Initial Report Card Grades for Every Key LA Clippers Player
The Los Angeles Clippers are off to a solid start, but certainly have disappointed during a few early season matchups. However, the Clippers sport one of the league’s best offenses and multiple players are on their way to career seasons.
But why has the team disappointed despite lofty preseason expectations? Certain players are playing quite well, but others have struggled. It’s time to grade the roster for the first time this season.
Ryan Hollins
1 of 10
Much like the rest of his career, Ryan Hollins seems to be nothing more than a third big off the bench. At the very least he provides some energy and length, but does not provide much on the glass or block many shots.
Still, Doc Rivers is familiar with Hollins and seems to trust him when he needs a big off the bench to play defense. Hollins knows Rivers’ defensive system and is clearly a better defender than Byron Mullens. Regardless, Hollins will not see much of the floor unless players like Blake Griffin and Mullens are in foul trouble.
Grade: C-
Byron Mullens
2 of 10
The Los Angeles Clippers brought Byron Mullens in to provide floor spacing for Blake Griffin and to contribute to the second unit. While Mullens’ shot looks nice, it rarely finds the net. He has been able to shoot above his career average of 40.4 percent from the field—connecting on 43.2 percent—his three-point percentage is stuck right around 30.0.
The problem is that Mullens has not been able to convert on a higher percentage of threes. To compound matters, he is taking 2.6 per game. Mullens has shown the ability to score around the basket, however. Perhaps he should attempt to even out some of those attempts by navigating the paint more often.
Grade: D
Darren Collison
3 of 10
For as well as Darren Collison played during the preseason, his play has not carried over to the regular season. Collison is shooting a horrendous 36.2 percent from the field and has 17 assists to 12 turnovers.
Collison is part of the reason why the Clippers bench has regressed. The Clippers had one of the best benches in the entire league last season, but rank only 15th in scoring this season, according to hoopsstats.
The team desperately needs Collison to regain his explosiveness attacking the basket. Without production from the reserve guards, the Clippers are certain to give up whatever leads the starters produce.
Grade: C-
Matt Barnes
4 of 10
Last season Matt Barnes had one of the best of his career. Unfortunately, Barnes is off to a slow start this year despite the Clippers’ offense being one of the best in the league.
In spite of matching nearly all his numbers from 2012-13, the UCLA product has been downright bad shooting the ball. Barnes is connecting on only 34.2 percent of his shots and is even worse at 25.0 percent from three.
The Clippers desperately need Barnes’ defense and the hope is that his shooting will eventually come around. It would benefit Barnes to see more minutes with the starters in order to help increase his scoring and shooting percentage, so look for that to happen as Doc Rivers looks to insert more defense into his lineup.
Grade: C
Jamal Crawford
5 of 10
Perhaps one of the best one-on-one scorers in the entire league, Jamal Crawford has thrived in his role with the Los Angeles Clippers. Much like how former head coach Vinny Del Negro used Crawford, Doc Rivers is allowing Crawford to lead the second unit and play his own style off the bench.
Although Crawford is allergic to defense, his ability to create his own shots and score from the perimeter has been one of the reasons why the Clippers are one of the league leaders in scoring. If his shooting were to remain consistent all season he would post career-highs in field goal and three-point percentage.
It is entirely likely the Clippers could discuss trading Crawford in order to help their front court, but he is a major asset to the team offensively. It would be pretty difficult for Rivers to deal Crawford knowing how badly the bench has struggled to score.
Grade: B+
Jared Dudley
6 of 10
Brought in to help provide outside shooting and improve the team defense, Jared Dudley has not lived up to expectations.
Dudley is shooting just 31.6 percent from the field, nearly nine points below his career average. He has not been able to take advantage of the open threes the offensive system has provided him. Expect that to change, but it is a legitimate concern despite the offense being quite good.
His defense has been average. He is by no means a defensive stopper, but does play solid team defense and knows where to be in his rotations. However, Dudley is needed on the glass, where he is grabbing a career-low 1.6 per contest.
Grade: C
J.J. Redick
7 of 10
One player who has exceeded expectations and has lifted the Los Angeles Clippers’ offense to new heights, is J.J. Redick. He was expected to come in and open up the offense due to his ability to hit from the perimeter, score coming off screens and create off the dribble. He has done all that and more.
Not only is Redick scoring a career-high 16.5 points per game but he is also having his best shooting season from the field, at 45.3 percent, while recording a career best 18.29 PER according to ESPN.
Redick’s defense has been solid and he brings plenty of energy and passion to that side of the floor. However, it has been his electric start on offense that has made the Clippers so difficult to defend.
Grade: B+
DeAndre Jordan
8 of 10
Much has been made, especially by yours truly, about Doc Rivers proclaiming that DeAndre Jordan could be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate this year. Rivers sure doesn’t sound as crazy right now.
Although Jordan is still learning to adjust to his new role as the defensive leader of the Los Angeles Clippers, he has done a remarkable job of securing the defensive-glass. Jordan is pulling down 13.3 rebounds per game putting him in the same category as Kevin Love and Dwight Howard, statistically.
Furthermore, Jordan is also scoring the ball at a career-high clip of 10.6 points per game, blocking 2.1 shots and collecting 1.3 steals per game. This is the type of progress Clipper fans have been waiting to see from Jordan.
Grade: A
Blake Griffin
9 of 10
Any talk about Blake Griffin needing to improve his overall game has come and gone. Griffin has never been this dominant; averaging 22.7 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists, while shooting 56.8 percent from the floor.
Griffin has clearly improved his jumper and has shown that he is more than capable of hitting from all over the floor, especially in pick and pop situations. He still has a little hitch at the top of his shot and seems to shoot the ball on the way down, but he is making his shots.
Defensively, we have also seen Griffin grow tremendously. It looks like he is putting in more effort on the defensive side of the ball, Griffin agrees saying, "I really do feel like I've gotten a little bit better each year. This year, it’s one of those things where I feel like when we’re on defense, I can affect the game."
Grade: A
Chris Paul
10 of 10
Not that there are a lack of story lines to discuss regarding Chris Paul, but his play has been absolutely spectacular—which may even be understated. Paul recently broke Magic Johnson’s 11-game streak for consecutive double-doubles to open a season. More is yet to come.
Paul is averaging a career-high 12.5 assists per game. Even by Paul’s illustrious standards, that is insane. Always among the league leaders in steals, Paul is topping his career average of 2.4 per game, by swiping 2.8.
Although his shooting percentages have taken a hit, Paul looks nearly unstoppable at times. His consistency on offense can be credited to his stellar play, but also by the system Doc Rivers and Alvin Gentry have installed. Paul is simply playing at an otherworldly level.
Grade: A+
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