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Clippers vs Spurs Preview: Getting Out of the Slide
The Clippers take on the 3-3 Spurs and second-year superstar Victor Wembanyama needing to get back on track after suffering three consecutive losses.
Game Information
Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California
When: 7:30 PM PT
How to Watch: KTLA, WOAI 1200
Projected Starting Lineups
Spurs: Chris Paul – Julian Champagnie – Harrison Barnes – Jeremy Sochan – Victor Wembanyama
Clippers: James Harden – Norman Powell – Derrick Jones Jr. – Terance Mann – Ivica Zubac
Injuries
Spurs: Devin Vassell Out (Foot), Tre Jones Out (Ankle)
Clippers: Kawhi Leonard Out (Knee), Mo Bamba Out (Knee), PJ Tucker Out (Away from team), Cam Christie Out (G-League), Trentyn Flowers Out (G-League)
The Big Picture
The Clippers are 2-4 after six games, but if you’d looked at their schedule before the season and said they wouldn’t have Kawhi Leonard for any of those games, a 2-4 record would seem reasonable. The reason for the glum vibes in Clipper Nation really boils down to that Blazers’ loss, a difficult at the hands of a poor opponent the likes of which the Clippers very much need to beat this year if they want to have any chance of appearing in the postseason. Even though it’s just one game, a record of 3-3 sounds a whole lot better than 2-4, especially considering the quality of opponent in that loss. Still, the team is playing hard, is excellent on defense (6th), and has played a tough schedule. Hopefully the offense (25th) is able to finally start limiting turnovers and become more consistent.
The Antagonist
The Spurs’ team profile actually looks remarkably similar to the Clippers, even though the roster composition and overall team dynamic is very different. The Spurs are a top-5 defense that struggles mightily to string together buckets, just like the Clippers. Unlike the Clippers, the Spurs are a very young team whose defense rests nearly solely on one individual, second-year sensation Victor Wembanyama. Wemby is already the most devastating force on defense in the NBA, a one-man rim deterrence who can also switch out onto the perimeter and defend smaller player. Offensively, Wemby is still prone to inefficiency and poor turnovers, but has been helped by the addition of Chris Paul, who still knows how to run an offense and find open players despite his limitations. The Spurs are also missing their second-best player in Devin Vassell and another key role player in Tre Jones, which makes them even more rudimentary on offense. Still, they are young, feisty, and won’t back down from anyone.
Notes
Should Ty Lue Change the Rotation: There’s been a lot of discussion on Twitter and the site about the Clippers adjusting their rotation to excise one of or both of Amir Coffey and Kevin Porter Jr. in favor of Jordan Miller and Bones Hyland. On one hand, I get it perfectly: Kevin Porter Jr. has been abysmal on both ends, and it’s hard to imagine Bones being worse on offense than him. I myself would rather play Bones or Miller compared to Porter Jr. But Ty Lue likes his 10-game sample sizes, and the team as a whole is playing with enough spirit and effort that I don’t think we get any benching of players yet. As for Miller vs. Amir, while I get that Jordan offers more theoretically on offense, Coffey has been fine this season and it’s just tough for coaches to go away from vets like that. If anything, the guy I might expect to be dropped from the rotation is Kai Jones, who is barely playing as is and has been largely ineffective when he does play. Putting in Miller or Kobe Brown for him for more small-ball is something I’d be intrigued by.
CP3 Reception: I’m curious as to how Chris Paul is received in his first ever game at Intuit. He’s obviously played in front of Clippers’ fans many times since he left the team in 2017, but I wonder if distance in time since Lob City, his increasing age, and the factor of a new arena will lead to him being greeted more fondly than in past visits. The Toronto Raptors just put Vince Carter’s jersey into their rafters, and Chris Paul’s jersey will presumably be raised into Intuit Dome’s ceiling at some point as well. I would guess he receives a mix of cheers and boos, but as he gets closer to retirement I think the shift more towards cheers will occur.
Clippers vs Spurs Preview: Getting Out of the Slide
Robert Flom