FULLY LOADED CLIPS

The Clips killed the Bobcats in Charlotte,  111-86.

The Clips killed themselves in Dallas, losing on a last miss by Caron Butler,  92-96.

The Clips killed me by keeping it close at home against Washington,  102-84.

I’ll write only about last night’s game, being that all Clippers fans have probably read and lamented the end of the road trip by now.

Last night was the worst I’ve seen this year’s Clippers play, save for the January loss at Utah. The Clippers literally slept through 3 quarters of this game and still managed to win the game by nearly 20 points. I truly believe that may have more to do with how bad Washington is, and less to do with the Clippers’ determination and resiliency. 

Atypically the team started slow, and never seemed to be able to get going in the 1st half, even with Caron Butler shooting well. Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan were abnormally clumsy as well. Blake and DeAndre always seem to bring good energy to the game, but occasionally that energy can be wasted through overzealous and foolish play. I was confident, with the Clippers still with a small lead, that they would take over the game in the third quarter…I was wrong. Now would be the easy time to beat up on coach Del Negro, so I will. A good coach needs to have his team prepared to play. Coach VDN clearly did not accomplish that goal. I’d like to give him a bit of a pass after a 6 game road trip in the midst of a condensed 66 game season. Players are bound to get worn down this year, and each team is going to have it’s share of clunkers in the first half. Now good coaches know how to make adjustments during halftime (great coaches can do it during the game). This game looked to be an extremely easy game with Portland and San Antonio looming later this week. Last night could be called a trap game in the most traditional of definitions, but it is a coach’s job to wake the team up and take care of business against lesser opponents.

Here’s why I’m scared. The Clippers came out in the 3rd, and played WORSE. They kicked the ball around, committed turnovers, fumbled the ball out of bounds on rebounds and took WAY to many inefficient shots (for the layman, an efficient shot is a shot close to the basket, a free throw, or a 3 point shot, long 2 pt shots need not apply). Blake’s confidence shooting the ball from the free throw line or from the field is clearly shaken, and you can seem him shrink when he knows he has to shoot it. The team plays its best ball when they’re in transition or when the ball is moving rapidly around the perimeter with very little dribbling. The Clippers get in trouble, like last night, when they run the high pick and roll over and over until a guard has to take an isolated jump shot with little time left on the shot clock. Lucky for the Clippers they were playing the Wizards and even luckier for the Clips, Randy Foye (?!?) got hot at the end of the 3rd. 

One of the greatest things about this team is their incredible chemistry. When a player who is struggling, in this case Randy Foye, knocks down a bucket or two the bench goes crazy. They really like each other and want each other to succeed. This isn’t a nice Disney film feel-good attribute because it actually makes momentum swings faster and more powerful. Reggie Evans (the greek god of rebounding) got a couple loose balls and a few offensive rebounds last night and he actually received a standing ovation from the Staples Center crowd. They chanted REGGIE! REGGIE! REGGIE! for several minutes as he walked back to his spot on the bench. I can’t give the fans credit for being the most intelligent or savvy in basketball that they know when to cheer for hustle plays or smart handling of an offensive set. The fans actually take their cues from the excitement of the Clipper players. DeAndre Jordan, for all his flaws, is one of the best high five, cheerleader, team guys I’ve ever seen. I needed a guy like him in the crowd whenever I performed stand up comedy.

Going forward, I have mixed feelings about this team. I think Kenyon Martin was right in his postgame interview with FoxSportsWest when he said that the Clippers were a very talented team that was struggling to learn to play together and in some cases how to play basketball in general. I get excited when I hear those comments from K-Mart, because he’s not satisfied with the way this team plays. The Clippers are in first place, walking off the court in victory, and their new forward is being critical of his team. Teammates that love each other paired with their dissatisfaction with their own play during times of success is an excellent recipe for potential. The biggest question that has remained since Christmas Day is, “Will the Clippers be able to come together in time to make a deep playoff run?”

Tonight the Clips get the Blazers in Portland, which they seemingly never win, but fortunately LaMarcus Aldridge will be out with an injured ankle. Stealing another road win would be very nice with San Antonio on Saturday and the Lakers looming just one game back in the standings.

Also, what’s the deal with J.R. Smith? He’s not in China anymore, so, what the hell? Are you a Clipper, Knick, Pacer, Laker, or what? Make a decision already!