Clips Nation - Clippers-Bulls game coverageWhat it do babyyyhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47967/clipsnation_fave.png2015-12-11T14:25:24-08:00http://www.clipsnation.com/rss/stream/96479312015-12-11T14:25:24-08:002015-12-11T14:25:24-08:00Film Room: Clippers Shoot Themselves in Foot
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/C8fDnaqBCUYVc9pO_hnLjIjCQ6I=/2x0:694x461/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47864773/Screen_Shot_2015-10-15_at_4.01.50_PM.0.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>in an 83-80 loss, 40-percent of the Clippers shot came from the 18 to 23 foot range, a trend that is limiting the Clippers offense. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Bulls</a> spotlighted an underlying Clipper issue. It is not a new issue, and no, it is not the bench. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clippers</a> settle offensively. They rank 27<sup>th</sup> in the league in points scored in the paint. Last year, the Clippers ranked 27<sup>th</sup>. The issue proliferates during crunch time. Last season the Clippers were dead last in points-in-the-paint with 5 minutes left during a 5-point game, scoring an average 2.1 points in such situations. This year, they score at the exact same rate. A team with low-post guru <span>Blake Griffin</span> should not score this poorly around the basket, especially coupled with <span>DeAndre Jordan</span>, who scores exclusively in the paint. Against Chicago, the Clippers scored less than half their season average in the paint, getting 18 points on 9 of 24 shooting. In a snooze fest of a game, lets see how the LA offense played right into the Bulls strategy.</p>
<center><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/ic0h?logo=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen scrolling="no"></iframe></center>
<p>Not an unusual set for the Clippers on their second possession of the game. Jordan sets a down-screen for Redick, who curls and swings the ball back to <span>Chris Paul</span> for a pick-and-roll with Griffin.</p>
<p>The Bulls, without defensive wizard <span>Tom Thibodeau</span> as head coach, unpredictably have improved on defense compared to last year. Chicago leads the league in field-goal percentage allowed and rank third in defensive ratings. Now, I don't watch enough Bulls games to notice adjustments, but the schematics appear the same on pick-and-rolls. Thib's defense schemes stands as the archetype for the league, still. The guard fights over the screen while the big sits back, conceding the midrange jumper. The Clippers even followed suit this season.</p>
<p>Back to the GIF, Paul drops the pass to Griffin for the uncontested midrange shot. Not a bad look.</p>
<center><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/z5jw?logo=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen scrolling="no"></iframe></center>
<p>Two minutes later, more Redick screen action. <span>Taj Gibson</span> guards Griffin, again, and is more mindful of protecting the paint and knowing where Redick is than a Griffin midrange shot. Griffin recognizes the space, steps out and Paul delivers a crisp pass for another simple, uncontested jumpshot for Griffin.</p>
<p>For the Clipper organization, seeing Griffin make midrange shots is reassuring, but the shots become a crutch for the Clipper offense. Not just Griffin's shot, either. Paul and <span>Jamal Crawford</span> shoot midrange shots earlier in possessions. Neither possession in the two GIFs do the Clippers get the ball in the paint. There's no aspiration for more, foreshadowing the Clippers ineffectiveness on offense.</p>
<center><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/caus?logo=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen scrolling="no"></iframe></center>
<p>Next possession, the Clippers run their HORNS set, with a high screen for Paul, Jordan running the rim and Griffin popping at the midrange. Paul drives right and dishes it back to Griffin, who's spotting up about 22 feet from the hoop.</p>
<p>Again, the ball never goes in the paint. Griffin shoots a shot the Bulls willingly allow the entire game. The shots themselves are not bad looks, but, if they are shots that are accessible whenever, shouldn't the Clippers be looking for more? Blake Griffin and co. never swung the ball side to side, never attacked the gaps or forced the issue.</p>
<p>Blake shoots 75-percent in the paint, but, despite being such a prolific scorer in the paint, Blake isn't even top-50 in touches in the paint per game. In the modern era, with intricate defensive strategies, its difficult to feed the ball into the post compared to years past. Still, that's not a reasonable excuse and a copout for not getting Blake the ball closer to the basket. There's a lack of aggressiveness in the Clippers offense.</p>
<center><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/rpss?logo=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen scrolling="no"></iframe></center>
