SB Nation - Eric Gordon

Game 28 Preview: Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Clippers - 7:30PM CST

UofTOrange — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:20:21 -0000

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

More elbows for Carl, this time from the Clippers' Craig Smith. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Point Guard
Aaron Brooks vs. Baron Davis - Anyone still want Baron Davis over Aaron Brooks? I still like the guy, he's crazy entertaining. But contract vs. contract and player vs. player, Aaron is the winner
Edge: Rockets

Shooting Guard
Shane Battier vs. Eric Gordon - Gordon doesn't turn the ball over, but he doesn't necessarily pass it either. Of course you can't blame him for that as he is a good shooter and is the future of this Clippers team. Look through this roster, for all the crap Dunleavy has gotten as a coach, as a GM he's done some darn nice things. Gordon can't score on Battier with regularity if the Rockets choose to shut him down. However, they might force him to shoot the ball and not even let him try to involve his team from the passing end.
Edge: Clippers

Small Forward
Trevor Ariza vs. Al Thornton - Raise your hand if you bought into the hype that Al Thornton was a great player waiting to happen? My hand is not raised. That's not to say he doesn't have a solid future. He'll clearly be around for a long time but I just don't see this superstar that people tried to make him in to.
Edge: Rockets

Power Forward
Luis Scola vs. Marcus Camby - Has anyone been more rumored to be loved as a back-up center for the Rockets than Marcus Camby? He's still a good basketball player but clearly not 9MM good. Luis Scola is that good and he makes a third of that. Last night on the 1560 No Layups show we talked about the best Rocket of 2009 and Luis Scola was my answer. He epitomizes everything that Daryl Morey wants in a player.
Edge: Rockets

Center
Chuck Hayes vs. Chris Kaman - Yeah for Chris Kaman! He's finally healthy and the one guy that destroys him is recovering until next season. Kaman is a really good player, and frankly pretty underrated. Chuck Hayes is actually a really good defender to go after Kaman and it should be pretty interesting to see how Kaman deals with it.
Edge: Clippers

Injuries/Suspensions
Houston Rockets
OUT - Chase Budinger
Detroit Pistons
OUT - Blake Griffin, the first overall pick in the draft is still out with a broken kneecap

My Prediction: I have no idea. This Clippers team should be better than it is, and will be when Griffin gets back, but never underestimate that they are coached by Mike Dunleavy. Rockets by 6?

Check out Clips Nation

Clippers at Houston - Game Preview

Steve Perrin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:00:31 -0000

2009/2010 NBA Regular Season
	vs.
12-15		16-11
Toyota Center
December 22nd, 2009, 5:30 PM
Prime Ticket, 980 AM
Probable starters:
Baron Davis	PG	Aaron Brooks
Eric Gordon	SG	Shane Battier
Al Thornton	SF	Trevor Ariza
Marcus Camby	PF	Luis Scola
Chris Kaman	C	Chuck Hayes

The Back Story:

December 2nd in LA - Houston 102 - Clippers 85 - Recap Box Score

The Big Picture:

The Clippers are now 2 and 2 on the first four games of their six game road trip. They've alternated wins and losses thus far, so since they lost in San Antonio last night, they're due for a win in Houston, right? On paper, this appears to be the most winnable of these last three wins. Then again, on paper, the Rockets shouldn't have a better record than the Spurs, but they do. Ignoring what happens in the alternate basketball dimension that is the AT&T Center, the Clippers have played well offensively on this trip. But if they're going to beat the Rockets in Houston, they'll have to do it with defense. When they played Houston in LA, the Rockets put on a three point shooting display, making 12 of 23 compared to 1 of 14 for LAC. That's a bit of a difference. Of course, the Clippers didn't have Eric Gordon in that game, and Rasual Butler was mired in a slump that he appears to have busted out of, so they should at least be capable of making a few threes in this one. Whether they can defend the Rockets remains to be seen. It would also be nice to see Chris Kaman, who has played really well in his last six games can redeem himself for a 5 for 16, 5 rebound, 4 turnover game in the first meeting. The bottom line is - without Gordon and with Kaman causing more harm than good, the Clippers aren't going to beat anybody, whether they make 12 threes or not. If Gordon and Kaman play well in this one, it should at least be competitive. I hope that the Clippers feel they have something to prove after being blown out by the Rockets in LA, and being blown out in San Antonio last night. The only good news about last night's blowout loss is that all the starters took the fourth quarter off, which will help on the second game of a back to back.

The Antagonist:

