chrisd
Jul 07, 2009 Jun 02, 2012 18 6464
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Blake gets a flagrant 1 for push on Pau:
Mark Medina @MarkGMedina
Blake Griffin given flagrant 1 for shove from back on Pau Gasol
Clippers not picking up Simmons for rest of the year... yet.
Basically the Clips are waiting until after this 3 game trip to decide which makes me think they are going to see who gets waived from other teams to add a player. I read somewhere that if players get waived, they have until sometime this week to join a team to be on their playoff roster. Makes sense i guess, especially with the addition of Young, but i hope it doesn't mean minutes for Gomes this trip.
ESPN INSIDER TRADE PROPOSAL - HELL YES PLEASE!!!!!!!!
Ray Allen and Trevor Ariza to the Clippers; Chris Kaman, Eric Bledsoe, and Bobby Simmons to Boston; Chris Wilcox, Randy Foye, Ryan Gomes, Brian Cook, and Trey Thompkins to New Orleans
While we're breaking up the Celtics, here's another good one to ponder -- either in conjunction with the deal above or on its own. The Clippers certainly become rather potent in the wake of this trade; by agreeing to swallow Ariza's contract from the Hornets and part with the promising Bledsoe, they get a deadly wing shooter in Allen to replace the injured Billups. Additionally, Ariza gives them the wing defender they've sorely needed all season.
For New Orleans, this is a straight salary dump of Ariza, with Kaman the lure. The Hornets would have to pay Gomes one more year, but otherwise get four expiring contracts. New Orleans also would have to waive Solomon Jones and Lance Thomas to make this deal work; let's just say I don't see that as a show-stopper.
As for the Celtics, they get a promising guard in Bledsoe and the Bird rights to a big low-post center, Kaman. That actually has value for the C's, who unlike New Orleans actually have a prayer of re-signing Kaman. They do take on $2.6 million in luxury tax in this deal, but if they don't do the one above, they can eliminate that expense by sending O'Neal to the Hornets instead of Wilcox.
espn insider trade proposal
Playoff Picture 3/10/12 - stop worrying you pessimists.
So much worry from fellow Clipper fans (sorry, can't use the TimKempton "C" word) about not even making the playoffs on the game threads, hopefully this will ease some doubt. We have 28 games left and half are against teams with above .500 records. This paints a pretty good picture for the playoffs for us. I kind of love this playoff picture for us if they started today.
How to replace Billups - ESPN INSIDER
It doesn't suggest anything other than JR Smith, but a good article on that front we've all been discussing at the very least. Also there was a section about the Nuggets replacing Gallinari but the article suggested nobody cause they are deep and wilson chandler will come back.
The landscape in the Western Conference was altered by this week's injury news regarding the Denver Nuggets' Danilo Gallinari and Los Angeles Clippers' Chauncey Billups. Gallinari's ankle problems are supposed to sideline him for a month; Billups is definitely out for the rest of this season and may never play in the NBA again.
Clippers
Randy Foye will assume a larger role in Billups' absence.
Depth has been an issue for the Clippers, but luckily for them that's a frontcourt problem only. L.A. had five quality guards on its roster before Billups went down, and now they have four. In terms of quantity, they should be fine. Unfortunately fit is a problem, and unlike Denver, the Clippers are probably going to have to go outside the organization to fill out their rotation.
With Billups gone, Randy Foye steps into the starting lineup. Foye replaces Billups' size in the first unit, but leaves a pair of 6-foot-1 guys coming off the bench in Mo Williams and Eric Bledsoe. Nobody outside of Charlotte, N.C., would be crazy enough to play a backcourt that small for very long, and one of them is going have to play alongside six-footer Chris Paul from time to time.
The Clippers have been mentioned as a possible landing spot for J.R. Smith once he finishes up his time in China. At 6-6, Smith could plug the size gap and may be a better option than Foye to play alongside Paul with the first group because he's a more consistent outside threat. That may seem like a strange statement given the streaky nature of Smith's game, but Foye has been maddeningly inconsistent during his up-and-down career, and the Clippers may not want to rely on him in a large role.
Smith is a much better defender than Foye and his gambling ways might play well alongside Paul and in front of DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin's athleticism. Not only can he provide the same floor spacing (but not playmaking) as Billups, but he can play heavy minutes and help deflect some of the defensive leak that occurs when Williams steps on the court. The Clippers are 10.4 points per 100 possessions worse defensively with Williams in the game, which is the primary reason Billups' plus/minus numbers have been so strong this season even though he was shooting worse than he has in about 11 seasons.
Unfortunately, the Clippers have only the veteran's minimum to offer Smith after burning their mini midlevel exception last week on Kenyon Martin (remember our sermon about opportunity cost?).
That doesn't necessarily rule out Smith for L.A. There might be no better way for Smith to showcase his ability before another summer of free agency than to play a big-time role on a contending team -- and make it work. He might be surrendering money in the short term, but if things go well in L.A., he'd be making it up down the line.
