br></div>
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<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;">2. Despite being under .500 at 9-10, the Hawks still have the 4th best record in the Eastern Conference. Is it a blessing for the Hawks to play in a conference where they can get homecourt advantage despite having a down year, or a curse that they won't be getting a lottery pick despite struggling?</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;"><br></div>
<blockquote>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;">The East is definitely atrocious this year, but I'm just not sold that a few teams won't rise from the ashes with winning records. The Hawks may be 9-10, but they've been fluctuating over and under .500 all year and I think that will continue to happen. Traditionally, a 41-41 type of record gets an Eastern Conference team a low playoff seed. I thought the Hawks would be near the bottom of the playoff picture this year, but some slow starts by others have vaulted them to the upper echelon. I think the Hawks would have made the playoffs even if the Nets and Knicks and the Bulls had all been performing up to expectations, so this is a blessing. The Hawks weren't getting a lottery pick anyway. But, they have an unprotected right to swap picks with the Brooklyn Nets for the 2014 draft. So, if the Nets continue to struggle, Atlanta might just be a playoff team with a top-10 pick.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;"><br></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;">3. The Hawks' offense and defense are both in the middle third of the league, but one thing that stands out to me is rebounding. The Hawks are near the bottom of the league in rebounding and no player is averaging over 8 a game.</div>
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<blockquote>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;">Losing Josh Smith and Zaza Pachulia (at least when healthy) definitely hurt here. Al Horford is a solid rebounder, but outside of him, the Hawks really only have offensive minded bigs that are able to consistently contribute. Paul Millsap is a little undersized at the four. He's never been known for rebounding (although he did grab quite a few his last game out against San Antonio). Pero Antic isn't a strong rebounder, and Elton Brand used to be, but he's just not able to shoulder the load anymore. The bottom line is that the Hawks don't have anyone other than Horford who is a real threat to grab double digit boards every game.</div>
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<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;">4. During the offseason, Atlanta signed former Clipper Elton Brand to a one year, $4 million contract, but he hasn't even managed to play 10 minutes a night. What's up with FElton?</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;"><br></div>
<blockquote>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;">Well, players get old. That's what's up with Elton. He's just lost a step or two and doesn't have the same stamina to be able to play 20+ minutes a night. He's not dreadful when he comes in and his length can provide some underrated defensive help, but overall he's mainly there to spell the starting bigs a few extra minutes rest.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;"><br></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;">5. What's the long term plan for this team? Will development from Teague and Horford along with adding in some other pieces put the Hawks in title contention in the next few years, or is it time for them to try to start over?</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;"><br></div>
<blockquote>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;">Well that's the conversation a lot of Hawks fans are secretly (or not so secretly) having. Many thought Teague was a trade chip before the season started, but his strong play through the first bit of the season has turned some heads. But, this isn't anything new. Teague started out blazing hot last year before leveling off. If he shows that this is sustainable (and he is much-improved), then maybe he is a part of the future. It seems that GM Danny Ferry does not want to trade Al Horford, as he shouldn't. Horford is one of the 20 best players in the league. The Hawks have the complimentary pieces there, and they might just strike gold in the draft if Brooklyn's collapse continues. I don't think you'll see Danny Ferry tank, and because I don't see that happening, it renders my opinion of what should happen irrelevant. Ferry wants to be competitive and flexible, to be an attractive free agent destination, to be in all the big trade talks. If Ferry can attain a high pick in the upcoming draft and use some of the team's very moveable contracts and assets, this team could very well be in contention in a few years. Having said that, there is no clear and defined way of how the Hawks will make that leap.</div>
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<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;">***************</div>
