Clips Nation - Game Coverage: Los Angeles Clippers welcome Sacramento Kings to STAPLES Center for a Halloween tiltWhat it do babyyyhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47967/clipsnation_fave.png2015-11-01T19:41:18-08:00http://www.clipsnation.com/rss/stream/94137372015-11-01T19:41:18-08:002015-11-01T19:41:18-08:00Film Room: J.J. Redick Flourishes on Halloween
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1PM4JEPkSYKUpjpd4cvZgJjme4Q=/1x0:692x461/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47564869/Screen_Shot_2015-10-15_at_4.01.50_PM.0.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>On Halloween night, J.J. Redick displayed how spooky his abilities make the Clippers offense. Redick’s entire arsenal facilitated the 114-109 victory over the Kings. Let’s take a look at JJ’s performance. </p> <p> </p>
<p dir="ltr">There has been much discussion about the trade that brought J.J. Redick in. Not only did <a href="http://www.si.com/si-wire/2013/10/29/donald-sterling-eric-bledsoe-trade-clippers-doc-rivers-jj-redick">Donald Sterling reject it at first</a>, but the <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clippers</a> gave up rising-star <span>Eric Bledsoe</span> for Redick and Jared Dudley. Dudley no longer calls Los Angeles home, but Redick has earned himself high praise that many Clippers fans agree about, calling him the team's "most important starter."</p>
<p>The Big Three has evolved into a fearsome foursome. Since Redick's debut, the Clippers have scored 117.5 points-per-100-possessions with the sharpshooter on the floor--which is very good. Three games into the 2016 season, that number has skyrocketed to 141 points-per-100. Los Angeles utilizes the sharp-shooter in a plethora of ways. The full range of J.J.'s ability was on display in the victory against the <a href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Kings</a>. This episode of Film Room analyzes the beauty of not just J.J.'s hair, but his game as well.</p>
<center><img src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3688640/hrlace2.0.png"></center>
<p dir="ltr">Last season, the former Duke Blue Devil ranked 11th in the NBA in first quarter scoring. J.J.'s involvement in the offense intrinsically correlates to team ball-movement. To nobody's surprise, the Clippers posted the best first-quarter plus/minus differential in the NBA last year. This season is no different.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In transition, every position runs a specific lane. For the Clippers starters, <span>Chris Paul</span> controls the ball in the middle. Redick and <span>Lance Stephenson</span> run the wings, while <span>Blake Griffin</span> runs to the low block and DeAndre trails the break, stopping at the high-post until a new sequence starts. If no initial shot is available in the fastbreak, the Clippers employ a lot on-ball screens in their secondary fastbreak action.</p>
<p> </p>
<center><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/5c5v" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></center>
<p dir="ltr">Early in the first quarter, following a Rondo miss, the Kings did a respectable job getting back on defense. Although Paul isn't bolting down the floor, it's still a fastbreak and Paul notices the Kings unbalanced defense, passing the ball to Blake. Between Blake and his favorite spot on the floor, the rim, is a back-stepping rookie, athletic-freak Willie Cauley Stein. Instead of challenging him at the bucket, Griffin uses Stein's depth against him. Griffin dribbles to his left for a handoff to Redick. The shooting prowess of the Dukie forces <span>Ben McLemore</span> to guard him tightly. Once Redick becomes one pass away from the ball, McLemore's mental alarm goes off, causing him to creep even closer to J.J. Not close enough. To best guard elite shooters off screens, defenders are supposed to attach themselves to the shooter. Often in the NBA, and even college, high school, and rec leagues, defenders grab on to the jersey. Also, if the chance arises, defenders use their body to disrupt the direction of the shooter. Redick's dealt with this style presumably since grade school and McLemore makes a major mistake: if you're not early, you're late.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The importance of team continuity illuminates in this sequence, as Redick springs early towards Blake following the first dribble. McLemore's tardiness and Redick's cognition create space for the shot. Blake does a fantastic job setting his feet and putting his body on Thrift Shop. Willie leaves Redick with enough space to fire off a jumpshot. Rondo decently closes from the weak side, but the Redick needs very little space to get his shot off.</p>
<p>In the NBA, handoffs often receive illegal screen whistles, but repetition allows the Clippers to adjust despite the rushed sequence. Redick receives multiple dribble handoffs a game in the fast break. Surprisingly, in this sequence Redick has the audacity to shoot with Rondo closing quickly, leaving Paul open on the wing. Redick won't always shoot the ball in these situations, but it's a piece the Clippers use to engage the offense quickly on a non-set play.</p>
<center><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/x3br" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></center>
<p dir="ltr">The next offensive play, the Clippers run a detailed, halfcourt set for Redick. Using a Floppy set, the Clippers place two screeners on one side of the lane and one screener on the other for a shooter underneath the bucket. Every team in the NBA uses Floppy. Therefore, every team practices against Floppy. The Clippers moderately disguise Floppy by running Lance baseline and having Blake position himself for an immediate pin-down screen for J.J.. Lance's faux-cut manipulates defender <span>Rudy Gay</span> into focusing on Lance and not seeing the oncoming set, eradicating the Kings' communication and help ability. An interesting development of the Clippers' floppy from last year to this year is Redick circling Lance. Granted, this play was only contained one spin, but against the <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Mavericks</a>, Redick spun around Lance several times. This spinning misdirection puts McLemore in a trailing position. Floppy presents Redick a choice — to go off the single-screen or double-screen side. Redick opts single-side. DeAndre's location on the screen stresses the defender immensely. If McLemore shoots the gap, it's an easy flare read for a corner three. McLemore, like most defenders, chooses to trail.