<p>Oh, the abomination referred to as the second quarter was disgusting to watch. Here's the opening shot by a Crawford, a transition three. A <span>Doc Rivers</span> interview concluded right before the shot was launched, mentioning how he wants the Clippers to speed the game up. Fine, maybe some rationalizations say the Crawford transition three isn't a bad shot.</p>
<center><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/joz7?logo=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen scrolling="no"></iframe></center>
<p>Following possession, the Clippers run a little weave action to feign the Loop set ran for Austin Rivers. Doc's Son catches the ball on the wing while <span>Josh Smith</span> can't decide to set a screen or not. Rivers drives, forcing up an awkward, contested floater. He gets his own rebound and <span>Steve Nash</span> dribbles under the basket.</p>
<p>Look how open the paint is for a cutter. Three defenders collapse around Rivers and not a single Clippers slips into the vacant area. Its as if the Clippers were allergic to the paint this game. Instead, the Bulls corral Rivers and Johnson easily into the corner. Pierce gets the ball and shoots a contested midrange, pull-up shot.</p>
<p>In the second quarter, the Clippers shot 3 of 23. 39.1-percent of the Clippers shots took place in the 18-23 foot range, an absurd number. For the season, Los Angeles hoists 25.1-percent of their shots from the 18-23-foot region, also known as Daryl Morey's hell. Only the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Timberwolves</a> shoot a higher percentage of shots from this region. These two teams clearly rank one and two. This isn't a specific stat I could easily access, so I added up each teams shot chart. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.indycornrows.com/">Pacers</a> were third with about 22-percent of shots from this area, while most of the league hovers around the 15-percent mark. A shot ostracized by basically the entire league has become a staple in the Clippers offense.</p>
<p>Clips Nation's Larson Ishii should have an article coming out soon about this dilemma, but the Clippers offense relies on an inefficient shot to be efficient. The third quarter wasn't any better. As a team, 47.6-percent of the teams shots came from Morey's Hell, shooting 3 for 10 during the period.</p>
<p>The Clippers comeback happened coincidentally when they avoided the midrange shot - not to say the Clippers going forward should rely on Josh Smith prayers to bring them back in the game - but the caliber of the shots from the first three quarters to the fourth were the same. However, how the Clippers produced the shots were different - they attacked the paint!</p>
<center><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/totk?logo=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen scrolling="no"></iframe></center>
<p>Josh Smith makes plays. Here, upon driving in the paint, three Bulls defenders help to cover Smith. If you listen closely, you can actually hear Crawford whisper, "what is this thing called where nobody is near me on the perimeter?" It is called spacing. Smith created the holes in the defense by getting in the middle. One extra pass from Crawford leads to an open three for Johnson.</p>
<p>Johnson misses an open shot, but Rivers gets the rebound and gets the ball back to Lance Stephenson. Then Lance attacks the paint, sucking in Rivers defender for the help. Born Ready passes it to Rivers for the corner three.</p>
<center><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/ex7a?logo=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen scrolling="no"></iframe></center>
<p>Two possessions later, the Clippers relentlessly probe the middle. Only once does the ball enter the paint this series, but each drive during the weave action gauges driving down the heart of the defense. Chicago does a great job helping, but Noah eventually gets sucked in on a Lance drive, who dishes it Smith for the three.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Clippers lost ground to the Bulls by being complacent and taking what the defense gave them. Los Angeles played simple. The simplicity created a predictable, inefficient offense. The offense became okay, and the team didn't try to be anything more as a unit until the fourth quarter. The first three quarters the Clippers relied on shot making, at least in the fourth quarter they attempted to create defensive miscues. By forcing the issue just a bit more in the final period, the Clippers got cleaner looks. Perhaps Josh Smith making two threes in a crucial stretch is lucky. Watching the game, it appears the Clippers created their own luck as team. If they want group success, they're going to need to continue creating luck, and it starts with attacking the paint.</p>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2015/12/11/9904872/film-room-los-angeles-clippers-midrange-shoot-themselves-in-the-foot-chicago-bullsCaden Kinard2015-12-10T20:30:00-08:002015-12-10T20:30:00-08:00Final: Bulls 83, Clippers 80
