Game 8: Los Angeles (5-2) vs Miami (6-2)

[mkwest]

Who:


Where: STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, CA


When: Wednesday, November 13th, 2012 @ 7:30PM (PST)

TV: / ESPN

Radio: KFWB News Talk 980





PG: #3 - Chris Paul SG: #34 - Willie Green

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

C: #6 - DeAndre Jordan


Reserves

Bledsoe | Crawford | Barnes | Odom | Hollins






PG: #15 - Mario Chalmers SG: #3 - Dwyane Wade

SF: #6 - LeBron James PF: #31 - Shane Battier

C: #1 - Chris Bosh


Reserves

Cole | Allen | Miller | Lewis | Haslem



Inactive List:

Chauncey Billups (Achilles), Grant Hill (Knee - Bone Bruise) and Trey Thompkins (Knee - Bone Bruise) are out.


Dexter Pittman (Strained Quadriceps) is out.



Team Leaders and Statistics



Jamal Crawford - 20.3 Points in 28.9 MPG

Blake Griffin - 8.3 Rebounds in 32.0 MPG

Chris Paul - 10.3 Assists (2nd) and 2.0 Steals in 32. 9 MPG

DeAndre Jordan - 2.1 Block (10th) in 25.3 MPG


Team Performance
102.1 Points Per Game - 3rd Overall
39.3 Rebounds Per Game - 27th Overall
8.6 Offensive Rebounds Per Game - 26th Overall
11.9 Offensive Rebounds Per Game (Opp.) - 18th Overall
23.4 Assists Per Game - 7th Overall
94.1 Points Allowed - 12th Overall
17.0 Turnovers Per Game - 25th Overall
18.4 Turnovers (Opp.) Per Game - 1st Overall
35.9% on 3 point field goals - 9th Overall
35.7% allowed on 3 point field goals - 18th Overall
Offensive Rating: 108.2 Points Scored Per 100 Possessions - 3rd Overall
Defensive Rating: 99.7 Points Allowed Per 100 Possessions - 9th Overall
Pace: 94.4 possessions per 48 Minutes - 5th Overall





LeBron James - 23.9 Points (4th), 10.0 Rebounds (8th) and 6.1 Assists 34.5 MPG

Mario Chalmers - 1.6 Steals in 27.8 MPG

Chris Bosh - 1.1 Blocks 32.1 MPG


Team Performance
105.5 Points Per Game - 1st Overall
40.1 Rebounds Per Game - 25th Overall
8.8 Offensive Rebounds Per Game - 25th Overall
11.3 Offensive Rebounds Per Game (Opp.) - 17th Overall
24.1 Assists Per Game - 4th Overall
100.3 Points Allowed - 24th Overall
13.0 Turnovers Per Game - 2nd Overall
14.4 Turnovers (Opp.) Per Game - 22nd Overall
42.0% on 3 point field goals - 3rd Overall
38.5% allowed on 3 point field goals - 27th Overall
Offensive Rating: 113.6 Points Scored Per 100 Possessions - 2nd Overall
Defensive Rating: 108.0 Points Allowed Per 100 Possessions - 25th Overall
Pace: 92.8 possessions per 48 Minutes - 15th Overall

Matt Barnes, the player you love to hate and hate to love...

Just call him 'Tenacious D'

"His tenacity on defense, it just seems like he's always in the right place. He's always moving," Clippers forward Blake Griffin said. "He's always running around, getting steals, trapping and all that stuff. It's something that the defense feeds off of.

"...You hate to play against people like that."

"Matt brings tremendous energy and an edge to us. Matt's always playing with an edge out there, which I think is very important. I think it's contagious," Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro said. "He does a lot of intangible things that don't get put up on the stat sheet but help you win games.

"I'm not trying to get under people's skin. I'm just playing hard. I'm playing hard the entire time I'm out there offensively and defensively," Barnes said. "I really don't back down from confrontation. I'm not out there trying to agitate anybody, but I'm not going to back down."

Dan Woike, OC Register

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx6lSSYPJwY[/youtube]

For the first time this regular season, but the 3rd time in a little over a month, the Clippers and Heat will square off in a battle between 2 of the NBA's most exciting teams. In October, the two teams traveled halfway across the world for a pair of games in the world's most populous country.



The Clippers were without CP3 in Beijing and it showed with Miami comfortably picking up the 14 point victory. The Clippers got their revenge in Shanghai when CP3 made his on-court return after having offseason surgery on his thumb. This difference is that this one counts and will be a barometer game for both teams. Miami will be playing in the 4th game of a 6 game road trip. In their last 2, our playoff foes, the Memphis Grizzlies, gave them a nice thumping and the Rockets pushed them to edge with Miami narrowly pulling out the victory in the waning moments of the game. I have to say that I was closely following the end of the Rockets game on Monday. A loss means that we would likely be facing a motivated Heat team that would be anxious to get back on the winning trail. The Clippers have defeated the Grizzlies, the Lakers, the Spurs and adding a victory against the Heat would be nice to add to this season's resume. Plus, who knows just how important these games will be for these two teams at season's end, and possibly beyond that....