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Redick and D.J. perform an inadequate pindown. Redick usually rounds the screen as tightly as possible to DeAndre, preferably brushing up against him. On this play, Redick runs a little wide, not allowing Jordan to set a clean screen. McLemore attaches himself better than the last play, coercing J.J. into curling and off the first shot option out of Floppy. But the play goes on! They've planned for this! If Redick does not get his shot, habitually he swings the ball to other side, this time Paul receiving the pass. Upon Paul touching the ball, Blake sets an on-ball screen. Kings players felt the brunt of this Clippers blow, with three defenders collapsing within a six-foot radius. Paul hits Blake on the short roll, while J.J. using his intuitive genius. Instead of sitting open on the wing, Redick walks down with Griffin as he goes. Leveling with Griffin eases the pass, which eventually is made to Redick alone in the corner. McLemore commits far too much to helping on the pick-and-roll, forgetting about Redick. Jordan's dunk-potential sticks Cousins by his side, not letting him help anywhere else on the floor.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Maybe this Film Room episode's purpose is to highlight Ben McLemore's defensive shortcomings--it sure seems like it. But that's not the case--at every stage of the play, the Clippers' Floppy Set is one of the hardest to guard in the league, especially with this much quick movement. <span>J.J. Redick's</span> shooting spawns the lethal potential of Floppy, but notice all the options created: A Redick jumpshot, Chris Paul/Blake Griffin pick-and-roll, a Blake Griffin/<span>DeAndre Jordan</span> high-low, and finally another Redick jumpshot. In this specific sequence, the Clippers passed the ball four times and alternated sides of the court four times in just eight seconds. That's impossible for any team to guard, not just the Kings.</p>
<p> </p>
<center><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/bv1r" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></center>
<p dir="ltr">Later in the first, the Clippers use another common NBA set, HORNS, which situates one ball-handler in the center of the court, two players at the high-post, usually big men, and the other two in the corners. The rare Griffin/Jordan pick-and-roll occurs from HORNS. Here, J.J. passes to Griffin, the normal choice, and runs down to set a cross-screen for Lance. At this point, the Clippers run a basic flex offensive set. Flex components are taught to every basketball team at every level - down screens and screening the screener. <span>Jerry Sloan</span> effectively used this continuous moving offense with the Utah Jazz.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Redick runs to set a "flex-screen" for Lance, hoping to free his cut across the paint, which Lance appears to lack interest in attempting to score on. Continuing the flex theme, Jordan screens the screener, J.J., with a down-screen. Poor McLemore--a young, promising player who should have dressed as a crash-test dummy for Halloween if he wanted to fully get into character for this game. The Clippers collision-tested McLemore the whole night, putting him through endless screens, none more jarring than Jordan's on this play. Redick ran a little tighter to Jordan, letting Jordan put his frame into McLemore's body. Cousins' decision to basically not guard Jordan gave Redick more space. After McLemore collapsed to the ground, zero defenders closed out to Redick, who shot cleanly.</p>
<p>Each team guards the fearsome foursome fundamentally similarly. Make Redick dribble. Don't guard Jordan unless near the bucket. Force Blake to shoot jumpshots. Make Chris give the ball up and he'll stand still. Now, <span>Doc Rivers</span> uses tendencies to on themselves, such as in the last play.</p>
<center><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/rsij" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></center>
<p dir="ltr">Early in the third, Redick proves how overplaying certain tendencies can create massive holes. A dwindling shot-clock puts the Kings in a pressure defense, not wanting any Clippers to receive an easy catch. Paul passes to a curling Redick on the three-point line, with ex-Clipper Darren Collison smothering J.J.. Collison fantastically prevents a jumpshot, but guarding so tightly creates an easy driving lane for Redick. With every Clipper 20 feet or more from the basket and Kings defenders so close to their matchup, nobody protects the rim. After clipping Collison's hip, Redick wins the footwork battle, keeps Darren behind him and glides in for an uncontested layup.</p>
<p>J.J. handles the ball sufficiently well and does not commit a great deal of turnovers. When overplayed, he possesses the ability to beat his marker off of the dribble. Although the last highlight is unspectacular, defenses must respect the skill. Teams can't guard Redick as tightly as other one-dimensional shooters. The same dilemma quickly approaches defenses for Blake Griffin. Teams vastly overplay their strategy of letting Griffin shoot midrange shots. If Blake continues developing that shot, defenders eventually will creep up, opening the paint again for him.</p>
<center><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/z8gv" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></center>
<p dir="ltr">Later, with Sacramento up 96-95 with 6:11 remaining, the Clippers run a variation of the Pistol set. Always run on the sideline, Pistol features a guard catching a handoff action on the run. The faster the action, the larger the gaps. Here Redick gets a double, staggered screen - the first from Paul and second from Griffin. On the opposite side, Jordan and <span>Jamal Crawford</span> stand doing nothing, but often in this set Jordan will screen Jamal's defender to occupy the help. Following the handoff from Blake, J.J. turns the corner and attacks the basket. Paul purposely fills the wing-area Redick left to take away his man. Blake rolls to the basket after screening Marco Bellinelli, Redick's defender. Redick continues to the basket unabated, as <span>Kosta Koufos</span> waits next to D.J. Koufos should have stepped up rather than allowing Redick to get to the restricted area unguarded. Rudy Gay started the possession on Griffin but decides to guard nobody after the handoff. Gay backpedals in the paint, waiting for Bellinelli to return to the play, but he never does. Redick superbly attacked until stopped, penetrating so deep that the entire defense collapses on him. Gay and Koufos jump on Redick's pump-fake, who then shovel passes the ball to an unguarded Blake at the rim.</p>
<p>Redick has mastered creating space. Providing him two screens virtually guarantees an open Clipper, depending on how the defense rotates. When not featured in plays, Redick spotting-up maximizes others' space. Defenders can't risk leaving Redick, who shot nearly 44-percent from deep last year. Redick is vital to the Clippers' success. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin may author the Clippers offense, but Redick is the editor. He cleans weaknesses and makes the product simpler.</p>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2015/11/1/9656110/film-room-j-j-redick-flourishes-on-halloween-night-los-angeles-clippers-sacramento-kingsCaden Kinard2015-10-31T23:35:51-07:002015-10-31T23:35:51-07:00Final: Clippers 114, Kings 109