Bradford Doolittle is an author for Basketball Prospectus. Follow him on Twitter here.
Kenyon Martin will be made available in 24 hours to join the NBA, 2 weeks early.
via twitter WojYahooNBA Adrian Wojnarowski
After China failed to respond to request for Letter of Clearance for Kenyon Martin, FIBA made surprising decision to grant it, sources say.
WojYahooNBA Adrian Wojnarowski
Belief was China wouldn't issue OK to let KMart play in NBA until Chinese season was done; FIBA ruled it OK in last 24 hours, sources say.
ESPNSteinLine Marc Stein
K-Mart's clearance to return to NBA comes roughly two weeks earlier than expected. So it would appear his next stop will be sorted soon
WojYahooNBA Adrian Wojnarowski
Kenyon Martin is on visit to Atlanta today, intrigued w/ significant role he could play w/ Hawks, sources say. Clips, Heat high on list too.
WojYahooNBA Adrian Wojnarowski
Because of FIBA clearance, KMart selection process will move faster, sources say. Scenario: Weekend decision, physical w/ team on Monday.
Great article by DJ Foster: Is Chris Paul the best PG ever?
Well written article that gave me chills.
No Gordon or DJ offered according to Ramona
Interesting article wrapping up the day and scoffing at all the rumors of the Clips offering EJ & DJ or either one of them. I like the idea of Kaman/Aminu/Bledsoe/Minny pick plus future first round picks for CP3 and Ariza. That would be dreamy.
6 moves the Clippers should make according to Pincus
Nothing new but the way the numbers work is interesting in waiting to sign DJ until after we get a SF if that's the direction we go.
Interview of DJ saying if Clips can stay together we'll be the next OKC Thunder. Good video of where his head is at. Clips4Life.
BLAKE GRIFFIN - WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE MONTH!
NBA Western Conference Player of the month as a rookie is pretty awesome. I have no clue the last time it was done but more kudos to the Beast!
Eric Gordon not traveling with team to Dallas.
According to Lisa Dillman's tweet:
"Eric Gordon did not practice. Won't be flying with Clippers to Dallas. MAY join them there."
"He is seeing another doctor today. More from VDN after clearing airport security. Me, not him."****HERE'S THE UPDATED ARTICLE ON THE INJURY:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2011/01/clippers-nba-eric-gordon-vinny-del-negro.html
ESPN Insider: Is Blake the best rookie EVER?
In honor of all our recent talk about Blake being the best LA rookie ever (over Magic) and comparing him to other rookies, ESPN Insider did a nice stat filled report for us at Clipsnation!
*I would link the article but it's ESPNInsider so you gots to pay for it and all.
Measuring Griffin against the greats
By John Hollinger
ESPN.com
ArchiveBlake Griffin is averaging 22.5 points and 12.8 rebounds a game for the Clippers, who are on the rise. Normally at this time of year, I might write a column that compares the various Rookie of the Year candidates in order to help sort out a tight race.
Uh, not this year.
Blake Griffin has run away with that honor, with Monday night's 47-point outburst against the Pacers serving as the exclamation point on what's almost certain to be a unanimous vote. (Unfortunately, we're required to say "almost" given the long history of moron homer votes that have kept other obvious winners from unanimity).
Griffin is blowing away the competition so badly that he has a seven-point player efficiency rating lead on his closest rookie rival, Washington's John Wall; Griffin's estimated wins added (EWA) is greater than that of his five closest rivals combined. Overall, he ranks 14th in the NBA in PER and, in spite of his team's awful record, seems a near-lock to make the All-Star team. That's through half a season of work, but given that most rookies see their numbers improve in the second half of their first season, he's likely to move up the charts further.
Sunday's explosion added to his massive list of superlatives, while placing him in some rather select company. According to Elias, Griffin's point total was the most this season. His 19-of-24 shooting, for 79.2 percent, was the best percentage by a rookie taking at least 20 shots in more than a quarter center (Hakeem Olajuwon shot 18-of-22 on Dec. 6, 1984). He joined Shaquille O'Neal as the only rookies in the last quarter century to have a 45-10 game, and joined Michael Jordan and Rick Barry as the only rooks to have at least 47 points and 14 rebounds in the same game.
Griffin is 12th in scoring, fourth in rebounding, and has an amazing streak of 27 straight double-doubles. He's been so good that the Clippers have become a must-see team in spite of the fact that they're 10 games under .500 and, having played more home games and fewer road games than any team in the league, are likely to slip even lower.
So there's no Rookie of the Year race to analyze. Instead, we're left with a more historic question: Is he having one of the best rookie years ever? And if so, where does it rank?
