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After getting schooled by the too long, too talented, and too experienced Lakers the Cavs play the Clippers on the second afternoon of a back-to-back. The Clippers are in 4th place in the West and seem to be locked into that spot. The Cavs played yesterday but they didn’t have to travel so that should help.
The Clippers have won 5 of 6, however Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out with a knee problem. Can the Cavaliers take advantage to steal a win?
The Cavs beat the Clippers 118-108 in Cleveland in late January with Garland out. Dean Wade was a +20 in 26 minutes but he is not available. Leonard had 30 points and 8 boards so his absence today could be huge.
Since Feb. 7 this Clippers team that was dominant from mid-November to early February has gone 13-13 while posting a net rating of minus-2.1 that is 19th in the league. Their offensive rating is 12th in that span, and their defensive rating is — wait for it — 28th….
During that same stretch from Feb. 7 on, Harden is averaging 15.5 points while shooting just 40.4 percent overall and 33.7 from 3-point range (on 6.9 attempts per game)…
The midseason change in officiating has made matters even worse for Harden, too, as his masterful (and controversial) art of drawing fouls is the very kind of thing the league is legislating out of the game in a clear attempt to curb all the rampant scoring. In his last 12 games, for example, he is averaging just 2.9 free throws per game (he has averaged 8.3 for his career)…
This team that went 31-8 from Nov. 17 to Feb. 5, when it had the league’s third-best net rating while boasting the league’s top offense and 11th-best defense, could still re-emerge. - The Athletic
Since that column came out the Clippers beat Denver by 2 and Utah by 29, both at home. In the Denver win Harden was 6-for-23 and Leonard was out, but they won with defense, holding the Nuggets to 100 points.
For the season the Clippers are 10th in scoring defense, even though they rank 28th defensively in the last two months. They defend the 2-point shot well and don’t foul much, ranking 8th in opponents’ free throw attempts per play. They’re only 24th in defensive rebounding percentage, so you can get putbacks against them.
Both these teams play fairly slow, ranking 24th and 25th in pace.
Cleaningtheglass.com ranks the Clippers 3rd in offense and 14th in defense in non-garbage time. But in the last two weeks they’re 9th in offense and 25th in defense. When Leonard is out the offense suffers, and the defense as well. But in the last couple of weeks the Clippers have allowed 102, 100, 109, 118, 97, and 107 points. Their defense has been very good the last six games.
Leonard averages 24 points and 6 rebounds per game on 52% from the field and 42% on 3’s. The ESPN depth chart has Amir Coffey as his backup. Coffey is averaging 6.2 points in 20 minutes per game, shooting 50% from the field and 41% on 3’s. Those are impressive shooting percentages.
Paul George is right behind Leonard at 22 points and 5 rebounds on 47% and 41%. Harden averages 17 points and 9 assists, but as The Athletic noted, his numbers are down recently. In 15 March games he shot just 40% overall and 33% from deep.
Veteran sharpshooter Norman Powell averages 14 points off the bench on 49% and 44%. Center Ivica Zubac averages 12 points and 6 rebounds in 27 minutes. Starting guard Terance Mann averages 8.5 points while Russell Westbrook kicks in 11 ppg off the bench.
This is a very well-seasoned group. Westbrook is 35, Plumlee and Harden are 34, George is 33, Daniel Theis is 32, and Powell is 30. The yutes are Zubac and Mann, both 27 and Amir Coffee at 26. This might be the oldest rotation in the NBA. It has to be.
The Clippers are 24-13 at home. Leonard is out, but they beat Denver without him so they are a very capable team even without their best player. The Cavs will have to get strong games from everyone to have a shot at stealing a win.
The Clippers have won 5 of 6, however Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out with a knee problem. Can the Cavaliers take advantage to steal a win?
The Cavs beat the Clippers 118-108 in Cleveland in late January with Garland out. Dean Wade was a +20 in 26 minutes but he is not available. Leonard had 30 points and 8 boards so his absence today could be huge.
Since Feb. 7 this Clippers team that was dominant from mid-November to early February has gone 13-13 while posting a net rating of minus-2.1 that is 19th in the league. Their offensive rating is 12th in that span, and their defensive rating is — wait for it — 28th….
During that same stretch from Feb. 7 on, Harden is averaging 15.5 points while shooting just 40.4 percent overall and 33.7 from 3-point range (on 6.9 attempts per game)…
The midseason change in officiating has made matters even worse for Harden, too, as his masterful (and controversial) art of drawing fouls is the very kind of thing the league is legislating out of the game in a clear attempt to curb all the rampant scoring. In his last 12 games, for example, he is averaging just 2.9 free throws per game (he has averaged 8.3 for his career)…
This team that went 31-8 from Nov. 17 to Feb. 5, when it had the league’s third-best net rating while boasting the league’s top offense and 11th-best defense, could still re-emerge. - The Athletic
Since that column came out the Clippers beat Denver by 2 and Utah by 29, both at home. In the Denver win Harden was 6-for-23 and Leonard was out, but they won with defense, holding the Nuggets to 100 points.
For the season the Clippers are 10th in scoring defense, even though they rank 28th defensively in the last two months. They defend the 2-point shot well and don’t foul much, ranking 8th in opponents’ free throw attempts per play. They’re only 24th in defensive rebounding percentage, so you can get putbacks against them.
Both these teams play fairly slow, ranking 24th and 25th in pace.
Cleaningtheglass.com ranks the Clippers 3rd in offense and 14th in defense in non-garbage time. But in the last two weeks they’re 9th in offense and 25th in defense. When Leonard is out the offense suffers, and the defense as well. But in the last couple of weeks the Clippers have allowed 102, 100, 109, 118, 97, and 107 points. Their defense has been very good the last six games.
Leonard averages 24 points and 6 rebounds per game on 52% from the field and 42% on 3’s. The ESPN depth chart has Amir Coffey as his backup. Coffey is averaging 6.2 points in 20 minutes per game, shooting 50% from the field and 41% on 3’s. Those are impressive shooting percentages.
Paul George is right behind Leonard at 22 points and 5 rebounds on 47% and 41%. Harden averages 17 points and 9 assists, but as The Athletic noted, his numbers are down recently. In 15 March games he shot just 40% overall and 33% from deep.
Veteran sharpshooter Norman Powell averages 14 points off the bench on 49% and 44%. Center Ivica Zubac averages 12 points and 6 rebounds in 27 minutes. Starting guard Terance Mann averages 8.5 points while Russell Westbrook kicks in 11 ppg off the bench.
This is a very well-seasoned group. Westbrook is 35, Plumlee and Harden are 34, George is 33, Daniel Theis is 32, and Powell is 30. The yutes are Zubac and Mann, both 27 and Amir Coffee at 26. This might be the oldest rotation in the NBA. It has to be.
The Clippers are 24-13 at home. Leonard is out, but they beat Denver without him so they are a very capable team even without their best player. The Cavs will have to get strong games from everyone to have a shot at stealing a win.
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