Tag Archives: Clipper Nation

Clippers Look To 2014-2015

SportsBlake Griffin, Chris Paul, Clipper Nation, Clippers 2014-2015, DeAndre Jordan, Doc Rivers, Donald Sterling, JJ Redick, Lob City, Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City ThunderChris Michaels

CLIPPERS

Despite of all the changes and additions the Los Angeles Clippers did to start this season, they didn’t go much further than one more round in the playoffs, comparing to their 2012-2013 course. Lob City fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder after six games in the Western Semis and those championship dreams will have to wait for at least another year. But can the Clips really stay at the top next season? Will they really be championship contenders?

First and foremost, the ownership issue will have to be resolved. It might be a long and tough process for the Clipper Nation but it’s also a necessary one. Only after Donald Sterling is removed from the owner’s position can the team truly focus on its ultimate goal for the upcoming season but also for the ones to come after that.

Assuming that the league and the people taking care of the issue eventually find a solution, the Los Angeles Clippers can start building their future. And of course, you might wonder, they do have a great team even now, right? So do they really need to plan on the future or just the upcoming season?
As head coach Doc Rivers stated after the elimination in Game 6, this is not the end. This is the beginning.

Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers have one of the greatest and most powerful star cores in the NBA. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are under contract at least for the next three seasons, J.J. Redick is in the books until the end of the 2016 – 2017 season, Jamal Crawford for one season less and DeAndre Jordan will be with the team at least for the next season. Doc Rivers was also signed in a long term contract and assuming that Donald Sterling will be removed prior to the start of the 2014 – 2015 season, he will have no reason to not use up his contract.

Of course, we might see the Clippers performing a few moves during the offseason to try and find those missing pieces, those players who can further increase their chances to seriously contend for the title next season. But the team’s core will be the same. When it comes to changes in the style of play, Chris Paul might want to eventually start utilizing and trusting Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan more. As Rivers stated through the season, Jordan has superstar potential and if the Paul manages to find a way to utilize him more, he could emerge as the third pillar in the superstar line of the Clips.

CLIPPERS

If the Los Angeles Clippers achieves what they did in Year 1 under Doc Rivers and after all they went through during the last month, it will be really interesting to see how far this team can go. The Clips improved in almost every aspect of their game this season both as a team and as individuals and they are projected to continue getting better.
The Los Angeles Clippers are here to stay.

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BY: Chris M.

Blake Griffin the Key to the LA Clippers Playoffs Success

SportsBlake Griffin, Chris Paul, Clipper Nation, Clippers, Lob City, NBA PlayoffsChris Michaels

BLAKE

There are two superstars in Lob City, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul. Both of them have a huge impact in the way the team plays and their performance usually is a key to the team’s successful results, in most of the game. Of course, the Clips have a bunch of quality role players who greatly support the superstar duo. Nonetheless, LA needs at least one of them to lead the way night in and night out. So is Blake Griffin or Chris Paul more important to the Clippers and who will be more important for the team during the 2014 NBA Playoffs?

First of all, they are both essential pieces of Doc Rivers’s puzzle. Each one does a great job contributing on his sector. However, I can fairly now say, after two games into the postseason that the performance of Blake Griffin plays a bigger factor to the outcome of the game for the Clips rather than Paul’s output.

BLAKE & CHRIS

Don’t get me wrong here. I don’t mean to say that Griffin is a better player than Paul. On the contrary, they can be characterized as stars of almost identical quality. What I can say, though, is that Paul will do his job one way or another. Even when he has off – nights, shooting badly from the floor, he will contribute in other ways. CP3 always sets up the team, on both ends of the floor and orchestrate the offensive plays. Even during the nights that he’ll finish in single digits in scoring, he will most probably dish out a bunch of assists, make some crucial defensive plays and in overall help his teammates perform better. In a way, the Clips can always rest assured that they’ll get at least something from Paul.

On the other hand, when Blake Griffin is off, the Clippers transform from a dominant, almost unstoppable team to just a good one. That’s what we saw happening in Game 1 against the Golden State Warriors and also several times during the regular season. However, when Griffin plays close to his full potential, the Clips are lethal, one of the scariest – if not the scariest – teams in the West.
Griffin’s big performances can take Lob City to the next level. When BG plays like his shown he can this season, scoring in a variety of ways – yes he can even hit the step back jumper now – that’s when we see the point margin exploding in Lob City’s favor.

The thing is that Griffin has proven his full potential this season. He has shown that he can be the player the entire Clipper Nation expected him to be but up to now he wasn’t. So, if the Clips really want to make it to the top and win the Larry O’Brien trophy, Griffin will have to give his 110 percent in every game. That’s what will make the Clippers the highflying, unbeatable monster it can be, the one that can top any opponent in the league.

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BY: Chris M.

Can Blake Play Big For The Clippers In The Playoffs?

