Clips Nation - Clippers-Spurs Game 3 coverageWhat it do babyyyhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47967/clipsnation_fave.png2015-04-24T21:26:14-07:00http://www.clipsnation.com/rss/stream/82524702015-04-24T21:26:14-07:002015-04-24T21:26:14-07:00Spurs 100, Clippers 73: River Walk of Shame
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<figcaption>Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>In a game that wasn't as close as the score indicated, the San Antonio Spurs took a 2-1 series lead over the Los Angeles Clippers by drubbing them over the head until the Clippers were unconscious. Then they took their self worth.</p> <p class="pgh-paragraph has-dropcap" id="paragraph0">We knew this wasn’t going to be an easy series, even after the first game where the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clippers</a> distanced themselves from the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">Spurs</a> numerous times. We knew the San Antonio Spurs are a veteran organization with veteran knowhow that can exploit mismatches and systematic failures. We knew the Spurs weren’t going to shoot like they were stuck in an ice box all series long. And, tonight, we finally got a glimpse of what an "A" game looks like from a team in this series. Tonight really was a walk of shame for the Clippers and they let the Game 2 loss linger far longer than they ever should have. But also give credit to the team they played. They are mighty good.</p>
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<th></th> <th>1</th> <th>2</th> <th>3</th> <th>4</th> <th>Total</th>
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<td class="p-boxscore__team_name"><a href="http://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a></td>
<td>16</td>
<td>22</td>
<td>11</td>
<td>24</td>
<td>73</td>
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<td class="p-boxscore__team_name"><a href="http://www.poundingtherock.com/">San Antonio Spurs</a></td>
<td>25</td>
<td>21</td>
<td>24</td>
<td>30</td>
<td>100</td>
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<div class="m-scoreboard__box-score_title">Friday April 24, 2015 – AT&T Center – San Antonio, Texas</div>
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<p>Tonight, the Clippers played horribly. Yet, despite all of that, with just 3:11 to go in the first half, they found themselves only down by four points and on the verge of possibly making this game closer than it had any right to be. Then the Spurs went full death machine and decided to rip Los Angeles’ heart out and show it to them before ingesting it to gain its sustenance. Even in the third quarter, it was only an 8-point game before everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Murphy’s Law was in effect tonight for the Clippers and Lawler’s Law was showcased by the Spurs in a 100-73 plastering. The 73 points is a franchise low in a playoff game, as is the 34.1 percent shooting for the game. The 27-point loss is also a franchise worst in a playoff game.</p>
<p>At the core of this series is a guy that the San Antonio Spurs have that the Los Angeles Clippers simply have no answer for. He’s only 23 years old and he’s already one of the best two-way players in the game. Whatever <span>Gregg Popovich</span> asks of him, <span>Kawhi Leonard</span> will do without a second guess. This game proved just how much of a difference maker Leonard has become for the Spurs. Whether he was asked to guard <span>Chris Paul</span> or <span>J.J. Redick</span> or even <span>Blake Griffin</span>, which he did a couple times, or he was asked to shoulder the offensive load. It didn’t matter. Leonard did it all tonight en route to finishing with a game-high 32 points as the Spurs systematically disemboweled the Clippers and won going away in a game that was only close for a few moments in the first half.</p>
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<p>There are three things to take away from this game in totality. First off, Kawhi Leonard is really freaking good. You got it? Good. There’s no one on the Clippers roster who can body Leonard up defensively and then score against him consistently on the offensive end. Leonard is the difference in this series and was the difference in a game tonight that saw <span>Tim Duncan</span> finish with four points, <span>Tony Parker</span> finish with six points, and <span>Manu Ginobili</span> finish with two points. The Spurs prototypical Big Three had 12 points on 6-for-19 shooting. And the Spurs still won. By 27. That’s the type of difference that Kawhi Leonard can make.</p>
<p>Secondly, Gregg Popovich is just that much better than every other coach in the NBA. He adjusted beautifully after Game 1 and realized that going big against the Clippers wasn’t going to work and it only led to the repeated death of Aron Baynes. Since then, however, he’s gone to a smaller lineup with <span>Boris Diaw</span> and spaced the floor with Diaw’s passing and ball movement. It’s resulted in wide open shot after wide open shot for the Spurs while the Clippers scramble to recover and often find themselves flailing at the air much like you do when you drop your phone in the toilet and try to swipe at it like a ninja but fail.</p>
<p>Lastly, the Clippers just can’t afford to keep shooting the ball like the rim is a bully in the alley and they’re Steve Rogers before he turned into Captain America. They’re getting open shots. I swear, they are. They’re just missing the vast majority of them. <span>Jamal Crawford</span> was 1-for-11 tonight, J.J. Redick was 2-for-7, Blake Griffin was 6-for-15, and Chris Paul was 3-for-11. Everyone but <span>DeAndre Jordan</span> – and, let’s face it, he only dunks or has tip-ins – shot like garbage tonight. Bad games happen. Even in the playoffs. But with every game being so important, it’s frustrating to watch unfold.</p>
<p>Chris Paul had one of the worst playoff games of his career, finishing with just 7 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds while turning the ball over a staggering six times. Blake Griffin had a team-high 14 points, game-high 10 rebounds, and 5 assists but generally did not look good. J.J. Redick was blanketed by Kawhi Leonard, <span>Matt Barnes</span> is still missing in action, and DeAndre Jordan was just there. Outside of Leonard, the Spurs got 15 points from Boris Diaw and 11 points from <span>Danny Green</span> as he found his stroke from deep again.</p>
<center><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="6"><b>FIGHT OR FLIGHT</b></font></center>