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tNIaQVRLxEChVuDvSjNo18Rnykc=/0x0:4009x2673/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47849065/usa-today-8988828.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Blake Griffin got ejected, the Clippers looked bad, the Bulls looked almost as bad, and the game was a disgrace to organization athletics. In the end, the Bulls won. </p> <p class="pgh-paragraph has-dropcap" id="paragraph0"><font face="verdana">Can you put a game tape in a canister and then just bury it in the ground somewhere out in Death Valley? If so, that’s what both teams should do. Tonight’s game was an abomination to the sport of basketball. Each side took shots like they were drunken Stormtroopers trying to lay siege on Endor. They shot, and shot, and shot, and shot, and missed, and missed, and shot, and missed, and shot, and missed. It was disgraceful. They should feel bad for their performance tonight – all of them. But, in the end, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a> overcame their own horrid shooting night by beating the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a>, 83-80.</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 bgcolor="#006BB6" class="p-boxscore__team_name"><a href="http://www.clipsnation.com/"><font color="white">Los Angeles Clippers</font></a></td>
<td bgcolor="#006BB6"><font color="white">24</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#006BB6"><font color="white">11</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#006BB6"><font color="white">19</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#006BB6"><font color="white">26</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#006BB6"><font color="white">80</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#CE1141" class="p-boxscore__team_name"><a href="http://www.blogabull.com/"><font color="white">Chicago Bulls</font></a></td>
<td bgcolor="#CE1141"><font color="white">23</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#CE1141"><font color="white">21</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#CE1141"><font color="white">20</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#CE1141"><font color="white">19</font></td>
<td bgcolor="#CE1141"><font color="white">83</font></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><font face="verdana">The game started off beautifully for the Clippers. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="www.sbnation.com/nba/players/71901/blake-griffin">Blake Griffin</a> connected on his first four shots of the evening, the Clippers rolled out to an early 19-11 lead after 8:32, and it appeared like the team was going to just waltz their way towards a glorious win on the second night of a back-to-back. Except, well, that didn’t happen. During a stretch of time that spanned the 3:20 mark of the first quarter until the 6:00 mark of the third quarter, the Clippers shot a woeful 7-of-38 (18.4 percent) from the field. They were outscored 46-24, and it ended with Griffin getting ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul on <span>Taj Gibson</span>. Nothing was going Los Angeles’ way – and then the run started.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">After Griffin’s ejection, the Clippers found themselves down by 16 points. <span>Doc Rivers</span> put <span>Josh Smith</span> into the game, and then magic happened. In the final 6 minutes of the third quarter, the Clippers trimmed the Chicago lead down to just 10. As the fourth quarter got underway, the Clippers went down by 12 until a 12-0 run happened. The run was delivered via four threes – two by Josh Smith, one by <span>Austin Rivers</span>, and by <span>Wesley Johnson</span>. We were deadlocked at 66 apiece with 7:19 to go, but the Clippers were never able to take the lead.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">The teams exchanged buckets down the stretch. <span>Derrick Rose</span> hit a three, <span>Lance Stephenson</span> hit a three, <span>Pau Gasol</span> hit one right back, <span>Chris Paul</span> hit a three, Rose made a layup, Paul hit a three from near Springfield, Illinois, and then <span>Aaron Brooks</span> got fouled on a three and made all three free throws. With 45 seconds to go, the Clippers found themselves down by 6 points. That is until Wesley Johnson hit another huge three to cut the lead in half. <span>Jimmy Butler</span> missed an open shot in the paint, the Clippers got the rebound, and they had chance to tie. Unfortunately, Chris Paul’s three-point attempt fell off the mark at the end, and the Clippers had to suffer a tough loss while <span>Blake Griffin</span> sat in the locker room for the final 18 minutes.</font></p>
<p></p>
<div class="read-more" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<font face="Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Grande, sans-serif"><strong>Tonight's Box Score:</strong> <a href="http://www.nba.com/data/10s/html/nbacom/2015/gameinfo/20151210/0021500330_Book.pdf" target="new">NBA Game Book</a></font> </div>