I thought the Rockets were overachieving when the teams met at the beginning of December and Houston was 9-8 at the time. I'm at a loss for what's happening now that they're 16-11. I mean, this has always been a league predicated on pure, unadulterated talent. Princeton running backcuts and beating UCLA in the NCAA tournament, Valparaiso making threes and beating xxxx, George Washington - that's all well and good in college hoops. In fact, it's great. I love it. I root for the Clippers, so of course I love an underdog story. But in the NBA, talent wins. And the Rockets don't seem to have enough talent to be 16-11. In a league of superstar power, there's nary a star, let alone a super one, on their active roster (ignoring Tracy McGrady, who is back on the court, but severely limited in his minutes right now). Part of me would love to believe in the Rockets - I'd love for team play and hard work to be enough, as it would give more of the underdog teams a chance. But at the same time, it makes the failings of the Clippers over the years that much more painful. It's easier to rationalize all the losing if the team has simply not had elite level talent. "We'll get them next year! We'll win the lottery and we'll have enough talent then!" But if you could be winning simply by identifying the right pieces in the second round and getting them to play hard? Well, that's a bitter realization. And frankly, I'm not ready to accept it quite yet. So part of me wants the Rockets to continue to do well; and another part of me believes (wants to believe?) that they're eventually going to come back down to earth. By the way, may be missing two key reserves in this game. Chase Budinger is out with a sprained ankle. Meanwhile, Carl Landry recently had oral surgery after losing five (FIVE!) teeth in a gruesome meeting with Dirk Nowitzki's elbow on Friday. Incredibly, Landry says he'll play tonight.

The Subplots:

Landry. Last game, Luis Scola has a cut over his eye, and everyone said he'd be out against the Clippers, but he played and played well. Landry was back at Rockets practice on Monday, and I have to figure he's going to play. After all, this is the guy who was shot in the leg last season and barely missed any time. The dude is tough. If you haven't seen the video of the collision with Dirk, check it out. The most amazing part to me is Landry's reaction. Bear in mind, he just lost five teeth. He heads over to the Rockets bench and calmly signals that he needs to come out of the game, as if to say "Excuse me, Mr. Adelman, sir, you might consider placing a substitute in the game for me as I am losing a lot of blood at the moment." When he gets to the bench, he starts spitting teeth and blood into Keith Jones' towel. Unbelievable how tough this guy is. He'll probably destroy the Clippers tonight.
McGrady. The Rockets finally activated TMac when Trevor Ariza was suspended a week ago for the Rockets game against Detroit. He's on severely restricted minutes right now - he's played fewer than 8 in each of his four games back. Will Adelman be tempted to dial that up some with Budinger out?
Steal a road game. If the Clippers are going to keep their slim playoff hopes alive even until Blake Griffin's return, they're going to have to beat some good teams. If they lose tonight in Houston and Christmas Day in Phoenix, they'll drop five games below .500, as low as they've been this season. It's pretty important to get one of these, and this one seems like the easier of the two.
Just enough to win. How are the Rockets getting it done this year? Are they an offensive team, or a defensive team? The answer is, a little bit of both. League wide, teams score 106.6 points per 100 possessions. The Rockets score a little more than that on offense (107.7, 16th best out of 30 NBA teams) and give up a little less than that on defense (105.9, 15th in the league). Lacking a lot of guys who can create shots, they play at a fast pace, and look for shots in transition. They love to shot transition threes, so it will be important for the Clippers to find their shooters right away.
Rebounding. The Rockets aren't a great shooting club, yet they're above average in offensive efficiency. One big reason is because they get a lot of extra shots. They're the fourth best offensive rebounding team in the league. One key will be keeping them off the offensive glass.
Kaman and Baron size advantages. In the first game, we expected both Chris Kaman and Baron Davis to exploit their size advantages in the post against significantly smaller defenders in Chuck Hayes and Aaron Brooks. It didn't happen. In Kaman's case, because Hayes is just crazy strong and wouldn't let him go where he wanted to. In Baron's case, because the Clippers just didn't go to him in the post. They went to it against Tony Parker last night, so I assume they'll go to it tonight. As for Kaman, he's longer and quicker than Hayes. He may need to face him up, and he could have a big night if the jump shot is on.
Defending the three. The Rockets are third in the NBA in three point attempts. The Clippers are 6th best in defensive three point percentage. Of course, those facts were more or less the same in the last meeting and the Rockets made 12 of 23. But Houston has trouble winning without making threes. The Rockets are 11 and 4 if they make 8 or more threes in a game - 5 and 7 if they make fewer than 8.
Speaking of threes. I've already mentioned that the Rockets made 12 threes to the Clippers 1 in the first meeting. 12 is tied for the season high for the Rockets - 1 is the season low for the Clippers. Odds are, that won't repeat itself, right?
Ariza. Trevor Ariza continues to shoot under 40% from the field on the season. In fact, Houston's top two scorers, Brooks (43%) and Ariza (39%) are inefficient. How are these guys 16 and 11 again?
Movie Quote:

If you wanna know how to build a rocket to fly a man into outer space, don't come to me. If you need somebody to perform a delicate brain operation, I'm not your man. However if you have any questions what so ever on the quality of a good pair of pants, look no further!

North's Dad, North (1994). I include this quote not because North was a good movie, but because it was a bad movie. Director Rob Reiner had a perfect game going when he directed North in 1994. Spinal Tap, Sure Thing, Stand By Me, Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, A Few Good Men. He couldn't miss. And then came North. Reiner's movies have been hit and miss since.
Get the Rockets perspective at The Dream Shake.