<p>This series isn’t over. Far from it. The Clippers got their hearts ripped out at the end of Game 2 only to have the Spurs display it to them in Game 3. Whatever the Clippers do from here on out is on them. Sunday afternoon is a tricky game to predict because of the short turnaround and the uncertainty of small sample size results. The Clippers have not shot well on open shots all series and that trend continued tonight. If it continues on Sunday, they’re looking at a 3-1 deficit as they come home for Game 5 and what could be their final game of the year.</p>
<p><span>Doc Rivers</span> has to make some adjustments, though. Gregg Popovich is taking advantage of the Clippers lackluster rotational defense time and time again by going small and forcing the Clippers to either double-team in the post – which is seriously idiotic, by the way – or just stay at home and live with what happens. If Doc is smart, he’ll live with what happens. Stop double-teaming down in the post on Diaw and Duncan and giving them just one pass out of it to find an open shooter. It’s lunacy. Clippers have to search for answers. They can find them but this is the Spurs, after all. They’re this good for a reason. We’ll see on Sunday what the Clippers have learned after three games.</p>
<p><font size="2"><b>NBA.com Interactive Box Score:</b> <a href="http://stats.nba.com/game/#!/0041400163/" target="new"><b>Click Here</b></a></font><br> <font size="2"><b>NBA.com Box Score PDF:</b> <a href="http://www.nba.com/data/html/nbacom/2014/gameinfo/20150424/0041400163_Book.pdf" target="new"><b>Click Here</b></a></font><br><font size="2"><b>Popcorn Machine GameFlow:</b> <a href="http://www.popcornmachine.net/gf?date=20150424&game=LACSAS" target="new"><b>Click Here</b></a></font></p>
<center> <font face="Verdana" size="4"><b>Stat O' The Night</b></font><br>
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<p>Chris Paul teams are now about to be 0-6 in playoff road games in San Antonio. All 6 losses will have been by double-digits.</p>
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) <a href="https://twitter.com/FlyByKnite/status/591808960417517569">April 25, 2015</a>
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https://www.clipsnation.com/2015/4/24/8495389/spurs-100-clippers-73-river-walk-of-shame-recap-april-24-2015Justin Russo2015-04-24T21:02:54-07:002015-04-24T21:02:54-07:00Clippers destroyed by Spurs in Game 3, 100-73
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<figcaption>Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>San Antonio started the game on an 11-2 run and never looked back, easily winning Game 3. </p> <p>Nothing went the <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Clippers</a> way in the Alamo City Friday night, as the <a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">San Antonio Spurs</a> coasted to a 2-1 lead in this best-of-seven series, beating LA 100-73.</p>
<p>Newly-appointed Defensive Player of the Year <span>Kawhi Leonard</span> showed off his offensive chops tonight, dropping 32 on the Clippers. <span>Tim Duncan</span> and <span>Tony Parker</span> combined for a measly 10 points--a testament to how easily the Spurs were able to dominate the guys in red.</p>
<p>The Clippers struggled offensively straight from the opening tip. <span>Chris Paul</span> shot only 3-11 from the field for 7 points, while <span>Blake Griffin</span> added 14 on 6-15 shooting. It was so bad for the Clippers, <span>Lester Hudson</span> and <span>Ekpe Udoh</span> closed out the game on the floor. The team shot a combined 34% from the field, while the Spurs scored on 53% of their shots.</p>
<p>The Spurs carry a 2-1 series lead heading into Game 4 in San Antonio on Sunday afternoon.</p>
<p>Check back for a full recap and analysis on the Clips Nation homepage, up shortly!</p>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2015/4/24/8495067/clippers-spurs-playoffs-game-3-final-score-blake-griffin-chris-paulJul Jessup2015-04-24T19:50:02-07:002015-04-24T19:50:02-07:00Clippers-Spurs Game 3: Second Half Open Thread
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<figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Go Clippers! Discuss away.</p> <table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" cellspacing="5" border="1" cellpadding="5" align="center">
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<td width="240"><center><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/472353/bvv028jd1hhr8ee8ii7a0fg4i_medium.gif"></center></td>
<th width="20" align="center">at</th>
<td width="240"><center><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/90304/827_medium.gif"></center></td>
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<td width="240"><center><b>56-26</b></center></td>
<th width="20" align="center"><br></th>
<td width="240"><center><b>55-27</b></center></td>
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<td bgcolor="black" colspan="3" align="center"><b><font color="white">April 24, 2015, 6:30 PM</font></b></td>
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<td colspan="3" align="center"><b>AT&T Center (San Antonio, Texas)</b></td>
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<td colspan="3" align="center"><b>ESPN, Prime Ticket, Fox Sports Southwest, KFWB 980 AM, KWKW 1330 AM</b></td>
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<th align="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="black"><b><font color="white">Series Schedule</font></b></th>
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<td align="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="#E7A2A2"><b>Tied at 1-1</b></td>
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<td align="center" colspan="3"><b>Game 1 - <a href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2015/4/19/8455793/clippers-dominate-spurs-in-game-1-107-92" target="_blank"><font color="red">Clippers 107, Spurs 92</font></a></b></td>
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<td align="center" colspan="3"><b>Game 2 - <a href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2015/4/22/8475353/spurs-grind-down-clippers-in-overtime-win-game-2-111-107-duncan-griffin-deandre-patty-mills-popovich" target="_blank"><font color="red">Spurs 111, Clippers 107 (OT)</font></a></b></td>
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<td align="center" colspan="3">
<b>Game 3 - </b><b>Fri April 24</b><b>, 6:30 p.m., ESPN/Prime Ticket, San Antonio, AT&T</b><b> Center</b>
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<td align="center" colspan="3">
<b>Game 4 - Sun April 26, 12:30 p.m., ABC, </b><b>San Antonio, AT&T</b><b> Center</b>
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<td align="center" colspan="3">
<b>Game 5 Tue April 28</b><b>, Time TBD</b><b>, </b><b>Prime Ticket, </b><b>Los Angeles, STAPLES Center</b>
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<td align="center" colspan="3">
<b>Game 6* Thu April 30, Time TBD, </b><b>Prime Ticket</b><b>, </b><b>San Antonio, AT&T</b><b> Center</b>