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TTfeUe3_f64FlI8kR2fLLdpWMkU=/0x291:1876x1542/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47561009/usa-today-8896260.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In a game with high emotions, the Clippers game out on top by five points and sent the Kings packing with a loss for the second time in three games.</p> <p id="paragraph0" class="pgh-paragraph has-dropcap"><font face="verdana">The prettiest of games are not often the ones where you blow a team out and get to trounce over their rotting corpse as the final seconds dwindle down. After a while, those ones get boring. The truly pretty ones are the ones you have to tough through. The ones you have to overcome some type of adversity in and come out on the other side feeling better about yourselves. Tonight, that’s exactly what happened for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a> as they knocked off the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Sacramento Kings</a> by the final score of 114-109. It was a vastly interesting game from beginning to end, but was marred by a player having to leave at halftime due to injury.</font></p>
<div class="m-scoreboard__table-attach">
<table class="p-boxscore m-scoreboard__box-score__table">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th></th> <th>1</th> <th>2</th> <th>3</th> <th>4</th> <th>Total</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="p-boxscore__team_name" bgcolor="#724C9F"><a href="http://www.sactownroyalty.com/"><font color="white">Sacramento Kings</font></a></td>
<td bgcolor="#724C9F"><font color="white">31</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#724C9F"><font color="white">24</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#724C9F"><font color="white">24</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#724C9F"><font color="white">30</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#724C9F"><font color="white">109</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="p-boxscore__team_name" bgcolor="#ED174C"><a href="http://www.clipsnation.com/"><font color="white">Los Angeles Clippers</font></a></td>
<td bgcolor="#ED174C"><font color="white">24</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#ED174C"><font color="white">35</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#ED174C"><font color="white">24</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#ED174C"><font color="white">31</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#ED174C"><font color="white">114</font></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><font face="verdana">You could just tell from the early going that this was going to be a struggle for the Clippers. They looked uninspired, lazy, and just plain bored at times. While their offensive numbers certainly don’t show that trend, you could just see it when they were on the court. There were lazy rotations, lazy shots, and lazy boxing out attempts. Lazy could be the word used to describe this game for them. Yet, despite that laziness, they were able to hold off a spirited Kings squad who tried to wrestle a victory away from the Clippers just like they tried to do on Wednesday night.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">The Clippers led by as much as 12 points, a lead that came with roughly 4 minutes to go in the third quarter. That was the largest lead the team had built all night long. It didn’t hold. The Kings came storming back behind a slew of made shots by a hodgepodge of players, and eventually took the lead with just over 6 minutes to play. Los Angeles regained the lead shortly thereafter and never lost it again, but the Kings just wouldn’t say die. Sacramento cut the lead to one possession a few times down the stretch, but never were able to fully retake control. The Clippers made their final 8 free throw attempts of the night and iced the game for a 114-109 victory.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">We could go on-and-on about how terrible this team looked tonight, but <span>Doc Rivers</span> summed it up perfectly in the postgame press conference by saying the only positive from tonight’s game was that the team actually won. While blunt, it is to the overall point. The team looked like a team that didn’t want to take the court and that’s the kind of thing that cannot happen. It’s understandable, though, since they’re playing a team for the second time in four days. It makes sense. However, the team had to come out with better energy and not make things so tough for themselves. They’re lucky they have the players they do or else this would have been a loss.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Speaking of those players, four of them had rather resounding nights. The star of the night was <span>Blake Griffin</span>, yet again. He finished with 37 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and was just a dominating force out there. Griffin scored 14 of his 37 in the fourth quarter on 5-of-7 shooting. He was 13-of-22 shooting overall and 11-of-15 from the line. It’s starting to become difficult to come up with new and exciting ways to describe just how transcendent of a player he is at this point in time. Griffin is just good, man.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Perhaps the second most influential player of the night was <span>J.J. Redick</span>, as he finished with 23 points on a ridiculous 8-of-9 shooting. He knocked down both of his threes and all 5 of his free throws. His night was so insane that he finished a True Shooting Percentage of 102.7 percent. The team needed him to come through on the perimeter with his shot and he did – massively.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Redick’s backcourt mate, the dazzling <span>Chris Paul</span>, finished with 17 points, 11 assists, and 6 rebounds on 5-of-13 shooting. Paul was just 1-of-5 from beyond the arc and did miss two free throws. He’s still slumping a little bit as far as his shot goes, but there’s nothing to worry about there. His left index finger is still heavily taped up and dealing with that is no easy thing. Paul is able to dime, dish, and deliver. He’s still as good as he ever was. He’s just dealing with some stuff right now and he’ll eventually be fine.