5 Things We Learned About LA Clippers After Week 1
The Los Angeles Clippers started the first week of the season with a disappointing loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. However, the team bounced back to finish the week 2-1 and allowed us to learn a lot about them in the process.
From Chris Paul looking like an MVP candidate, to DeAndre Jordan playing with Kevin Garnett's defensive focus, the Clippers look good.
Multiple questions were on the docket as the season tipped-off. Many of those were quickly answered. Many more popped up. The good news is that there are plenty of things that can be taken away from all three games.
Week No. 1 immediately taught us five things about the 2013-14 Clippers.
The Defense Needs Work
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Doc Rivers was brought in to transform the Los Angeles Clippers’ defense into one of the league’s better units. After the first week of the season the defense looks far from that. In fact, the Clippers are giving up a league-worst 110.7 points per game and are last in defensive efficiency, according to ESPN.com.
One of the major reasons for the Clippers’ poor start on defense is because they have been unable to defend the three point line. The Clippers struggled last season to defend teams behind the arc and that is very much the case this season.
Although the Clippers are adjusting to a new defensive system, they should not be allowing opponents to shoot 47.8 percent from behind the arc. Only the Denver Nuggets are allowing teams to shoot a better percentage.
The defensive rotations have been slow, players are getting beat off the dribble and there is not much Rivers can do if his perimeter players are getting blown by. Expect the defense to improve as the season goes on, but it is ugly right now.
Rebounding Is a Huge Problem
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One of the major concerns heading into this season was team rebounding. The Los Angeles Clippers finished 17th in rebounds per game last year. That ranking has dropped to 24th so far this season, but the problem is twofold.
First, the Clipper guards are not good rebounders. So when teams force the Clippers to scramble through their newly taught defensive rotations, DeAndre Jordan gets pulled away from the rim rotating off breakdowns. When Jordan vacates the paint, the backside guards need to pinch down into the paint and box out a big. This has been a problem so far, mainly because the guards are not getting into position to box out.
Secondly, Blake Griffin needs to support Jordan and the rest of his team. Griffin likes to leak out, attempting to get out and run in transition. He needs to cover for Jordan by crashing the boards and finding the nearest big to seal off.
The Clippers will continue to struggle unless the above begins to happen consistently. Griffin really needs to put in more work on the defensive glass, which will help Jordan and the guards control opponents’ second chance opportunities.
Chris Paul Is the League’s Best Point Guard
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The season is a week old, but wow, Chris Paul looks simply amazing. Want scoring? Paul is putting up 27.7 points per game. Assists? How does 12.0 per game sound? What about his reign as a five-time steals leader? Paul is swiping 3.7 a night, smashing his 2.4 career average. Efficiency? With a blistering 41.22 PER, Paul leads the league.
Paul is attacking and being aggressive with the ball. Not the previous attacking Paul that Clipper fans have witnessed the previous two seasons. This Paul is absolutely dominating opponents, hitting from three, the elbow, getting the basket and shooting a James Harden-esque 10.3 free throws per contest.
Point God looks absolutely fantastic. The additions of JJ Redick and Jared Dudley have forced defenders to either help on Paul or leave open two dangerous shooters. Meanwhile, Paul and Griffin look better than ever in pick-and-roll sets.
DeAndre Jordan Is Motivated
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For as poor as the Los Angeles Clippers have played defensively, there is one bright spot. DeAndre Jordan looks much improved on defense. Not only is he talking and adjusting rotations, but he looks more engaged.
All the hype from Doc Rivers about Jordan being a potential Defensive Player of the Year candidate seems to have motivated the big man. Jordan knows that Rivers has bought into him as the defensive backbone of the team, allowing him to play without looking over his shoulder every time the horn blows after a dead ball.
Jordan is playing a career-high 36.0 minutes per game and has responded by averaging career-highs in points (11.3), rebounds (12.0) and blocks (2.0). The Clippers are going to need Jordan to anchor the defense and protect the rim to improve the defense. Nevertheless, if he continues to play like this he might be in the running for Defensive Player of the Year after all.
The Offense Is Elite
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The No. 1 scoring team in the league is also No. 1 in efficiency. The Los Angeles Clippers are scoring 113.0 points per game and it looks like there is room for improvement. Blake Griffin looks more comfortable in this system and is getting more easy baskets per game under Alvin Gentry’s offense then he did under Vinny Del Negro. Even better, it still looks like there is more he has left to show on the block.
Chris Paul is obviously the catalyst for this dynamic offense, however having already touched on him let’s focus on two of the new additions. JJ Redick and Jared Dudley have both fit into this offense perfectly.
Dudley is hitting 50 percent of his threes and seems to find himself standing alone for an open three multiple times each half. Meanwhile, Redick is shooting what would be a career-high, 48.4 percent from the field.
Defending the Clippers is going to be extremely difficult, not only in transition but also in half-court sets. The team ranks 2nd in free throws attempted, 4th in assists, 5th in field goal percentage and 7th in three-point percentage. Good luck trying to defend this offense.
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