Orlando Magic 97, Los Angeles Clippers 86

Ben Q Rock — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:32:59 -0000

More photos » by Gus Ruelas - AP

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Dwight Howard's stellar all-around play keyed the Orlando Magic's 8th consecutive road win tonight as they defeated the host Los Angeles Clippers, 97-88. On his 24th birthday, Howard tallied 25 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and a season-high 7 blocked shots, leading Orlando in all 5 of those categories. He also shot 7-of-10 from the field and 11-of-15 at the foul line. His brilliance took the spotlight away from Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, and Jason Williams, the other Magic players to score in double-figures. Lewis and Williams hit 4 three-pointers apiece and Orlando drilled 14 as a team. Second-year shooting guard Eric Gordon led L.A. with 21 points on 12 shots, while point guard Baron Davis traded poor shooting (7-of-19, 18 points) for solid playmaking (11 assists, 0 turnovers) which helped keep the Clippers in the game.

Team	Pace	Efficiency	eFG%	FT Rate	OReb%	TO Rate
Magic	88	109.8	54.9%	26.8	19.4	19.2
Clippers	93	92.0	43.5%	14.1	19.6	13.9
Green denotes a stat better than the team's season average; red denotes a stat worse than the team's season average.

Tonight's contest followed a pattern that we've seen from this Magic team in recent years: it jumps out to an early lead, the opponent grinds back into contention in the two middle periods, only for the Magic to shut its offense down in the fourth period. The Magic's frequent turnovers, especially in the second quarter, led to easy transition baskets for the Clippers. In a halfcourt setting, though, their offense didn't muster much against Orlando. The Magic assigned small forward Mickael Pietrus to cover Davis, which took away his driving lanes. The crossmatch forced either Williams or Anthony Johnson to cover Gordon, who looked to post up in order to exploit the mismatch. This strategy worked for a bit, but the biggest factor in limiting the Clippers' offense was Howard's defense on Chris Kaman, an unheralded player in his seventh year posting All-Star-caliber numbers here in the early going. Kaman took 22 shots, the most of any Clipper, but Howard limited him to 8 makes, for 16 points. Excellent work by Howard, who was not whistled for a defensive foul at all, in 43 minutes of work.

Kaman did have his moments defensively, ending the Magic's first 3 possessions of the second quarter with a block and consecutive steals, including an impressive deflection of a Matt Barnes alley-oop intended for Howard. This came after Howard scored 12 points in the first period. From the second quarter on the Clippers' defense adjusted, sending quick double-teams at Howard and daring the Magic's outside shooters to beat them. This strategy worked, to a certain extent. Howard didn't make another field goal until the fourth quarter, and the Magic shot 8-of-26 on three-pointers after a blazing, 6-of-8 start in the first quarter. Orlando won this game with its defense, without question.

To be fair, an extraordinary number of the Magic's shots bounced out after going halfway down; the unkind rim victimized J.J. Redick twice in the first half alone.

Credit the Clippers' defense for holding the Magic to 39 points in the second and third quarters after surrendering 34 in the first quarter alone. Orlando's turnovers and L.A.'s own deft passing on the perimeter helped them surmount what had been a 13-point Magic lead midway through the second quarter. With Kaman's post game neutralized, the Clippers had to rely on Gordon, Davis, and Al Thornton to score with a jumper or a drive to the hoop. Howard's help defense down low challenged numerous shots--and he blocked 7 others, remember--so the game would ultimately come down to whether or not the Clippers could get hot from midrange and beyond.

No such luck. DeAndre Jordan gave the Clippers their last lead at 69-68 with a dunk at the 2:55 mark of the third. The Clippers didn't mak another field goal until the 7:24 mark of the fourth, on a Thornton dunk after he rebounded his own miss. Prior to that dunk, Orlando had gone on a 14-2 to wrest momentum away from L.A.

I'm not sure what the big takeaway from tonight's game is; these sorts of wins (not to be confused with "wins" in general) have become sort-of routine. Enjoy Howard's growth, Lewis' sharpshooting, and Williams' efficient play (16 points on 11 shots, 3 assists, no turnovers), and the knowledge that you're watching a Magic team that just improved to 17-4 for the best start in franchise history.

Discussing the Los Angeles Clippers with Kevin Arnovitz of ClipperBlog

erivera7 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:00:28 -0000

by David Zalubowski - AP

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Kevin Arnovitz needs no introduction but deserves one - he is an editor for TrueHoop and a writer for ClipperBlog, the latter being one of the best team blogs in the NBA. It's safe to say, in my opinion, that Mr. Arnovitz is one of the best writers who covers the league. Period.

As such, I can't help but remark on how much I admire Mr. Arnovitz's work and state how much it was a privilege for me to ask him a few questions a couple of days ago to preview tonight's game between the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Chris Kaman got off to a quick start in the first couple weeks of November but, from looking at some of the numbers and reading some of your reports, has cooled off since then. What happened?

First, Kaman was inevitably going to come down to earth. There wasn't one 50 percent jump shooter in the NBA last season, and that's what Kaman was doing over the opening stretch of the season. Second, Eric Gordon went out with a strained groin. Gordon's absence allowed teams to sag defensively, which gave Kaman less room to work 15 feet from the basket. Third, the pressure to operate as the Clippers' primary scorer might be affecting Kaman's game. Kaman has an incredible collection of assets as a big man -- ambidexterity, good foot work, strength -- but managing those assets has always been a challenge. When Kaman was killing it earlier this season, he was thinking less. The past couple of weeks, we've witnessed his trying to think his way into a score rather than just scoring.

What has Eric Gordon meant to the Los Angeles Clippers this year, on offense and on defense?