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">It’s truly amazing the type of statistical night <span>DeAndre Jordan</span> had. He finished with 15 points, 18 rebounds, and 7 blocks on 5-of-6 shooting. He struggled at the line, making just 5-of-12, but he still made his impact felt in so many areas. Jordan was a team-high +24 in plus-minus, and that seems appropriate given the type of stuff he was doing out there. It goes without saying, but it still needs to be said. This team would be screwed without him. As great as Griffin and Paul are, Jordan might be the most instrumental piece to their championship puzzle right now. He did appear like he injured himself late in the game as he blocked a shot, but no word yet on the severity of it. It did not look all that bad from first glance, though.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">While he’s had both hot and cold games already to start his career in Los Angeles, <span>Lance Stephenson</span> played phenomenal tonight. He had a plus-minus of +20 in 24:17 and shot 3-of-6 from the field to finish with 7 points. The points are nice, but what he does on the court beyond that is even more important. Stephenson had 4 assists, a few of them coming on absolutely astonishing no-look passes or just seriously sweet dimes. He also had 2 rebounds and generally played some tough defense all night. Stephenson finished with a Defensive Rating of 91.2, tops among all players tonight. He also finished with a team-best +33.8 Net Rating.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">As fantastic as the starters were, the bench was godawful. They were awesome the other night against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Dallas Mavericks</a>, but tonight they were a dumpster fire of epic proportions. They combined to shoot just 5-of-20 overall and 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. <span>Jamal Crawford</span> led the way with 10 points, but he only shot 3-of-10 and was absolutely dreadful defensively. On the play where Jordan got injured, Crawford let his man blow right past him and that’s what forced Jordan to help. There was absolutely zero reason for Doc Rivers to play Crawford down the stretch of this game and, on nights like these when Stephenson is vastly outplaying him, Doc needs to recognize that Jamal is only hurting the team. It almost ended in a loss because of his stubborn ways.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">It makes no sense that <span>Paul Pierce</span> played 13:46 and only fired off one shot. It was a made three. He finished with 2 rebounds, as well. <span>Josh Smith</span> was still horrific, shooting just 1-of-4. He’s now a laughably bad 2-of-11 from the field with the Clippers and has 8 turnovers to go with his 8 total points. Blocks or not, Smith has to do something on offense or else he’s just a waste of space at this point. He should get better, though, so there is hope. <span>Austin Rivers</span> was 0-of-3 and shaky tonight, but played great defense only to have players drain shots right in his face. Nothing you can do about that. <span>Wesley Johnson</span> was 0-of-2 with 1 rebound. He had open looks from three and just missed them. It happens.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">On Thursday night, the bench was great. Tonight, it wasn’t. They played as if they had never seen each other in their lives. Shooting 5-of-20 and committing 6 turnovers is inexcusable. They have to do better. Doc also has to do better, as well. Recognition of who is and who is not playing well is a big deal. If this were a game against a healthier, better team, then perhaps this is a loss because he chose to go with Crawford down the stretch rather than Stephenson or Pierce. Little things matter. Doc dropped the ball tonight despite the team winning the game.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Speaking of dropping the ball, 17 turnovers is not ideal. Neither is giving up 19 offensive rebounds. The Kings only shot 25-of-53 inside the paint tonight, which means the Clippers might have gotten lucky. In fact, Sacramento was just 8-of-20 on second chances. The Clippers were 6-of-7 themselves. Clippers also were 26-of-36 inside the paint and finished with a 52-50 advantage there in points scored. Giving a team 17 more cracks at the rim from in close is not smart. Shoring up the rebounding is something that needs to be addressed. Griffin and Jordan are fine. They could be better, but at least you know what you’re getting. No one else boxes out, though. And that’s the larger issue. But, hey, the team won and that’s the bright side.</font></p>
<p></p>
<div class="read-more" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<img align="left" src="https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/40/large_sactownroyalty.com.full.50754.png" height="24" width="30"> <font face="Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Grande, sans-serif"><strong>Opposition's Blog:</strong> <a href="http://www.sactownroyalty.com/" target="new">Sactown Royalty</a></font> <img align="right" src="https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/40/large_sactownroyalty.com.full.50754.png" height="24" width="30">
</div>
<p><font face="verdana">The Kings’ All-Star big man <span>DeMarcus Cousins</span> has gone on record as saying he’s not quite fond of the Clippers. And that’s fine. In fact, that’s good. That type of energy and enthusiasm means we get to see a star player come out and try to whip the ones he hates. Unfortunately, we were robbed of that because Cousins had to leave the game at halftime due to a strained right achilles tendon. We wish him the best and hope he doesn’t miss any significant time from it. Injuries suck.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">However, while he was in the game, the monster known as Boogie put up 13 points and 9 rebounds in just 15:19. He was making life a living hell for the Clippers. So, too, was <span>Willie Cauley-Stein</span> when he wasn’t battling foul trouble. The rookie played just 22:48 because of 5 fouls, but he had 8 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, and blocked 1 shot while finishing with a +4 plus-minus. He was a godsend for them. Cousins and Cauley-Stein are going to be a fearsome duo for quite some time.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">The point guard duo of <span>Rajon Rondo</span> and <span>Darren Collison</span> combined to drop 36 points tonight on 33 shots. Rondo was nailing jumpers, Collison hit a huge three late to give the Kings a chance, and they were just great all night long. Rondo also had 8 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals to go with his 21 points. Collison had 6 assists and 3 rebounds to go with his 15 points. Maybe Rondo was rusty during the first meeting because tonight he was sensational.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">While he shot just 8-of-23, you couldn’t help but feel like <span>Rudy Gay</span> was hitting some big shots. He finished with 20 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals, but Gay hit a myriad of tough shots over a variety of defenders at some points throughout this game. He was good. <span>Ben McLemore</span> only played 10:25 and registered 3 points on 3 shots. He still looks like he has no idea what basketball is right now. He has his highs and lows, but McLemore has got to figure it out sooner rather than later if he wants to keep his job.