Re: Training Camp/Preseason News

[mkwest]

Can the Clippers Compete? (Video)

Eric Pincus and Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld discuss the Clippers' outlook for this season as well as what it will take for the team to take it to the next step.

[TheNewEra]

thanks great stuff MK

[scratch21]

CP is outta shape too

[og15]

Out of shape vs basketball shape are a little different. He's in shape in terms of he's been doing cardio, but he's not in shape in terms of he hasn't been playing 5v5 basketball.

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I think the same tune is ringing everywhere, a lot of the ability for this team to get to the next level lies on DJ and the impact he brings on defense. I also like Pincus reiterating what some people seem to ignore, that while Reggie's energy and effort is great, we remember all the good, but forget the frustrating nights where he crowds the lane, can't make FT's, fouls too much, and hurts the offense. Reggie and Martin were undersized on defense, and though they tried, it caused some issues, but the added problem was that they were bad on offense, so they couldn't make it up.

Odom is a much better player. I've said it before, but Odom playing even a little below his career scoring rate and efficiency is a better and more efficient scorer than both Reggie and Martin combined last season. I think sometimes, we really ignore that truth, and he's a better rebounder than Martin, and he's not a bad defender by any means.

Odom subbing in during the playoffs instead of Martin or Reggie means that the type of defense the Spurs played last season to contain Paul and make Blake a jump shooter will not work. Odom can spot up in the corner, or on the wing, and he opens up their defense, and he can be given the ball to attac their defense and create. The team was 4th in offensive efficiency, though not truly the 4th best offensive team, but got better offensively this off-season.

It's all about the defense catching up, and it seems like with DJ's consistent commitment, along with Blake truly wanting to improve there, and the team hiring a new defensive coach, and focusing on defense, this can be a top 7-10 team in defensive efficiency. If you are top 5 in offensive efficiency, and top 10 in defensive efficiency, that bodes very well for you.

[mkwest]

CHINA STORIES: GRANT HILL

The flight overall was great. It was the entire Clipper team and organization and staff. We had the plane to ourselves and it was funny at different times I’d wake up and it was like ‘Soul Plane,’ the party was going on. Then I’d go to sleep and wake up and everybody was knocked out. Over the course of the 13 or 14 hours you were able to get both extremes.

I think the flight and this whole experience is a good opportunity for bonding. It gives us a chance to hang out a little bit more and spend time, see the sights, see all that there is to see here in China collectively as a group. We have a lot of new faces, so the more time we can spend with each other away from the court, I think the better it will be for our overall production on the floor.

I'’ve been to Beijing and Shanghai before, so the Great Wall is obviously something you have to see to really see how impressive it is. I would encourage that. I think the silk markets here in Beijing are one of a kind. Pretty much everything is there. You can negotiate and buy some neat things at an affordable price. In Shanghai, there’s so much to do. We’re not going to be there as long, but there’s always some good shopping. I tried some of the authentic food when I ventured out last time and really had a good experience.

Eric Patten, Clippers.com

The Clippers visit the Great Wall of China.

CLIPPERS CONDUCT FIRST PRACTICE IN CHINA

It was the tenth practice of the preseason for the team, and first with point guard Chris Paul participating in full-contact throughout. Paul was cleared by the Clippers’ medical staff prior to taking the floor Tuesday, but is not expected to play when the team plays the Miami Heat in two days.

With Paul in tow, Head Coach Vinny Del Negro covered a number of finite points from the Clippers’ 106-104 loss to Denver in their preseason opener, reviewing a handful of defensive principles and later some offensive play sets. Del Negro said it was important to get back on the court after nearly a day of inactivity while traveling.

The budding chemistry amongst the team will likely only get strong in the coming days, according to Del Negro.

“We’re going to be spending a lot of time together,” Del Negro said. “Between bus rides and plane rides and games and just everything we’re doing, events and receptions and things. We have about seven new faces, so it’s a good kind of camaraderie thing. Bottom line is it’s a working trip for us and we’ve got to do a good job with the concentration in practice and obviously in the games.”

Take note: Grant Hill practiced in full Tuesday after being held out of Friday’s game to get extra rest heading into the season.

Eric Patten, Clippers.com

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dviTdXKZKlc[/youtube]

Clippers practice in China

[playaloc916]

Lol at the Bledsoe pic with the army hat on. Pretty sweet trip for those guy.