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<td align="center" colspan="3">
<b>Game 7* Sun May 2, Time TBD, </b><b>Prime Ticket, </b><b>Los Angeles, STAPLES Center</b>
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<td align="center" colspan="3"><b><i>* if necessary</i></b></td>
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<th bgcolor="black" colspan="3" align="center"><b><font color="white">Win-Loss Breakdown (2014-2015)</font></b></th>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>19-11</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">East</th>
<td width="240"><b>23-7</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>37-15</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">West</th>
<td width="240"><b>32-20</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>12-4</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">Division</th>
<td width="240"><b>8-8</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>30-11</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">Home</th>
<td width="240"><b>33-8</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>26-15</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">Road</th>
<td width="240"><b>22-19</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>19-22</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">.500 +</th>
<td width="240"><b>23-19</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>37-4</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">- .500</th>
<td width="240"><b>32-8</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>1-1</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">OT</th>
<td width="240"><b>1-6</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>9-1</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">L10</th>
<td width="240"><b>9-1</b></td>
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<th bgcolor="black" colspan="3" align="center"><b><font color="white">Probable Starters</font></b></th>
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<td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240" align="right"><b><span>Chris Paul</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">PG</th>
<td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240"><b><span>Tony Parker</span></b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b><span>J.J. Redick</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">SG</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Danny Green</span></b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b><span>Matt Barnes</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">SF</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Kawhi Leonard</span></b></td>
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<td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240" align="right"><b><span>Blake Griffin</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">PF</th>
<td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240"><b><span>Tim Duncan</span></b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b><span>DeAndre Jordan</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">C</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Tiago Splitter</span></b></td>
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<th align="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="black"><font color="white"><b>Advanced Stats</b></font></th>
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<td align="right" width="240"><b style="text-align: start; ">96.96 (11th of 30)</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">Pace</th>
<td width="240"><b>95.93 (17th of 30)</b></td>
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<td align="right" width="240"><b style="text-align: start; ">109.8 (1st of 30)</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">ORtg</th>
<td width="240"><b>106.2 (7th of 30)</b></td>
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<td align="right" width="240"><b style="text-align: start; ">103.0 (15th of 30)</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">DRtg</th>
<td width="240"><b>99.6 (3rd of 30)</b></td>
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<th bgcolor="black" colspan="3" align="center"><b><font color="white">Injuries/Other</font></b></th>
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<td style="text-align: right;" align="right" width="240"><b><span>Jordan Hamilton</span> (Questionable) Concussion</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20"><br></th>
<td style="text-align: left;" width="240"><b>Tony Parker (Questionable) Achilles</b></td>
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<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" cellspacing="5" border="1" cellpadding="5" align="center">
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<th bgcolor="black" colspan="5" align="center"><center><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/"><font color="#FFD800">Clippers</font></a> <font color="white">and</font> <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/"><font color="#FFD800">Spurs</font></a> <font color="white">tied in season series; 2-2</font></b></center></th>
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<td bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><center><b>Date</b></center></td>
<td bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><center><b>Venue</b></center></td>
<td bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><center><b>Final</b></center></td>
<td bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><center><b>Clips Nation Recap</b></center></td>
<td bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><center><b>ESPN Box Score</b></center></td>
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<td><center><b>11/10/2014</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>Los Angeles</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>Spurs 89, Clippers 85</b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2014/11/10/7191409/clippers-let-spurs-off-the-mat-89-85-paul-griffin-duncan-kawhi-deandre"><font color="red">Recap</font></a></b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400578394"><font color="red">Box Score</font></a></b></center></td>
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<td><center><b>12/22/2014</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>San Antonio</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>Spurs 125, Clippers 118</b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2014/12/22/7438763/clippers-battle-back-but-fall-to-spurs-125-118"><font color="red">Recap</font></a></b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400578706"><font color="red">Box Score</font></a></b></center></td>
