5 Biggest Adjustments Los Angeles Clippers Must Make in Home Stretch of 2014-15
The Los Angeles Clippers have many adjustments to make during the home stretch of the 2014-15 NBA season. Coming out of the All-Star break, they currently sit sixth in the Western Conference and 6.5 games ahead of the ninth-place Oklahoma City Thunder. They are unlikely to catch the Golden State Warriors, who are 8.5 games ahead, for their third consecutive division title.
The offense has been spectacular, ranking first in efficiency and third in effective field-goal percentage, via NBA.com. Unfortunately, the team's biggest flaws have remained unchanged from the first game of the season until now.
Additionally, Doc Rivers must fill the two vacant roster spots with potential contributors, while also experimenting and trimming his rotation. Some players will be given an expanded role to reduce minutes from ailing players, while others might end up firmly planted on the bench, barring injury.
Regardless, there are multiple adjustments to be made, as every game is vital, especially in the Western Conference. However, five stand apart from the rest and need to be focused on immediately.
Setting the Rotation
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Regardless whetherthe Clippers make a trade at the deadline or not, Rivers will be lined up for the many buyout candidates that fill the free-agent market over the coming week, according to Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times.
"Clippers Coach Doc Rivers has said he probably would sign a player to a 10-day contract after the All-Star break, and the team will continue to monitor player buyouts."
Any player who is waived prior to March 1 is eligible to be on a playoff roster. This is perfect timing because the Clippers need help due to Blake Griffin's absence with a staph infection.
Additionally, Rivers must toy with his rotations and minutes with Griffin out. Players are adjusting to new rotations and lineups, because Rivers must spread Griffin's minutes among multiple players.
He needs to discover if the end of his bench is worthy of playing important minutes down the stretch. Will the players he signs make an impact late in the season? Who will be his primary wing defender moving forward?
Rivers has plenty of questions to answer. Unfortunately, in the midst of a playoff race, the wrong answer could spell trouble.
Protecting the Rim
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DeAndre Jordan's development into one of the league's premier rebounders and backbone of the Clippers' defense has been extraordinary. Unfortunately, the Clippers defense hasn't progressed at the same rate, especially defending the basket.
The Clippers allow opponents to shoot 53.4 at the rim, the eighth-worst field-goal percentage, according to NBA.com.
However, they only give up 19.7 attempts at the hoop, the lowest mark in the league, and down from 21.8 the season before.
While Jordan has improved defensively, he allows opponents to shoot 49.5 percent within five-feet of the basket, an average mark at best. Additionally, Griffin's rim protection is basically nonexistent considering he has blocked only 215 shots during his five-year career.
The Clippers must to find a way to improve their rim protection, either internally or by adding help before March 1. Slow rotations and a lack of a second shot-blocker are to blame. The Clippers allow the fourth-most free throws in the league, and they must contest shots more efficiently if they are to improve their rim protection.
Knocking Down Cutters
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One of the key principles of basketball is bumping, or putting a body, on a cutter. Although there are multiple types of cuts, such as perimeter to the paint and elbow to the rim, the Clippers struggle to defend a majority of them, mainly because of this principle.
According to NBA.com, the Clippers face cuts on 10 possessions per game, more than any other team in the league. They also allow 1.20 points per possession off cuts, and teams are shooting 63.1 percent off these plays, both of which are below average.
The players who mainly score off cuts are forwards and centers. They are able to drive to the rim off penetration or flash across the lane. The previous slide mentioned how poorly the Clippers protect the rim, and this is a major reason why. When the Clippers' bigs are in the lane, they need to bump and stick to their man.
Additionally, the perimeter players need to do a better job of seeing their man and the ball. Jamal Crawford and J.J. Redick are guilty of frequently getting beat by back-cuts or slashes to the rim from the weak side.
Defensive rotations need to be quick and timely in order to cover for scrambling teammates. However, these rotations also allow weak-side defenders to occupy the lane, where they must put a body on cutters and contest shots.
Pick-and-Roll Defense
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Like most teams, the Clippers have run multiple types of pick-and-roll coverages this season. Hard hedging, sagging, trapping and icing are all coverages, each of which focuses on stopping the ball.
In order to execute each coverage, teams must contain the ball and make the correct rotation in to defend the screener. The man setting the pick has been the Clippers' primary problem.
According to NBA.com, the Clippers allow 1.07 points per possession with a 56.7 effective field-goal percentage to the screener—both the worst marks in the league.
Each coverage the Clippers run requires a different set of rotations. Considering the results of the previous two slides, it is easy to see why the team struggles to defend this man in the action.
Pick-and-rolls where DeAndre Jordan is the primary defender allow teams to pop the screener. This is because he struggles to defend anywhere near the perimeter. When Blake Griffin is the primary defender, teams can roll the screener. This action forces Jordan and the rest of the defense to make the proper rotations on time.
The team concepts are there. When the Clippers are able to contain the ball, the action breaks up. However, teams like the Memphis Grizzlies are capable of throwing a twist at the Clippers' defense.
Memphis runs a side pick-and-roll, where Mike Conley comes off of a Zach Randolph screen but immediately passes to Marc Gasol. Gasol flashes to the elbow, drawing Jordan out of the paint, and immediately looks to a cutting or posting-up Randolph on the block against Griffin.
Rivers needs his wings to rotate on time in order to properly defend multiple types of pick-and-rolls. Those rotations have been sporadic all season long.
Scoring in the Paint
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Remember the days of "Lob City," when Griffin and Jordan were flying through the air for 82 games, wrecking rims along the way? That aerial assault has obviously died down this year, but the more alarming aspect is how infrequently the Clippers are scoring in the paint.
They rank 29th, scoring 35.9 percent of their points in the paint, per NBA.com. Additionally, the team ranks 22nd in baskets made within five feet (15.9) despite leading the league in field-goal percentage in that area.
Easy baskets are difficult to come by. However, when a team has elite finishers such as Jordan and Griffin, they need more opportunities to score close to the basket.
To make matters more compelling, Griffin posts up a mere 27.5 percent of the time but scores at least one point 48.7 percent of the time, according to NBA.com. That mark is higher than the Grizzlies' Zach Randolph. the Sacramento Kings' DeMarcus Cousins and the Portland Trail Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge. The Clippers need to get Griffin involved on the block more frequently.
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