SportsAndrew Bogut, Blake Giffin, Chris Paul, Clipper Nation, Clippers Playoffs, LA Clippers, Lebron James, Lob City, Memphis Grizzlies, mvp, nbaChris Michaels

BLAKE GRIFFIN

Blake Griffin has played really big for the Los Angeles Clippers all season long. He is putting up incredible, MVP-like numbers. He also led Lob City to an impressive course when Chris Paul was sidelined with an injury and he has managed to improve his game in several different sectors. However, there is one big question around BG as we head to the playoffs. Will he be able to play big for the Clips during the postseason?

After two consecutive unsuccessful playoff courses the Clipper Nation expects something better this year. This should be the year the Clippers make the difference, the year they take the next step and Blake Griffin has to be the one showing the way. For sure, his 24.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game up to now in the season are impressive. And yes he is fairly considered as the strongest runner-up for the MVP award, right behind LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Nonetheless, his career playoff performance hasn’t been as impressive.
BG is averaging just 17.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and also 2.5 assists during the postseason, numbers not even close to his regular season ones. In fact, Griffin seemed like he suffered from lack of focus and emotion control during the postseason.

Some can blame injury issues for Griffin’s struggles last year, when the Clippers exited the playoffs in the first round. However, the dominance of the Grizzlies’ frontline was obvious. Even if Griffin was at his 100 percent, he most probably wouldn’t have been in a position to match with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol.

Thankfully, this year, Lob City won’t play against the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round. However, Griffin won’t have an easy job unfolding his offense against Andrew Bogut and possibly David Lee, if the Dubs’ star manages to return from his injury during the postseason.

BLAKE GRIFFIN

It’s true that Griffin has shown much improvement in areas that he was bleeding last year. Free throw shooting was one of them. A 64.0 percent career shooter from the charity stripe, Griffin has improved his free-throw shooting to a 71.0 percent rate this season. This seven percent margin can definitely play a role during the playoffs, when Lob City will need Griffin to attack the basket, get to the line and score easy points.

Defense still remains the Achilles’ heel for the highflying superstar. For a player with his size, his body strength and athletic abilities, it’s notable that Griffin won’t make anyone’s All-NBA-First Team Defense this season. Thankfully, LA still has DeAndre Jordan onboard, who usually is the one making sure the paint is barricaded.

GRIFFIN

Mental balance is another crucial factor for Griffin’s performance and as a result Lob City’s playoff course. Sometimes BG can’t control his emotions and his reactions result in him picking up technical fouls. Fair or unfair, the Clippers can’t afford to lose their leading scorer in any game of the postseason. This will most probably an area Doc Rivers will have to work his magic. If there is one Head Coach in the NBA who can get into the head of his players and make them think clearer and in a more mature manner, that’s Doc Rivers.

Blake Griffin will be a huge factor in the Clippers’ course this season. Hopefully, he will manage to avoid lethargic performances similar to the previous season.

The LA Clippers will start the post season with home court advantage with just two games left in the season this week one against the Trail Blazers and the other against the Nuggets there is a good chance Blake will get a bit of needed rest. A Clippers Vs Warriors match up is looking like it will be the first test for the Clippers in the 2014 playoffs. You can purchase Clippers Playoff Tickets from Barry’s Tickets an Official Partner of the LA Clippers.

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213 749 0057

BY: Chris M.

JJ Redick Factor In Clippers Postseason

SportsBlake Griffin, Chris Paul, Clipper Nation, Clippers Postseason, CP3, Dallas Mavericks, Doc Rivers, JJ Redick, LA Clippers, Los Angeles LakersChris Michaels

REDICK

Can J.J. Redick be a factor for the Los Angeles Clippers during the postseason?
The Los Angeles Clippers will need all their weapons lined up come playoff time. Of course, Lob City appears to be very powerful this season and most ready than ever to contend for the Larry O’Brien trophy. Although there are some true powerhouses in the West, which the Clips will have to try hard to top, I strongly believe that if Head Coach Doc Rivers has all pieces available, this will be the Clips’ year.

Talking about pieces of the puzzle and their availability, one of the Clippers’ newcomers this season, shooting guard J.J. Redick just returned to action, after missing a big chunk of the season due to an abdominal injury. Redick returned to action on Thursday, April 4, in a game against the Dallas Mavericks, after missing 36 games this season. Of course, Redick was rusty during his first couple of games, following his comeback. Especially in Thursday’s game against the Mavs, when he played for 24 games, he finished with 12 points, going three for 10 from the floor and two for six from beyond the arc. This was an uncharacteristic output for the 29 – year old guard.

However, Redick made sure he bounced back in the Clippers’ next game. Playing again for 24 minutes during the Clips’ battle against the (former) city-rivals, Los Angeles Lakers, he shot 63.3 percent from the field and a little over than 33 percent from three-point range. Redick finished with 15 points and three rebounds but this wasn’t the most aspect of his game. What was most significant is that he showed positive signs, sings that Doc Rivers but also the entire Clipper Nation was able to see.