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<td><center><b>01/31/2015</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>San Antonio</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>Clippers 105, Spurs 85</b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2015/1/31/7958575/clippers-too-good-for-spurs-105-85"><font color="red">Recap</font></a></b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400579006"><font color="red">Box Score</font></a></b></center></td>
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<td><center><b>02/19/2015</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>Los Angeles</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>Clippers 119, Spurs 105</b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2015/2/20/8074255/hold-the-line-clippers-survive-spurs-hackfest-119-115"><font color="red">Recap</font></a></b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400579094"><font color="red">Box Score</font></a></b></center></td>
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<p> </p>
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<img align="left" src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/39/large_poundingtherock.com.full.97359.png" height="24" width="30"> <font face="Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Grande, sans-serif"><strong>For More</strong>: Visit <a href="http://www.poundingtherock.com/" target="new">Pounding The Rock</a></font> <img align="right" src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/39/large_poundingtherock.com.full.97359.png" height="24" width="30">
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<th bgcolor="#FFFFFF" colspan="0" align="center"><center><font size="6"><b>Prediction</b></font></center></th>
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<td><span style="text-align:left;">
<font size="6"><img align="left" src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/39/large_poundingtherock.com.full.97359.png" height="48" width="60"><b>108</b></font>
<span style="float:right;"><img align="right" src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/47/large_clipsnation.com.full.44724.png" height="48" width="60"><b><font size="6" align="right">102</font></b></span></span></td>
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<font size="3">The Clippers let the tough Game 2 loss linger a little bit and take a loss to open the second stage of the series in San Antonio. The heavy minutes by the starters start to take a toll on the team as a whole and ultimately spells doom for the team in the latter stages of the game as they can’t find that last gear to nudge themselves into. Spurs take this one and the series lead on their home floor while the Clippers have to rebound for Sunday’s afternoon affair.</font>
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<font size="4"><b>Team Leaders</b></font><br> <font size="3"><b>Points:</b> Blake Griffin (24) | <b>Rebounds:</b> DeAndre Jordan (13) | <b>Assists:</b> Chris Paul (11)</font>
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https://www.clipsnation.com/2015/4/24/8488437/clippers-spurs-game-3-second-half-open-thread-april-24-2015Justin Russo2015-04-24T07:00:12-07:002015-04-24T07:00:12-07:00Clippers-Spurs Game 3 Preview: River Walk of Shame
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<figcaption>Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Tied at one game apiece, the Los Angeles Clippers head into enemy territory to play the San Antonio Spurs. At worst, the Clippers need a split by the river. At best, they can seize control of a series that is impossibly tough to quantify.</p> <table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" cellspacing="5" border="1" cellpadding="5" align="center">
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<td width="240"><center><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/472353/bvv028jd1hhr8ee8ii7a0fg4i_medium.gif"></center></td>
<th width="20" align="center">at</th>
<td width="240"><center><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/90304/827_medium.gif"></center></td>
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<td width="240"><center><b>56-26</b></center></td>
<th width="20" align="center"><br></th>
<td width="240"><center><b>55-27</b></center></td>
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<td bgcolor="black" colspan="3" align="center"><b><font color="white">April 24, 2015, 6:30 PM</font></b></td>
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<td colspan="3" align="center"><b>AT&T Center (San Antonio, Texas)</b></td>
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<td colspan="3" align="center"><b>ESPN, Prime Ticket, Fox Sports Southwest, KFWB 980 AM, KWKW 1330 AM</b></td>
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<th align="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="black"><b><font color="white">Series Schedule</font></b></th>
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<td align="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="#E7A2A2"><b>Tied at 1-1</b></td>
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<td align="center" colspan="3"><b>Game 1 - <a href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2015/4/19/8455793/clippers-dominate-spurs-in-game-1-107-92" target="_blank"><font color="red">Clippers 107, Spurs 92</font></a></b></td>
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<td align="center" colspan="3"><b>Game 2 - <a href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2015/4/22/8475353/spurs-grind-down-clippers-in-overtime-win-game-2-111-107-duncan-griffin-deandre-patty-mills-popovich" target="_blank"><font color="red">Spurs 111, Clippers 107 (OT)</font></a></b></td>
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<td align="center" colspan="3">
<b>Game 3 - </b><b>Fri April 24</b><b>, 6:30 p.m., ESPN/Prime Ticket, San Antonio, AT&T</b><b> Center</b>
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<td align="center" colspan="3">
<b>Game 4 - Sun April 26, 12:30 p.m., ABC, </b><b>San Antonio, AT&T</b><b> Center</b>
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<td align="center" colspan="3">
<b>Game 5 Tue April 28</b><b>, Time TBD</b><b>, </b><b>Prime Ticket, </b><b>Los Angeles, STAPLES Center</b>
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<td align="center" colspan="3">
<b>Game 6* Thu April 30, Time TBD, </b><b>Prime Ticket</b><b>, </b><b>San Antonio, AT&T</b><b> Center</b>
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<td align="center" colspan="3">
<b>Game 7* Sun May 2, Time TBD, </b><b>Prime Ticket, </b><b>Los Angeles, STAPLES Center</b>
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<td align="center" colspan="3"><b><i>* if necessary</i></b></td>
