Los Angeles Clippers vs. San Antonio Spurs: Postgame Grades and Analysis
The ever-reliable "Big Three" of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili came up huge in a 125-118 San Antonio Spurs victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, Monday at the AT&T Center.
The aforementioned trio combined to score 66 points, dish out 15 assists and grab 14 rebounds. At times, they looked the Spurs of the early 2000s, with those three all moving like they were still in their 20s.
The Clippers were led by Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, who combined for 47 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds.
| San Antonio Spurs | Grades |
| Tim Duncan | A |
| Tony Parker | A |
| Danny Green | B |
| Manu Ginobili | A |
| Rest of Team | B+ |
| Los Angeles Clippers | Grades |
| Chris Paul | A |
| Blake Griffin | B |
| DeAndre Jordan | B |
| J.J. Redick | B- |
| Jamal Crawford | B- |
| Rest of Team | C- |
San Antonio Spurs
Tim Duncan: A
It's going to be a running story all season long; Tim Duncan's longevity is truly incredible. He registered yet another double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds. As ESPN's Ramona Shelburne notes, his coach is in awe with the rest of us:
For a 38-year old to dominate a game against a team as young, big and athletic as the Clippers simply doesn't seem possible. But here we are.
It's not just that he's a crafty vet, although that of course is there. He still battles against the younger guys, despite all the things Gregg Popovich mentioned.
Tony Parker: A
Parker was fantastic in his return from injury, as he scored 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting and looked like he hadn't missed a day.
His explosiveness was there and his mid-range jumper was on from the opening tip. Against one of the league's best perimeter defenders in Paul, Parker was able to go anywhere and get just about anything he wanted.
Danny Green: B
Danny Green wasn't as sharp defensively as he usually is, but just about anyone would struggle to stay with J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford as they move nonstop without the ball.
On offense, he was his usually solid self, only taking good shots and knocking down the majority of the open ones. He finished with 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting from three-point range.
Manu Ginobili: A
Parker was pretty much allowed to play the role of a scoring guard in his return, as Manu Ginobili often ran the offense and did most of the facilitating.
He scored 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting and dished out a game-high 10 assists, keeping the defense off balance with his trademark Ginobili-an flair.
Rest of Team: B+
Every game, it seems like someone different is able to stand out from San Antonio's supporting cast and have a huge performance.
Boris Diaw assumed the role Monday, scoring 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting off the bench. He also grabbed six rebounds and dished out three assists.
Marco Belinelli added nine, hitting 3 of 4 three-point attempts. Tiago Splitter scored an efficient six points on 3-of-4 shooting and rookie Kyle Anderson added five in 10 minutes.
Los Angeles Clippers
Chris Paul: A
It's hard to imagine someone quietly averaging 17.9 points and 9.9 assists, but that's exactly what Paul's doing this season. He continued his stellar campaign with 25 points and nine assists in this one, despite missing two open threes that might've changed the outcome with time winding down in the fourth.
As he does against most defenses, Paul was able to break down any individual defender and get in the paint. His decision-making from there was classically CP3.
If Parker gave him an inch, he'd pull up. If the Spurs clogged the paint, he'd hit shooters. Or if the defense shaded the three-point line, Paul would find Griffin or Jordan around the rim.
On the other end, Paul really struggled to contain Parker. That's a nearly impossible task for any defender, but Paul is one of the only guys who's actually capable of it on a good night.
Blake Griffin: B
It's nice that Blake Griffin has improved so much on his mid-range jump shooting, but games like this are a reminder of why he may want to spend a little more time inside.
When he was working inside, the Spurs weren't able to put up much resistance. When he stepped out for the jumpers, they didn't really have to. By settling for the longer shots, he essentially gave the Spurs' bigs a break. They just put a hand up and then doubled back for the rebound.
He finished the game with 22 points on 10-of-20 shooting, with many of his misses coming from outside the paint.
Simply criticizing his shot selection wouldn't really do justice to Griffin's all-around game, though. Griffin's excellent passing was on display throughout, as he showed his vision all over the floor. He finished with six assists.
DeAndre Jordan: B
As is generally the case with DeAndre Jordan, his impact was felt in just about every way but scoring. He made all four of his attempts from the field on the way to nine points, but it was his 11 boards that did the most for the Clippers.
Defensively, he wasn't able to clog the paint quite as effectively as usual, as Tiago Splitter and Duncan combined to shoot 12-of-20 from the field.
J.J. Redick: B-
J.J. Redick appeared to be on the way to a huge game, as he scored 13 points in the first six minutes, but he really didn't muster much else after that.
He did wind up with 21 points on 6-of-13 shooting, but again, most of that damage came early, and his jumper appeared to betray him a little as the game wore on.
On the other end, he was torched repeatedly. Whether it was Danny Green, Manu Ginobili or Marco Belinelli, Redick really had a terrible time staying in their way.
Jamal Crawford: B-
Redick doesn't deserve all the blame for allowing San Antonio's wings to get loose. Jamal Crawford had his hand in that as well.
He was solid as usual on offense, though. He used his crafty handle to create plenty of looks for himself on the way to 18 points on 6-of-15 shooting. He also used it to bait defenders into leaving their feet, allowing him to draw contact and get to the line, where he was 6-of-6.
Rest of Team: C-
After the starters and the sixth man, the Clippers have struggled a bit with depth. Glen Davis was decent off the bench, though, scoring nine points on 4-of-5 shooting. Jordan Farmar added seven on 2-of-6.
Beyond that, there really wasn't anything. L.A. desperately missed Spencer Hawes, whose shooting ability allows the offense to do some creative things when he's on the floor.
Coming Up Next
The Clippers will continue their road trip Tuesday against the Atlanta Hawks at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Spurs will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder at home, Thursday at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Andy Bailey covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him @AndrewDBailey.