<p><font face="verdana">Let’s get this out of the way. Outside of Blake Griffin, no one really shot well enough to be a factor for the vast majority of this game. Griffin went 7-of-14 from the field. When he was ejected, the rest of the team was a lovely 9-of-44. So, it wasn’t great. Griffin did grab 11 rebounds, dish out 2 assists, and block 2 shots prior to his dismissal. He wasn’t great, but he was pretty much the only guy on the team doing anything positive offensively.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Safe to say that Chris Paul struggled tonight. He was only 5-of-16, and totaled 12 points, 5 assists, but had 4 turnovers. He hit two huge threes in the fourth, but messed up several times down the stretch. In a game that was sloppy, Paul embodied that at the end. One of those nights. <span>DeAndre Jordan</span> had 10 points and 14 rebounds, but was a ghost on defense. Anyone who watched that game, and has watched them this season, can see that Jordan is giving shooting big men way too much space to operate. It happened again – and the result was devastating.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">After scoring 31 points last night, Redick shot just 2-of-11 tonight and finished with 8 points. He struggled, but so did everyone. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="www.sbnation.com/nba/players/35092/luc-mbah-a-moute">Luc Mbah a Moute</a> had 5 points and 6 rebounds, but was just 2-of-9. He had a sequence where he got blocked like three times in two seconds. So, not fun. <span>Jamal Crawford</span> was 1-of-5, Austin Rivers was 1-of-6, and <span>Paul Pierce</span> was 0-of-2. They combined for 5 points on 13 shots. Not great, Bob. In other news, the Pierce-Crawford combination played 5 minutes together – and posted a -133.3 Net Rating. They’ve now played 279 minutes together, which is the 12th most minutes by a duo on the team, and posted a -11.2 Net Rating. Sweet.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">The three key players for the Clippers tonight, at least once Griffin went down, were Josh Smith, Lance Stephenson, and Wesley Johnson. Smith was just 3-of-8, but he had 8 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, and hit two massive threes to give the Clippers life. Johnson had 9 points and 4 rebounds on 3-of-6 from the field, as well as 3-of-4 from deep. Johnson has been everything the team could have hoped for. His huge three with a half-minute to go gave the team a chance. Finally, Stephenson logged 18:26 of action, and finished +8 after not playing a single second in the first half. He had 5 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal on 2-of-4 shooting. He was the engine during the comeback. It’s about time Doc unleashed him again.</font></p>
<p></p>
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" class="read-more">
<img width="30" height="24" src="https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/41/large_blogabull.com.full.57924.png" align="left"> <font face="Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Grande, sans-serif"><strong>Opposition's Blog:</strong> <a target="new" href="http://www.blogabull.com/">Blog a Bull</a></font> <img width="30" height="24" src="https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/41/large_blogabull.com.full.57924.png" align="right">
</div>
<p><font face="verdana">Did anyone help the Bulls more than Pau Gasol did? He finished with a game-high 24 points, as well as 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. He shot 10-of-19 overall, and a staggering 3-of-3 from deep. He basically dared DeAndre Jordan to guard him on the perimeter all night, but Jordan never wanted to. The end result was Gasol unleashing open shot after open shot, and the Clippers just had to deal with it. It was the kind of night that the Bulls needed out of the Spaniard while everyone else struggled.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Jimmy Butler finished with 14 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks, but he only shot 4-of-14. It was a tough night offensively for him, but it was for everyone. His value on the defensive end showed up as he helped keep <span>J.J. Redick</span> at bay. He even switched onto Chris Paul a few times down the stretch. Butler’s a good one. One of the top two-way players in the league. No doubt about that.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">While he struggled through the first three quarters, Derrick Rose scored 9 of his 11 points in the fourth quarter, including a three. He has spurts of old Rose here and there, but it’s pretty painful to watch him now. He still helped the Bulls down the stretch, though. Taj Gibson had 12 points and 8 rebounds, and was the recipient of Blake Griffin’s Flagrant 2 foul. It wasn’t malicious by Griffin at all, but any swing that connects with the head is a risky thing. <span>Tony Snell</span> had just 2 points and 4 rebounds in his 22:09.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Off the bench, the Bulls got solid production from <span>Joakim Noah</span> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="www.sbnation.com/nba/players/246416/nikola-mirotic">Nikola Mirotic</a>. The duo shot just 3-of-13 combined, but they tallied 24 total rebounds. That’s a huge deal. Aaron Brooks had 10 points off the bench, which was highlighted by a made three and then three free throws after getting fouled on another attempt. <span>Kirk Hinrich</span> also hit a three himself and finished with 3 points. <span>Doug McDermott</span> was 0-of-5 and finished with 0 points, 0 rebounds, and 0 assists, but he somehow was a game-high +14. Just one of those nights.</font></p>