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<th bgcolor="black" colspan="3" align="center"><b><font color="white">Win-Loss Breakdown (2014-2015)</font></b></th>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>19-11</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">East</th>
<td width="240"><b>23-7</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>37-15</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">West</th>
<td width="240"><b>32-20</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>12-4</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">Division</th>
<td width="240"><b>8-8</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>30-11</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">Home</th>
<td width="240"><b>33-8</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>26-15</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">Road</th>
<td width="240"><b>22-19</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>19-22</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">.500 +</th>
<td width="240"><b>23-19</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>37-4</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">- .500</th>
<td width="240"><b>32-8</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>1-1</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">OT</th>
<td width="240"><b>1-6</b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b>9-1</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">L10</th>
<td width="240"><b>9-1</b></td>
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<th bgcolor="black" colspan="3" align="center"><b><font color="white">Probable Starters</font></b></th>
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<td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240" align="right"><b><span>Chris Paul</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">PG</th>
<td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240"><b><span>Tony Parker</span></b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b><span>J.J. Redick</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">SG</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Danny Green</span></b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b><span>Matt Barnes</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">SF</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Kawhi Leonard</span></b></td>
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<td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240" align="right"><b><span>Blake Griffin</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">PF</th>
<td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240"><b><span>Tim Duncan</span></b></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><b><span>DeAndre Jordan</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">C</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Tiago Splitter</span></b></td>
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<th align="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="black"><font color="white"><b>Advanced Stats</b></font></th>
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<td align="right" width="240"><b style="text-align: start; ">96.96 (11th of 30)</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">Pace</th>
<td width="240"><b>95.93 (17th of 30)</b></td>
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<td align="right" width="240"><b style="text-align: start; ">109.8 (1st of 30)</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">ORtg</th>
<td width="240"><b>106.2 (7th of 30)</b></td>
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<td align="right" width="240"><b style="text-align: start; ">103.0 (15th of 30)</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">DRtg</th>
<td width="240"><b>99.6 (3rd of 30)</b></td>
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<th bgcolor="black" colspan="3" align="center"><b><font color="white">Injuries/Other</font></b></th>
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<td style="text-align: right;" align="right" width="240"><b><span>Jordan Hamilton</span> (Questionable) Concussion</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20"><br></th>
<td style="text-align: left;" width="240"><b>Tony Parker (Questionable) Achilles</b></td>
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<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" cellspacing="5" border="1" cellpadding="5" align="center">
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<th bgcolor="black" colspan="5" align="center"><center><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/"><font color="#FFD800">Clippers</font></a> <font color="white">and</font> <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/"><font color="#FFD800">Spurs</font></a> <font color="white">tied in season series; 2-2</font></b></center></th>
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<td bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><center><b>Date</b></center></td>
<td bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><center><b>Venue</b></center></td>
<td bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><center><b>Final</b></center></td>
<td bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><center><b>Clips Nation Recap</b></center></td>
<td bgcolor="#C8C8C8"><center><b>ESPN Box Score</b></center></td>
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<td><center><b>11/10/2014</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>Los Angeles</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>Spurs 89, Clippers 85</b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2014/11/10/7191409/clippers-let-spurs-off-the-mat-89-85-paul-griffin-duncan-kawhi-deandre"><font color="red">Recap</font></a></b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400578394"><font color="red">Box Score</font></a></b></center></td>
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<td><center><b>12/22/2014</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>San Antonio</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>Spurs 125, Clippers 118</b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2014/12/22/7438763/clippers-battle-back-but-fall-to-spurs-125-118"><font color="red">Recap</font></a></b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400578706"><font color="red">Box Score</font></a></b></center></td>
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<td><center><b>01/31/2015</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>San Antonio</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>Clippers 105, Spurs 85</b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2015/1/31/7958575/clippers-too-good-for-spurs-105-85"><font color="red">Recap</font></a></b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400579006"><font color="red">Box Score</font></a></b></center></td>