REDICK

There are five more games left till the end of the regular season, in which J.J. Redick will have to find his rhythm and pace. If he manages to return to a level close to the one he was prior to his injury, he will certainly be a big factor for the Clippers during the playoffs. After all, the sharpshooter is fourth leading scorer for LA this season, putting up 15.5 points per contest. He is also one of the best shooters the team has, from mid and long range.

But if you look closer at the way the team is playing, you’ll realize that Redick’s contribution goes above and beyond just shooting. In fact, thanks to his lethal shooting ability, defense always has to pay close attention to him. That gives more space to CP3 and Blake Griffin to operate and work their magic. And that makes the team much more dangerous.

Hopefully, Redick will retain a high level of performance during the postseason and hopefully Doc Rivers will have all his players available, right from Game 1 of the first round. After all, the competition level is extremely high in the West this season and not even the first-round matchup won’t be easy. Chris M.

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Should Blake Griffin be the MVP this season?

SportsBlake Griffin, Charles Barkley, Chris Paul, Clipper Nation, Doc Rivers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kevin Durant, Lebron James, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, mvp, nba, Oklahoma Thunder, Western ConferenceChris Michaels

Griffin For MVP

The race for the MVP title this season is a close one, a very close one. The two obvious favorites are LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Those two megastars have been recording tremendous outputs this season. However, there is one more superstar who is playing like an MVP, who has dramatically improved his production and efficiency from last season and he is a candidate for the MVP award. That’s no other than Blake Griffin.

First of all, Griffin has been playing in a great level all season long, much like the entire Los Angeles Clippers have been doing. The presence of Doc Rivers at the team’s bench meant a big change for Lob City. Discipline and more effort on defense are two new facts that were missing from the Clips’ style of play last year. Griffin also looks like a different, a more mature player right now with Doc Rivers guiding him.

Griffin

This season, he is putting up numbers above his career-averages. The dominant power forward is averaging a team-best 24.4 points per contest to go along with 9.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 53.9 percent from the field. He has even hit some threes. Griffin is the main wheel for the Clippers on the offensive end. In most possessions the ball runs through him. But even when it doesn’t Blake Griffin contributes by setting great screens or by drawing the attention from the opposing defense. Griffin has improved his mid-range shot significantly and he has also managed to shoot better from the charity stripe. Of course, he continues to be a great rebounder and shot blocker. His defense still isn’t at a world-class level, but he has seen some improvement there, too.

Up to now, Blake Griffin was arguably the most spectacular player in the league. Now, he is also one of the best ones. He is currently considered as the best power forward in the NBA and his performance every night shows why.

MVP?

When the Los Angeles Clippers needed him to step up and take the team on his shoulders, he responded to the call. With Chris Paul out for an extended time, Griffin really took his performance to the next level. He emerged as the true leader of the team and he managed to lead the Clips to some significant wins. It’s notable that LA didn’t drop in the Western Conference rankings despite Paul’s absence.

Of course, the competition for Blake Griffin is huge. It will be almost impossible for him to reach the monster seasons LeBron and Durant are recording. Those two have been simply playing to a whole different level. But if there is one player who could threaten them this season, that is Blake Griffin. Stephen Curry could also be in the discussion.

Griffin has been instrumental in the Clippers recent run of a nine game win streak. On Monday night, Griffin became just the third player in NBA history to tally 6,000 points, 3,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists before the end of his fourth season while shooting 50.0 percent or better. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Charles Barkley, Blake Griffin and that’s it.

Griffin

Why Blake won’t win MVP? One reason…the Clippers! The local community college team gets more respect then them. They play home games on what is considered the Lakers home court no matter what, Lakers Home Venue and Lakers City. Just ask any Lakers fan. Although they have been gaining respect little by little over the last four years and Clippers ticket prices have slightly increased they are always in the shadow of the Lakers and might not ever come out of it. Blake and Lob City are like the Cleveland Browns they don’t get the NBA spotlight on Sunday’s they don’t make page on of USA Today even though Blake has some of the best dunks of all time just ask Kim Kardashian’s ex husband. When you mention the Clippers to NBA fans they look at you like your insane talking about them. Would Blake winning MVP bring instant credibility to the Clippers and Clippers Nation? I don’t think so but to not be mentioned in the MVP talk for his numbers this season is showing what lack of respect Blake and the Clipper Nation actually get.

I am not saying throw your Kobe or Lakers Jerseys away or the Clippers deserve the respect that the Lakers, Celtics, Miami Heat or Spurs deserve or even Tim Duncan or Dirk Nowitzki but Blake is only in his fourth year and has helped turned the once a joke Clippers into a legit NBA Championship contender and is mentioned in the same breath as one of the greatest to ever play the game in only four years he deserves a second look for MVP this season. Chris Michaels