LA Clippers Game 2: Nuggets, 10+ point win
The Christmas Day game is where I think we see a big bounce back from the LA Clippers. In training camp, we’ve heard the 3-1 lead brought up several times; it’s clearly still on the minds of the players and coaches, and I think they come out with a vengeance here.
One of the biggest flaws that led to the playoff collapse (outside of everybody going cold in the second half of game 7) was Montrezl Harrell being asked to defend Nikola Jokic, and being totally unable to do so.
Well, that’s been addressed. Now, with Serge Ibaka seemingly starting, Jokic will go up against Ibaka for the most part, and when he plays against our bench he’ll have Ivica Zubac to contend with. No more easy court vision over a 6’7 center; now he’ll have two legitimate seven footers to contend with.
No disrespect intended to the Denver Nuggets, who I fully believe are one of the top 4 teams in the Western Conference. I don’t think that the Clippers are necessarily 10+ points better than the Nuggets in general, but this is a revenge game, and I’m expecting LA to come out swinging, and I think this is where we get Ty Lue’s first win as full-time head coach of the LA Clippers.
If the Clips can do that and pull off a comfortable win in Denver, that will go a long way toward reminding people that the LA Clippers are a legitimate team who will be contending for a spot in the finals this year.
December record: 1-1