While they weren't completely satisfied with their latest performance, the Los Angeles Clippers managed to win again in spite of Chris Paul's absence.
The Clippers would love to have their All-Star point guard back for their brief return home, a matchup with the suddenly surging Washington Wizards on Saturday night.
Great ending...I like that Wiz team. Some good players there. Now that Wall is back, I hope they do well this year. They look like a playoff team to me.
Motivation has been good for the important games; but Clippers have a poor record and history against some of the lessor and sub .500 teams. Traditionally that would reflect poorly on coaching preparation.
But of course I would not or should not make that implication. Must be another reason, cause and effect. Shooting was off for the whole team it would seem.
I want to believe that, not seeing their record and seeking to believe Wall makes them that way. "pretty good"
This game has me torn between the Wizards energized improved play, and Clippers playing down to their competition. Playing down to the competition is an historic real truth of some good teams of the past : Did Wizards play well and make us look only fair , or did we play bad making Wizards look good..?
Wizards are playing very well right now. It takes time for some teams to gell, particularly when your best player is out, and Nene was hurt too (probably their third best player). They've gotten it together relatively recently. But, they do have it together now. Wall, Beal, Nene, Ariza, 0kafor, come on, that's not a bad set of players there, plus they have a decent bench. They just beat Denver in Denver, and I am sure you recall how tough that game is (only third team to do it this year). They've won 4 of the last 5 too.
That right there was a playoff-level team, despite their record from when two of their key starters were out.
I want to believe that, not seeing their record and seeking to believe Wall makes them that way. "pretty good"
This game has me torn between the Wizards energized improved play, and Clippers playing down to their competition. Playing down to the competition is an historic real truth of some good teams of the past : Did Wizards play well and make us look only fair , or did we play bad making Wizards look good..?
The Wizards have a good interior defense. They did a good job giving Blake and DJ bad looks.
Trevor and Okafor are pretty good defenders. Wall has enormous defensive potential.
Some nights shots just don't fall. The Clippers had a ton of shots that would normally fall and just didn't. Some of the shots were bad looks but way too many were not and just didn't fall. Shooting 36% on 93 attempts is an aberration for this Clippers team. Crawford was 3-13, CP was 6-16, Griffin was 5-18 and it was still a 7-point game. It could have very easily been a 17-point game otherwise.
Some nights shots just don't fall. The Clippers had a ton of shots that would normally fall and just didn't. Some of the shots were bad looks but way too many were not and just didn't fall. Shooting 36% on 93 attempts is an aberration for this Clippers team. Crawford was 3-13, CP was 6-16, Griffin was 5-18 and it was still a 7-point game. It could have very easily been a 17-point game otherwise.
Exactly what I was thinking as I was watching the game. Especially with Crawford. Could've easily been a blow out, Washington was lucky that it was even close.
After Paul’s 17-foot jumper put the Clippers ahead, 91-86, with 32.4 seconds remaining, Wall complained to the referee that he was shoved. And reserve forward Trevor Booker had to be restrained from Griffin, whom Booker alleges hit him in the face with an elbow as the two tussled for the rebound.
“He should’ve got kicked out of the game for it,” Booker said of Griffin. “Hopefully they go review it after the game and I’m looking for a suspension at least. I mean, he elbowed me to my face.”
The Wizards' forward spoke out about an apparent elbow that Griffin delivered in the final minute of Washington's loss to the Clippers on Saturday night.
revor Booker has been outspoken about not liking Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin'sstyle. There was one game in Verizon Center a couple years ago where Booker picked up several fouls trying to stop Griffin from posting up, and since then, he hasn't been shy about expressing his opinion.
Last night was no exception. Booker took exception to what he says was a Griffin elbow in the final minute and had to be held back from going at Griffin. Afterwards, Booker's anger hadn't gone away. Via Michael Lee:
"He should've got kicked out of the game for it," Booker said of Griffin. "Hopefully they go review it after the game and I'm looking for a suspension at least. I mean, he elbowed me to my face."
I honestly can't remember the play too much, but I do remember Booker wanting to go after Griffin. Given what Griffin did earlier in the game, I'm guessing most of you guys will support Booker's message.
