FULLY LOADED CLIPS

Once again the Clippers found themselves playing down to their opponents and nearly lost their opportunity for home court in the first round of the playoffs. The Clippers deserve a little slack after having their hearts’ broken earlier yesterday afternoon when Kobe and Co. came back from a 17 point deficit to lock up the 3 seed against OKC. With the Pacific Division championship and the 3 seed dream now over, the Clippers need to focus on one thing and one thing only: Winning 1 game. The Clippers head to Atlanta on Tuesday and if they can manage any sort of win, they can lock up home court in the 1st round. This is VERY important, because Memphis is continuing to win games and will most likely finish with an identical record as the Clippers. The Atlanta game becomes crucial because with only a 2 games left the Clippers have a few nagging injuries starting to creep up on them. Yesterday, Caron Butler aggravated his hip injury and Nick Young didn’t even play because of his ongoing gimpy-ness. Also, Blake Griffin picked up his 12th technical foul, meaning 1 more and he’s suspended for 1 game. Just imagine if he got a tech in the finale at Madison Square Garden. The Clippers would be without their electric big man for the first game of the playoffs. And forgive me for being so blunt, but this 1st round against Memphis is going 7 games whether they like it or not.

Self control is becoming as big a part of the end of this season as injuries have. With Ron…err…Metta World Peace elbowing OKC’s 6th man of the year, the Lakers look to be down a player for a few games if not the entire 1st round. Blake Griffin can’t afford a fate similar to this, and let’s be honest, it’s really not that difficult to not get technical fouls. 

Previewing the REAL BALLERS OF ATLANTA  on Bravo:

The Atlanta Hawks are an athletic team that can beat anyone if they get hot, but they are streaky and can go cold for long stretches. It remains to be seen if Atlanta really has anything to play for. Atlanta is going to be stuck playing the Celtics in the 1st round of the playoffs, but they look to have home court being that they beat the Celtics just last week. The Celtics do own the tiebreaker, so the Clippers are probably going to have to deal with a revved up Hawks team. The Celtics play the heat on Tuesday, so maybe the Hawks should just chill the fuck out. The Celtics haven’t even played Allen, KG, or Rondo in their last two games. 

The Clippers are going to have an awful time winning this game against the Hawks, but this really feels like Mo Williams will have his name all over it. CP3 is going to give it his all and Blake will provide good energy, but coach VDN knows he needs his role players to become scoring threats in the final two games. Look for Mo Williams to run the 2nd team while opening up a TON of 3 point attempts for Randy Foye, Bobby Simmons, and even maybe Bledsoe (god, I hope not). I don’t like the idea of a shorthanded Clippers team going into a must win game, but at least there’s a good chance the Knicks will be taking the day off on Thursday.

So here’s a quick recap of what the 3-5 seeds look like going into Monday night:

3. LAKERS (41-24)  Remaining: @ Sacramento; Predicted W-L (42-24)

4. CLIPPERS (40-24) Remaining: @ Atlanta, @ New York; Predicted W-L (41-25)

5. GRIZZLIES (39-25) Remaining:  vs Cleveland, vs Orlando; Predicted W-L (41-25)

The Clippers have quietly returned to the Western Conference Champion conversation. For a team that wins almost ALL of their games by a small margin in the final minutes of the final quarter, they have done an excellent job of staying under the radar. Only in a season this screwy could a team with an MVP candidate, the most electrifying player under the sun, and having a home court in the 2nd largest market in America go almost completely unrecognized. 

The headline hierarchy goes some thing like this:

1.CAN THE HEAT WIN IT ALL?

2.WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH THE ORLANDO MAGIC?

3.CAN KOBE AND DERRICK ROSE RETURN TO FULL STRENGTH FOR THE PLAYOFFS?

4.ARE THE SPURS TOO OLD?

5.IS THIS THE YEAR OF THE THUNDER?

6.HOLY SHIT, THE CLIPPERS ARE GOOD?

