LA Clippers player grades for first 30 games of 2016-17 NBA season
By Tom West
DeAndre Jordan: A
DeAndre Jordan, the LA Clippers’ defensive anchor, devastating pick-and-roll threat and vertical floor spacer, has been playing just as you’d expect this season. His rebounding has dipped slightly with the return of Griffin, but with 11.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, Jordan has still been a force to be reckoned with.
He controls the paint at both ends of the floor with the threat of him catching a lob on offense opening up space outside for others, while covering so much space at the other end of the floor to anchor the Clippers’ 5th-ranked defense. He can send shots into the stands or simply contest to put opponents of attacking inside altogether, which really shows his value to limit points in the paint. With his athleticism and agility, he’s fairly switchy, too.
Another welcome improvement from Jordan has been the increase in his free throw percentage, hitting a new career-high of 55 percent. His form looks a little smoother and more consistent, resulting in less shots that randomly hit either side of the rim.
Even though he’s limited offensive, the threat of his pick-and-roll play is huge, as Pau Gasol found out on Thursday as the victim of a vicious poster dunk. Jordan’s defense helps hold the Clippers together, and if they hope to go far in the payoffs and establish a tough defensive identity, he’ll be at the heart of it.