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<td><center><b>02/19/2015</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>Los Angeles</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>Clippers 119, Spurs 105</b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2015/2/20/8074255/hold-the-line-clippers-survive-spurs-hackfest-119-115"><font color="red">Recap</font></a></b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400579094"><font color="red">Box Score</font></a></b></center></td>
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<p> </p>
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<th bgcolor="#FFFFFF" colspan="0" align="center"><center><font size="6"><b>The Number One Contender</b></font></center></th>
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<td><font size="3">After a solid Game 1 win, the Los Angeles Clippers rebounded in Game 2 by playing somewhat lackluster basketball and still having a chance to pull it out in the end before the basketball gods deemed them unworthy of such honors yet again. Going back to the regular season, the team has won 15 of their last 17 games and is playing some solid basketball but has yet to kick into a high enough gear to really showcase the level they can play at. They won in San Antonio earlier this year in one of the most impressive wins they had all season, a second night of a back-to-back victory by 20 over a healthy Spurs squad. We’ll see if history can replicate itself.</font></td>
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<th bgcolor="#FFFFFF" colspan="0" align="center"><center><font size="6"><b>The Reigning, Defending Champions</b></font></center></th>
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<td><font size="3">The Spurs turned the corner in Game 2, pretty much controlling the pace and flow of the game throughout before seeing a double-digit lead dwindle away in the final few minutes. It took a Blake Griffin turnover, a missed Chris Paul jumper, and some missed free throws by J.J. Redick, Matt Barnes, and DeAndre Jordan to pull the game out but a win is a win. Especially seeing as they were without Tony Parker and Tiago Splitter for vast stretches of the game. They now head home with homecourt advantage and all they have to do is win their three remaining home games to pull the series out. It’s as simple as that .. in theory.</font></td>
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<p></p>
<div class="read-more" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<img align="left" src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/39/large_poundingtherock.com.full.97359.png" height="24" width="30"> <font face="Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Grande, sans-serif"><strong>For More</strong>: Visit <a href="http://www.poundingtherock.com/" target="new">Pounding The Rock</a></font> <img align="right" src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/39/large_poundingtherock.com.full.97359.png" height="24" width="30">
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<p> </p>
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<th bgcolor="#FFFFFF" colspan="0" align="center"><center><font size="6"><b>Comparison of Key Metrics</b></font></center></th>
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<td><font size="3">Let’s just look at this from a playoff standpoint. And, yes, there’s going to be some SSS – Small Sample Size – stuff going on that you’re just going to have to deal with. The two teams have played 101 total minutes against each other. The Clippers starters have played together in 57 of the 101 minutes. That group has a Net Rating of +9.8. The Spurs starters have only played together 17 minutes and have a Net Rating of -9.0. Los Angeles, as a team, has an ORtg of 105.1 and DRtg of 99.6 in this series while San Antonio has an ORtg of 99.6 and DRtg of 105.1. The average pace of the games has been 96.83 possessions which makes it the second highest paced series behind the <a href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Houston Rockets</a> and <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dallas Mavericks</a> (104.75).</font></td>
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<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" cellspacing="5" border="1" cellpadding="5" align="center">
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<th bgcolor="#FFFFFF" colspan="0" align="center"><center><font size="6"><b>Schedule</b></font></center></th>
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<td><font size="3">The schedule is pretty straightforward from here on out. They’re going to be playing every other day until (if?) they get to a Game 7. There’d be two off days between games six and seven for the teams to rest up before having to punch each other in the mouth like prize fighters the same night Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao do so. So, it’s every other day unless there’s a Game 7.</font></td>
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<th bgcolor="#FFFFFF" colspan="0" align="center"><center><font size="6"><b>X-Factor (Spurs): <span>Gregg Popovich</span></b></font></center></th>
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<td><font size="3">There’s zero argument that Gregg Popovich is the best coach in the NBA today and has a valid case to go down as the greatest coach in NBA history. And, as usual, he’s the ultimate difference maker for the San Antonio Spurs every night. In Game 2, Popovich switched things up a little bit by using <span>Patty Mills</span> and <span>Boris Diaw</span> quite a bit together. The usage of their Mills-Green-Leonard-Diaw-Duncan lineup allowed the Spurs to get better shots out of the pick-and-roll than if Tony Parker and Tiago Splitter were in there. It also allowed Diaw to switch easier onto the perimeter defensively with guys like Green and Leonard. Mills and Diaw have played 25 minutes together this series and the duo has a Net Rating of +19.1. Their ability to do various things has helped San Antonio throw wrinkles at the Clippers that Los Angeles wasn’t really ready for. That’s what Popovich can do. He can tinker with his toys and get them running flawlessly all over again.</font></td>
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<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" cellspacing="5" border="1" cellpadding="5" align="center">
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<th bgcolor="#FFFFFF" colspan="0" align="center"><center><font size="6"><b>X-Factor (Clippers): Matt Barnes</b></font></center></th>