<center><font size="6" face="Lucida Sans Unicode"><b>PARTING SHOTS</b></font></center>
<p><font face="verdana">Losses suck. Especially ones where your team had a chance at the end but couldn’t pull it out. However, you have to break this one down. Everyone on the team, minus Blake Griffin, supremely struggled for the better part of three quarters. The team still fought, still clawed, and still had a chance to tie at the end of regulation. It just didn’t work out. The energy provided by Stephenson, Smith, and Johnson was something that was sorely needed, and maybe it means that trio will play more going forward. Then again, no one knows.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">It was a Chicago pace tonight (91.66), yet the Clippers stayed with them despite shooting 34.1 percent. Maybe this loss will wake the team up and get them going in the right direction. It’s only one loss after winning 6 of 7. It’s best to keep that in mind. As it stands, the Clippers are now 13-10. The team must regroup quickly as they have to travel to play the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.netsdaily.com/">Brooklyn Nets</a> on Saturday afternoon (2:00 PM PT). We’ll see what Clippers team comes out and plays then. If we get the one who showed up in the first three quarters, then it could be another tough game. If it’s the one who showed up in the last quarter, the one with the energy and passion to win, then it could be a good day. Just keep <span>Jarrett Jack</span> away from us, though.</font></p>
</div>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2015/12/10/9890352/chicago-bulls-thwart-los-angeles-clippers-comeback-by-being-slightly-less-terrible-recapJustin Russo2015-12-10T16:45:02-08:002015-12-10T16:45:02-08:00Los Angeles Clippers at Chicago Bulls
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/lD0M3OQLjcaGVF3TcveIHePumf8=/0x674:3320x2887/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47843247/GettyImages-465280504.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>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><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://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4341375/lacballlogo2.0.png"></center></td> <th width="20" align="center"><strong>@</strong></th> <td width="240"><center><img src="https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4341371/bullslogo.0.png"></center></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240"><center><strong><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a> (13-9)</strong></center></td> <th width="20" align="center"></th> <td width="240"><center><strong><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a> (11-8)</strong></center></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#006BB6" colspan="3" align="center"><font color="white"><strong>December 10, 2015 | 5:00 PM (PDT)</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" align="center"><strong>United Center (Chicago, Illinois)</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" align="center"><strong>TNT, Prime Ticket, KFWB 980 AM, KWKW 1330 AM</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>Chris Paul</span></strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">PG</th> <td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240"><strong><span>Derrick Rose</span></strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong><span>J.J. Redick</span></strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">SG</th> <td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240"><strong><span>Jimmy Butler</span></strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="www.sbnation.com/nba/players/35092/luc-mbah-a-moute">Luc Richard Mbah a Moute</a></strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">SF</th> <td width="240"><strong><span>Tony Snell</span></strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240" align="right"><strong><span>Blake Griffin</span></strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">PF</th> <td width="240"><strong><span>Taj Gibson</span></strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong><span>DeAndre Jordan</span></strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">C</th> <td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240"><strong><span>Pau Gasol</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;">99.31 (12th of 30)</strong></td> <th align="center" width="20">Pace</th> <td width="240"><strong>100.3 (7th of 30)</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><strong style="text-align: start;">104.3 (5th of 30)</strong></td> <th align="center" width="20">ORtg</th> <td width="240"><strong>97.4 (28th of 30)</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><strong style="text-align: start;">101.5 (16th of 30)</strong></td> <th align="center" width="20">DRtg</th> <td width="240"><strong>97.3 (4th 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><span>Mike Dunleavy</span> (Out) Back</strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