[mkwest]

CP3 returns to practice (Video)

Lol at the Bledsoe pic with the army hat on. Pretty sweet trip for those guy.

I'm glad they're having a good time. Travis bought about 5 different hats.

[mkwest]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7HeVTmTsN0[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DwudbsqNGE[/youtube]

[TheNewEra]

hopefully the starters and Bledsoe play low mins in the next game give them more time to rest.

[mkwest]

#Clippers G Chauncey Billups scrimmaged in small doses during Tuesday's practice -- the team's 1st since returning from China.

Dan Woike

Also, Vinny is praying that Willie settles in now that CP3 is back.

hopefully the starters and Bledsoe play low mins in the next game give them more time to rest.

Bledsoe has been logging a ton of minutes, but for good reason. We didn't have any other true pg's at the time and he needed to build his chemistry with the reserves. He needs to become more comfortable at the helm as a floor general. I don't want to see him play too many minutes with Paul in the preseason, because he'll just end up deferring.

I would like to see Leslie get some minutes, and even Blakely despite the fact that he won't make the team. Thompkins is likely to miss the rest of preseason with the bone bruise, so he's not a real option. Butler hasn't played too much. I wouldn't mind seeing Blake sacrifice some minutes for Odom, since he could use the reps. Paul is anxious after having to sit out of the practices, scrimmages and the first 2 games, but his minutes should be kept low imo. I don't mind DJ extra reps.

[TheNewEra]

Leslie for definitely get more burn in our return. Odom needs some big mins to speed up the process of him getting into game shape. Jordan for sure could use the in game practice reps.

[mkwest]

Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups practice

PLAYA VISTA, Calif. -- Los Angeles Clippers guards Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups went through practice and a full-contact scrimmage Tuesday heading into Wednesday night's preseason game against the Utah Jazz in Los Angeles.

Paul, who started his first exhibition game last week since having surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb in August, will start Wednesday. Billups, who had season-ending surgery to repair a torn left Achilles tendon in February, will not play during the preseason but is still hoping to return sometime in November or December.

Billups didn't join the Clippers on their eight-day trip to China, instead staying back in Los Angeles to work out and rehabilitate his injury.

"I just used that time to continue to move forward as opposed to travel there and not play in the games," Billups said. "I thought it would have set me back so I used that time to spring forward a little and I think it helped."

Tuesday was the first day Billups was able to practice fully in contact drills without any restrictions and play in the backcourt again with Paul.

"I feel good. I feel really good," Billups said. "It will probably take me a little while to get my rhythm back. I haven't played since February. I feel good but I just need to take my time and get my rhythm back."

Arash Markazi, ESPN Los Angeles

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZXjs5_8OVg[/youtube]

CLIPPERS RETURN TO PRACTICE AFTER CHINA TRIP

“Practice was alright,” center DeAndre Jordan said. “It was a little sloppy in the beginning, everybody was still a little jet lagged, but that’s no excuse for us when we have a game tomorrow. It kind of picked up a little later on in practice as people’s competiveness kind of picked up.”

Following Monday’s off day, the team watched film for the early portion of their afternoon workout before spending two hours on the court, including scrimmaging in the final half hour. It was also the first practice in Los Angeles for Chris Paul since being cleared for full-contact participation last week by the Clippers’ medical staff.

“I hadn’t seen him in a week, but he practiced a little bit today,” Del Negro said. “Every day he will do a little bit more. It will be a game conditioning thing. You can do all the half-court drills and everything, but full-court games and the physical contact is obviously a different physicality to it. Chauncey’s getting better every day, we’ll monitor him and as he sees fit we’ll get him out there.”

The team has not set a firm timeline for Billups’ return, but Del Negro has been adamant throughout camp that it will be based on how Billups feels, or as the former Finals MVP put it Tuesday, “I get back to being me again.”

Eric Patten, Clippers.com

[mkwest]

REFLECTING ON CHINA: A BOND NOT SOON BROKEN

For many of the players on the trip, China was a first-time venture, some like Jamal Crawford or DeAndre Jordan never imagined they would travel there. But basketball, as it’s emerged over the last decade as the world’s second most popular sport to soccer, has a way of opening doors to unexpected things. And while the Clippers gathered beneath an ancient watchtower for a group photograph, the sun slowly washing away the final remnants of dusk, their weeklong basketball and cultural journey was only beginning.