The world. When Gordon is in the starting lineup, the Clippers crush their competition. He's the first perimeter player the Clippers have had in an eternity who can stretch the floor, create off the dribble, and defend the 2. He loves to draw contact and he's becoming increasingly effective in the pick-and-roll game. The fact that the aforementioned fall off of Mr. Kaman coincided with Gordon's absence tells you everything you need to know.

Can't forget about Blake Griffin. When he returns from injury, how do the team dynamics change?

I don't think they'll change a whole lot. Given the length of Griffin's absence, I suspect he'll begin with the second unit and claim some of Craig Smith's minutes. Mike Dunleavy has stated that he's interested in experimenting with Griffin at the 3 because the rookie can check small forward defensively, but that declaration might say more about the composition of the Clippers' roster (heavy on bigs, light on wings) than anything else. Griffin is an infectious player, so Clippers fans hope he can infuse the team with "energy," but tangibly, he'll be most valuable in elevating the Clips' rebounding rate above 50.0 percent.

Is this year, possibly, the end of the road for Mike Dunleavy Sr. as head coach/general manager? What is your opinion on his future with the franchise?

Within the organization, there's a feeling that, as badly as things have gone over the past couple of years, Head Coach Dunleavy probably deserves the chance to coach a healthy squad this season (though the supply of patience is measurably less than it used to be). Does he have a future beyond 2011? Let's see how the 2010-2011 team fares -- something that will depend greatly on how successful GM Mike Dunleavy is at leveraging the team's considerable cap space and constructing a winner.

I like to thank Mr. Arnovitz for taking the time to offer his insight on the Clips.

Clippers 88, Pacers 72: Granger Leaves Game As Indiana Crumbles Late Without Star Guard

spstevenson — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 08:20:25 -0000

More photos » by Lori Shepler - AP

Danny Granger left Saturday's game at the beginning of the second half and did not return as the Pacers dropped another loss.

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If only Jimmy Chitwood could have donned his Hickory High jersey and played the second half with the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night. The actor who played the Hoosiers icon sat courtside as the Pacers put on another disaster of a performance during the waning minutes in their final game of a Western road trip.

After trailing by only two points at halftime, star Danny Granger reinjured his bruised right heel at the start of the second half and although the blue and gold hung around until the fourth, the injury helped sealed the team's fate. Even Chitwood couldn't have stopped the ensuing collapse.

The Pacers committed 21 turnovers, made only 37.5 percent from the floor, produced a season-low point total and lost for the ninth time in their last 10 games as the Clippers steamrolled the blue and gold in the final seven minutes en route to a 88-72 Pacers loss. The young season reached another low point for the Pacers (6-12).

With 2:38 remaining in the third quarter, rookie Tyler Hansbrough's two free throws brought the Pacers within two as the Cips led 56-54. Indiana would remain in the game until midway through the fourth quarter when an Earl Watson layup brought the Paces within two again with 6:54 remaining in the game. Unfortunately, Indiana would score only four more points in the final seven minutes. Three crucial turnovers, including a 24-second violation, and several clankers off the basket showed some glaring holes in the Pacers offense down the stretch. Granger's playmaking ability was sorely missed as the team was left without anyone to take over the game.

While the Pacers' offense went comatose in the final minutes, the defense and rebounding was also to blame. All five Clippers starters scored in double figures. Marcus Camby also grabbed 17 rebounds, helping Los Angeles to a 58-34 rebounding advantage, including a 19-4 edge on the offensive end. Both totals were season highs for the Clippers.

Indiana finished its Western road trip with an unimpressive and disheartening 0-4 record. This game was really a downer in the fourth. Just read some of our fan's reactions on the game thread. This one was got ugly, quickly. Check out more after the jump, if you dare.

Before leaving the game with his injury, Granger made 4-of-12 shots for 11 points. He had a couple of nice, forceful drives in the first half, but he was mostly a nonfactor before the injury anyway. Clippers center Chris Kaman said the following about the Pacers star: "He was not playing well tonight," Kaman said of Granger. "He is a great player and does a great job for them, but we did a good job defensively. He was missing shots and then he got injured."
Troy Murphy came through with a team-high 37 minutes and team-high 13 points tonight. Yeah, that should tell you a lot about the game. Murph also grabbed a team-high nine boards.
Jeff Foster started in place of Roy Hibbert in this one, but he didn't stay on the court very long. Hibbert entered the game quickly with about eight minutes to go in the first quarter and Foster was limited to only 12 minutes. Hibbert bounced back from his past two bad performances on the road trip to score 12 points in the post. It was nice to see the team feed him the ball on the block after being neglected of late. It was Hibbert's first game in double-digits in the past nine games.
Where art thou, T.J. Ford? The starting point guard must be playing some of the worst ball that a starting NBA caliber point guard can play right now. Another listless performance left the team's leadership position at a season-low in this one. Ford had another goose egg in the points column, had two assists, two turnovers and four fouls in 18 minutes. Luckily, Earl Watson, who struggled shooting the ball, proved his worth again by dishing out nine of the team's 19 assists.
Mike Dunleavy and Hansbrough both exceeded their minute limits tonight as Dunleavy played 22 and the rookie totaled 20. Dunleavy scored 10 points off the bench.
The Pacers held the Clippers to shooting 34.9 percent from the field tonight. Indiana shot 37.9 percent from the court.
Eric Gordon, who is still struggling with injuries, started for the Clippers but scored a season-low six points on 2-for-7 shooting.

