Chemistry/ We don't need to make a deal

[mkwest]

I like Caron on our team but we have plenty of shooters. I would've loved to get the perimeter defensive help we so desperately need. I'm sick of the games where we give up 12-15 three's in a game. And I was sick to my stomach after the Spurs debacle. Plus Ariza has a ring and big game experience.

-But on the flip side I see Lamar Odom coming alive. If he continues down his road to recovery watch out!

I don't know if I'd say that we have plenty of shooters. Aside from Butler, there's Billups and Green (who doesn't play if everyone is healthy) who are known for their shooting. Jamal is at 37%, but is a career 35% shooter. Barnes is shooting under 35%. Paul is at 34%. Bledsoe is hitting around 43%, but only makes 2 through every 5 games.

I despise us giving up so many 3's as well. Of our 18 losses, we've allowed our opponent to shoot greater than 38.5% in 15 of them. The league average for 3 pointers made per game is 6.4. We've given up more than that in 15 of our 18 losses (we've given up double digit 3's in 11 losses).

According to Synergy Sports...

The league average for 3P% is 35.8%. We unfortunately give up 37%.

Ariza has given up 32.9% on 73 3PA this season, which is really good.

Guards/Wings
Crawford gives 33% on 91 3PA
Barnes gives up 33.3% on 171 3PA
Hill gives up 33.3% on 24 3PA
Billups gives up 33.3% on 12 3PA
Butler gives up 35.9% on 128 3PA
Green gives up 38.2% on 89 3PA
Paul gives up 39% on 146 3PA
Bledsoe gives up 41.3% on 109 3PA

I might as well do the whole team...

Frontcourt
Turiaf gives up 23.5% on 17 3PA
Odom gives up 34.3% on 70 3PA
Griffin gives up 34.8% on 69 3PA
Hollins gives up 52.6% on 19 3PA
Jordan gives up 55.2% on 29 3PA


Assuming that Ariza were to have the same amount of defensive plays on the perimeter (and that the %'s remained the same), Butler would have given up 4 more 3's over the course of the season. Butler is allowing right around the league average. Our guards on the other hand...

[pageC4]

@Mkwest
Great stats on the 3point percentages. I think the Butler for Ariza trade was interesting on many levels. As of recently Caron has played very well, and this has led his numbers to boost up.
From an offensive perspective Caron is averaging 10.3 points per game, and thats better than Ariza's 8.4 points per game. However, from a rebounding perspective Ariza averages 4.3 per game, which is an upgrade over Carons 2.9 per game. Ariza also has the edge over Butler in regards to assists 1.8 vs. 1.0. As other have mentioned Ariza also holds an edge in defense, and the amount of steals per game between the two is very revealing. Ariza has 1.4 SPG vs. Butlers 0.6. Also, in regards to blocks per game Ariza averages 0.4 and Butler only 0.2. Where Caron does beat Ariza is in FG% and and 3PT%.
Overall, I would rather have had Ariza for a couple of reasons. For one, Ariza is younger and would give us more serviceable years. Secondly, from a defensive standpoint and rebounding, passing and other fundamentals Ariza is better than Butler.
Also, even though Butler is performing better on the ofensive end at this time his production has always been very inconsistent over his career with the Clippers.
Still, one thing that can be easily established is that we already know what Caron brings to the table when on this team, and so far we are 3rd in the west. As many have pointed out bringing in Ariza would have been and unknown, and it may have resulted in losses. So the debate could go on forever really. While I would have been happier with Ariza in this lineup I can fully appreciate that Sterling wanted to keep the team as is due to chemistry

[og15]

If your whole team is bad on terms of rotations, but your are more active, your get burnt on 3P% given up. For example, let's say Green misses a rotation and Bledsoe goes to help challenge the shot, but is late, that counts as a 3PT shot made on Bledsoe statistically. Barnes' 33% opponents 3PA with 171 attempts though is still pretty good. Bledsoe, Paul, and Green.....

...but from watching, the guards can overhelp, and the team can get way too lost against a team that moves the ball, or against a Steph Curry type guy that it just starts raining.

I'm going to watch some of the Synergy videos later and see if it is just the guards not defending well, or if it is the teams defensive schemes that are putting them in a bad position to defend the 3PT shot.

[mkwest]

Clippers organization from top to bottom is the best, never wanna play anywhere else..#honestmoment #family

Jamal Crawford

He and his wife just had a baby, so maybe he's just emotional right now.

[mkwest]

If your whole team is bad on terms of rotations, but your are more active, your get burnt on 3P% given up. For example, let's say Green misses a rotation and Bledsoe goes to help challenge the shot, but is late, that counts as a 3PT shot made on Bledsoe statistically. Barnes' 33% opponents 3PA with 171 attempts though is still pretty good. Bledsoe, Paul, and Green.....

...but from watching, the guards can overhelp, and the team can get way too lost against a team that moves the ball, or against a Steph Curry type guy that it just starts raining.

I'm going to watch some of the Synergy videos later and see if it is just the guards not defending well, or if it is the teams defensive schemes that are putting them in a bad position to defend the 3PT shot.

Do you have an account with Synergy where you're able to see more than just the 3 clip limit?

Our guards do tend to overhelp, sag off and consistently gamble. They are also a little smaller than your average guard. I just think that they need to be more mindful of who they're playing against at times. A team like San Antonio is patient and are also loaded with great shooters. We can afford to not close out. Right now, we're looking at Golden State in the 1st round if the things stay the same. I don't totally care about the regular season record and feel that we can beat them, but there is a big reason why they beat us 3 times.

[Sofia]

Clippers organization from top to bottom is the best, never wanna play anywhere else..#honestmoment #family

Jamal Crawford

He and his wife just had a baby, so maybe he's just emotional right now.

Barnes wtf

[Neddy]

haha barnes with a michael jackson grab

[thanumba2clippersfan]

LOL I didn't even notice what Barnes was doing before.

[mkwest]

LOL I didn't even notice what Barnes was doing before.

same here. Mats has a really keen eye for that sort of thing

[madmaxmedia]

I'm glad he did, Ariza is not enough of an upgrade (if he even is an upgrade at this point) to dump a guy who grinded the playoffs with a broken hand last year for us, and has been nothing but a professional, even if his actual basketball skills have declined quite a bit.

This. Clippers are truly a family this season. I think the squad would have accepted the trade, but it's not really worth tampering with for what is kind of a sidegrade.

[madmaxmedia]

On a side note, who could have ever imagined a Clipper saying that about the organization!

From prison to family...

[mkwest]

Clippers proud to be drama-free

"We genuinely like each other," forward Matt Barnes said Tuesday. "You don't really see that too often."

"We trust each other, and I think that's the biggest thing in any relationship," guard Willie Green said. "We trust each other and we communicate. We don't have a problem doing that."

The Clippers also don't have a problem getting together off the court. The team regularly goes to dinner together, attends parties or ever gets together for trips to the beach. Barnes said that when someone hosts an event of any kind, at least ninety percent of the team shows up.

And it's not because they have to.

"We actually want to hang out with each other," DeAndre Jordan said. "It's not mandatory."

"Our mission and our goal is trying to win a championship," Green said.

Dan Woike, OC Register