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olJNyqMBgqo[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOf3ogkBgwQ[/youtube]

In Los Angeles, the Clippers have defeated the Miami Heat 4 straight times and 9 of the last 11. Whatever it is, the Clippers seem to get up for the Heat at home. Both teams have been pretty even as far as rebounding goes, so both teams will be looking to put forth a better effort on the boards. Miami is the 3rd best perimeter shooting team in the league hitting 42% of their shots from outside. Both teams are below average in defending the 3. We have to close out on their shooters and cannot afford to give Allen, Miller, Lewis or Battier open looks. Miami is the 2nd lowest in turnovers, while we are number 1 in forcing turnovers. Who wins out? As usual, we have to defend, rebound and we'll need our bigs to exploit their lack of size in the paint on the offensive end.

[Sofia]

Let's **** em up!

[Nutella]

With Matt Barnes there's no need for Grant Hill... Unless Matt gets into foul trouble. I don't really want Grant Hill taking away minutes from him whenever he gets back.

[mike3]

Miami look a bit out of sorts lately, Memphis blew them away and a close game against the Rockets.

If where the team we saw against Spurs/Hawks, I like our chances!!
Just gotta focus and not come out like the other team we've seen against Cavs/Warriors


Random comment here, but I like how Griffin has really acknowledged the bench in a few articles, commenting on his mins being reduced due to the bench being so successful but how he's really liking it cause of the toll on his body game in game out last year with extended mins. A lot of other star players probably would be the other way wanting his normal amount of mins rather than appreciating his bench.

[azncorruptedo17]

i say clips win by 100000000.

but realistically, i say win by 5

[Neddy]

anyone else glad that we chose crossover over jesus shuttlesworth?

[thanumba2clippersfan]

I'm looking forward to the game tomorrow night. We've beaten the Heat the past two times they came to LA. I'm hoping the Clippers make it 3 in a row

[BennyBeFly]

anyone else glad that we chose crossover over jesus shuttlesworth?

I was thinking about that recently. I didn't anticipate liking J Crossover this much on the team. He's been incredible.

[mkwest]

anyone else glad that we chose crossover over jesus shuttlesworth?

I never had a problem with Crawford as long as we didn't have to give up something of value to get him (i.e. the rumors of Bledsoe being asking price for him last season). I did want Allen over him and just about anybody outside of the very slim chance of signing Garnett. I was cool with signing Crawford as I wasn't all that high on some of the alternatives on the wing.

The thing that I liked most is that he came in saying all of the right things and was willing to make a sacrifice in order to win. It's easy to come off the bench for Billups, but for Willie "who he play for?" Green? I just like that he and most of the other players are focused and are seeing the bigger picture. The make-up of the locker room has a great balance.

[madmaxmedia]

anyone else glad that we chose crossover over jesus shuttlesworth?

I was thinking about that recently. I didn't anticipate liking J Crossover this much on the team. He's been incredible.

Anytime he shoots close to 50% he will be a great contributor. Right now he is at 50% for the season, but for his career he is a 40% shooter.

Hopefully he can keep it up.

[BennyBeFly]

anyone else glad that we chose crossover over jesus shuttlesworth?

I was thinking about that recently. I didn't anticipate liking J Crossover this much on the team. He's been incredible.

Anytime he shoots close to 50% he will be a great contributor. Right now he is at 50% for the season, but for his career he is a 40% shooter.

Hopefully he can keep it up.

Well he did say this was the first summer he drilled. Jamal Crawford has said he's never drilled jumpshots until now. That could be a big part of him shooting at a higher clip.

[mttwlsn16]

Fkn pumped fr this game

[mj_shoefanatic]

Glad to see Matty B finally getting some shine.

I'm still waiting on Lamar to have a breakout game or at least put up 8-10 pts, a few assists and 8-10 rebounds. Wish that could happen tonight vs Heat. We'll need all 10 guys to beat these clowns.

[og15]

anyone else glad that we chose crossover over jesus shuttlesworth?

I was thinking about that recently. I didn't anticipate liking J Crossover this much on the team. He's been incredible.

Anytime he shoots close to 50% he will be a great contributor. Right now he is at 50% for the season, but for his career he is a 40% shooter.

Hopefully he can keep it up.

If he's efficient, it's basically like having a Kevin Martin type guy on the team, and even with their defensive shortcomings, I don't mind a guy of that talent on the team. If he isn't efficient, well then, that's when I would have issues. He's currently at .648 TS%, and as much as I would love that to last, it's quite high. If he can give .550 TS% or greater for the season, that would be great. His high was .573 TS% his first season in Atlanta, and he seems on track to repeat something similar to that, which would again be great.

[mttwlsn16]

Hmmm ESpN being blacked out for grizz okc. Weird. Never happ before. Better be back up for clipps.

[mttwlsn16]

and dwade not likely playing

[mttwlsn16]

1 fixed my ESpN
2 wade is stArting

[mttwlsn16]

ESpN being wacky again

[thanumba2clippersfan]

I'm happy that I got home before the game started. I had a small family outing. Now it's time for Clippers

[Angel strike1]

time to beat up on lechoke.

he misses over or under 10 ft?