213hoops.com
Clippers vs Blazers Game Preview: Foot on the Gas
The Clippers will look to keep the good vibes rolling as they return home to play the youthful Blazers.
Game Information
Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California
When: 7:30 PM PT
How to Watch: KTLA, AM 1150
Projected Starting Lineups
Blazers: Anfernee Simons – Toumani Camara – Deni Avdija – Jerami Grant – DeAndre Ayton
Clippers: James Harden – Norman Powell – Derrick Jones Jr. – Terance Mann – Ivica Zubac
Injuries
Blazers: Shaedon Sharpe Out (Shoulder), Robert Williams III Out (Hamstring), Matisse Thybulle Out (Knee)
Clippers: Kawhi Leonard Out (Knee), Mo Bamba Out (Knee), PJ Tucker Out (Away from team)
The Big Picture
The Clippers are coming off a fantastic weekend where they
won back-to-back games on the road against two teams, the Nuggets and Warriors,
who were projected to be ahead of them in the standings. Both games were own on
the defensive end, with the pesky Clippers forcing turnovers, getting big rebounds,
and generally making life difficult for the opposition. It is still very early
in the season, but one has to be happy with how the Clippers have played so
far, especially in terms of their energy and fight.
The Antagonist
The Blazers are 1-3, but have mostly played decently enough after an embarrassing first-game loss to the Warriors. Their veterans have performed well early, with the notable exception of Deni Avdija, with Grant, Ayton, and Simons all having one or two big outings. Donovan Clingan has also made his presence felt on the defensive end immediately; while the Blazers are bringing him along slowly, he can absolutely change the game in his second-unit shifts. The third overall pick in last years draft, Scoot Henderson, has still had rough turnovers and outside shooting, but is getting to the line more and shooting better from two-point range. In short, they are probably in for a classic “will be tanking hard by March, but are still trying to win games early” season, and as such should not be taken lightly.
Notes
Getting Easy Buckets: This Clippers team is not going to be good on offense when Kawhi Leonard doesn’t play, but this game against the Blazers is a chance for them to put together a good showing on that end. Camara, Avdija, and Grant are fine enough perimeter defenders, but Simons and Henderson are really bad at that end, and Ayton is nowhere near where he used to be. This will be a terrific opportunity for Harden in particular to really get going downhill and get some easier looks than he’s seen so far. Hopefully he can put together a more efficient showing than in his first three games.
Keeping Up Intensity: The Clippers are an underdog team of sorts, but they are still considered by most to be in a different tier than the Blazers. It’s in games like these, against non-marquee opponents, that Clippers’ teams of yore would slip up and play down to the level of the other team, especially on defense. This Clippers team does not have the talent margin those groups did, and they really need to maintain that “dog” on the defensive end. I’d love to see them come out, play fiery, and really put the clamps on a Blazers team that’s not offensively potent either. This will be a good test to see how the Clippers play against likely lottery teams and whether they can keep up the intense defense that has been such a treat so far.
Clippers vs Blazers Game Preview: Foot on the Gas
Robert Flom