Great recent rookie seasons, pace-adjusted to 2010-11
PAP40=Pace-adjusted points per 40 minutes; PAR40=Pace-adjusted rebounds per 40 minutes; PAA40=Pace-adjusted assists per 40 minutesPlayer PAP40 PAR40 PAA40 PER
David Robinson, 1989-90 24.9 12.3 2.1 26.3
Michael Jordan, 1984-85 27.4 6.3 5.7 25.8
Blake Griffin, 2010-11 24.1 13.7 3.6 23.3
Shaquille O'Neal, 1992-93 23.7 14.0 1.9 23.2
Terry Cummings, 1982-83 23.6 10.6 2.5 22.8
Tim Duncan, 1997-98 22.6 12.8 2.9 22.6
Chris Paul, 2005-06 18.6 5.9 9.0 22.1
Chris Webber, 1993-94 20.4 10.6 4.2 21.7
Hakeem Olajuwon, 1984-85 21.0 12.1 1.4 21.1
Alonzo Mourning, 1992-93 22.9 11.2 1.1 20.8
Elton Brand, 1999-00 22.5 11.2 2.1 20.6
Magic Johnson, 1979-80 17.6 7.6 7.2 20.6
Larry Bird, 1979-80 21.3 10.4 4.5 20.5To answer that question, I went to the archives. As it turns out, Griffin's rookie year (so far) isn't the best in history … I'd say Wilt Chamberlain has that pretty safely salted away by jumping out of the gate with a 37.6-27.0 campaign in 1959-60.
Nonetheless, it's still pretty amazing. The first thing one notices is the players he's being compared to -- Griffin is on a trajectory that few have approached, and rookies of this quality virtually always turn into superstars. For instance, Griffin is on pace to be the seventh rookie to average more than 22 points and 12 rebounds in a season; five of the other six are in the Hall of Fame and the sixth, Shaquille O'Neal, is a mortal lock to join them.
Of course, most of the great rookie seasons happened in the 1950s and 1960s, when (a) players rocketed into the league with four years of college experience, and (b) the college game was a better learning ground because everybody else stayed four years too. Griffin, for instance, won't be touching Wilt's rookie numbers, or the Big O's near triple-double campaign of 30.5-10.1-9.7 in 1960-61.
In the past four decades or so, however, players have routinely left school early and taken more lumps as NBA rookies. In that light, Griffin's rookie season seems even better. Only two rookies in the past 40 years have exceeded Griffin's current 23.26 PER, and one of them was a 24-year-old David Robinson. The other was a fairly decent player by the name of Michael Jordan.
Everybody else takes a back seat to Griffin. EVERYBODY. Shaq, Duncan, Magic, Bird -- no dice, fellas. The comparison of Griffin to other dominant big men of recent vintage is particularly noteworthy. Once we adjust for pace and minutes, as I've done in the chart, his rookie season seems completely in place next to those of Robinson, Duncan, Shaq, and Olajuwon. And in one respect (his passing ability) he's already far beyond them and nearly into Larry Bird/Chris Webber territory.
The other thing you'll notice from the chart, again, is the quality of the comparables. Of the other 12 best rookies in the past three decades, all but two are either in the Hall of Fame or well on their way. We'll try really hard to ignore the fact that the two exceptions both played for the Clippers.
Keep in mind, too, that we're comparing Griffin's half-year numbers against the other player's full-year numbers. But Griffin is still ramping up -- his scoring, rebounding and assist numbers have improved dramatically every month. Griffin averaged only 20.9 points and 11.7 boards in November; in January he's at 27.6 and 14.4. At this rate, his April numbers are going to be the stuff of video games.
Sum it all up and we're left with only one conclusion: Griffin isn't just another Rookie of the Year. He's, most likely, a superduperstar. Basically, his career represents the collision of two trends that have had few, if any, exceptions: The first, that players who play this well this early virtually always become all-time greats, and the second, that the Clippers are cursed. L.A.'s "other" team will have its fingers crossed that the first trend can overcome the second.
ESPN Insider John Hollinger
ESPN Insider
The best of the worst!
At least the article calls us potentially the best at something this year!
Rookie Rankings - nba.com 1. Wall 2. Griffin
Hopefully the Clippers start winning and Blake gets back on the +10 rebounds. I didn't realize his rebounding numbers had dropped each of the first games though. Nothing to be worried about of course, just didn't realize. He's a beast and Wall is playing great. Looks like a great rookie year and race.
Del Negro BLASTS Baron's work ethic!
I love Vinny for doing this. Great article slamming Baron...
Clips could be looking to get a C - LA Times article
Great idea to get a new C, Collins isn't good & Jordan has too many question marks/areas to improve to be the only back-up to Kaman.
USA vs. Slovenia box score and story
It definitely wasn't Gordon's best game by a long shot but 4 rebounds is good for him. Considering he made his last 2 shots which were 3's, he started off freezing missing his first 5 3's and 7 shots. Doh. It's nice to see him with the confidence to try to shoot through a slump on this talented team.
Kevin Love seriously killed it in the game and dare I say Rudy Gay looked good from the outside too (still not a max guy).
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