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<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: normal;">Thanks to Daniel for giving in-depth answers to my questions! You can head over to Peachtree Hoops to check out my answers to his questions as soon as they're posted.</div>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2013/12/4/5171988/clippers-hawks-the-questionable-blogger-with-daniel-christian-ofLucas Hann2013-12-04T06:00:16-08:002013-12-04T06:00:16-08:00Clippers-Hawks preview: The long and winding road
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<figcaption>Paul Abell-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The Clippers open a crucial seven game road trip tonight in Atlanta against the Hawks. None of the teams the Clippers will face is currently over .500 so this is a great chance for the team to load up on some road wins.</p> <table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" cellspacing="5" border="1" cellpadding="5" align="center"><tbody>
<tr>
<th bgcolor="silver" colspan="3" align="center">2013/2014 NBA Regular Season</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240"><center><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/472353/bvv028jd1hhr8ee8ii7a0fg4i_medium.gif" alt="Bvv028jd1hhr8ee8ii7a0fg4i_medium"></center></td>
<th width="20" align="center">vs</th>
<td width="240"><center><img alt="5mdhgjh3aa92kih09pgi_medium" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/284384/5mdhgjh3aa92kih09pgi_medium.gif"></center></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240"><center><b>12-6</b></center></td>
<th width="20" align="center"><br></th>
<td width="240"><center><b>9-10</b></center></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="silver" colspan="3" align="center"><b>December 4th, 2013, 4:30 PM</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3" align="center"><b>Philips Arena</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3" align="center"><b>Prime Ticket, KFWB 980 AM, KWKW 1330 AM</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th bgcolor="silver" colspan="3" align="center"><b>Probable Starters</b></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b><span>Chris Paul</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">PG</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Jeff Teague</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b><span>Willie Green</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">SG</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Lou Williams</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b><span>Jared Dudley</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">SF</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>DeMarre Carroll</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><span><b>Blake Griffin</b></span></td>
<th width="20" align="center">PF</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Paul Millsap</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><span><b>DeAndre Jordan</b></span></td>
<th width="20" align="center">C</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Al Horford</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th bgcolor="silver" colspan="3" align="center"><b>Advanced Stats</b></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b style="text-align: start; ">96.2 (8th of 30)</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">Pace</th>
<td width="240"><b>95.4 (12th of 30)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b style="text-align: start; ">110.1 (4th of 30)</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">ORtg</th>
<td width="240"><b>103.5 (17th of 30)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b style="text-align: start; ">105.3 (14th of 30)</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">DRtg</th>
<td width="240"><b>104.5 (12th of 30)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th bgcolor="silver" colspan="3" align="center"><b>Injuries/Other</b></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b style="text-align: start; "><span>Maalik Wayns</span> (meniscus surgery) out</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center"><br></th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Kyle Korver</span> (bruised ribs) questionable</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b style="text-align: start; "><span>Matt Barnes</span> (torn retina) out</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center"><br></th>
<td width="240"><br></td>
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<td style="text-align: right;" width="240" align="right"><b><span>J.J. Redick</span> (wrist) out</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center"><br></th>
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<th colspan="3" height="20" bgcolor="silver"></th>
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<p> </p>
<p><b>The Back Story:</b></p>
<p>-- 11/11/12 in Los Angeles -- <a style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; background-color: #ffffff;" class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clippers</a> 89, Hawks 76<b style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"> | <a href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2012/11/11/3632656/clippers-bring-down-hawks-89-76-chris-paul-blake-griffin/in/3394053" target="_blank">Recap</a> | <a href="http://www.nba.com/games/20121111/ATLLAC/gameinfo.html" target="_blank">Box Score</a></b></p>