Looked to me as if both teams played really good defense (it's still a shock to say that about the Clippers, who I have been following for years), and the Clippers missed a lot of shots that should, or might well have, gone in (THAT is classic Clippers!, even though it has little to do with what has been going on this year.)
The Wizards' forward spoke out about an apparent elbow that Griffin delivered in the final minute of Washington's loss to the Clippers on Saturday night.
revor Booker has been outspoken about not liking Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin'sstyle. There was one game in Verizon Center a couple years ago where Booker picked up several fouls trying to stop Griffin from posting up, and since then, he hasn't been shy about expressing his opinion.
Last night was no exception. Booker took exception to what he says was a Griffin elbow in the final minute and had to be held back from going at Griffin. Afterwards, Booker's anger hadn't gone away. Via Michael Lee:
"He should've got kicked out of the game for it," Booker said of Griffin. "Hopefully they go review it after the game and I'm looking for a suspension at least. I mean, he elbowed me to my face."
I honestly can't remember the play too much, but I do remember Booker wanting to go after Griffin. Given what Griffin did earlier in the game, I'm guessing most of you guys will support Booker's message.
Blake never elbowed him. They were tangled up Booker had Blake's arm pinned and Blake was just trying to unravel. As for the clip, I'd move out of the way too if I saw an elbow up and coming my way. If the Clip continued you'd see Blake snap right back up into his defensive position as though it never happened, then the whistle blew.
I was sitting courtside for the game, and the guys next to me(Lakers fans) were heckling Matt Barnes. Needless to say, Matty cussed them out(twice) and I loved it, I just wish he drained a three in the corner as is his style, but oh well, the Clippers won.
The refs made some bad calls that were very obvious from where I was sitting, but that elbow gif looked legit from where I was sitting too, so it's nearly impossible to ref these games with 100% accuracy. I am glad BG and CP3 are in all those commercials, working on their acting chops.
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While they weren't completely satisfied with their latest performance, the Los Angeles Clippers managed to win again in spite of Chris Paul's absence.
The Clippers would love to have their All-Star point guard back for their brief return home, a matchup with the suddenly surging Washington Wizards on Saturday night.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/wizards-clippers-preview-072006387--nba.html
This should be a more interesting game than lots of people think. John Wall is back and the team isn't as bad the the record.
Wall v. Bledsoe should be fun. I am also looking forward to seeing Bradley Beal.
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Second night of a back to back for wizards, good for us. They played in denver last night.
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And won. Not an easy thing to do. Not to mention beating OKC last week.
Clips better bring some vigor.
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Not to mention they've won 4 of their last 5. Clips better bring lots of vigor.
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I am looking forward to seeing Bradley Beal play. He's good, and getting better.
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Clippers by 15
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Clippers seem to have a hard time getting up to play sub .500 teams...!
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Kind of scary so far. They're playing physical as hell....
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VDN is changing up his rotation a little...Griffin was one of the first starters to come out, not the last as usual..!
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WOW. With blake at the 5, we're locking shit DOWN!
Great lineup.
Grant hill and chris paul are going to be scary good.
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I agree + 1 . He even got a good block..!
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Yeah, this is unusual...something to consider for future games...
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team is out of sync. this rotation blows.
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Our shooting stinks...Crawford and Bledsoe just can't buy a basket...! Wizards are hanging tough. time to start worrying...!
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Relax, we can do this...
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Time to feed the horse..!
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Paul with the rescue 3!
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Horse is looking a bit off the mark...
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Blake making his free throws this year sure helps!
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Has any one noticed, that " the horse" is hitting his FT's...?
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That was VDN who told the ref that the Wiz had carried the ball..ref was going to miss that call but-for VDN pointing it out to him.
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Great ending...I like that Wiz team. Some good players there. Now that Wall is back, I hope they do well this year. They look like a playoff team to me.
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Motivation has been good for the important games; but Clippers have a poor record and history against some of the lessor and sub .500 teams. Traditionally that would reflect poorly on coaching preparation.
But of course I would not or should not make that implication. Must be another reason, cause and effect. Shooting was off for the whole team it would seem.
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Wizards are pretty good...
