TAKE THAT NUMBER 16!
Sunday, December 30th, 6:30 pm PDT, Staples Centre, Los Angeles
This game will be broadcast by
.Utah Jazz
15-16 - 5th in North West/11th in West
Lost 2 Straight ▪ 4-6 Last 10
PTS/G: 98.6 (11th of 30) ▪ Opp PTS/G: 99.4 (21st of 30)
SRS: 0.03 (16th of 30) ▪ Pace: 91.4 (19th of 30)
Off Rtg: 106.8 (9th of 30) ▪ Def Rtg: 107.6 (24th of 30)
@
Los Angeles Clippers
24-6 - 1st in Pacific/1st in West
Won 16 Straight ▪ 10-0 Last 10
PTS/G: 102.2 (8th of 30) ▪ Opp PTS/G: 92.1 (4th of 30)
SRS: 9.88 (1st of 30) ▪ Pace: 91.8 (15th of 30)
Off Rtg: 110.9 (4th of 30) ▪ Def Rtg: 100.0 (3rd of 30)
Recent Matchup History
This Season: LAC 2 - UTA 0 (LAC 116- UTA 114, LAC 105 - UTA 104)
Last Season: LAC 2 - UTA 1
Last 10 H2H: LAC 5 - UTA 5
Last 6 H2H in LA: UTA 4 - LAC 2
Injury Report
Jazz
Mo Williams - Sprained right thumb
Raja Bell - Too ****
Clippers
Chauncey Billups - Left foot tendinitis
Grant Hill - Bone bruise in right knee
Trey Thompkins - Bone bruise in left knee
Win #16 in a row. #15 for December. The Clippers are one game short of equalling the record set by some of the best teams to play the game. '58 Celtics, '77 Lakers. **
I asked in the last game thread, what Clippers team is this? The guys shown us just who they are and what they are capable of, coming back from 19 points down with 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, in a building that has traditionally been a nightmare for us to play in, let alone on the second night of a back to back, against a good (though struggling) Celtics team. Our boys refused to quit, and clawed their way back to take the lead, re-take the lead after losing it a few times, and manage to hold on and force a 30 foot off balance jumper if the Jazz wanted to win the game.
It's funny, watching the game in play by play, I saw the lead grow and hover around 8, then around 12, then around 16, yet the entire time I felt ok with it. "It's ok. We'll bring it back" I kept thinking to myself, I expected a W. I wasn't surprised when the Jazz were held scoreless for a 4 minute stretch while the Clippers chopped 14 points off the lead in the same period of time. I wasn't surprised that we managed to keep finding ways to get ahead, after not leading in the 2nd half until there was only 3:27 left on the clock. I wasn't surprised we held on and won. I expected what should be unreachable... but they did it. As a fan, that's what this team has shown me.
I'm a realistic guy, start of the season I thought we were good, but 2nd round is where we're at.
At 8-6, I thought maybe we're just a tough 1st round out.
At 15-6, after a win in Chicago, I thought maybe we are 2nd round competitors.
At 22-6, after dominating Denver on Xmas day, I thought maybe we will put up a fight in the WCF.
At 24-6, having just fought back from a position the team haven't seen for months, despite being on the road in the holiday season on a back to back, they didn't quit... and I thought to myself, maybe we are for real. Maybe we are a finals team.
This team is starting to navigate the trap games with success, albeit in a heart stopping fashion; this team no longer gets caught up on the games that look like an easy win.
We have 1 more game to finish the year, and it is the biggest trap to game of the young season. The Clippers can not relax because they are at home. They can not relax because they had last night off. They can not relax because they beat this same team 48 hours ago. They need to go for the kill.
Utah will be looking to make up for a tough loss on their home court, and if given any chances won't hand them back like in the past game. The Clippers need to expect the Jazz to play this one much tougher, and will have a large challenge to step up to. If they can do so, and hold off Utah, it will be 17 straight, and record equalling 16-0 for the month of December.
'58 Celts, '77 Lakers, '13 Clippers. Best calendar month teams in history. That's got a nice ring to it.
Starting Lineups
Utah Jazz
Big Al - Smaller Al - Bad Al with a Cliff - Pumpkin Head - Al's Grandaddy
Los Angeles Clippers
Deandre 3000 - Blake - Caron "Ol' Stinkeye" Butler - Willie "Get minutes?"Green - Point God
Key Reserves
Utah Jazz
Professor - Derrick "Sexual" Favors - Alec's Burqa - Pin Head - Enes "There's No P in my name!" Kanter
Los Angeles Clippers
Shake n Bake - "herp a derp, PER of 5 last season" - Bledshow - Titties - Towel boy gone good
Team Leaders Per Game
Utah Jazz
Points - Al Jefferson - 16.5
Rebounds - Al Jefferson - 10.1
Assists - Mo Williams - 6.7
Steals - Paul Millsap - 1.0
Blocks - Derrick Favors - 1.6
Los Angeles Clippers
Points - Blake Griffin - 18.2
Rebounds - Blake Griffin - 8.9
Assists - Chris Paul - 9.4
Steals - Chris Paul - 2.6
Blocks - Deandre Jordan - 1.5
Who should I watch for?
Jazz
Randy Foye is making a habit of holding revenge games against us, averaging 23.5ppg on 63% with 4.0 3om @ 50% in our previous match ups this season, coming up just short on a game winner just 48 hours ago. (Again, Utah crowd, wtf, he wasn't fouled) If he can keep his hot hand going against our squad, he may hit 3rd time luck and drag his team across the line with the lead. The Clippers will need to get a hand in his face with hard close outs and do so early. If Foye can start hot and build a lead on the Clippers for his team, chances are the Jazz won't leave the door open a second time.
Clippers
Everyone
(got lazy, dinner time)
GO CLIPPERS!
**(Yeah I **** up in my last preview, I somehow thought our streak started Dec 1, not Nov 28.
)
