2. The debut of Joakim Noah
When the Clippers signed Noah just before the season halted, Noah was seen as the third center on the team behind Ivica Zubac and Montrezl Harrell.
With both players out for today’s contest, Noah was inserted into the starting lineup and boy did he do wonders.
Noah has been widely regarded as a solid pick-and-roll man and it showed today. On the Clippers’ first basket today, Paul George found the rolling Noah at the rim for an And-1 opportunity.
His tenacious energy and effort mesh perfectly within the Clippers culture and system. Hopefully, in due time we get to see a lineup that includes Noah, Patrick Beverley, and Marcus Morris Sr. all on the court together.
3. Ball Movement and Chemistry
Usually, in an exhibition game, the ball is sticking around as guys are trying to get their shot going or find their groove.
That happened to the Clippers for the first couple of minutes in the first quarter but soon after they trusted each other.
Some possessions included more than 6-7 passes to find an open man but they missed the shot. To see the ball moving across the court today shows flashes of how this Clippers team has gelled during their time in the bubble.
Bringing up Joakim Noah again, his passing IQ was phenomenal today. On multiple possessions, he found the open-cutter (including one pass to Reggie Jackson) and spot-up shooters.
Should Ivica Zubac struggle in the Playoffs, the Clippers now have a serviceable veteran that knows the playbook and can help in spurts.