<p></p>
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" class="read-more"> <br><img width="30" height="24" src="https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/41/large_blogabull.com.full.57924.png" align="left"> <font face="Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Grande, sans-serif"><strong>Opposition's Blog:</strong> <a target="new" href="http://www.blogabull.com/">Blog a Bull</a></font> <img width="30" height="24" src="https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/41/large_blogabull.com.full.57924.png" align="right"><br> </div>
<p></p>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2015/12/10/9883894/gamethread-los-angeles-clippers-at-chicago-bullsJustin Russo2015-12-10T00:00:02-08:002015-12-10T00:00:02-08:00Preview: Clippers at Bulls
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/H4LsDg0eH6mBxhZcWdkY4RxvLKw=/289x24:2363x1407/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47842981/usa-today-8423985.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>One team is riding a three game winning streak while the other is riding a three game losing streak. If the Los Angeles Clippers are to upend the Chicago Bulls, they'll need to be on their A-game.</p> <p class="pgh-paragraph has-dropcap" id="paragraph0"><font face="verdana">On the bright side of things for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a>, the team has won three straight games. As they head into Thursday night’s battle against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a>, it is best to be reminded that the Clippers have won five straight games at United Center alone. They’ll look to make it a sixth straight game as the two teams square off on national television. For the Bulls, they’re looking to end a season-worst three game losing streak. It won’t be an easy game for either side.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">There’s zero doubt that the best player on Chicago is <span>Jimmy Butler</span>. It’s been apparent for quite some time. On the year, the menacing two-way wing is averaging 21.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks on 45.6 percent from the floor and 36.1 percent from deep. There aren’t too many more capable wings in the league than Butler. His ability to spot-up shoot, shoot off the dribble, create off the dribble, and do every single thing the team needs cannot be undersold. Last year at STAPLES Center, Butler ate Clipper wings alive in the post possession after possession as a scorer and a passer. Shutting him down won’t be easy, but it’ll be required. Butler is the catalyst.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">As far as good news for the Bulls, that’s pretty much where it ends. They struggle in a lot of other areas, and it’s hard to pinpoint who their second best player might be. <span>Pau Gasol</span> is averaging 14.8 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.2 blocks on 44.0 percent shooting. The Spaniard is still a serviceable mid-range shooter seeing as he’s shooting 41.6 percent on mid-range shots this season, and 42.5 percent from 16-to-24 feet. As always, the Clippers need to respect his jumper and make sure to keep him off the offensive glass. Boxing out is a must. Gasol still rates as a solid rim protector, as well. If the Clippers are to win, they can’t let Gasol impact the game on both ends. One is fine, both is not.</font></p>
<p></p>
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" class="read-more">
<img width="30" height="24" src="https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/41/large_blogabull.com.full.57924.png" align="left"> <font face="Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Grande, sans-serif"><strong>Opposition's Blog:</strong> <a target="new" href="http://www.blogabull.com/">Blog a Bull</a></font> <img width="30" height="24" src="https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/41/large_blogabull.com.full.57924.png" align="right">
</div>
<p><font face="verdana">The former MVP of the league, <span>Derrick Rose</span>, is struggling. He’s averaging just 13.6 points, 5.9 assists, and 3.6 rebounds, but his woeful shooting is the real story. Rose is converting on just 35.9 percent of his overall shots, and just a horrendous 22.7 percent of his shots from three. His once solid mid-range jumper is even gone, as he’s shooting just 29.8 percent from 16-to-24 feet. The phrase <i>“massive disappointment”</i> comes immediately to mind when discussing Rose’s season. He’s still a solid defender, but his value used to be on the offensive end and yet that value isn’t there anymore. As an aside, this will be Rose’s first game against the Los Angeles Clippers since December 30, 2011. Nearly four years have gone by since Rose last played against them – and it’s safe to say that a lot has changed.