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Collison wasn’t the only Kings bench player to perform well. <span>Omri Casspi</span> had 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists while compiling a +13 plus-minus and going 4-of-6 from the field. Kostas Koufas, who started Wednesday night, went 2-of-5 and finished with 4 points and 7 rebounds before fouling out. <span>Marco Belinelli</span> only went 2-of-8, but he finished with 11 points and hit what looked like a massive three to give the Kings a fighting chance before it was ultimately ruled a foot-on-the-line two. <span>Caron Butler</span> had 4 points on 2-of-4 shooting. One of those makes was an insane high degree of difficulty over a contesting defender.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">All told, the Kings never gave up tonight. They even had a chance to steal this game towards the end of it, just like Wednesday night. The Cousins injury was unfortunate and could be part of the reason that they lost. However, they certainly appeared to defend a lot better without him. <span>George Karl</span> had his guys pumped and ready to go, and no doubt they feel like the referees probably screwed them in this game. The Clippers attempted 21 more free throw attempts than Sacramento, so it is understandable to see why they would be angry. The officiating tonight was pretty bad both ways and I think both teams can agree that they wouldn’t want to see any of these officials for quite some time.</font></p>
<center><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="6"><b>PARTING SHOTS</b></font></center>
<p><font face="verdana">There’s really nothing to write home about this game. The Clippers won, but it wasn’t great. However, it did have its pretty moments. The team had to scratch and claw for every point they had, and that’s okay. It’s sort of endearing – in a masochistic kind of way. Look at the bright spots. The entire starting unit played fantastic, yet again, and they’re the engine that runs this team. All five guys played harmonious tonight and that’s the kind of stuff you should be able to take to the bank.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Unfortunately, the bench has a lot to work on. Maybe they’re going through a funk that they’ll just suddenly burst out of, but games like tonight cannot happen. They happened last season and the Clippers were oftentimes sunk because of the guys off the pine. Thankfully, the starters came back in and did what they do best; massacre teams with spurts of greatness. Smith and Crawford were terrible tonight, and everyone else was sort of just there. And not even the good kind of <i>“there.”</i> They were sleepwalking. Maybe they ate too much Halloween candy.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Either way, a win is a win and the team has to move on. They welcome the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a> into STAPLES Center on Monday night. The Clippers are on the verge of their first 4-0 start to a season since 2007-08. Wins are always fun, no matter the process used to earn them. Phoenix was in Portland tonight and beat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Trail Blazers</a> for the second consecutive evening. They possess the type of guards who can give the Clippers problems, and they usually do. They also have <span>Tyson Chandler</span>, the DeAndre Jordan before DeAndre Jordan. As always, it’s best to remember to keep your eyes firmly focused ahead of you and to get prepared for the task at hand. This was a game the Clippers could have easily lost, yet they found a way to earn the win. Wins are earned, not given. The Clippers took this one tonight. Happy Halloween. Be safe.</font></p>
</div>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2015/10/31/9652710/recap-los-angeles-clippers-final-sacramento-kings-blake-griffin-chris-paul-demarcus-cousinsJustin Russo2015-10-31T19:42:22-07:002015-10-31T19:42:22-07:00Clippers dunk line prior to tip-off against Kings
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/c8J25Jzbyq4PyXCSoj5fYG1QC_k=/0x456:2219x1935/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47560545/usa-today-8889127.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As per the norm, the Clippers unleashed their dunk line prior to the opening tip. Here's the footage.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Clippers</a> always have a dunk line just before the opening tip and tonight was no different as they rattled the rim with thunderous dunks one after another. The <a href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Kings</a> were doing their own thing on the other end of the court while all of this was going on. Watch as <span>DeAndre Jordan</span> and others do their thing.</p>
<p> </p>
<center> <iframe frameborder="0" height="480" width="480" src="https://vine.co/v/e31bYl61zBd/embed/simple"></iframe>
<script src="https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js"></script>
</center>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2015/10/31/9652730/clippers-dunk-line-prior-to-tip-off-against-kingsJustin Russo2015-10-31T19:00:02-07:002015-10-31T19:00:02-07:00Kings at Clippers: GameThread
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZhDqDVLEInNowILFy21f00B-KV0=/0x829:2470x2476/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47556847/usa-today-8889478.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Clippers welcome Kings to STAPLES. Go Clippers!</p> <p></p>
<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" cellspacing="5" border="1" cellpadding="5" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <th bgcolor="#ED174C" colspan="3" align="center"><font color="white">2015/2016 NBA Regular Season</font></th> </tr> <tr> <td width="240"><center><img src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4216203/kingslogo2.0.png"></center></td> <th width="20" align="center"><strong>@</strong></th> <td width="240"><center><img src="https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4180880/lacballlogo.0.png"></center></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240"><center><strong>1-1</strong></center></td> <th width="20" align="center"></th> <td width="240"><center><strong>2-0</strong></center></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#006BB6" colspan="3" align="center"><font color="white"><strong>October 31, 2015 | 7:30 PM (PDT)</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" align="center"><strong>STAPLES Center (Los Angeles, California)</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" align="center"><strong>Prime Ticket, CSN-CA, NBATV, KFWB 980 AM, KWKW 1330 AM</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <th