Sorry Los Angeles Clipper fans, it has been awhile since the last time I blogged. First of all this is long overdue, I totally forgot to congratulate PG Chris Paul and PF Blake Griffin for being selected as All-Star game starters. Last time we left off the Clippers had just finished their six game road trip and for their homecoming game the Clippers faced off against the Washington Wizards. The Clips had destroyed the Wizards during the road trip, but this time around the Wizards came to play. The game was closely contested throughout three quarters with the Wizards actually taking a lead during the game third, making Clippers fans very nervous. The Clips would finally get into the zone and put the game away in the fourth quarter winning 102-84. Blake had another double/double with 23 points and 15 rebounds and Chris scored 16 points with 9 assists. The story of the game was SG Randy Foye, he struggled throughout the game going scoreless in the first three quarters. He found his grove in the fourth scoring 10 points and helping spark the Clippers victory. Here is a recap of the rest of the games.
Clippers @ Portland
This was an ugly game to watch. The Clippers are an exciting team, but they do tend to have their off nights. Luckily the Portland Trail Blazers also had a horrible shooting night. It was a shame for the Clippers since the game was nationally televised on TNT. It was a chance for the Clippers to keep showcasing their talent, instead they laid an egg. At the least the Clippers did come away with the win, the final score was 74-71.
Blake lead the Clippers with 21 points and 14 rebounds, SG Mo Williams had 17 points coming off the bench, and Chris had a bad game scoring 13 points and only 3 assists. Blake, Chris, and Mo are the Clippers best offensive threats. If the rest the Clippers are not performing well expect more games like this. SF Caron Butler, C DeAndre Jordan, and Randy Foye will have to step up when the Clippers top offensive threats are having mediocre games.
Clippers Vs Spurs
It was an early game at Staples Center and the Clippers were hosting the red hot San Antonio Spurs. The Clippers came out of the gates on fire, registering a quick double digit lead. The Spurs would cut into the deficit and took the lead in the second quarter. The Spurs were ahead by as much as 15 points in the third quarter. But the Clippers hung tough and would post their own comeback. In the fourth the Clips went on a huge run and regained the lead.
The Clippers were on their way to complete the comeback with a win until disaster struck. The Clippers were inbounding the ball with a three point lead and just a few seconds left in the game. The pass was off target to Chris and he had to save the ball before it became a back court violation. The ball went directly to Spurs SG Gary Neil and he would drain the three point shot to force overtime.
In overtime the Spurs came out with the 103-100 victory, handing the Clippers a devastating loss. In defeat, Blake might have had his greatest game as professional recording his first 20/20 game of his career. The game was very exciting with a playoff type atmosphere. I have noticed that the Clippers step their game up when they play the elite of the NBA. It is a great trait to have, hopefully the Clip come out with the “W” next time.
Clippers @ Warriors
In the Clippers latest game they traveled up to Oakland. The Warriors are a scrappy team; you cannot look at their record and assume an easy win. The game was a back an forward affair. It was the kind of game where no lead was safe. In the end the Warriors got the best of the Clippers winning the game 104-97. It was the first back to back loss for the Clippers since the second and third game of the season.
What I found surprising during the game was that Chris was virtually nonexistent in the second half. Usually the fourth quarter is owned by Chris, but he could not knock down any of his jumpers and made some questionable decisions. It was a kind of game I thought Chris would have taken over and will his team to a win. It will be interesting to see how he bounces back next game.
The Clippers are struggling a bit before the All-Star break. They still hold a game lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in the Pacific division. The Clippers at the moment are missing the offense and leadership that Chauncey Billups once brought. It feels as if the offense has not been the same since Billups injury. The Clippers need to figure out what they need to do before the start of the second half of the season, otherwise they might be headed towards a lower seed in the playoffs. LET’S GO CLIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!