By my unscientific count, the Clippers are at best the 6th most compelling playoff story  as far as the major media outlets are concerned. To be honest, that’s just fine by me. I really don’t think coach VDN needs any more pressure on him than he already has. Many of the guys on the team don’t have any playoff experience and for that reason they’re inclined to press during the playoffs. It would actually be a great relief if the Lakers could dominate Los Angeles’ sports page at least through the 1st round. 

My earlier post about the finishing schedules of the Lakers, Clippers, and Grizzlies is beginning to come into shape. The Grizzlies did drop their first game, destroying my undefeated pick, but they’re still on pace to finish 7-1 in their final 8. It is imperative that the Clippers keep winning. The Clippers really showed something by defeating the Thunder at home a few night’s back but the more important win was probably in Denver. Road games against playoff hungry teams are going to be slugfests that truthfully, I’d rather the Clips didn’t have to be playing this time of year. The Lakers seems to be in similar trouble as the Clips because the Grizzlies are going to keep coming given their cupcake schedule. The Lakers have a MAJOR advantage over the Clippers with the tiebreaker. As it sits right now the Clips and Lakers are on a collision course to finish with identical records. Strangely enough, one more loss by the Grizz and the playoff standings would basically be set. The Lakers and the Clippers, both, own tiebreakers over Memphis, so with the help of a Grizz loss and some fancy math the Clips could lock in to the 4 seed. 

I guess the scariest part of the final 4 games of the season is trying to find the balance between health and victory. On paper the Clippers really need to run the table in these games, but should the Grizzlies lose and the Lakers take down the Thunder and the Spurs, I would seriously consider resting everyone for the away games @Atlanta, and @New York. A season this grueling puts coaches in a very precarious position and one’s record really doesn’t mean much once the playoffs begin. The Spurs are especially dangerous because their coach has been resting the starters off an on for ENTIRE games and still could win the top seed in the Western Conference.

The Clippers have 3 of their final 4 on the road. Shockingly, tonight’s game in Phoenix might be the most difficult game left on the schedule. The Suns are only a half game out of the playoff picture, and their Clippers haven’t won in Phoenix since before the housing crisis. After tonight’s bloodbath, the Clips will finish their home schedule with the Hornets. That’s a cupcake and the Clips should have that game over with by halftime. Then comes the interesting games. Back to back games against the Hawks and the Knicks. Both teams could be locked into their playoff positions by then. Even more interesting the Clippers could be locked into their playoff seed. So these road games could be do or die must win games or a couple of snoozefest games between teams that don’t care. 

In sports, people always talk about teams having “control of their own destiny”. This year it seems the Clippers have very little control over their destiny. The Lakers really control the destiny of the Clippers, Grizzlies, AND themselves. The good news here is, no matter what happens that destiny is a playoff destiny. So yes, watch the Clippers tonight and cheer them on against the Hornets in their home finale, but I’d keep one eye on the Lakers come Friday and Sunday. Your destiny depends on it.

It’s not going to be pretty from here on out. The Clippers just have to keep on winning. The playoff race is going to be played on the razor’s edge for the rest of the way and CP3 realizes the Lakers, Grizzlies, and even Vinny Del Negro need not stand in his way. The Clippers are luckily flying under the radar and could be a very sneaky team in the 1st round of the playoffs. Unfortunately however, the Lakers and Grizzlies (their likely opponents) don’t show signs of letting up either. The hottest teams in the Western conference may be the Lakeshow, Memphis, and our very own Clippers.

Next up the Clips face off against the 1st place Thunder on Monday night. It’s a real shame the Clippers have to have a game that tough when they’re pushing for the 3 seed, but as we’ve seen before the Clippers tend to play up or down to their opponents. So perhaps the Clippers will be hardened into playoff steel by the time the season comes to a close. The Clippers certainly have to feel good about being one win from clinching a playoff spot. Playoff tickets are incredibly rare in these parts, so convincing me that we’re actually in the playoffs is going to be a difficult enough task. 

