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Los Angeles Clippers (0-2) @ Utah Jazz (0-1)
Probable Line-ups
Clippers: Davis, Gordon, Thornton, Camby, Kaman
Jazz: Deron, Brewer, AK, Booze, Fesenko
Coming In
Compared to the relatively boring Jazz offseason, featuring a lot of words & very little action, the Clippers were immensely busy. They landed the #1 pick in the draft, and got Blake Griffin. They traded Zach Randolph ( addition by subtraction?) for Quentin Richardson. They then traded Richardson for Sebastian Telfair & Craig Smith. (Richardson has since been traded 42 times since then... with another deal pending, but none of that has to do with the Clippers.) And then they added Rasual Butler from the Hornets for a future 2nd-rounder or something, because obviously the Hornets have a great bench.
Things were looking up in Clipperland before the season. There was talk here and there of them making the playoffs and all that. And then, right before the season, Blake Griffin went down with an injury. He's out for 6 weeks, and all of a sudden all of the talk is about the "Clipper Curse". Until he gets back, the Clippers seem likely to be starting the Camby/Kaman combo... at least until 1 (or both?) of them gets hurt.
The Clippers come into the game 0-2, having lost both games of a back-to-back to start the season. The first loss came against the Lakers. The second... the Clippers were "in it" throughout, and even had the lead late. But in the end, Steve Nash turned into Steve Nash and the Suns walked out with a 2 point win. The Jazz meanwhile, as you know, stunk it up in the 4th quarter and fell to the Nuggets.
What We Know About The Clippers... Through 2 Games
(Small sample sizes be ****ed.)
- Chris Kaman is averaging 20 & 12.5. IF he keeps this up, he'll be an All-Star.
- The Clippers are tied for 3rd in the league with 11 blocks so far. The Jazz are literally cowering in fear.
- Baron Davis is averaging 10 assists/game.
- (When I say Baron Davis, AK goes into the fetal position and cries.)
- The Clippers are shooting 60.5% from the FT line. (That doesn't mean I want the Jazz to return to the "hack away" D.)
- Eric Gordon continues to get better. That said, other than scoring 18.5 ppg, he's averaging just 3.5 rpg & 5 apg.
- Rasual Butler was a good pick-up.
Other Stuff To Know/Consider/Think About/Ignore
The Clippers are 1-34 all-time in the Delta Center/EnergySolutions Arena... For all the emphasis the Jazz & Jerry Sloan continue to place on defense, the Jazz imploded defensively (& offensively, I'll admit) late. Except for Carlos Boozer; he imploded the second the jump ball took place... Memo Okur might not play today. Which means we'll see Kaman going up against the vaunted Koufesenko (Fesenkoufos?) duo. Maybe. Unless Jerry decides he hates 1 (or both) of them... Jerry Sloan- 1 game in and already down on Eric Maynor. Get ready for the D-League dude. Though, knowing the Jazz, he'll probably spend most of the season on the bench/inactive list... The Clippers don't want to start 0-3. So they'll be playing hard. If the Jazz sleep on this, it could turn very ugly... The Jazz were good at home last season... Like the Jazz ('Sap, Price, Fesenko), the Clippers seem to have 3 guys that they'll turn to on the bench (Butler, Craig Smith, Sebastian Telfair). No one else has guaranteed minutes... Steve Novak (Clippers) & Wesley Matthews (Jazz) were college teammates... For the first time in 3 seasons, the Jazz go into the season without an ex-Clipper in the back-court. Hallelujah!
Keys For The Jazz
What the Jazz have to do to win the game.
- Booze & 'Sap have to play better. Much better. That Denver game has to be the worst performance they give all season.
- Gordon, Butler & Baron will all shoot the long ball if they see some light. The Jazz have to hang close.
- With Okur potentially out, Kaman & Camby will be able to stay in the post. Jazz have to be careful when driving in.
- Deron has to cut down on the turnovers. Has to!
- The starters have to play well. The bench behind 'Sap is really weak, and I'm sure Jerry hates half the guys there.
- Potential Jazz killers... Baron (14.5 ppg vs. Utah), Ricky Davis (14.1 pgg) and Kaman (12.8 ppg).
- Don't let anyone (read: Gordon, Thornton, etc.) explode on you.
- No stupid fouls (see Deron & 'Sap against Denver).
- The Suns killed the Clippers bench. The Jazz have to do the same whenever given the chance.
Sleeping With The Enemy
...Or at least fraternizing with them.
Jazzardous Materials
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