Although the original timetable slated his return for early to mid-March, it seemed possible that Chris Paul would make his long-awaited return tonight against the rival Golden State Warriors. However, news broke earlier today that he would be kept out. This is the Clippers’ final matchup of the season with the Warriors, who lead the series 3-0.
Well, so much for that.
When news broke that Chris Paul was medically cleared to play for the first time in over a month, fans went crazy. Including me. Not only was I excited that Paul is far ahead of schedule, but also because this was a legit shot to take down the Warriors. Despite being “rivals”, the Clippers have not beaten Golden State since Christmas 2015, when the rivalry was in its prime.
All hope isn’t lost, though. In LA’s last showdown with the Dubs, the Clips lost by just 13, the smallest margin of the season. In that game, Blake Griffin went off for 31 points. Jamal Crawford chipped in 21, and J.J. Redick connected on 40% of his 3’s. He would finish with 17.
There’s no denying that the Clippers have to play their best basketball to beat the NBA’s best team. Here’s how they can do it.
Defense, Defense, Defense
Breaking news, the Clippers maintained a top-five defensive rating for the last few games before the All-Star break. While it hasn’t been on par with the defense that CP brings to the team, it’s clear that there’s been an improvement.
The biggest thing here is the fact that LA’s season-high in points allowed this season (144) came against the Warriors.
If the Clips can keep up the pressure and force a few turnovers against the NBA’s best offense, then they’ll be on the right track to winning this game.
Cut Back On Turnovers
We’re looking at you, Jamal.
Crawford is not the best passing 2 guard, by any means. He leads the Clippers in total turnovers and turnovers per game this season, many of which come from careless passes. Having him be a strictly catch-and-shoot player in games like these might not be the worst idea. Doc could assign distribution duty to Raymond Felton or Austin Rivers, who recently had his first double-double via points and assists.
It’s no secret that the Warriors are excellent in transition. Their dunks are electrifying for the hostile Golden State crowd and can be the biggest source of momentum in the game. Not only that, but a majority of the team is deadly from 3 when running the floor.
Giving up easy scoring opportunities like that could very well be the death of us if we aren’t careful.
The Verdict
As long as the Clippers play their A-game, there’s no reason why they can’t win. However – any slip-ups, and that’s the end of the road. Look for Chris Paul’s next chance to return tomorrow night against the San Antonio Spurs.