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">The only other player averaging double-digit points for the Bulls is second-year forward <span>Nikola Mirotic</span>. The highly-touted shooting big man has helped the team, but not in the shooting department that much. He’s shooting just 39.0 percent on the year, and only 32.7 percent from deep. To compound that issue, Mirotic is shooting just 26.7 percent from three at home this season. Mirotic is averaging 11.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, but his shooting has to pickup for the Bulls to come out of their little slump. Because he can stretch the floor, the Clippers do need to keep an eye on him when he is in the game on the off-chance that he actually comes out of his cocoon in this game.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">To round out the Bulls, <span>Tony Snell</span> and <span>Taj Gibson</span> are now in the starting lineup. Snell has started 15 games, but only averages 5.8 points on 34.9 percent shooting (45.6 percent from three). The Bulls have a 93.6 Defensive Rating when Snell is on the court, but just 100.4 without him. Gibson is averaging 6.7 points and 5.7 rebounds, and the team is better defensively with him on the floor. <span>Doug McDermott</span> finally found his shot, and he’s averaging 9.4 points on 47.6 percent overall, as well as from three. <span>Joakim Noah</span>, a former Defensive Player of the Year, is averaging just 3.4 points, but he’s hauling in 8.3 rebounds while dishing out 3.6 assists. Even though they’re scuffling, the Bulls will not be an easy opponent. They present serious defensive issues for the Clippers, and only a sound gameplan will win this game.</font></p>
<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://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4341375/lacballlogo2.0.png"></center></td>
<th width="20" align="center"><b>@</b></th>
<td width="240"><center><img src="https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4341371/bullslogo.0.png"></center></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240"><center><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a> (13-9)</b></center></td>
<th width="20" align="center"><br></th>
<td width="240"><center><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a> (11-8)</b></center></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#006BB6" colspan="3" align="center"><font color="white"><b>December 10, 2015 | 5:00 PM (PDT)</b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3" align="center"><b>United Center (Chicago, Illinois)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3" align="center"><b>TNT, Prime Ticket, KFWB 980 AM, KWKW 1330 AM</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th bgcolor="#006BB6" colspan="3" align="center"><font color="white"><b>Projected Starters</b></font></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<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>Derrick Rose</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b><span>J.J. Redick</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">SG</th>
<td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240"><b><span>Jimmy Butler</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="www.sbnation.com/nba/players/35092/luc-mbah-a-moute">Luc Richard Mbah a Moute</a></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">SF</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Tony Snell</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240" align="right"><b><span>Blake Griffin</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">PF</th>
<td width="240"><b><span>Taj Gibson</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="240" align="right"><b><span>DeAndre Jordan</span></b></td>
<th width="20" align="center">C</th>
<td bgcolor="#FFD700" width="240"><b><span>Pau Gasol</span></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="#006BB6"><font color="white"><b>Advanced Stats (2015-2016 Regular Season)</b></font></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240"><b style="text-align: start; ">99.31 (12th of 30)</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">Pace</th>
<td width="240"><b>100.3 (7th of 30)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240"><b style="text-align: start; ">104.3 (5th of 30)</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">ORtg</th>
<td width="240"><b>97.4 (28th of 30)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="240"><b style="text-align: start; ">101.5 (16th of 30)</b></td>
<th align="center" width="20">DRtg</th>
<td width="240"><b>97.3 (4th of 30)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th bgcolor="#006BB6" colspan="3" align="center"><b><font color="white">Injuries/Other</font></b></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: right;" align="right" width="240"><b></b></td>
<th align="center" width="20"><br></th>