During their seven days in China, the Clippers rode buses everywhere, ate in the hotel, shopped, practiced, played, walked the city, read to children at a migrant school, and rapped lyrics to Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac tracks, and they did it all together. According to superstar Chris Paul, one of eight holdovers from last season, it was a necessary bonding experience for a team adding at least seven new faces, but at the same time it was incredibly special.

“The bus rides,” Paul said following the Clippers’ 99-89 win over the Heat in Shanghai. “We had a lot of fun on the bus rides, everybody just talking about everything. When you have a new team like this and everybody is new to each other, you need those experiences. Like Lamar [Odom], we’ve been together for a week and a half, but I feel like I’ve known the man for the last 10 years, so I think that’s good for us.”

Odom, who was among those championing 2Pac and Biggie on his iPod, shared Paul’s sentiment. “To be able to come here and do what we love on the other side of the world is a big deal,” Odom said. “Camaraderie is important in this game and the time that we spent here was time well spent.”

“The fans are smart,” Griffin said. “They know about the game and they know what’s going on. They know the history of the game. When Bill Russell came out on the floor in the second half [of the game in Beijing] and they gave him a big ovation, I thought that was really cool that fans all the way across the world know that much about the game and know who the greats are.”

Eric Patten, Clippers.com

Photo recap of the team in China

[mkwest]

JORDAN CONFIDENT AFTER THREE GAMES

“[Jordan’s] been outstanding,” Paul said. “He’s worked really hard and now everybody’s getting a chance to see it. It’s not just his offensive game. That’s what I want him to know. He’s just got to keep impacting the game the way he does on the defensive end and running the court. He can be one of the best big men in this league as long as he keeps his mind to it.”

Through three preseason games, Jordan has seemingly recognized this. He’s averaging 13.0 points per game, including a game-high 18 points going 8-for-8 from the field against the Heat in Shanghai, 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, and shooting 81.8% in 24.7 minutes. He’s also shown a newfound aggression, or as Jordan says: confidence.

“I was just getting a lot of reps up this summer,” Jordan said. “And then at the same time when Chris and Blake [Griffin] and Chauncey [Billups] and Jamal [Crawford] and those guys are all confident to give me the ball in the post, it makes me more confident to shoot the ball, get fouled, or make the right play. It’s all about confidence and reps.”

“[Jordan] got some low post, early position, and got some easy ones,” Head Coach Vinny Del Negro said. “And his activity defensively. I thought he was running the court better. He was just more active, so I thought he had a really good game.”

Jordan said something similar. “I feel like if I get the ball down there, I can either score or make the right basketball play.”

Eric Patten, Clippers.com

[mkwest]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUGKIOlg_8Q[/youtube]

[mkwest]

FOURTH QUARTER IS JAMAL CRAWFORD’S TIME

Jamal Crawford says fourth-quarter success just comes naturally.

You could see it when he somewhat casually glanced at the shot clock in the final minute of Wednesday night’s preseason game against the Jazz, rocking the ball back and forth as he approached DeMarre Carroll in the middle of the floor. The game was tied at that point; the operative word being “was.”

Inserting him into a crunch-time lineup that could ultimately feature Chris Paul, who was statistically among the league’s best closers last season, and Chauncey Billups, gives the Clippers quite a collection of options.

“You can’t help off anyone,” Crawford said. “Whether it’s [Paul] or Chauncey or Matt [Barnes] or whoever is out there. It makes us that much more dangerous [at the end of games].”

Crawford said he watched the Clippers series against the Spurs in the Western Conference Semi-Finals last May and noticed how San Antonio’s defense would load up on Paul. “They made things difficult for him, especially with Chauncey out,” Crawford said.

Defenses may have to rethink that strategy now.

“With our ability, with Blake [Griffin] and [DeAndre Jordan], to score inside and the attention Chris draws, having a guy out there who’s going to space the court and give those guys gaps for penetration is important,” Del Negro said. “We’ll continue to build [Crawford] in in the fourth quarter, you know last night we went to him, which we’ll do sometimes. Not only because he’s a capable player to make shots, but to make plays.”

Eric Patten, Clippers.com

As Clippers round into shape, Lamar Odom lags

For Odom, weight and poor conditioning are issues.

Del Negro said Odom's knees are bothering him and that playing the 6-10 forward against the Jazz probably would have set him back.