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I want to believe that, not seeing their record and seeking to believe Wall makes them that way. "pretty good"
This game has me torn between the Wizards energized improved play, and Clippers playing down to their competition. Playing down to the competition is an historic real truth of some good teams of the past : Did Wizards play well and make us look only fair , or did we play bad making Wizards look good..?
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Wizards are playing very well right now. It takes time for some teams to gell, particularly when your best player is out, and Nene was hurt too (probably their third best player). They've gotten it together relatively recently. But, they do have it together now. Wall, Beal, Nene, Ariza, 0kafor, come on, that's not a bad set of players there, plus they have a decent bench. They just beat Denver in Denver, and I am sure you recall how tough that game is (only third team to do it this year). They've won 4 of the last 5 too.
That right there was a playoff-level team, despite their record from when two of their key starters were out.
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Hey was that a wire-to-wire victory?
[Edit - no, it was not. Wiz lead in first quarter, with 5 min to go...didn't check beyond that.]
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The Wizards have a good interior defense. They did a good job giving Blake and DJ bad looks.
Trevor and Okafor are pretty good defenders. Wall has enormous defensive potential.
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Some nights shots just don't fall. The Clippers had a ton of shots that would normally fall and just didn't. Some of the shots were bad looks but way too many were not and just didn't fall. Shooting 36% on 93 attempts is an aberration for this Clippers team. Crawford was 3-13, CP was 6-16, Griffin was 5-18 and it was still a 7-point game. It could have very easily been a 17-point game otherwise.
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Agreed. So many of Blakes shots just barely missed, clanging on the inside rim.
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Exactly what I was thinking as I was watching the game. Especially with Crawford. Could've easily been a blow out, Washington was lucky that it was even close.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards-vs-clippers-washington-rally-falls-short-as-los-angeles-wins-94-87/2013/01/20/792b6ce4-62a0-11e2-a389-ee565c81c565_story.html
After Paul’s 17-foot jumper put the Clippers ahead, 91-86, with 32.4 seconds remaining, Wall complained to the referee that he was shoved. And reserve forward Trevor Booker had to be restrained from Griffin, whom Booker alleges hit him in the face with an elbow as the two tussled for the rebound.
“He should’ve got kicked out of the game for it,” Booker said of Griffin. “Hopefully they go review it after the game and I’m looking for a suspension at least. I mean, he elbowed me to my face.”
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http://www.bulletsforever.com/2013/1/20/3896688/trevor-booker-blake-griffin-elbow-suspended
Trevor Booker wants Blake Griffin suspended
By Mike Prada on Jan 20, 11:25a 7
USA TODAY Sports
The Wizards' forward spoke out about an apparent elbow that Griffin delivered in the final minute of Washington's loss to the Clippers on Saturday night.
revor Booker has been outspoken about not liking Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin'sstyle. There was one game in Verizon Center a couple years ago where Booker picked up several fouls trying to stop Griffin from posting up, and since then, he hasn't been shy about expressing his opinion.
Last night was no exception. Booker took exception to what he says was a Griffin elbow in the final minute and had to be held back from going at Griffin. Afterwards, Booker's anger hadn't gone away. Via Michael Lee:
I honestly can't remember the play too much, but I do remember Booker wanting to go after Griffin. Given what Griffin did earlier in the game, I'm guessing most of you guys will support Booker's message.
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Too bad Griffin wasn't around in The Rocky Era. He could have played the roll of Apollo Creed or Clubber Lang with those acting skills!
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Looked to me as if both teams played really good defense (it's still a shock to say that about the Clippers, who I have been following for years), and the Clippers missed a lot of shots that should, or might well have, gone in (THAT is classic Clippers!, even though it has little to do with what has been going on this year.)
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I was sitting courtside for the game, and the guys next to me(Lakers fans) were heckling Matt Barnes. Needless to say, Matty cussed them out(twice) and I loved it, I just wish he drained a three in the corner as is his style, but oh well, the Clippers won.
The refs made some bad calls that were very obvious from where I was sitting, but that elbow gif looked legit from where I was sitting too, so it's nearly impossible to ref these games with 100% accuracy. I am glad BG and CP3 are in all those commercials, working on their acting chops.
-_PM