Gordon Misses Clippers Practice - Game Time Decision for Rockets

Steve Perrin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:18:02 -0000

More photos » by Gus Ruelas - AP

EJ has a sore hammie.

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When I got back from Mexico one of the first things I did was watch the last quarter of the Memphis game. That was fun.

But amidst the excitement was a distressing image - Eric Gordon leaving the game with a minute remaining and trying to work out a leg issue with trainer Jasen Powell. I had of course read a couple of references to the situation in the comments here on the blog, most of which seemed to downplay it. But what I saw didn't look good. Contrary to what Milph said when he first left the game, it didn't look to me like a cramp. He looked like something was nagging at him - a cramp is a very different thing. I worried when I saw it that perhaps the groin injury wasn't fully healed.

Today from Playa Vista comes word that Gordon has a sore left hamstring. He skipped practice and is being called a game time decision for tomorrow night against Houston. It doesn't seem like a super serious injury - it's being called 'sore' (as opposed to 'pulled') and they're using words like 'mild', and it's not like we saw him clutching at it as might happen with a severely pulled muscle. But hamstrings have a way of lingering as well. It helps that he's only 20 - I myself am still feeling the effects of a slightly pulled hamstring suffered in 1997. But his body will recover a little more quickly than mine.

We've referenced many times how important Gordon is to this team. Hopefully he won't be limited by this injury just as the Clippers are beginning to build a little momentum.

Traveler's Tales: Grizzlies lose to Clippers 98-88

djturtleface — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:55:44 -0000

by Gus Ruelas - AP

23 days ago: Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo, center, attempts to get by Los Angeles Clippers forward Craig Smith, left, and guard Eric Gordon, right, in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, in Los Angeles. The Clippers won 98-88. (AP Photo/Gus Ruelas)

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If there's something more painful than watching your team put up one of the worst 4th quarters in basketball, it has to be getting on a plane with your team up 16 points, then seeing that they've lost by 10 when you land. I didn't believe it at first; it had to be a mistake by ESPN. But after booting up my League Pass and watching the game, it was clear that I wasn't the only tired traveler.

The Grizzlies just fell apart in the fourth. O.J. Mayo couldn't even come close to guarding his less-heralded arch rival Eric Gordon, and Al Thornton also stepped up to make some big shots. They turned the ball over, couldn't execute anything, and it showed as forced shot after forced shot kept clanking.

Head over to Clips Nation to give them their due, bang your head against a wall, and get some rest, because we go back at it tomorrow against the Utah Jazz. Awards and, as per usual, your insights are over the jump.

Rockness Monster: Is Marc Gasol ever going to give this spot up? The Spaniard is, arguably, outplaying his brother Pau Gasol during his stay in Memphis. I mean, seriously, Zach Randolph wasn't exactly reaping vengeance out there and Marc just carried the post with 26 points, 5 boards, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks.

U-Turn: The Grizzlies had an uncharacteristically poor rebounding night tonight, largely due to Z-Bo's inability to make much happen out there. Marc started seeing double-teams from Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby, both defensive stalwarts, and it led to a tough night. The runner-up was Z-Bo dishing 4 assists after recognizing that he probably should avoid shooting -- big ups, big man.

Bitter Limon: Mike Conley is still starting over Jamaal Tinsley, which isn't how things should be. Tinsley deserved and got the lion's share of the minutes, but Lionel Hollins needs to set the ship right before there are any locker room tiffs.

Sleeping With the Enemy: I would rather have Eric Gordon than O.J. Mayo. Really. No, really. In his second or third game back, Gordon looked special. Even Old Man Camby had this to say about kid:

"Eric's a phenomenal player," Camby said. "I think he has the potential to be a special player like the LeBrons, the Kobes and the Carmelos. You'll be mentioning Eric Gordon's name for a long time."

Now that might be taking it a little bit far, but Eric Gordon and Blake Griffin are going to be a terrible two-some in the upcoming years.

Poll

You must choose.

Eric Gordon

58 votes

O.J. Mayo

23 votes

81 votes | Poll has closed

IC Cold Links: O'Brien Wants To Use Last Year's Lineup; Pacers Prepare For Clippers

spstevenson — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:19:58 -0000

More photos » by CHRIS YOUNG - AP

Dahntay Jones tries to give the Pacers a spark off the bench during last night's loss to Toronto. Jones will continue to sit during the tip-off tonight against the Clippers.

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There is just something about playing those pesky Knicks that sends the Indiana Pacers either into the stratosphere or in a tailspin.

After beating the Knicks to send themselves on a five-game winning streak, the Pacers have been chopped liver since New York ended the winning streak, effectively sending Indiana reeling for four straight. Last night's loss in Toronto left the team in shambles again as coach Jim O'Brien can't find a suitable lineup (starting or in reserve) to kickstart the team's defense, which allowed 74 first-half points.