As for today’s game I was impressed in the starters’ resilience, but the bench really left a lot to be desired. Nick Young needs to raise his game now that Mo Williams is back from being injured. Nick Young doesn’t have the pressure to score that he was saddled with while Mo was on the shelf. I really hope he learns to relax and just let the game come to him. The giant red flag in this game was the 12th technical foul Blake “earned” by shooting his mouth off. Blake is a truly great player, but he continues to hurt himself by insisting on berating the refs after nearly every possession. With Blake’s next tech he will be force into a mandatory one game suspension. The Clippers have ABSOLUTELY no room for error, and Blake’s screwing around with the refs. Hopefully CP3 and even the injured Chauncey Billups will sit Blake down and explain to him that he’s hurting the team. Maturity is not this team’s greatest quality, but if they plan on making noise in the playoffs they have to learn to play smart. Right now the smartest thing they can do is keep Blake’s mouth shut.

Next up:

Lakers play Dallas tomorrow

Memphis has Utah tonight

Clippers face Thunder on Monday

Let the chaos ensue, go Clippers!

2 wins in two days. The Clips cut down OKC on the road and then turned around and planted the T-Wolves. Obviously the win over the Thunder looks far more impressive than the victory over a Rubio/Love-less Wolves squad. However, the win tonight was just as, if not more, important than the OKC game. The Lakers, Clippers, and Grizzlies are in a dead heat that will easily go down to the final games of the season. Each win counts as one W and each loss counts the same in the L column. Games against the Thunder are going to count the same as games against the Bobcats, so every team knows they can’t have off nights or fall victim to trap games. The Lakers hold an advantage over the Clippers because of the tiebreaker, but the Lakers still have San Antonio two more times on their schedule. The two road wins this week will be huge if the Clippers have any hopes of snagging that 3 seed and the Pacific title. 

Now I’ll break down the schedules of these 3 playoff teams:

Memphis Grizzlies:

vs Utah Jazz- Must win for the Jazz but they’re fading. Memphis will defend their home court fiercely.

@ New Orleans Hornets- I doubt the Hornets will win anymore games this year. They want that #1 pick.

@ Minnesota Timberwolves- Kevin Love and Rubio are out. That means the Wolves are out.

vs New Orleans Hornets- Must be nice to play these cupcakes twice.

@ Charlotte Bobcats- This is the best college basketball team in the country. Unfortunately, they play in the NBA.

vs Portland Trailblazers- The Blazers are calling it quits now that Aldridge is out for the season.

vs Cleveland Cavs- A very respectable season for a rebuilding squad but with the Grizz playing for their lives, I anticipate another W for Memphis.

vs Orlando Magic- Which Magic team will show up? If the Magic has anything to play for they could win this game, but if not they’ll lay down like dogs.

Grizzlies finish (8-0)

Los Angeles Lakers:

vs Denver Nuggets- If Kobe’s still out, this one’s a coin flip. Denver can’t afford to lose.

vs Dallas Mavs- Same story with Dallas. They’re fighting just to make the playoffs. Nobody wants to start the playoffs in OKC or San Antonio.

vs. San Antonio Spurs- With the Thunder skidding the Spurs look to take the 1 seed and home court throughout the playoffs.

@ Golden State Warriors- Strangely this road game might be a welcome relief for the Lakers. No way G State wins this game.

@ San Antonio Spurs- Party’s over. The Spurs don’t lose at home…much.

vs Oklahoma City Thunder- From the frying pan into the fire. This game will be a barn burner. Also, the Thunder is a terrible match up for the Lakers.

@ Sacramento Kings- A blowout to end the year will help Laker fans from jumping off a bridge.

Lakers finish (4-3)

Los Angeles Clippers:

vs Golden State Warriors- This game will be closer than it needs to be, but the Clips take care of business.

vs Oklahoma City Thunder- A payback game. The Thunder don’t let the Clips get away with another one.

@ Denver Nuggets- The Nuggets and Clippers will kill each other in this game. Don’t be surprised to see a fight or a few ejections. Good things don’t happen in Colorado…just ask Kobe.

@ Phoenix Suns- No one can explain why the Suns won’t go away. No one can explain to Steve Nash that he should go play for a better team. Hopefully I won’t have to explain why the Clips let this one get away.

vs New Orleans Hornets- This one will feel particularly good with the tension that will be built up by this point.