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<td><font size="3">It’d be easy to say that J.J. Redick is the biggest influence on the Clippers offense outside of, obviously, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul but Matt Barnes has been an offensive no-show through the first two games for the most part. Barnes is just 4-for-15 from the field in this series and that’s after starting out 3-for-4 from the field in Game 1. He’s missed ten of his last eleven shots. The Clippers cannot have sustained success against the San Antonio Spurs in this series without Matt Barnes showing up. He’s just 3-for-9 from three, isn’t converting around the rim when he gets opportunities, and is largely ignored for periods of time because defenders don’t respect his shot. If the Clippers are to advance against the Spurs, Barnes has got to start hitting shots. He’s taken his late season struggles into the playoffs and is now even struggling at the line, where he missed three of his four free throws in the fourth quarter. Counting the playoffs, Barnes is shooting 37.4 percent from the field and 29.9 percent from three over the last 15 games. That cannot continue.</font></td>
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<th bgcolor="#FFFFFF" colspan="0" align="center"><center><font size="6"><b>Slightly Hampered Spurs</b></font></center></th>
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<td><font size="3">The San Antonio Spurs are basically the walking wounded right now as Tony Parker is dealing with a strained Achilles and Tiago Splitter isn’t fully healthy after his calf injury. Because of this, Gregg Popovich has had to get even more creative with lineups and such. Splitter only played 8:14 in the second half and overtime while Parker played just 13:57. On the flip side, Boris Diaw played 22:51, Patty Mills played 14:58, and <span>Manu Ginobili</span> played 11:17. Even Marco Belinelli got 8:17 of time in the game’s final 29 minutes. If Parker isn’t really ready to go on Friday night then the Spurs could have some issues with shorter rotations. However, Mills spaces the floor a tad more than Parker does and allows Duncan to operate more in the post. But the Splitter injury impacts the Spurs interior defense which has allowed the Clippers to take advantage down low with their bigs and even on guard penetration at times. Injuries in the playoffs are tough to overcome but the Spurs have the personnel to do so. Injuries to two guys this important, though, could be problematic to a team looking to make yet another run into June.</font></td>
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<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" cellspacing="5" border="1" cellpadding="5" align="center">
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<th bgcolor="#FFFFFF" colspan="0" align="center"><center><font size="6"><b>When Does Either Team Play Their "A" Game?</b></font></center></th>
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<td><font size="3">Maybe it’s because we’ve seen both of these teams play at a high level the last few years, but it just feels like each team has struggled to get anything consistent going offensively and defensively at times. Each team has left really good shooters wide open, each team has rotated oddly defensively, and each team has seemed to not take advantage fully. Perhaps it’s just that they’re each so good and so capable in every phase of the game that they simply nullify each other throughout large chunks of the game. So far, it seems each side has been playing about a B level brand of basketball. Neither team has really showcased their A game yet and that’s something to watch going forward. Whichever team starts to look more and more like themselves could steal this series right out from under the nose of the other team.</font></td>
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<th bgcolor="#FFFFFF" colspan="0" align="center"><center><font size="6"><b>Old Man and The Mountain</b></font></center></th>
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<td><font size="3">There has only been one other instance of a player in the playoffs putting up the stat line that Blake Griffin – 26 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks – put up in Game 1, as far as minimums are concerned. That guy, not surprisingly, was Tim Duncan back in Game 1 of the 2003 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-finals" class="sbn-auto-link">NBA Finals</a> against the New Jersey <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Nets</a>. Griffin followed that up by then going for 29-12-11 in Game 2. He became just one of three players to have a 20-10-10 game against the Spurs in the playoffs. The other two are <span>Gary Payton</span> and LeBron James. You might have heard of them. Griffin has been a mountain of a man in this series. He’s averaging 27.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 2.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks through the first two contests. There’s not much else you can ask of him. On the other side is Tim Duncan, the savvy Hall of Famer and all-time great, who is averaging 19.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks. This is truly one of the most incredible playoff series ever turned in by a guy who is just one day shy of his 39th birthday. Tim Duncan, because of his 28-11-4 performance in Game 2, became the fifth oldest player in NBA playoff history to have a 25-point and 10-rebound performance. He became the oldest guy in NBA playoff history to have a 25-point, 10-rebound, and 4-assist performance, though. These two, at very different times in their career, are playing some beautiful basketball and making history that we have rarely seen. Enjoy it.</font></td>
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<th bgcolor="#FFFFFF" colspan="0" align="center"><center><font size="6"><b>Uncontested Shots</b></font></center></th>
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<td><font size="3">Through two games, the teams have combined for 138 uncontested shots according to NBA dot com’s SportVU data. The Spurs are just 31-for-73 (42.67 percent) on them and the Clippers are 30-for-65 (46.15 percent). When looking at the Shot Analytics data, we get a slightly different picture. The Clippers have attempted 52 shots against the Spurs from 15+ feet with a defender at least four feet away. They’re shooting just 36.54 percent (19-for-52) on them. On the other hand, the Spurs are at 40.43 percent (19-for-47) on those same shots. Some of the more prominent players in this series spell that out. Matt Barnes is 3-for-9 on uncontested shots, J.J. Redick is 5-for-14, Blake Griffin is 4-for-14, Danny Green is 4-for-10, Boris Diaw is 2-for-11, Manu Ginobili is 1-for-6, and Tim Duncan is 2-for-7. Whichever one of these teams hits the open shots their given first will likely win. Sounds logical but nothing through the first two games has been logical.</font></td>