Yesterday, O'Brien shuffled the lineup by sending starters Dahntay Jones and Roy Hibbert to the bench in favor of Jeff Foster and Brandon Rush. O'Brien explained to the IndyStar's Mike Wells after the game that Jones, who continues to be one of the brightest and exciting parts of the team's young season, deserves to be the starter. The problem? O'Brien has been waiting for injuries to clear up so that he can go back to using the same starting lineup that finished last season on a roll.

O'Brien: "I think Dahntay deserves to start, but I think it's better for our rotation if Dahntay comes off the bench. Dahntay knows I think he's a starter. The whole plan throughout the preseason was to pretty much play the team that we had success with at the end of last year, but we weren't healthy enough to do that."

For tonight's game against the Clippers, Hibbert will be re-inserted into the lineup in place of Foster, but Jones is certain to continue to come off the bench, giving O'Brien his "dream" lineup of T.J. Ford, Rush, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy and Hibbert. With Mike Dunleavy getting an ever-so slim chance of playing tonight for the first time this year, it will be interesting to see how the bench rotations play out with the starters set.

Check out the jump for links to recaps and more on last night's loss to the Raptors.

AP Story
Box Score
Photo Gallery
NBA.com Recap
Bruno's postgame report names Danny Granger of the Player of the Game (36 points, nine rebounds, four assists) last night, which O'Brien called "irrelevant" (and he's right). The report also shines a light on this filthy stat: the Pacers yielded a season-high 123 points and dropped to 1-6 when they allow at least 100 points. Gross. Here's what Jim O'Brien had to say about the team's insistence to only play well in the third quarter:

"You can't play one good quarter on the road and expect to win. We played with no force in the first half and made it a game in the second half because we did play with force. You have to play four quarters on the road and we did not do that." -- Jim O'Brien

Mike Wells recaps the game noting the lack of the Pacers' defensive abilities during their recent four-game slide.
Wells also dumps out the notebook on O'Brien shuffling the starting lineup as well as Jarrett Jack saying the Pacers told him this offseason that he was their No. 1 priority to re-sign. I think when the Pacers made that promise, they weren't counting on the Raptors robbing the bank to steal Jack away from us. More on this later.
The IndyStar also features an article on current Clippers' star and Indy native Eric Gordon. The shooting guard has been out with injury and is listed as questionable for tonight's game, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Tim Donahue at Eight Points, Nine Seconds gives us the statistical analysis on what went wrong in Toronto.
John Oehser provides his take on the Pacers loss for Examiner.com, and Always Miller Time also recaps the game.
Raptors Republic shows how the Raptors felt about last night's game (answer: pretty damn good). Here is the recap from the Toronto Star.
So...the Toronto media really played up the hype about Jack "destroying" his former team because of how the Pacers treated him this summer. In this column in the Toronto Star, the columnist makes every attempt to show how Jack couldn't even keep his emotions in check, especially if he were to go one-on-one against T.J. Ford, so Toronto's coach kept Jack on the bench until Ford left the game. The columnist also pulled the "circle the game on the calendar" but Jack didn't bite. I thought everything ended amicably this summer as Jack understood that the Pacers had no way, no how to match the Raptors' offer. This column tries to make it sound like the Pacers never had any intention on re-signing the point guard. I think the writer missed the mark on this one.
Here is a preview for tonight's game at Conseco "Reggie Miller" Fieldhouse, as well as another preview from SB Nation's Clips Nation.
ESPN's Daily Dime checks in with how the Eastern Conference playoffs should look like at the end of the season. You can guess which team from central Indiana is not involved in the discussion.

Why You Should Watch, Part 1: A Suns Fan's Cheat Sheet to the Rest of the League

Mike Lisboa — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:00:40 -0000

Coach Gentry cheers on the Suns at every game. You should, too! (Photo by Max Simbron)

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The Phoenix Suns are 11-3 and heading into a December full of must-watch games against top flight NBA teams. No Suns fan worth their salt is going to miss a match-up against the Lakers or Spurs or Mavericks. Those teams have been lifelong (or at least decade-long) nemeses to our beloved Suns and each of those games is like a basketball rite of passage.

But what about the rest of the League? Why should you watch the Suns beat up on the Timberwolves or Bobcats? And what about those random teams that never get any pub way out west like the Bucks or the Nets? Below is part one of list of things to look for and reasons to watch our Suns play every team in the NBA. Feel free to print it out and keep it on the fridge next to your official Phoenix Suns schedule or next to the remote so you can crib from it on gameday. Also included is each team's SBNation site if you'd like to learn more about them.

But mostly you should watch because it's the Suns!

Atlanta Hawks, Peach Tree Hoops: Another early season surprise, just like The Suns. The obvious angle here is former Sun, Joe Johnson, aka Daisy Buchanan aka The One That Got Away. While in past seasons, one could have argued that perhaps he was the only reason to watch the Hawks, this year Atlanta done went and put together a ball club. Josh Smith will put you on a poster after rebounding your miss that he nearly blocked on the other end and Jamal Crawford will go from 0-15 points in the blink of an eye. This is a fun team that, like the Suns, seems poised to make an unexpected run at an assumedly superior division rival (the Orlando Magic).