<td style="text-align: left;" width="240"><b><span>Mike Dunleavy</span> (Out) Back</b></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><font face="verdana">Leading the charge for the Clippers, as always, is <span>Blake Griffin</span>. The power forward is averaging 24.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists on 52.0 percent shooting. The issue is that he’s shooting just 29 percent from 16-to-24 feet over the last 7 games. He’s struggling in a big way despite him hauling in 12.7 rebounds per game over the last three Clipper games. Griffin’s shot needs to come back, and it needs to come back soon. The team needs it.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">In last night’s win against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brewhoop.com/">Milwaukee Bucks</a>, <span>J.J. Redick</span> came in and dropped 31 points on his old team. The shooting guard is now averaging 14.4 points on a sparkling 47.3 percent overall and 45.2 percent from beyond the arc. His movement opens up everything for the offense. The team boasts a 111.7 Offensive Rating with Redick on the court, and he sports a +12.2 Net Rating when on the court. Both of those, the Offensive Rating and Net Rating, lead the team. That speaks volumes to his importance.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana"><span>Chris Paul</span> dazzled during last night’s game, piling up 18 points and 18 assists in 38 minutes. The assist total wasn’t just a season-high for him, but it was most assists he’s had in a game since he became a member of the Los Angeles Clippers. Paul has struggled with his shot this season, and whether that’s because of injuries that have plagued him early in the year or because he’s declining is to be seen, but he’s still one of the best in the game at his position. Paul’s averaging 16.9 points, 8.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.7 steals on 45.9 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from three. You can’t doubt his heart. He gives it his all out there.</font></p>
<p></p>
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" class="read-more">
<img width="30" height="24" src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/47/large_clipsnation.com.full.51676.png" align="left"> <font face="Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Grande, sans-serif"><strong>Past Game Previews:</strong> <a target="new" href="http://www.clipsnation.com/game-previews">2015-16 Game Previews</a></font> <img width="30" height="24" src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/blog/sbnu_logo/47/large_clipsnation.com.full.51676.png" align="right">
</div>
<p><font face="verdana">Still one of the game’s premier athletes, center <span>DeAndre Jordan</span> is averaging 11.0 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks on 68.8 percent shooting. Unfortunately, his 38.5 percent mark from the free throw line leaves him and the team prone to the Hack-a-Jordan strategy – and it’s something that teams have done quite often this season. Jordan put up just 9 points last night, but he had 19 rebounds. Jordan’s not there for the scoring. Instead, he’s there for the defense and windex work. Over the last five games, Jordan has averaged 12.8 points, 16.8 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks. The team needs him to keep up that level of play.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">The unsung hero on this team might be <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="www.sbnation.com/nba/players/112559/wesley-johnson">Wesley Johnson</a>. The wing is averaging just 5.7 points per game, but he’s shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from three while providing hard work on defense and hustle. It’s hard to put a value on how much Johnson has meant to the team. When put into a lineup with the Core Four starters, Johnson and the group have a +19.5 Net Rating in 68 minutes – and they’re pulling down 51.9 percent of all available rebounds. The spacing Johnson has provided as a corner shooter has been awesome, as well. There isn’t enough adequate time to talk about how great he’s been as an acquisition.</font></p>
<p><font face="verdana">Among the rest, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="www.sbnation.com/nba/players/35092/luc-mbah-a-moute">Luc Mbah a Moute</a> is averaging just 1.6 points, but he’s giving the team veteran grit on the wing as he tries his best to defend and rebound. The Core Four plus Mbah a Moute have a Net Rating of +10.5 in 73 minutes. <span>Jamal Crawford</span> is averaging 13.2 points, but he’s still shooting a porous 36.9 percent overall. He has his offensive outbursts, but they’re not as frequent. <span>Austin Rivers</span>, <span>Josh Smith</span>, and <span>Lance Stephenson</span> are all part of a bench unit that struggles to score, but at least they compete defensively. Smith and head coach <span>Doc Rivers</span> had a verbal spat last night, but Smith later returned to the floor to help the team in a big way. The fringe players need to show up if the team wants to keep this winning streak rolling.</font></p>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2015/12/10/9883542/los-angeles-clippers-storm-do-some-running-with-the-chicago-bulls-previewJustin Russo