@ Atlanta Hawks- Which Hawks team shows up and will they have anything to play for? I hope they won’t. The Hawks are young, athletic, and fighting for their playoff lives.

@ New York Knicks- This one will make for good TV but I can’t see CP3 letting his team close the season with a loss at MSG. Sorry Melo.

Clippers finish (5-2)

So here’s my playoff prediction for the 3-5 seeds:

3. Memphis Grizzlies

4. Los Angeles Lakers (by virtue of tie breaker)

5. Los Angeles Clippers

This doesn’t make me happy, but it’ll be a hell of a first round match up if the Grizz run the table.

Go Clippers!

Nothing cures a bad losing streak like playing shitty teams at home. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy. Winning is always better than losing, but as the Wolf said, “let’s not start sucking each other’s dicks quite yet.” The Clippers have two more huge home games before heading back out on the road to visit Dallas. The Clips play a short handed Portland squad and a suddenly potent Utah team. The Blazers always play hard and the Clips know protecting their home court won’t be easy, but if coach VDN thinks he’s truly figured this coaching thing out the Clippers should win that game. The toughie should be the Utah game. Since I was a small boy the Jazz have been slow, white, and irritatingly good. This year is no different, and with the Western Conference playoff picture becoming more and more of a clusterfuck by the day, I anticipate a dog fight in this one. 

The Lakers are a boring team. The Lakers don’t even look like a particularly good team, yet there they sit in the 3rd seed for the West. The Lakers lull the NBA to sleep by beating all the bad teams and stealing a few wins against the good teams. The Lakers protect their home court and beat lower teams on the road. Everyone wouldn’t be terribly impressed with their resume, but you look up and “bam” there they are in 1st place. The Spurs have been doing this in the West for the last decade. Personally I’d rather watch the Bobcats self destruct in Charlotte than go to a Spurs game. Paint watches Tim Duncan dry. Yet, the Spurs are once again in the running to have the best record in the NBA!

Winning is new to the Clippers, but to be a great team they need to figure out how to be “boring good”. Blake needs to learn how to give 100% effort the correct way, so he isn’t burnt out down the stretch or loafing on defense. Coach VDN needs to prepare his team to blow out teams like the Kings, so he can rest his starters in the 2nd half. CP3 needs to teach the team how to run the pick and roll to get easy buckets, so they don’t have to rely on clutch jump shooting all the time. Andrew Bynum is starting to put up Blake-like numbers, and that’s not because he’s the 2nd coming of Kareem. Bynum gets 20 points every night from shots inside 1ft. Basketball is about match ups and advantages. Good players and good coaches exploit the match ups that favor themselves and hide the bad match ups if possible. 

The Clippers are better than the Trailblazers and the Jazz, but now they have to go out and prove it. There is only one month left in the season and the Clippers are going to be under pressure to squeeze out every possible win. The West is a complete nightmare, and playoff seeding is becoming less and less important, but the adage that experienced teams win in the NBA seems to be holding up. The Lakers and the Spurs look prepared for the run. The Thunder are the most talented team out there, but they’re still untested for the deep run. The rest of the West is a mess of anyone’s game. As long as the Clips have a healthy CP3, anything’s possible, but they’d be wise to win all they can from now through April.

I read the news today, oh boy

About a lucky man who had it made,

And though the news was rather sad,

I just had to laugh. The team was really fucking bad.

I blew the knees out of my stars,

I didn’t notice that the game had changed.

A crowd of people stood and stared,

They’d seen my face before, but nobody was really sure how many shitty coaches the Clips could afford!

I saw some film today, oh boy,

During the Detroit game the team looked bored,

A crowd of people turned away,

But I just had to look,

it’s my job and I’m a crook,

I love to coach this teeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaam!

Woke up, fell out of bed,

spread some grease across my head.

Found my way to the court,

my job is joke.

CP3 spoke and I went into a dream.

ahhhhhhhhhh, ahhhhhhh, la la la, ah ah 

I read the news today, oh boy,

Four thousand holes in our perimeter,

And though the holes were rather small,

They exploited them all,

Now they have open shots and they seem to make them all…

I love to coach this teeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaam!