Boston Celtics, CelticsBlog: Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce. For me those are reasons enough to watch them. For Suns fans, KG represents an alternative dimension where the Suns won the trade lottery a few years back and miraculously transformed into a defensive championship-winning machine. Ray Allen was a Suns assassin with the Sonics seemingly ending every contest against the Suns with a 3 as time expired. And Paul Pierce is the The Truth. Probably a little underrated around these parts, Pierce is a ferocious competitor and maybe the 3rd most important Celtic in history behind Bill Russell and Larry Bird. However, time is catching up to the Big 3 and this may be the last chance to catch them before they retire/go their separate ways. Oh, and for added Suns angles, former Sun/Sun Devil Eddie House is always conscienceless good times firing 3s off the bench and Rajon Rondo causes some current fans to look at Goran Dragic coming off the bench and cut themselves since he was in fact a Phoenix draft pick that the Sarver and company sold on eBay back in the day.

Charlotte Bobcats, Rufus On Fire: True story: I nearly canceled League Pass after coming across a Bobcats/Nets game a couple weeks ago. It was eye murder. That said, there's some fun to be had here. First, you can boo/cheer Boris Diaw as you see fit. Watching him play waffle croissant frustrate another team is much more liberating without worrying about how his 9 milli a year is affecting the Suns' cap situation. Raja Bell is gone, but in his place is former Suns division rival Stephen Jackson who should up the excitement quotient in the Queen City. And if you though Mike D'Antoni had a thing against young players, you can practically see the Charlotte faithful's collective head getting ready to explode as rookie lottery pick Gerald Henderson continues to ride pine even in garbage time.

Continued after the jump...

Chicago Bulls, Blog-A-Bull: Joakim Noah will make you eat your words. Derrick Rose is going to be a very good point guard for a very long time. Vinnie Del Negro has one of the best tans I've ever seen. He's the NBA's answer to George Hamilton. If you want something of a Suns angle, John Salmons shunned the Suns leading them to eventually sign Marcus Banks to one of the worst contracts in Suns history AND Luol Deng was also a one time Suns draft pick. Alternately frustrating and fantastic, there's a lot to watch any time these Bulls take the floor.

Cleveland Cavaliers, Fear The Sword: Little known fact about these Cavs... just kidding. If ever an NBA team suffered from overexposure, it's this year's Cavs. Whether or not, Shaquille O'Neal puts Cleveland over the top or drags them under, LeBron James' presence makes Cleveland must-watch basketball every time he takes the court... at least for another few months.

Dallas Mavericks, Mavs Moneyball: Well, well, well, if it isn't a rejuvenated Shawn Marion back in the Western Conference! With Jason Kidd and Tim Thomas on the roster, that's 3 former Suns who could make life miserable for their ex-team. Then there's notable Suns killer and former Wildcat Jason Terry who gets all Bill the Butcher on the Suns every time they play. And of course, Dirk Nowitzki is a straight up animal. New to the mix this year is rookie Frenchman Rodrigue Beaubois, who might be the only 6'0" player in the NBA with a go-to alley oop play drawn up especially for him. So, yeah, watch these guys.

Denver Nuggets, Denver Stiffs: This is quite simply an electric basketball team. Defensively suspect perhaps, this Nuggets team is simply terrifying on the offensive end. Carmelo Anthony's most dangerous spot on the floor is, well, the floor. From the baseline to the top of the arc, he is making opponents lives miserable this season. Off the bench, rookie PG Ty Lawson is quickly making a name for himself as a capable and dangerous back-up to Chauncey Billups' unwaveringly steady hand. These cats are slick and worth watching any time they take the floor.

Detroit Pistons, Motown String Music: The most exciting development in the world of Dee-troit Basketball is Will Bynum's transmogrification into the explosive substance, Bynumite. And he's a former Wildcat, too! Also, the Suns whupped them handily so they're good for the occasional Alando Tucker sighting. And I <3 a healthy Rip Hamilton.

Golden State Warriors, Golden State of Mind: There's a lot to like here: Steph Curry, Anthony Randolph, Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrens and hey -- it's Raja Bell! I was a big Anthony Morrow fan at Summer League and after one game, even D-League call-up Chris Hunter is making some noise. The problem is with Don Nelson running the show mailing it in, you never know what version of this team you're going to get. As a Suns fan though, with 14 games worth of hindsight, try and figure out how that rumored Amare trade would have worked out this season (my 2 cents: not well).

Houston Rockets, The Dream Shake: No T-Mac? No Yao? No problem. Sort of. After a hot start, the Rockets have cooled off to the .500 level in their last 10 games. What they lack in star power, the team is attempting to compensate for in effort and ingenuity. While that combination may make for a middling season, it also makes for smart, hard-fought basketball games that the Suns will have to earn.

Indiana Pacers, Indy Cornrows: Because Danny Granger is the brightest star you've never heard of. While off to a bit of a rough start in 2009, Granger is capable of taking over games and should not be slept on. Also, Tyler Hansbrough will help you find your dog.

Los Angeles Clippers, Clips Nation: This is a team on the verge of... something. They've got a solid if unspectacular commingling of veteran and youth presence in the starting line-up and on the bench and it will only get better once Blake Griffin joins the mix. Boom Dizzle and Eric Gordon make for an above average (and occasionally dynamic) backcourt. Chris Kaman is playing as if he is actually from another planet this year. Marcus Camby is ol' reliable and Craig Smith and Sebastian Telfair are providing serviceable minutes off the bench. In short, these Clippers are ready to break out of the cellar and into the NBA middle class, but they won't because Mike Dunleavy is a terrible, terrible coach. So why should you watch? For the novelty of seeing a team whose locker room cancer is actually roaming the sidelines in a suit.

