LA Clippers Roundtable: What has been most impressive so far?
The LA Clippers have had some disappointing games recently, but there have still been plenty of bright spots this season. What has been most impressive so far?
November 21, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; LA Clippers gather together before playing against the Toronto Raptors at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Christmas is just a few days away. As we sit back and think about our wish lists, time with family, time off work, and it being acceptable to eat copious amounts of mince pies at this time of the year (I’m an addict), there’s a lot to be thankful for. We can apply that same grateful attitude to the NBA world, including what we’ve seen from the LA Clippers this season.
Things have tumbled after the franchise-best 14-2 start, and they haven’t been able to continue leading the league in defensive efficiency. Going 7-6 since that start has been far more mediocre with a handful of disappointing losses, and now Blake Griffin has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and will miss four to six weeks. It hasn’t been the best week for fans.
We know the team can cope under the leadership of Chris Paul and others like J.J. Redick and DeAndre Jordan increasing their role, precisely as they did during Griffin’s absence. But, even still, the loss of his talent hurts. And now we know that he’s been dealing with knee issues for a little while now and could play through it no longer, that’s one explanation as to why his bounce and defensive activity as of late have looked off.
Anyway, there is still a lot to be positive about and there are several impressive elements of the Clippers’ performance so far. From Luc Mbah a Moute improving his range and offensive game to the impact of Marreese Speights and Raymond Felton, here is the Clipperholics staff on what has impressed them most from the first 29 games.
Oct 27, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; LA Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) plays with the crowd in the Clippers 114-106 win over Portland at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
DeAndre Jordan’s free throw improvement – By Andrew Miller
“DeAndre Jordan’s free throw shooting.”
A sentence that has haunted LA Clippers fans for the last nine years, until now.
A career 42 percent from the line, Jordan finds himself amongst the very worst our game has ever seen. Unable to play in the fourth quarter of crucial games without the game being forced to a halt as opposing coaches employ the “Hack-a-Shaq” strategy of intentional fouling.
But not this season. At least less so. This season, something is different.
His scoring has taken a slight dip which was to be expected with the return of Blake Griffin until his recent knee surgery, but Jordan’s confidence on the offensive end has gone nowhere but up. From a more polished looking touch, to the occasional post move (seriously), something has changed. This new Olympic gold medallist DJ just has an edge that we’ve never seen before.
And the best part? His free throw shooting.
54.5 percent on the season, the highest of his career.
56 percent through 16 games in the month of November.
59.6 percent so far in December.
He’s never going to be 80 or 90 percent from the line like his backcourt teammates, but it’s progress. And that’s all Clipper fans have ever wanted to see.
Dec 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) passes against LA Clippers forward Luc Mbah a Moute (12) in the first period at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Luc Mbah a Moute taking a step forward – By Mo Dakhil
The most impressive thing of the LA Clippers’ start so far is how important Luc Mbah a Moute has become for the team as a shooter. There is no question he is the best defender on the team not named DeAndre Jordan, but he’s shooting 41.9 percent from three, up nearly 10 percent from last season and with three times as many attempts (0.5 up to 1.6) to make things even better.
If he can sustain this, he’ll be able to stay on the court longer without the team sacrificing more spacing. His shooting dips at times and there have been stretches where he doesn’t hit a three for a game or two, which will cause trouble for the team in the long run.
Mbah a Moute has to keep making shots at a high rate, otherwise teams will just ignore him offensively. His shooting has surprised me so far and has raised his value to a level that his elite defense alone couldn’t take him to. Now, we need it to stay.
Dec 18, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; LA Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) dunks the ball as Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) looks on in the first quarter at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Blake Griffin initiating the offense – By Leonard Saldana
I have been impressed with Blake Griffin initiating the offense. At least, that was before he was forced to have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Tuesday. But, regardless, this adjustment has helped and we need to positive at Christmas time. So, let’s continue.
It’s the change of pace where Blake pushes the ball up in transition or by setting up the half court offense. Blake is known around the league for his passing which is warranted, but his basketball IQ is extremely high as well. He can hit J.J. Redick outside or Luc slashing to the basket, hit DeAndre Jordan for the lob or kick it back to CP3 at the top of the key.
If not, Blake can score himself. Setting up with low post positioning early on in possessions gives his teammates a target to pass to when moving the ball up court as well, allowing him to turn quickly for a layup.
Yet, when setting up the offense, he more often than not makes the right pass or will pass up a good shot for a great shot. That is not saying he should bring up the ball every possession, but it helps Paul take a break and gets him open looks off the ball if the defense collapses on Blake.
It’s a different look for the offense and is needed when teams key in on Paul to get the ball out of his hands. The Clippers need to utilize that approach in the playoffs come crunch time.
Dec 10, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; LA Clippers forward Marreese Speights (5) celebrates with LA Clippers forward Blake Griffin (right) during the third quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Staples Center. The LA Clippers won 133-105. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Chemistry – By Paul Tooke
Despite the additions of Marreese Speights, Alan Anderson, Raymond Felton, Brandon Bass, and Diamond Stone, the LA Clippers’ team chemistry has not struggled this season. One might say that there is no reason for the chemistry to lack, because the core three players, Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, and Blake Griffin all remain on the team.
However, when any team adds new talent to the team, there is a risk of disrupting the teams’ current scoring style simply because the ball is entering new hands. The new players signed this summer could have corrupted the team’s ability to score while the starters rested, however their focus both on offense and defense has improved rather than hindered the secondary unit’s productivity. There has been some drop off during the recent 6-6 down spell following the 14-2 start, but the bench has still taken a step forward.
It is clear that Speights, Felton, and Bass are higher quality players than last year’s Josh Smith, Lance Stephenson, and Pablo Prigioni. All three of those new additions are arguably more relaxed, experienced, and mature when they step on the court. They have all impressed me so far this season, and I hope to feel the same if and whenever Bass, Anderson, and Stone (obviously less so as the raw rookie) receive consistent minutes during future games.
GM Doc Rivers made it possible for these individuals to wear the L.A. colors this season, and despite their very different NBA backgrounds and playing styles, the team’s overall chemistry is most impressive. Let’s hope that helps their defensive intensity come back at full strength in Griffin’s absence.
An aggressive bench – By Nick Junker
They’re the gift that keeps on giving. My favorite part of the LA Clippers this season is the bench’s newfound aggression during games. This is due, in part, to the many different signings that occurred during the offseason.
More from Clipperholics
However, it is also due to the revitalized attitude the Clippers have played with. We’ve seen that slip in some of the games during the 6-6 stretch that followed the 14-2 start, but again on Tuesday night against the Denver Nuggets, the Clippers got back that aggressiveness in the absence of Blake Griffin.
Raymond Felton, Marreese Speights, Jamal Crawford and Austin Rivers provide the perfect nine-deep lineup for the playoffs and have given much needed rest during games this season. For instance, the starters didn’t have to play at all in the fourth quarter against the Nuggets.
People worried that defense would be sacrificed heavily with this lineup, and while that’s been the case more often recently, it’s been better than expected. Another positive thing to note is that Doc is now starting to play Wesley Johnson more, now that he’s starting to get back into his groove. With that said, the bench has a newfound identity that provides essential assets in scoring, some defense, and spacing with Speights.
Want your voice heard? Join the Clipperholics team!
Now that Blake Griffin is out for an extended period of time, it’s time for these guys to step up and prove why this bench can be a force to be reckoned with. It has been four or five seasons since the LA Clippers’ bench unit has been this good, and it shows the team’s focus on assembling depth to prepare for what could be a long (and hopefully healthy) playoff run.
