Game 2: Los Angeles (1-0) VS San Antonio (1-0)

[mkwest]

Los Angeles Clippers VS San Antonio Spurs
Where: AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX
When: Wednesday, December 28th, 2011 @ 5:30PM
TV:
Radio: KFWB News Talk 980



PG: #3 - Chris Paul SG: #1 - Chauncey Billups

SF: #5 - Caron Butler PF: #32 - Blake Griffin

C: #9 - DeAndre Jordan

Key Reserves

Williams | Foye | Gomes | Cook

PG: # 9 Tony Parker SG: #20 Manu Ginobili

SF: #24 Richard Jefferson PF: #45 DeJuan Blair

C: #21 Tim Duncan

Reserves

Ford | Anderson | Splitter | Bonner

Inactive List:
Los Angeles Clippers

Eric Bledsoe (Lateral Meniscus, Right Knee) and Reggie Evans (Sprain Ankle, Right Foot) are out.

San Antonio Spurs

Gary Neal (Appendicitis) is out.

Team Leaders



Blake Griffin - 22.0 Points

Caron Butler - 10.0 Rebounds & 3.0 Steals (5th)

Chris Paul - 9.0 Assists (4th)

DeAndre Jordan - 8.0 Blocks (1st)



Manu Ginobili 24.0 Points (10th)

Tiago Splitter - 8.0 Rebounds & 2.0 Blocks (9th)

Tony Parker - 7.0 Assists (10th) & 4 Steals (2nd)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZaH_kIsWvw[/youtube]
Pretty awkward...

We've been getting hammered on the boards left and right in the last 3 games. It's a glaring problem that I hope we can address soon before Reggie Evans even joins the team. The Spurs have been concerned with their front court depth as well, although they do have a couple more bigs than us. The Spurs are counting on Splitter to show some improvement this season. Duncan has been concerned with the rugged pace that this will have. I didn't catch the game, but Splitter did have some solid numbers off of the bench.

The backcourt match-up is pretty balanced and should be exciting to watch. The additions of Paul and Billups have dramatically reduced our turnovers. The Spurs are a team that is going to make very few mistakes with the ball and that is a reason that they've always had our number over the years. Ginobili showed against the Grizzlies that he still has some lift in his 34 year old wheels. Off the bench, they'll be missing the play of Gary Neal due to appendicitis. Last year, he was a Clipper killer and we could count on him to hit some big shots against us.

Caron Butler was on the Spurs' wish list throughout the free-agency period. It sounded as if it were a done deal at one point and the Spurs were ready to use the amnesty clause on Richard Jefferson. If Butler were to sign with the Spurs, Jefferson could very well have been our SF pick-up. Even though we overpaid, I'm thankful that we ended up with Butler over Jefferson.

Neil Olshey speaks with David Aldridge and Lang Whitaker on status of team

[LOJ]

Sweet gamethread, I want to see better effort on the boards from our starting bigs.

[SunsRback4Good]

Clippers going to be tested. Should be a great game and I see Clips pulling it out and winning late in the game.

[TheNewEra]

Think its going to be very similiar to the GSW game but more polished from start to finish. Spurs will not give us any slack we must attack them early and often and don't let up keep the tempo high. Jordan has to be running hard to the basket

[thanumba2clippersfan]

I'm curious to see how we matchup against the Spurs. Should be a good early test.

[illastrate]

I think we should be able to run the fast break and throw lobs more effectively vs the Spurs. The young, athletic Warriors gave us problems. However, the Spurs are still the Spurs and it'll be a tough game.

[RiversideClips]

Popovich is a great coach & he probably has something defensively up his sleeve to combat our "guards" & our "bigs" I think the 2 key players will be Caron for us & a combo of Blair/ Leonard for the Spurs. Should be a great game, hoping the Clips come home 2 & 0!

[mkwest]

Clippers' DeAndre Jordan addresses free-throw woes

When the doors to the Clippers' practice facility opened Monday, there stood DeAndre Jordan shooting free throws.

When practice was about 15 minutes over, Jordan remained inside practicing free throws while teammates Ryan Gomes and Randy Foye offered encouragement — and chided him.

After one game, Jordan lamented about his free-throw woes.

Even when Jordan talked about his career-high eight blocked shots against Golden State in Sunday night's game, he reverted to his free-throw problems.

The 6-foot-11 center made four of 12 free throws against the Warriors.

So Jordan stayed after practice a little longer, telling Gomes and Foye that sometimes before he shoots free throws, while he is dribbling and looking at the basketball, he'll lose his focus by looking elsewhere instead of the rim.

"He was like, 'You have to look at the rim,' " Jordan said about Gomes' directions. "He was giving me little [tips]. And they made fun of me a little bit. But I guess I'll get better. It's constructive criticism."

Jordan's primary role is to be a defensive presence.

He was that against the Warriors.

"That is my role, to be the defensive leader on this team," Jordan said. "And to rebound the ball, control the paint on both ends, and if I score for this team, it's a plus. But, I obviously have to be able to knock my free throws down, somewhat, to be able to play late in the stretch of games and the critical points."

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8084RtSNiM[/youtube]

Brad Turner, LA Times

[Leor_77]

Spurs look solid, but even with Duncan, (who is now a role-player) Splitter and an undersized Blair, I still think our front line should have the edge against them. CP3 should have the advantage against a struggling Parker - Ginobli, though, will be a challenge for us. With that said, the Spurs should have some challenges with a bunch of our players themselves.

Also just curious, but where the hell is Trey? Our front court depth is obviously lacking and I fail to see how he wouldn't help.

[SportsFan215]

This is going to be a very good test for our team. I would like to see DJ's length and athleticism affect Duncan's offensive game. CP3 should be a good matchup against Parker. I think containing Ginobili will be the x factor.

[Leor_77]

Also, I think it has to be said that we will lose games if Chauncey continues to go into shot-jack mode like he did with GS. I am more than happy with him shooting the ball when he is open, off of double teams or drive + kicks, but he really needs to limit the shot-jacking.

[PlinkingPanda]

I'm going to miss this game cause of work.

[scratch21]

Im anxious to watch them play already !!

[LOJ]

I'm going to miss this game cause of work.

Watch the replay on League Pass bro, free till Jan 8th.

[Det the Threat]

Great game thread, as always, mk.

That's going to be a tough one as Pop always has a plan and they had a day off during games.

[mike3]

Looking forward to this one. First thing im looking for his Chauncey not to be chucking up shots early in the game.. well the whole game for that matter

[LOJ]

I want to see rebounds, and I want to see more of Mo and a bit less of Billups.

[mkwest]

DJ giving Duncan fits early!

[TheNewEra]

Flop city a little there lol

[LOJ]

I can't stand Manu