Los Angeles Lakers, Silver Screen and Roll: "Hate Leads to Suffering; Or, How I Learned to Stop Suffering and Appreciate the Los Angeles Lakers." I'm not sure when I stopped hating the Lake Show, but it's a relatively recent phenomenon. There's just too much good basketball happening when they're on the court. Kobe Bryant is the pre-eminent basketball technician in the league right now. Pau Gasol might be the most sophisticated power forward in the NBA. Andrew Bynum is morphing from man-child to man with each passing minute on the court. Lamar Odom is the Ghost of Earl Clark Future and Ron Artest has gone from dangerously crazy to lovably eccentric with a change in area code. Oh, and that guy on the sidelines has 12 rings (2 as a player... haters) to legitimize any complaints of "Fakerism." For weaknesses, Derek Fisher is showing his age and then some and that bench is the basketball equivalent of Russian Roulette (there's about a 1 in 6 chance they will cost the Lakers the game). But you know, watch for the hate. It feels good, doesn't it, young Skywalker?

Memphis Grizzlies, Straight Outta Vancouver: Because Allen Iverson is must-watch basketball! Watch these guys so that 2 years from now you can say you were there when... Rudy Gay announced his presence with authority, O.J. Mayo came into his own, Zach Randolph quietly resucitated his career, Marc Gasol began working his way out of Pau's shadow, Jamaal Tinsley was brought into stabilize (!) a team's roster, and Hasheem Thabeet began fading into obscurity. It's kinda like watching the X-Files before the X-Files was cool (and that also started in Canada!).

Miami Heat, Peninsula is Mightier: Because if you don't watch, Dwyane Wade will throw himself at you and you WILL be called for a foul. While it's easy to mock Wade's penchant for reckless drives and refs tendencies to bail him out, it's impossible to argue that he's not a hardwood hurricane when this team needs him to be. Without Wade, this team's win total is somewhere in the 30s, but with him, they're a dangerous playoff foe... which isn't to say there isn't some talent around him. Udonis Haslem defines "unsung hero" outside of Miami-Dade County. Jermaine O'Neal and Quentin "P90X" Richardson are both having mini-renaissances this season and youngsters Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley provide inconsistent if effective support to their leading man. But mostly, it's all about Wade being a force of nature that you can watch from the comfort of your home without worrying about losing your home in the process.

To be continued....

Gold Lion: Grizzlies beat the Clippers 106-91

djturtleface — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:16:01 -0000

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Mike Conley might not have responded well to the push Marcus Williams has been making for his job, but the Grizzlies certainly responded well to Conley's foul trouble, both with Williams and O.J. Mayo running the offense. The Grizzlies offense absolutely tore up the Clippers, shooting 54% from the field and getting to the line 19 times with 17 hits on those free ones.

After another big 3rd quarter push, just like against the Wolves, the Grizzlies took control and never even thought about looking back. Memphis has now won two in a row, and even if the Timberwolves and Clippers aren't exactly playoff teams, that's still something.

You can get more at Clips Nation, or hop over the jump for a longer recap.

Zach Randolph got dirty on offense, shooting great and passing effectively despite only earning one assist for that work. Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo were just splashing every jumper they took, often open catch-and-shoots, a rarity for the Grizzlies. But again Marc Gasol stole the show on offense. Big Gasol was nearly perfect from the field, and he even dished six dimes. The high-post Gasol attack was on display tonight.

And while the offense definitely was the shining star in this game, the defense was pretty solid too. I actually liked what Zach was doing, how often do you see dude get four fouls? Not often, but he should try it more often. Craig Smith, a surprisingly decent offensive backup, got his buckets, but Zach protected the rim better than normal.

I even liked the bench out there. DeMarre's jumper was a little less crooked, and Hasheem Thabeet returned to look a little less goofy against the Clipper scrubs. Sam Young led the second unit again, but I thought he looked to pass a bit more than usual.

Rockness Monster: Marc Gasol might be the Grizzlies best player. He just keeps showing new moves and more vision every game this season. Last season Marc had definite limitations; he banged the boards and showed flashes of other skills. This year the younger Gasol is dangerously close to mastering the high-post.

U-Turn: Marcus Williams played better with the starters than he does with the subs. He clearly defers more often, and even though he shouldn't be shooting threes with that wonky jumper, Williams played well within himself. Look, he's still a terrible defender and seems to have no concept of when to push or slow things down, but results are results. And Mike Conley is terrible.

Bitter Limon: I bet you can guess... Mike Conley shoots 0-4 from the field, has 2 assists to 2 turnovers, and collects 5 fouls in just 16 minutes on the court. I didn't realize you could so much damage in so little time.

Sleeping With the Enemy: Well, Baron Davis certainly didn't do his team any favors, and nobody else bailed the Clippers out, as hard as Chris Kaman might have tried. Al Thornton might be out of the league in three years, and Rasual Butler got revealed as a product of Chris Paul like he was a Scooby-Doo villain. What else is there to say about this team? Without Eric Gordon, they're not very good.