<p>-- 11/24/12 in Atlanta -- Hawks 104, Clippers 93<b style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"> | </b><a href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2012/11/24/3686972/atlanta-ambushes-crumbling-clippers-104-93" target="_blank"><b>Recap</b></a><b style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"> | </b><a href="http://www.nba.com/games/20121124/LACATL/gameinfo.html" target="_blank"><b>Box Score</b></a></p>
<p><b>The Big Picture:</b></p>
<p>The Clippers let an opportunity to get a marquee win slip away on Sunday when they missed some great looks down the stretch and lost to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.indycornrows.com/">Pacers</a>. They need to put that loss behind them and focus on making the most of their seven game road trip that opens tonight in Atlanta. Seven games on the road is never a picnic, but the Clippers have a chance to compose an impressive record on this one, given that none of their opponents is currently over .500. There should not be any fatigue excuse tonight -- the Clippers haven't played since Sunday afternoon, and arrived in Atlanta a day early to get settled before the game. Chris Paul needs to dominate his matchup with fellow Demon Deacon Jeff Teague, and Blake Griffin needs to break out of his mini-slump and have a big game against the undersized Paul Millsap. If Willie Green can make at least a couple of shots filling in for the injured J.J. Redick in the starting lineup, it will be a big help to the cause.</p>
<p><b>The Antagonist:</b></p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Hawks</a> missed out on a marquee win of their own in San Antonio Monday night. Coming back from seven down in the final three minutes, they tied the game on a Teague three with 4 seconds left, only to watch <span>Tim Duncan</span> nail a game winner. It would have been by far Atlanta's best win of the season -- the Hawks only have one win against a team with a winning record, a one point home win over Dallas. Center Al Horford and point guard Jeff Teague, along with newcomer Paul Millsap late of Utah, are Atlanta's big three, such as they are -- it's not exactly James and Wade and Bosh. But Horford is a very solid player, Millsap has had some huge nights against the Clippers, and Teague is the type of super-quick guard that can give Chris Paul trouble, so this game is far from a gimme for the Clippers.</p>
<p><b>The Subplots</b></p>
<ul>
<li> <b>Korver probable.</b> [Note by Steve Perrin, 12/04/13 12:37 PM PST ] It looks like Hawks sharpshooter Kyle Korver is <a href="https://twitter.com/ajchawks/statuses/408280819804151808" target="_blank">going to return to action tonight</a>. He had missed four games with bruised ribs.</li>
<li> <b>The Questionable Blogger.</b> In advance of today's game, Lucas Hann and Daniel Christian from the Hawks blog <a href="http://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Peachtree Hoops</a> exchanged some questions about their favorite teams. Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2013/12/4/5171988/clippers-hawks-the-questionable-blogger-with-daniel-christian-of" target="_blank">Daniel's insights into the Hawks</a>, as well as <a href="http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2013/12/4/5173732/hawks-vs-clippers-preview" target="_blank">Lucas' answers to their Clippers questions</a>.</li>
<li> <b>Hawks plan.</b> I'm not really sure what the Hawks' plan is at this point. They traded away <span>Joe Johnson</span> 17 months ago (just two years after signing him to a terrible contract) and then they allowed <span>Josh Smith</span> to leave this summer. Those were smart moves at some level -- those guys are both wildly overpaid -- but the Hawks somehow wound up with <span>Jared Cunningham</span> as the only asset from the Johnson deal and got nothing for Smith. Meanwhile, Paul Millsap is a very solid player, but they gave him a lot as well. All of which leaves Atlanta squarely in no-man's-land -- a lock to make the playoffs (and miss the lottery) in the dreadful Eastern Conference, but in absolutely no position to compete with Miami or Indiana now or in the foreseeable future. A Horford-Teague core is just not going to get you over the top.</li>
<li> <b>Bigs.</b> The big man matchups, Horford against Jordan and Millsap against Griffin, should be very interesting in this one. The Hawks have wanted to get Horford back to his preferred power forward position for years, but with the dearth of centers in the league, they just haven't been able to do it. Smith was a 3-4 tweener, and they've replaced him with Millsap, another tweener. And none of the bigs off the bench -- Antic, Brand, Ayon -- are true 5s, leaving Horford playing most of his minutes at center. He'll be a tough cover for DJ there -- he's got a great midrange jump shot and a lot of game -- but DJ's length could bother him. Griffin had some huge games against Millsap last season -- but Millsap has been a Clipper-killer in the past. Millsap has been shooting more threes lately, and has made 8-14 in the last four games, so Griffin's going to have to follow him far out onto the floor.</li>
