Dallas Mavericks (1-0) @ Los Angeles Clippers (1-0)

[Quake Griffin]

In the arena I could tell Lance didn't look comfortable…not sure if the TNT crew mentioned it but it seems like you guys saw it. I think he's going to be just fine. He's pumping up his teammates and being a good guy. After watching his behavior on the floor and on the bench last night, I think he's going to have a break through moment with us at some point and we'll mesh perfectly.


As far as being hated. You guys know me…usually I'll start a thread at the beginning of the year and whine about it…yes, admittedly, whine. I didn't do it this year. What annoys me more than anything is how players can't keep trash talk on the court. Soundbite after soundbite after soundbite from Warriors players about us in the media. You won the championship. Go enjoy it and stop worrying about us. I don't think I've ever heard Griffin, CP or Paul mention these guys in the media.

Starting a new hashtag.
#blametheclippers

Deandre changes his mind? #blametheclippers
You won the championship but Blake Griffin elbowed you in the regular season last year (Shaun Livy)? #blametheclippers
Clippers dont flop anymore but you saw someone flop in another game? #blametheclippers

[nickhx2]

i love the hate. being beloved is so much more boring.

besides, the bigger chips our players have on their shoulders, the more likely they're gonna play with a vengeance.

[mkwest]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/nbastats/status/660105213244792832[/tweet]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehZySnqztHI[/youtube]

Blake Griffin Seeing Benefits Of Altered Approach

“We really, as a group and myself personally, are just taking the approach of, we’re not going to let things slide this year,” Griffin said. “If we see something, we say something.

“We know how not to win a championship. Each year, we’ve been unsuccessful, you should learn from that. We have learned a lot from that. We know what losing teams do.”

“I think we all just sort of have a different mentality going into every game,” Paul said. “Especially me, Blake and DJ, we probably talk more now than we ever have before, in terms of game planning and how we want to approach every game.”

“When the lights were on, it’s game time, as evidenced by his numbers,” Redick said. “But he’s certainly stepped up his leadership.

“It comes with age, it comes with years in the league, it comes with… I want to say it comes with disappointment. As you move along in the NBA and winning matters to you and you come up short, you assess. You figure out what you need to do better and how you can change. Blake has done that. He’s been, not a different person, but a more vocal person.”

Rowan Kavner, Clippers.com

[tweet]https://twitter.com/RowanKavner/status/660181430014578688[/tweet]

[BlzMwt]

Deandre changes his mind? #blametheclippers
You won the championship but Blake Griffin elbowed you in the regular season last year (Shaun Livy)? #blametheclippers
Clippers dont flop anymore but you saw someone flop in another game? #blametheclippers

i legitimately laughed at this

There would be no whining, calling out in the media or nonsense if the Clippers weren't winning. They go hand in hand. Unless you are some beloved franchise (spurs) or the new hot topic (warriors), you're gonna be getting the hate. Albeit the clippers hate is on another level, I just see it as other teams recognizing the threat the Clippers present

[nickhx2]

yeah the clips hate is pretty ridiculous sometimes. but i assume lots of people to be dumb in general so it's no surprise

[Ranma]

Cuban's running his mouth but that's what he does (sometimes awesome, sometimes not)

man, cuban is still crazy salty if anyone's seen what he's said today. maybe it's even worse than before. he's saying things that don't even make sense.

i hope he gets help lol.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/DanWoikeSports/status/659913509447143425[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/DanWoikeSports/status/659965115702231040[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/660076394236506112[/tweet]

[Ranma]

I thought the Mavericks put up a good fight for this game as they were injured and undermanned. They went toe-to-toe with our starters, but they just didn't have enough left in them to overcome our bench as the Clippers' reserves were superb until the game degenerated into garbage time at the end.

Seriously, the bench's performance at the start of the 4th quarter was absolute basketball bliss with everyone playing unselfish team basketball including even Jamal Crawford. The ball moved quickly and instinctively to find the open man while players were hustling on defense. I hope to see more of this on a consistent basis.

Blake Griffin is really showing off his expanded game, which is quite exciting but I want to highlight Wesley Johnson's performance in this game during his limited time on the floor. Not only did he make a wonderful pass on the give-and-go to Rivers (video in 1st tweet below) but he blocked Nowitzki immediately preceding that to lead up to that sequence. He also happened to be the beneficiary of the give-and-go earlier (video in 2nd tweet below). Along with Josh Smith and Paul Pierce, I'm growing more confident in Wes Johnson among our new acquisitions.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/FlyByKnite/status/660519553890254848[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/NBAOnDefPen/status/659954844430639104[/tweet]

[Ranma]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ClipsNationSBN/status/659939741970726912[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/TheCauldron/status/659939319965069312[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/659952274354081792[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/659962101532872705[/tweet]

[Ranma]

Max Cea, Grantland.com (10/30/15)

To be fair to the Mavericks, they were missing three starters: Williams, Wesley Matthews, and Chandler Parsons. What exactly I was expecting to see from a 37-year-old Nowitzki and his supporting cast of journeyed 2004 NCAA tournament stars, I’m not sure. And yet, I didn’t much notice the sidelined stars’ absence. There was only one player conspicuously absent from the Mavericks on Thursday, and he was playing for the other team.

“I don’t even know who you’re talking about,” Mark Cuban would say when reporters asked about the giraffe in the arena.

He would know by the time of the player introductions. As the Staples Center lights became dim, and just before the tops of the backboards would explode with fire and smoke, a fan shouted, “Hey, Mark, how’s DeAndre looking?”

Cuban likely didn’t hear him, but the fan’s question would soon be answered: brolic as ever. Jordan made a grand entrance, evoking a stupendous din that nearly drowned out “Jumpman” and which he answered with roaring pullups on the rim. He won the tip and then grabbed 15 rebounds, nearly double that of any Maverick who saw the court.

We Went There: Clippers-Mavs and DeAndre Jordan Night in Los Angeles