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<th bgcolor="#FFFFFF" colspan="0" align="center"><center><font size="6"><b>Kawhi You So Good Defensively?</b></font></center></th>
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<td><font size="3">In case you’ve been living under a rock, Kawhi Leonard won Defensive Player of the Year yesterday and narrowly edged out Golden State’s <span>Draymond Green</span> for the award. Our very own DeAndre Jordan finished third in the voting with <span>Anthony Davis</span> coming in fourth and <span>Rudy Gobert</span> coming in fifth to round out the top five. On my own personal ballot which, obviously, isn’t official by any means, <a target="_blank" href="http://butthegameison.com/thebeat/2015/04/20/2014-2015-nba-awards/"><font color="red">I had Leonard first and Green second with Andrew Bogut third</font></a>. Bogut ended up sixth in real life. For those who haven’t seen much of Leonard this year or base him off of this series alone, Kawhi has been a force that harkens us back to the days of <span>Scottie Pippen</span> and the tenacious perimeter defense that stifled many teams who ran into the vaunted <a href="https://www.blogabull.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chicago Bulls</a> dynasty. Leonard can switch onto anyone, disrupt passing lanes with his freakish length and hands, and dominates any opponent he faces just through sheer will and intelligence. In winning the award, Leonard became the first perimeter player to win Defensive Player of the Year since Ron Artest did so back in 2004 and just the third in the last twenty years. I talked about this in the article I <a target="_blank" href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2015/3/4/8136117/deandre-jordan-is-good-but-not-dpoy-good"><font color="red">wrote back in early March</font></a>, but it seemed like the right year for a non-big to finally win again.</font></td>
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<th bgcolor="#FFFFFF" colspan="0" align="center"><center><font size="6"><b>A Tribe Called Stench</b></font></center></th>
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<td><font size="3">There’s no doubt that San Antonio has the bench advantage over Los Angeles in this series. It’s such a wide gulf in both talent and fit that the Golden Gate Bridge couldn’t bridge the gap. The bench hasn’t been that terrible for the Clippers, though. <span>Austin Rivers</span> has a Net Rating of +9.6 in 24 minutes, <span>Glen Davis</span> has a +23.0 Net Rating in 22 minutes, and <span>Jamal Crawford</span>, while obviously not as impactful in Game 2 as he was in Game 1, has a Net Rating of +2.3. The issue comes from the fact that the starters have to play so much of the game because the bench is just that untrustworthy, though. In the playoffs, rotations are shortened and all that happy stuff but the bench has to supply at least some semblance of production and not allow the starters to come back in behind the 8-ball. It’ll be interesting to see what <span>Doc Rivers</span> does with this group in Game 3 since Crawford, Rivers, and Davis are all playing okay for the most part. An 8-man bench is possible and could be used. Doc just has to put them in a position to succeed. When Crawford has come in for Barnes this series and played with the other four starters, the Net Rating has dipped by 30 points and it’s all on the defensive end as San Antonio has taken advantage of Crawford’s inability to pay attention defensively. There’s a happy medium there. Coach Doc has to find it.</font></td>
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<th bgcolor="#FFFFFF" colspan="0" align="center"><center><font size="6"><b>The NBA Must Be Thanking This Series</b></font></center></th>
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<td><font size="3">Outside of a couple nail-biting games here and there, all the other series have kind of sucked for the most part. Atlanta’s up 2-0 on Brooklyn, Cleveland’s up 3-0 on Boston, Chicago’s up 3-0 on Milwaukee, Washington’s up 2-0 on Toronto, Golden State’s up 3-0 on New Orleans, Houston’s up 2-0 on Dallas, and Memphis is up 2-0 on Portland. This is the only series that, through the first six full days of the playoffs, has seen each team in it actually win a game. The others are blowouts for the most part. Atlanta, Cleveland, and Chicago have each been tested but their opponents aren’t nearly good enough to do anything upset worthy. Washington won two games on the road in Toronto to steal the series basically and make Toronto look bad during the process. Golden State hasn’t had an easy time with New Orleans but that series’ result was never in doubt. Houston is taking advantage of an imploding Dallas squad and Memphis is feasting on an injury riddled Portland team. This series is the NBA’s only saving grace in the first round and it’s pure lunacy that one of these teams will be going home while a few other teams move on. If not for this series, no one would give a damn about the first round right now in all likelihood. The East sucks and the West turned out to be easy to predict early on but not this series. You can already bank on the NBA praying this one goes seven games just for maximum interest.</font></td>
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<th align="center" colspan="0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><center><font size="6"><b>Prediction</b></font></center></th>
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<td><span> <font size="6"><img width="60" height="48" src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/39/large_poundingtherock.com.full.97359.png" align="left"><b>108</b></font> <span><img width="60" height="48" src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/47/large_clipsnation.com.full.44724.png" align="right"><b><font align="right" size="6">102</font></b></span></span></td>
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<td><font size="3">The Clippers let the tough Game 2 loss linger a little bit and take a loss to open the second stage of the series in San Antonio. The heavy minutes by the starters start to take a toll on the team as a whole and ultimately spells doom for the team in the latter stages of the game as they can’t find that last gear to nudge themselves into. Spurs take this one and the series lead on their home floor while the Clippers have to rebound for Sunday’s afternoon affair.</font></td>
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<td><center> <font size="4"><b>Team Leaders</b></font><br> <font size="3"><b>Points:</b> Blake Griffin (24) | <b>Rebounds:</b> DeAndre Jordan (13) | <b>Assists:</b> Chris Paul (11)</font> </center></td>
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https://www.clipsnation.com/2015/4/24/8485433/clippers-spurs-game-3-preview-april-24-2015Justin Russo