Los Angeles Clippers: Winners And Losers From Preseason
Four games into the preseason, coach Doc Rivers should be pleased with the Los Angeles Clippers’ defensive effort and performance of the offensive end while posting a 3-1 mark in the preseason so far. Not too much can be gleaned from four preseason games, but it is never too early to delve into early overachievers and under-performers. Although the Clips looked a bit rusty, they blitzed the undermanned Blazers to the tune of 21 turnovers to go along with 10 steals and six blocked shots in their first game. Who shined for the new, revamped Clippers? Who has some work to do before opening night?
Winners
With so many expectations for DeAndre Jordan this season, the big man performed well against the thin Blazers’ front line. Jordan finished with a game-high 16 points to go along eight rebounds and four blocks. DJ looked comfortable anchoring his defense and aggressive throughout the game. Incredibly, Jordan converted 80 percent of his free-throw attempts, knocking down 4-of-5 from the charity stripe. Clipper fans might be cautious of putting too much stock in Jordan’s early performances. Last season, DJ started strong before regressing later in the season. Fans might also be surprised by the improved post game of Jordan who, despite his incredible athletic ability, has not shown proficient post move ability since coming into the league. Now surrounded by one of the league’s best coaches in Doc Rivers and a very capable supporting coaching cast, Jordan’s post game should see even more improvement come season tip-off. In his three preseason games played, Jordan has averaged 13.7 points and 8.7 rebounds while playing an average of about 24 minutes, compared to his numbers from the 2012-13 season of just 8.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. While three preseason games cannot be compared to an 82-game season, Jordan’s preseason performance certainly brings hope for a career best season.
2. Doc Rivers
Doc Rivers has ushered in a new era of Clippers basketball; Lob City is over and the real quest for a championship begins. Although the Clippers’ are still learning Rivers’ complex defense, the Clips’ new coach has to be pleased with his team’s defensive effort against the Blazers. LAC forced 21 turnovers and limited Portland to just 35.9 percent shooting from the field. Last season the Clips really struggled to defend the 3-point line, allowing opponents to shoot 37.3 percent from deep, the fifth-worst mark in the league. Crisp rotations and quick closeouts bothered the young Blazers, who converted just 5-of-24. The Clippers also limited the Blazers to just 20.4 percent shooting from downtown. Unfortunately, the small sample size and the context of the exhibition game make it a challenge to evaluate the Clippers’ entire defensive potential. Keeping up the defensive intensity will be key, as the Clippers refine their strategy throughout the rest of the preseason. Despite the short time Doc has had with his new team, the Clippers sure are lucky to have him leading the reins.
Losers
1. Jared Dudley
The Clippers’ starting small forward Jared Dudley has not overly impressed in the first four games for his new team. Dudley has averaged just 5.5 points, two rebounds and 2.3 assists in the first four preseason contests. As a noted 3-point specialist throughout his career, Dudley has shot very well from the 3-point arc while posting 55 percent from downtown. The Clippers expect Dudley to perform much better than he has and posting 5.5 points per night just is not going to cut it; they need much more production out of him. While Dudley’s starting spot is certainly not in question and four preseason game is too small of a sample size to scrutinize his performance too much, Clipper Nation should expect better results moving forward.
2. Brandon Davies
Proving to be a college star at BYU, Davies has been just the opposite while attempting to earn a spot on the Clippers. In his first preseason game, Davies earned just seven minutes of playing time in the Clips’ victory and has played a total of 46 preseason minutes while posting a total of 13 points. A skilled big man during his time at BYU, Davies has not have much of an opportunity to showcase his skills. Davies looked a bit anxious in his first professional game and has continued to have nerves throughout these games. Much to Rivers’ chagrin, Davies also coughed the ball up twice in his limited playing time. Unfortunately for Davies, the only players that played as little or fewer minutes than him were JaMychal Green and Mustapha Farrakhan, both of whom were cut shortly after the game. Their may be a place for Davies on this roster, but for now he is skating on thin ice.
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