A crushing loss in Game 1 was something that hardly anyone expected. Now, it’s up to LA Clippers head coach Doc Rivers to make the correct adjustments.
Let’s all take a moment to breathe. Close what you’re reading about how the LA Clippers are primed for another first-round exit. Unfollow all those NBA meme accounts. Get off or r/NBA. Turn off the radio and just remember: It was only one game.
Yes, it was hard to swallow. But, what we saw on Saturday night was far from the best product this Clippers’ squad has to offer. J.J. Redick was extremely sloppy, Blake Griffin performed his best disappearing act, and Chris Paul struggled to find balance within his game. It was an imperfect performance in a situation that needed to be taken advantage of.
Now, it’s up to Doc Rivers. Not only must he choose how he’s going to attack Utah on Tuesday night, but he also has to get his crew to do it. Here’s what we think he should say.
Keep Attacking The Paint (Obviously)
We all know by now that Rudy Gobert suffered a left knee hyperextension on the first possession of the game after he collided with Clippers SF Luc Mbah a Moute. What we don’t know is why LA seemed hesitant to capitalize on said injury.
RELATED: No timetable for Rudy Gobert’s injury
Instead of attacking the paint immediately, the Clippers settled for jumpers late in the shot clock and looked sluggish on both ends. DeAndre Jordan only put up an unsatisfying 7 attempts, a number that should have been much higher considering the resistance. Rather than having the league’s best rim defender in the paint, the Jazz had to resort to using Derrick Favors and Jeff Withey. It was a golden opportunity to get some good looks inside and take the game over. However, just the opposite happened, and instead Favors and Withey proved themselves.
Favors finished with 15 points and 6 boards, and Withey impressed by blocking one of Griffin’s attempts and looking sharp on defense.
Instead of being so hesitant, the Clippers must be tenacious and attack Utah at their weak point. No matter who the reserves are, there is hardly a replacement that adds value over Gobert. In order to win, DJ, Blake, and even Marreese Speights must stay inside and work their way out.
Tighten Up On Defense
If there was one thing that stood out from the Clippers’ 3 regular season wins over Utah, it was their defense.
In those wins, LA held the Jazz to an excruciatingly low 80.6 points per game and just 38.3% shooting. In Utah’s lone victory, they shot 52.6%.
See what I mean? When the Clippers’ D is clicking, it’s almost impossible to stop. And it’s proven to stop the one team we need to stop. So how can we get it clicking again?
More from Clipperholics
- Grade the trade: Clippers shockingly land Trae Young in wild proposal
- 3 of the most overpaid players on the LA Clippers’ roster
- Trading for this player covers the Clippers’ biggest weakness
- How will the LA Clippers fare in the in-season tournament?
- Why the LA Clippers should steer clear of recent gold medalist waiver
Personally, I feel like LA was “shell-shocked” when Gobert went down, and were forced to play a team that they really weren’t prepared for. Utah’s small-ball offense was surprisingly potent and was especially good at spacing the Clippers out. In response, Rivers tried staggering some rotations that could never really seem to capitalize on the situation. Mbah a Moute’s usually stellar defense was slacking as well. He allowed Gordon Hayward to score 19 points and secure 10 rebounds.
To fix it, Rivers must increase the frequency of switches and overall defensive intensity. There is no way that Jamal Crawford, as good as he is on offense, should ever be defending a game-winning shot attempt. I give him the benefit of the doubt because the Clippers were rushed into their sets, but someone should’ve noticed and suffocated Iso Joe. Several Jazz players were also left alone beyond the arc, like Joe Ingles for example, that were able to convert. If the Clippers’ D can find an answer to their sets, we should be able to see a Utah offense more like the one we saw in the regular season.
Find A Balance On Offense
If you just looked at the box score, you’d think that the duo of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin played exceptionally. This is true to an extent. The two combined for 51 of LA’s 95 points, and were the two leading scorers from either team. However, that’s where the positives end.
Blake scored 20 points in the first half. While that was great for an early spark and some sense of hope, all that vanished in the final two quarters. He then scored 6 over the next 24 minutes in what could only be described as underwhelming. When clutch baskets were needed, he was almost non-existent.
Chris Paul, on the other hand, played an opposite game of Griffin. He finished the first half with 5 points and 10 assists, and ended the game with 25 points and 11 assists. To split it up, that’s 5/10 in the first half and 20/1 in the second. His clutch factor was off the charts, but his first half performance left a lot to be desired.
The key is for both Paul and Griffin to find their balance together. Yes, the stats are good. However, neither was consistent enough together to give LA something to fall back on. If they can get each other going and run the rest of the offense efficiently, then we’re in for a treat on Tuesday. In fact, I’ll call it for you right now.
Clippers 112, Jazz 94.