bgcolor="#006BB6" colspan="3" align="center"><font color="white">Win-Loss Breakdown (2015-2016 Regular Season)</font></th> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong>0-0</strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">East</th> <td width="240"><strong>0-0</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong>1-1</strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">West</th> <td width="240"><strong>2-0</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong>1-1</strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">Division</th> <td width="240"><strong>1-0</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong>1-1</strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">Home</th> <td width="240"><strong>1-0</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong>0-0</strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">Road</th> <td width="240"><strong>1-0</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong>0-1</strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">.500 +</th> <td width="240"><strong>2-0</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong>1-0</strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">- .500</th> <td width="240"><strong>0-0</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong>0-0</strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">OT</th> <td width="240"><strong>0-0</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong>1-1</strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">L10</th> <td width="240"><strong>2-0</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <th bgcolor="#006BB6" colspan="3" align="center"><font color="white"><strong>Projected Starters</strong></font></th> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240" align="right"><strong><span>Rajon Rondo</span></strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">PG</th> <td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240"><strong><span>Chris Paul</span></strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong><span>Ben McLemore</span></strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">SG</th> <td width="240"><strong><span>J.J. Redick</span></strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong><span>Rudy Gay</span></strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">SF</th> <td width="240"><strong><span>Lance Stephenson</span></strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240" align="right"><strong><span>DeMarcus Cousins</span></strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">PF</th> <td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240"><strong><span>Blake Griffin</span></strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong><span>Willie Cauley-Stein</span></strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">C</th> <td width="240"><strong><span>DeAndre Jordan</span></strong></td> </tr> <tr> <th align="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="#006BB6"><font color="white"><strong>Advanced Stats (2015-2016 Regular Season)</strong></font></th> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><strong style="text-align: start;">108.66 (2nd of 30)</strong></td> <th align="center" width="20">Pace</th> <td width="240"><strong>103.67 (7th of 30)</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><strong style="text-align: start;">107.2 (5th of 30)</strong></td> <th align="center" width="20">ORtg</th> <td width="240"><strong>105.3 (6th of 30)</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><strong style="text-align: start;">104.9 (21st of 30)</strong></td> <th align="center" width="20">DRtg</th> <td width="240"><strong>91.2 (7th of 30)</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <th bgcolor="#006BB6" colspan="3" align="center"><strong><font color="white">Injuries/Other</font></strong></th> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: right;" align="right" width="240"><strong></strong></td> <th align="center" width="20"></th> <td style="text-align: left;" width="240"><strong></strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
<p></p>
<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" cellspacing="5" border="1" cellpadding="5" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <th bgcolor="#ED174C" colspan="5" align="center"><center><strong><font color="white">Clippers lead 2015-16 season series against Kings; 1-0</font></strong></center></th> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#006BB6"><center><strong><font color="white">Date</font></strong></center></td> <td bgcolor="#006BB6"><center><strong><font color="white">Venue</font></strong></center></td> <td bgcolor="#006BB6"><center><strong><font color="white">Final</font></strong></center></td> <td bgcolor="#006BB6"><center><strong><font color="white">Clips Nation Recap</font></strong></center></td> <td bgcolor="#006BB6"><center><strong><font color="white">NBA Box Score</font></strong></center></td> </tr> <tr> <td><center><strong>10/28/2015</strong></center></td> <td><center><strong>Sacramento</strong></center></td> <td><center><strong>Clippers 111, Kings 104</strong></center></td> <td><center><strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2015/10/28/9633110/game-1-recap-los-angeles-clippers-sacramento-kings-october-28-2015"><font color="red">Recap</font></a></strong></center></td> <td><center><strong><a target="_blank" href="http://stats.nba.com/game/#!/0021500016/"><font color="red">Box Score</font></a></strong></center></td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2015/10/31/9649708/sacramento-kings-at-los-angeles-clippers-gamethreadJustin Russo2015-10-31T00:00:02-07:002015-10-31T00:00:02-07:00Clippers and Kings battle on Fright Night
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-w4EQifPEtp6I8Wr5KcqAXdbm7k=/0x330:3628x2749/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47556711/usa-today-8889379.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>After a tough game on opening night against one another, the Sacramento Kings travel to the STAPLES Center to play against the Los Angeles Clippers as the good guys look to improve to 3-0.</p> <p id="paragraph0" class="pgh-paragraph has-dropcap"><font face="verdana">After winning the first two games of the season in different fashions, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a> hope to keep the mojo rolling in this third game. The team is the midst of a three game homestand and this will be the second of the tilts. Coming into town to play them will be the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Sacramento Kings</a>, their in-state neighbors from the capital. The Kings dismantled the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Los Angeles Lakers</a> on Friday night. How bad was it? Well, the Kings scored 58 points in the second half – and that was the <i>good</i> half for the Lakers defense.