<li> <b>Wounded shooters.</b> Both teams could be missing their best perimeter shooter tonight. The Clippers will definitely be without J.J. Redick who is out for awhile with a broken bone in his hand and a torn ligament in his wrist. Meanwhile, Kyle Korver, who has made a three pointer in 88 straight games, one shy of the NBA record held by Dana Barros, has missed the Hawks' last four games with bruised ribs. Korver could play in this won -- and the Clippers would be wise to keep track of him if he does. </li>
<li> <b><span>Pero Antic</span>.</b> The Hawks are one of several NBA teams to take a chance on a veteran big from overseas this summer (Detroit with Datome and Boston with Faverani are others that come to mind). Pero Antic is a 31 year old rookie from (the former Yugoslav republic of) Macedonia who has been a productive EuroLeague player for years. He's a big who can shoot with range, but he has not been hitting shots so far in the NBA.</li>
<li> <b>Road trip.</b> The Clippers are opening a seven game road trip tonight, and as of this moment, none of the opponents are above .500. The Hawks have one of the better records, and they played the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">Spurs</a> very tough in San Antonio Monday night, finally losing at the buzzer. So they are not to be taken lightly. But after playing the league's second toughest schedule through the first five weeks of the season, this is the first extended soft stretch the Clippers have seen. Yes, the weaker opposition comes in the form of a seven game road trip, which has it's own challenges, but this is the time to pump up that winning percentage and bank some extra road wins. This is tied for the longest road trip of the season for the Clippers -- the Grammy trip in February is another seven-gamer.</li>
<li> <b>Memphis awaits.</b> The Clippers have to head to Memphis directly after the game to face the dreaded <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/">Grizzlies</a> tomorrow night. It would be great to build a lead in this one and give the starters a little extra rest with a tough back-to-back waiting in the wings.</li>
<li> <b>Last season.</b> These teams last played over a year ago, in late November 2012. The Clippers lost, their third straight defeat on the way to four losses in a row. And then they went on a 17 game win streak. (Funny that the winning streak could have been 19 had the Clippers played better in winnable games against the Hornets and the Hawks.)</li>
<li> <b>Crawford.</b> <span>Jamal Crawford</span> had his best season in the NBA as a Hawk four seasons ago when he won the Sixth Man Award. In fact it was Atlanta where he found his real NBA niche as a bench scorer; he'd been a starter for most of his career before he landed with the Hawks. As well as he played when he was in Atlanta, he's been as good or better in his tenure with the Clippers. Jamal's .523 effective field goal percentage his first season with the Hawks was his career best until this season -- he's currently at .537, a stellar eFG, especially for a guy with a reputation as an inefficient scorer.</li>
<li> <b>Willie Green.</b> In addition to Crawford, Clippers guard Willie Green will be playing against his former club. Green had a very solid season in Atlanta two years ago, hitting a career high 44 percent of his three pointers. He's back in the starting lineup for the Clippers again, in the absence of J.J. Redick, and the team really needs him to make some threes. He's hasn't played enough this season to really know how he's shooting, but he's just 1 for 6 from deep so far.</li>
<li> <b>Trivia Time.</b> <span>Doc Rivers</span> was traded from the Hawks to the Clippers on June 26, 1991. Without looking it up, who did the Hawks draft with the first round pick they received from the Clippers?</li>
<li> <b>Connections.</b> <span>Elton Brand</span> signed with the Hawks this season, his third team in three years. He of course played seven seasons with the Clippers where he was an All Star/All NBA player. Jeff Teague is the second best NBA point guard to ever come out of Wake Forest -- guess who is first. Clippers shooting guards Crawford and Green both played for the Hawks. Clipper coach Doc Rivers spent his first eight NBA seasons in Atlanta, where he was an All Star in 1988.</li>
<li><b>Get the Hawks perspective at <a href="http://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Peachtree Hoops</a>.</b></li>
<li> <b>Shakespearean reference:</b><br><br><b><a href="http://www.opensourceshakespeare.org/views/sonnets/sonnet_view.php?Sonnet=91" target="_blank">Sonnet XCI</a> (91)</b><br><br><i>Some glory in their birth, some in their skill, <br>Some in their wealth, some in their bodies' force, <br>Some in their garments, though new-fangled ill, <br>Some in their <b>hawks</b> and hounds, some in their horse; <br>And every humour hath his adjunct pleasure, <br>Wherein it finds a joy above the rest: <br>But these particulars are not my measure; <br>All these I better in one general best. <br>Thy love is better than high birth to me, <br>Richer than wealth, prouder than garments' cost, <br>Of more delight than <b>hawks</b> or horses be; <br>And having thee, of all men's pride I boast: <br>. Wretched in this alone, that thou mayst take <br>. All this away and me most wretched make.</i><br>
</li>
</ul>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2013/12/4/5171972/clippers-hawks-preview-the-long-and-winding-roadSteve Perrin