“A word of advice coach, the shots you take are not equal to the shots you make. So draw up some better offensive sets, jackass.”

Clips barely win two in a row, Houston and Detroit. Next stop Indy.

Clips beat Hawks 96-82, hooray, yada yada yada.

The Clippers got rid of Brian Cook!

This is Nick Young. He is a jackass. He wildly shoots the ball from anywhere on the court. He has no idea what shot efficiency is. He’ll fit right in! I love this trade. The Clippers didn’t give up anything that could jeopardize the future (Bledsoe or a 1st rounder) and they got rid of one of the two guys rotting on the bench. Cook has given the Clippers the same amount of quality minutes this month that I have (zero). So if the Clippers can get ANYTHING out of Young they will win this trade. The Clips can also have a little more line up flexibility with Young’s 6’7 frame. He can play a big two or spell Caron at the three if necessary. The Clippers needed depth desperately, and I believe this is something. Nick Young is not going to help the glaring problem of perimeter defense, but hey, at least he’s 6’7. 

The Clippers play the Suns tonight, and you might as well get out your magic 8 ball to find out what’s going to happen. Are the Clippers energized from the win against the Hawks? Are they excited about the trade and the organization’s commitment to building a winner? Your guess is as good as mine. What I’ll find most interesting actually, is what this does to Ryan Gomes. He has been the biggest zero on the Clippers team (this side of Brian Cook) and with the trade for Nick Young (who plays the exact same position as Gomes), Ryan could be compelled to fight for his job or quit and wait for the offseason. If he quits, he could get cut, and if he works his ass off, the Clippers will have another quick minute option off the bench. My guess is he shrinks in the face of adversity, but I’ll be rooting for him to rally.

This final message is to Chris Paul. Spread the floor. Get perimeter spacing. Get the ball to the shooters. And yell at those bastards to get back on defense. If they can start hitting 3s, playing SOME defense and running the break, the Clippers can turn this old ship around.

Let’s go Clips.

I’m pretty sure the only point of Sacramento having a basketball team or even existing as a city for that matter is the purpose of losing basketball games (the same goes for Charlotte, NC). So it was much to my surprise and dismay when the Clippers couldn’t seems to shake the Kings for the better part of 3 quarters. Like a bad cold, the Kings kept hanging around and making coach Del Negro’s life difficult. We all know how coach VDN doesn’t like to think or do stuff. Ultimately the Clippers got hot in the 4th quarter thanks to new arrival, Bobby Simmons, and old reliable, Mo Williams. 

Now for some negative commentary! The most important part of weathering a basketball season (or life) is to learn from your mistakes, make adjustments, make new mistakes, and make more adjustments. Growing as a team from mistakes creates a hardened shell on team when they enter the playoffs and prevents the possibility of panic or negativity. Everyone on the team has a “we will overcome” attitude. The scary part of this Clippers team is that they have been making the same mistakes over and over and over and over again. Chris Paul is a great leader and he’s been in all the players’ faces, but they don’t seem to be going with him the way they were when Chauncey was healthy. Coach Del Negro just stands on the sideline like a cardboard cut out waiting for the team to turn things around. Coach should know that this league is about confidence. Confidence is created by success. Success is created by favorable match ups and favorable opportunities. Favorable opportunities are created by COACHES! 

This team will not survive in the long run by giving up a hundred plus points per game to the likes of the Kings. This team will not survive by shooting 17 foot jumpshots at the end of the shot clock with Blake or K-Mart. This team will not survive unless they start blowing out some bad teams in an effort to give their starters a rest. The condensed schedule is hard for every team, but with a team with no depth, like the Clips, the schedule is particularly cruel. Neil Olshey has already started to tinker with the roster by bringing up Bobby Simmons from the D-league in an effort to possibly spark scoring off the bench. Today, sources are reporting, that Travis Leslie has been jettisoned to the d-league creating room on the roster for another would-be contributor. I’m not really sure who or what is available, but with the signing of a retired Rasheed Wallace with the Lakers, it is evident that teams are becoming desperate looking under rocks for anyone they believe can help them win down the stretch. 