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Sacramento head coach <span>George Karl</span> made a strategic lineup change from their opening night game and he opted to start rookie center <span>Willie Cauley-Stein</span>. That move paid off in a huge way as the former Kentucky center finished with 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks on 7-of-8 shooting while playing 30:11. He also had 5 fouls and that limited some of his time on the floor, but he was a dynamo and difference maker when he was on the court. The Clippers will have to keep tabs on him all night if they are to knock off the Kings once again.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">This game comes down to power versus power, for the most part. The Kings got a resounding performance <span>Rajon Rondo</span> against the Lakers as the former champion totaled 21 points and 8 assists on 9-of-13 shooting. He even hit a three. It was that kind of night for Rondo. Darren Collison came off the bench and chipped in with 14 points of his own. Those two were a handful for a pitiful Lakers squad that played defense akin to that of a team looking to get their head coach fired. And maybe they are. <span>Byron Scott</span> is that terrible.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">To combat those two point guards, the Clippers will go to their main man <span>Chris Paul</span>. Unfortunately for the team, Paul has struggled through two games this season. He’s only shooting 40.9 percent from the field and is just 2-of-8 from beyond the arc. The once trusty shot of Chris Paul is not there right now, but it should be coming soon. He’s 6-of-10 in the mid-range area and that’s the lone bright spot for the guy. Paul is still Paul despite some of the struggles he’s had. He’s commanding the game, directing where guys should be, and helping shut down opposing point guards. All of those things will be pivotal in this matchup.</font></p>
<p></p>
<div class="read-more" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<img align="left" src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/40/large_sactownroyalty.com.full.50754.png" height="24" width="30"> <font face="Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Grande, sans-serif"><strong>Opposition's Blog:</strong> <a href="http://www.sactownroyalty.com/" target="new">Sactown Royalty</a></font> <img align="right" src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/40/large_sactownroyalty.com.full.50754.png" height="24" width="30">
</div>
<p><font face="verdana">The other power vs power matchup is the big boys inside. Against the Lakers, the starting combination of <span>DeMarcus Cousins</span> and Cauley-Stein worked beautifully. They combined for 38 points, 20 rebounds, and 5 blocks. The Clippers’ dynamic duo of <span>Blake Griffin</span> and <span>DeAndre Jordan</span> will have to not only match them, but outplay them. Cauley-Stein only played 8 minutes on opening night, so there wasn’t much footage of him to take from that game. Hopefully the team will do their homework prior to this meeting.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Cauley-Stein is a lot like Jordan. They’re both here to make a defensive impact, rim run, rebound, and be lengthy disruptors. There is a lot of a similarity between them. By having the original version, the Clippers do have an advantage. Jordan is one of the game’s best defenders and has helped the Clippers turn in great defensive efforts through the first two contests. The team has an overall Defensive Rating of 91.2, but see it become a staggeringly low 86.8 rating when Jordan is manning the middle. As of right now, you have to love that.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Through the first two games, Blake Griffin has been a Tour-de-force. 25-of-37 shooting is awesome. What’s even more awesome, though, is shooting 14-of-16 inside of 8 feet and 9-of-17 from 16-to-24 feet. The man has evolved and refined his game so much that he’s now turned into an eater of worlds. There might be no stopping Griffin when he gets going like this. Griffin has 59 points in 65 minutes this season, which comes out to 32.7 points per 36 minutes. He’s also averaging 9 rebounds and 3 assists per game while being this unstoppable as a scorer. He is the Kraken; devouring misguided ships and the souls onboard.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Perhaps the most interesting part of this game will be how the complimentary pieces play. It’s not fair to call <span>Rudy Gay</span> and <span>J.J. Redick</span> that, but they do take a backseat in this game considering the other storylines going on. They’re both quality scorers – Redick being the more efficient of the two since most of his stuff comes within a system rather than created for by himself – and they can each light up the scoreboard. It will be interesting to see how they do. Likewise with <span>Lance Stephenson</span> and <span>Ben McLemore</span>, each of whom have had different issues to start the year. Stephenson has been fine statistically, but has had hiccups mentally. McLemore has shot just 4-of-13 to start the year and has just 12 points in 45 minutes. He’ll have to pick it up for the Kings to possibly have a chance in this one.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Bench units will also be an interesting battle. Due to the Kings having played on Friday night, they come in on the second night of a back-to-back. However, only two players – Gay and Cauley-Stein – logged more than 30 minutes against the other Los Angeles squad. So their group of guys should be relatively fresh, or at least you would think. 9 different players played at least 20 minutes in that game, so the Kings possess a roster worthy of some fear. <span>Omri Casspi</span>, <span>Kosta Koufos</span>, and <span>Marco Belinelli</span> all present their own issues for an opponent. The Clippers bench must be up to task and battle them.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">To combat those Sacramento reserves, the Clippers will send out <span>Jamal Crawford</span>, <span>Austin Rivers</span>, <span>Josh Smith</span>, <span>Paul Pierce</span>, and <span>Wesley Johnson</span>. That has been the team’s second most used lineup of the season and they’ve totaled a Net Rating of +8.1 while somehow maintaining a Defensive Rating of 89.6 in 20 minutes. Hats off to them. However, they’ll have to continue that fine play against Sacramento. The bench did an awesome job on Thursday night to earn the starters a ton of rest, seeing as how only Griffin (26:47) and Jordan (25:53) logged more than 25 minutes.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">This is one of those games the team cannot afford to lose. Last season, with a chance to go 3-0 to start the season, the Clippers got beaten by the Kings at STAPLES Center. It’s of the utmost importance that the team not slip and fall on their face again. After this game, the team will play against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a> before traveling to play the death machine known as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a>. Wins are vital, even early. Stay focused, stay prepared, and stay hungry. Don’t fall into the same trap you did last year. Go Clippers.</font></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="5" border="1" cellspacing="5" class="sbnu-legacy-content-table">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th align="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="#ED174C"><font color="white">2015/2016 NBA Regular Season</font></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240"><center><img src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4216203/kingslogo2.0.png"></center></td>