"He's got to work through some conditioning things and some health things right now, which he's doing," Del Negro said. "Yeah, I wish he was in a little bit better conditioning, and he wishes he was. But he's just got to continue to work every day and I'm sure he'll get there eventually."

On the positive side, guard Chauncey Billups' return from surgery to repair a left Achilles' tendon tear is moving ahead of schedule.

Billups has looked so good in practice and in Tuesday's scrimmage that the Clippers think he may return sometime in late November.

"He's been practicing," Del Negro said. "And now it's just a matter of when he feels ready. He'll know it."

"They did right by me," Williams said about the Clippers. "They put me in a situation they thought was good for me."

Brad Turner, LA Times

LA Times: Blake Griffin chat with Chris Paul's young son (Video)

[mkwest]

Entering his 18th NBA season, forward Grant Hill is hoping the final chapter of his career ends with a run to the championship

“This is the deepest team I’ve been on,” he said. “A lot of the guys who also signed here have been around for years. They chose here to come and play. Honestly, I don’t know if five years ago that would have happened, but the things that the Clippers organization, Chris [Paul] and Blake [Griffin] have done, makes me want to take that next step with this team.

“I’m excited to see what we can become.”

“When I first got to Phoenix they said: ‘Oh, he can’t run with these guys, he’s 35 years old,’” Hill said with a smile. “Then I figured out how to beat my man down the court and get layups.

“At the end of the day, it’s just basketball,” he added. “You get on the court and you play. I still prepare the same way I did when I was younger. I’m good—I’m ready.”

“I’ve seen enough and done it all—different styles of play, walking the ball up the court, or running up and down the court. It’s still basketball. You still have to go out there and compete. You might be on a different team, but at the end of the day it’s still basketball.”

Mirin Fader, Clippers.com

Clippers' Jamal Crawford aims at perfecting his shot

After 12 NBA seasons and with a firm reputation as a pure shooter, Clippers guard Jamal Crawford tried something during the off-season he had never done before.

He practiced shooting.

It's astonishing to think that Crawford, who is the NBA's career leader with 34 four-point plays and ranks 21st all-time with 1,387 three-pointers, didn't routinely spend his summers in stuffy gyms trying to perfect his shot.

"I've never actually been drilled before. Seriously. I told Blake that, and he couldn't believe it," Crawford said of teammate Blake Griffin.

"This summer was actually the first summer I worked on my game. I usually just play off of raw talent," he said Thursday after the Clippers' practice. "But I just wanted to work on something and be in great shape coming into camp. I came here right after Labor Day, which is the earliest I've ever gone to any team in the summer, and all the guys were here, committed to getting better.

"Now it's part of my lifestyle, working out and being here, shooting and getting shots up. It gives you more confidence that if you miss one or two, you know you've been working on it every single day and your teammates have confidence because they see it as well."

"I see the sky as being the limit, honestly," Crawford said. "I think we have everything we need. We have a great coaching staff, an organization that's committed to winning, veterans who have been through those wars. You have guys like Chauncey Billups, who has been a Finals MVP. You have Lamar Odom, who's won two championships. Ronny Turiaf has won a championship. Guys have great experience, and I think when things get rough you can lean on that and those guys who have been through those wars."

Helene Elliott, LA Times

[og15]

Crawford never working on his shooting is interesting. I know some guys like that who have played since they were young and have a good shot but never drill it. They shoot around and play games, and that's all. It's good to hear that about Jamal, hopefully it makes for a great shooting year.

[TheNewEra]

Really need Odom to step it up in his conditioning so he is ready to go to start the season

[mkwest]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwyv5xGnRU4[/youtube]

Crawford never working on his shooting is interesting. I know some guys like that who have played since they were young and have a good shot but never drill it. They shoot around and play games, and that's all. It's good to hear that about Jamal, hopefully it makes for a great shooting year.

I hope it helps too. I expect him to have a better season than he did last year just due to circumstances and surroundings, but any extra growth would be greatly appreciated.

Really need Odom to step it up in his conditioning so he is ready to go to start the season

He's sitting out another game on Saturday

We have one of these.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLXq7cDHlis[/youtube]

I know that its intended purpose is for rehab, but it would allow him to work on his cardio while minimizing the strain on his knees. Reducing his weight is going to take pressure off of his knees and hopefully alleviate some of the physical issues he's dealing with at the moment.