Game 63: Los Angeles (39-23) vs Phoenix (32-30)

[mkwest]

Los Angeles Clippers VS Phoenix Suns
Where: US Airways Center in Phoenix, AZ
When: Thursday, April 19th, 2012 @ 7:30PM
TV: TNT
Radio:

Phoenix leads the season series 2-1
3/2: Suns over Clippers 81-78, Game Thread
3/15: Suns over Clippers 91-87, Game Thread
3/21: Clippers over Suns 103-86, Game Thread



PG: #3 - Chris Paul SG: #4 - Randy Foye

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

C: #6 - DeAndre Jordan

Reserves

Bledsoe | Williams | Young | Simmons | Martin


Injury Report:

Reggie Evans (Flu-like Symptoms) is doutful.
Chauncey Billups (Left Achilles) is out.



PG: #13 - Steve Nash SG: #26 - Shannon Brown

SF: #3 - Jared Dudley PF: #8 - Channing Frye

C: #4 - Marcin Gortat


Reserves

Telfair | Redd | Childress | Morris | Lopez


Injury Report:

Grant Hill (Sore Right Knee) is questionable.


Team Leaders and Statistics



Blake Griffin - 20.6 Points and 10.9 Rebounds (6th)

Chris Paul - 9.0 Assists (3rd) and 2.5 Steals (1st)

DeAndre Jordan - 2.1 Blocks (3rd)

Team Performance
97.4 Points Per Game - 14th Overall
41.8 Rebounds Per Game - 18th Overall
10.9 Offensive Rebounds (Opp.) Per Game - 6th Overall
21.1 Assists Per Game - 13th Overall
94.6 Points Allowed - 12th Overall
13.3 Turnovers Per Game - 2nd Overall
14.6 Turnovers (Opp.) Per Game - 17th Overall
Offensive Rating: 108.4 Points Scored Per 100 Possessions - 3rd Overall
Defensive Rating: 105.3 Points Allowed Per 100 Possessions - 17th Overall
Pace: 89.1 possession per 48 Minutes - 28th Overall



Marcin Gortat - 15.8 Points, 9.8 Rebounds (9th) and 1.5 Blocks

Steve Nash - 10.9 Assists (2nd)

Ronnie Price - 1.0 Steals

Team Performance
98.4 Points Per Game - 7th Overall
41.6 Rebounds Per Game - 20th Overall
12.2 Offensive Rebounds (Opp.) Per Game - 25th Overall
22.7 Assists Per Game - 6th Overall
98.0 Points Allowed - 20th Overall
14.0 Turnovers Per Game - 6th Overall
14.2 Turnovers (Opp.) Per Game - 20th Overall
Offensive Rating: 106.5 Points Scored Per 100 Possessions - 8th Overall
Defensive Rating: 106.1 Points Allowed Per 100 Possessions - 20th Overall
Pace: 92.4 possession per 48 Minutes - 9th Overall

The magic number for the Clippers to clinch home court through the first round of the playoffs is 2. That means any combination of 2 Clipper wins or Grizzly losses. Phoenix is coming off of a 12 point loss at home to the Thunder on Wednesday night to place them a half game out of the playoffs along with the Houston Rockets. Their final four opponents are the Suns (H), Nuggets (H), Jazz (A) and Spurs (H). Each of those teams are fighting tooth and nail for that final playoff spot. Based opponents, the Suns will have to navigate their way through the 1st, 4th, 7th and 8th seed. They've already taken 2 of the first 3 games against the Clippers and are desperate for wins. We have to keep winning to keep some distance between ourselves and Memphis, but to keep our hopes for the 3rd seed alive. This should be a good one.

mkwest's game thread record: 10 - 5

[Sofia]

who tf is Ronnie Price....

[mkwest]

who tf is Ronnie Price....

He used to be a backup guard for the Jazz.

[LOJ]

SIXTEEN games over .500 , possibly 17... Wow.

[bigalexx]

This is one of those match-ups where Blake should completely annihilate the interior of the Suns defense. Hopefully he isn't too tired from the effects of last nights game in the Denver altitude combined with playing on the back end of a back-to-back.

[scratch21]

Lets show the national TV audience what we do.. Dunk & "Flop" lool

[thanumba2clippersfan]

We need to keep winning based on what's happening in the standings. Based on how we've been playing this is a very winnable game. And we need to make up for the previous losses to the Suns.

[Sofia]

who tf is Ronnie Price....

He used to be a backup guard for the Jazz.

Oh that Ronnie Price! I thought he was still in Utah.

[Angel strike1]

this looks like a trap game. hope we come out with effort and win/.


fakers are bound to loose 1/2 if not 2/2 vs spurs/okc. so we jsut got to run the table

[mj_shoefanatic]

Lets show the national TV audience what we do.. Dunk & "Flop" lool

As long as we win who cares!

Don't think we need Reggie for this one but his size and rebounding prowess would still help.

[mkwest]

Phoenix is getting a little help from the ex-clippers against the Rockets. Gordon has 24 and Aminu has 16 with the Hornets up 6 in the last minute of overtime. Since, the Jazz is still ahead by half a game, Phoenix will still be fighting for their playoff lives.

[mkwest]

Hornets win 105-99 in overtime. Rockets drop their 6th straight. Gordon put up 27, 4, 5 & 3, while Aminu put up 17, 8, 2 & 2. If the Hornets get lucky in the lottery and stay healthy, they will be a playoff team next season imo.

[mkwest]

Jordan with another tech for grabbing the net on a block.

[og15]

DeAndre needs to stop grabbing the net, it's like a 3PT shot for the opposition

[mkwest]

DeAndre needs to stop grabbing the net, it's like a 3PT shot for the opposition

I figure that it's something being done unconsciously, but he needs to make a conscious effort not to do it.

[og15]

Blake should have helped on Nash there, but good answer Butler

[mkwest]

Nice way to attack the basket Caron.

[scratch21]

that was a fun 1st qtr

[mkwest]

29-27 Clips after 1. A little faster pace than usual. Clips managed to put up 29 shots, while we average around 81 per game on the season.

Blake has already surpassed his point total from last night (12) with 14 on 7 of 13 field goals. The team has been taking advantage of Phoenix turnovers and have scored about 9 points on 5 to's. We need to make sure that we close out on the shooters.

[og15]

Really liking that Nick Young's shot is falling now, hopefully he continues to be hot through the playoffs, but he also got dunked on