<th align="center" width="20"><b>@</b></th>
<td width="240"><center><img src="https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4180880/lacballlogo.0.png"></center></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240"><center><b>1-1</b></center></td>
<th align="center" width="20"><br></th>
<td width="240"><center><b>2-0</b></center></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="#006BB6"><font color="white"><b>October 31, 2015 | 7:30 PM (PDT)</b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="3"><b>STAPLES Center (Los Angeles, California)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="3"><b>Prime Ticket, CSN-CA, NBATV, KFWB 980 AM, KWKW 1330 AM</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="#006BB6"><font color="white">Win-Loss Breakdown (2015-2016 Regular Season)</font></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240"><b>0-0</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">East</th>
<td width="240"><b>0-0</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240"><b>1-1</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">West</th>
<td width="240"><b>2-0</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240"><b>1-1</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">Division</th>
<td width="240"><b>1-0</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240"><b>1-1</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">Home</th>
<td width="240"><b>1-0</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240"><b>0-0</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">Road</th>
<td width="240"><b>1-0</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240"><b>0-1</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">.500 +</th>
<td width="240"><b>2-0</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240"><b>1-0</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">- .500</th>
<td width="240"><b>0-0</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240"><b>0-0</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">OT</th>
<td width="240"><b>0-0</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240"><b>1-1</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">L10</th>
<td width="240"><b>2-0</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="#006BB6"><font color="white"><b>Projected Starters</b></font></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240" bgcolor="#FFD700"><b><span>Rajon Rondo</span></b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">PG</th>
<td width="240" bgcolor="#FFD700"><b><span>Chris Paul</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240"><b><span>Ben McLemore</span></b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">SG</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>J.J. Redick</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240"><b><span>Rudy Gay</span></b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">SF</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Lance Stephenson</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240" bgcolor="#FFD700"><b><span>DeMarcus Cousins</span></b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">PF</th>
<td width="240" bgcolor="#FFD700"><b><span>Blake Griffin</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240"><b><span>Willie Cauley-Stein</span></b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">C</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>DeAndre Jordan</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th bgcolor="#006BB6" colspan="3" align="center"><font color="white"><b>Advanced Stats (2015-2016 Regular Season)</b></font></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b style="text-align: start; ">108.66 (2nd of 30)</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">Pace</th>
<td width="240"><b>103.67 (7th of 30)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b style="text-align: start; ">107.2 (5th of 30)</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">ORtg</th>
<td width="240"><b>105.3 (6th of 30)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b style="text-align: start; ">104.9 (21st of 30)</b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">DRtg</th>
<td width="240"><b>91.2 (7th of 30)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="#006BB6"><b><font color="white">Injuries/Other</font></b></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right" style="text-align: right;"><b></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center"><br></th>
<td width="240" style="text-align: left;"><b></b></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="5" border="1" cellspacing="5" class="sbnu-legacy-content-table">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th align="center" colspan="5" bgcolor="#ED174C"><center><b><font color="white">Clippers lead 2015-16 season series against Kings; 1-0</font></b></center></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#006BB6"><center><b><font color="white">Date</font></b></center></td>
<td bgcolor="#006BB6"><center><b><font color="white">Venue</font></b></center></td>
<td bgcolor="#006BB6"><center><b><font color="white">Final</font></b></center></td>
<td bgcolor="#006BB6"><center><b><font color="white">Clips Nation Recap</font></b></center></td>
<td bgcolor="#006BB6"><center><b><font color="white">NBA Box Score</font></b></center></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><center><b>10/28/2015</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>Sacramento</b></center></td>
<td><center><b>Clippers 111, Kings 104</b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a href="http://www.clipsnation.com/2015/10/28/9633110/game-1-recap-los-angeles-clippers-sacramento-kings-october-28-2015" target="_blank"><font color="red">Recap</font></a></b></center></td>
<td><center><b><a href="http://stats.nba.com/game/#!/0021500016/" target="_blank"><font color="red">Box Score</font></a></b></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2015/10/31/9649582/los-angeles-clippers-welcome-sacramento-kings-to-staples-center-for-a-halloween-tiltJustin Russo