Being a Clippers fan has always been about the future. “Man, these guys have great potential”, we’d always say. And, “When these guys come together, look out!” The strange and uplifting truth is that the future has arrived. Neil Olshey cut Travis Leslie, not because he’s a bad player, but because the Clippers need seasoned NBA guys. The days of looking for young upside guys is over. When I start hearing names like Ray Allen getting kicked around, I know things have changed. That said, with great win-loss record, comes great responsibility. The Clippers know this year is their shot. Young team, short season, favorable contracts; it’s time to win…NOW. 

This brings me back to my negative points. The Clippers, as constructed, cannot win the title. It is possible if Ryan Gomes, Brian Cook, Randy Foye, Eric Bledsoe wake up from their collective coma, but not likely. The Clippers can bring in whomever they want and Neil Olshey can create minor miracles with the roster, but until this team learns to play better defense, more efficient offense, and serviceable bench play, they’re in deep trouble. 

Tonight is another chance to become that great team we hope they can be. They play Phoenix on the road. This SHOULD be a win. Good teams win this game. Great teams win this game by double digits. Let’s find out who they are. GO CLIPS!

I’m perplexed. Same old pain of being a Clippers fan lingers in my heart, but thanks to Chris Paul the games end in exultation. The Clippers continued their narrative of playing like virtual dogshit in the 1st half, falling behind by 18pts, yet managed to drag themselves back into this one and eventually win it. This game could be the best defensive game of the year for the comeback kids, but at the same time, they may have gotten VERY lucky by playing a Portland team that was exhausted (3 games in 3 days) minus LaMarcus Aldridge (their best guy). A win is a win is a win. Wins against Miami and Chicago count the same as wins against Charlotte and Washington. Ultimately, the regular season is all about compiling wins, making the playoffs, and then going from there. Yet, each game gives me heart palpitations. Each game makes me over analyze the Clippers from every angle like a fat girl after a 1st date. Do you think the Clippers like me? When they were down by 18, were they playing hard to get? I hate when they play all these games with my emotions. I mean I know they’re out of my league, but I REALLY like them; I just really don’t want to get hurt again.

See what I mean? I’m pathetic.

So here’s a more cliched column structure, that’s probably easier to read…

WHAT WE KNOW: The Clippers are a good team. By adding Kenyon Martin and Reggie Evans, they now are one of the toughest teams in the league and are capable of playing good interior defense. In a 7 game series, the Clippers will not be any fun for opponents because of the physical nature of their interior 4 (Martin, Jordan, Evans, Griffin). 

WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: The Clippers may not have enough scoring on this team. If Randy Foye can get his confidence back and start shooting the ball like a proper 2 guard (which he’s capable of), the Clippers will be fine. If Foye flops, the Clippers will have to rely on CP3 and Mo Williams bailing them out of possession after possession usually resulting in negative outcomes. 

WHAT WE HAVE: The best (yeah, I said it) point guard in basketball, paired with the most athletic power forward in basketball. If teams don’t figure out how to defend the Clippers “lob city” antics (Portland did), CP3 will run them clean out of the building.

WHAT WE DON’T HAVE: Half court offensive plays. Coach VDN knows the most effective way to use the Blake/CP3 combo is to run the pick and roll, but that should only be page one of the playbook. NOT THE WHOLE BOOK. Caron Butler is too good of a player to not be involved in more situations, and Blake ruins the shot clock by not establishing a deep enough starting position in the post. 

WHAT ABOUT J.R. SMITH? He’s a Knick. Don’t worry about him. Hopefully he dies in a fire.

WHAT’S NEXT: San Antonio brings their first place brand of boring basketball to Staples Center at 12:30 Pacific time on Saturday. The Spurs are one of those great teams that you know are too old, too slow, and too quirky to actually win, but then they do. Tony Parker can eat a dick.

PLAYOFFS?: Man, we’re just tryin’ to win a game. The stupid All-Star break is in 2 weeks, so yeah, I’ll discuss playoffs and seeding in the 2nd half.

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!