The Clippers Needs Only Small Adjustments

[True Lakers Fan]

Blake Griffin: Good player, but has a chip on his shoulder in the past, but I thought he matured some this season. The downside to his game is not enough moves in the post without using his body as a weapon. He needs to develop some game with a bit of finesse. Teams that base their game soley on bullying seldom win a championship. A little finesse can go a long way. The Clippers would be foolish to give up Griffin, but they need to dig into their pockets and hire him a special coach like the Lakers did for Bynum

Chris Paul - good player all the way around - resign him and keep him at any cost if they want to remain competitive

Lamar Odom - Kind of a joke and well over-paid at the 9 million he got off the last year of his contract. I would offer him a new contract of 5-6 million per year/4 years or 5, but stipulate that he needs to step up his game and improve his attitude on the court.

Small adjustments to the bench, but mostly I think the adjustments to how they play is the key - not the players themselves - they just don't have the right game, but they do have the talent with the right coaching

 

[bksballer89]

Blake Griffin is the main problem. He is not playing like a star.

They have a great bench. If Blake Griffin and Jordan was more development on the offensive end they would be legit title contenders

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Blake Griffin is the main problem. He is not playing like a star.

They have a great bench. If Blake Griffin and Jordan was more development on the offensive end they would be legit title contenders

He's never had the right teacher - think about it - If a child has never been taught right from wrong - chances are pretty good -wrong is going to come out. Even Kobe a few years ago went to Oligiwan and took some lessons on his game. Griffin can do more, but he is young and immature. He can be and needs to be taught. I don't like the dude, but with the right teacher he can be more

 

[bksballer89]

And who's fault is it that Blake has yet to step up to the plate and go to Hakeem in the offseason?

 

[shitsho]

Blake is going to get better. He is smart and he knows he has limitations. Do you guys see he has improved his game each year? Look for a better jumper next year along with a go to post move.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

And who's fault is it that Blake has yet to step up to the plate and go to Hakeem in the offseason?

I'm not sure anyone is at fault, but I would blame the management in the Clippers orgnization. One of the reasons that the Lakers has more championship titles in the last 22 years in the NBA is because the Lakers took the time to develop their talent a bit more then other teams. Seems like to me the Lakers has more ex-Lakers playing for other teams more so then any other team in the NBA. The Clippers has always been very one-dimensional team and Donald Sterling, current owner has been a slumlord with properties all over Los Angeles - just a complete douche bag which is why he and the Clippers is hated.

By comparison I am a Dodgers fan, but I have deep respect for the Angels as a competitor and as long as Sciosa is there I will continue to do so. In all seriousness though Blake needs a good teacher.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Blake is going to get better. He is smart and he knows he has limitations. Do you guys see he has improved his game each year? Look for a better jumper next year along with a go to post move.

He has got to develop some post moves if he doesn't want to continue to get beat up brutally in the pain - no two ways about it

 

[chucksker]

CP3 is leaving...he is unhappy there, knows that as constructed they wont win a title, doesnt like the coach, and cant get along with Blake Griffin....he is leaving

 

[chucksker]

and besides, CP3 is at the point in his career where getting a ring is starting to become more important than the biggest contract possible

 

[shitsho]

CP3 is leaving...he is unhappy there, knows that as constructed they wont win a title, doesnt like the coach, and cant get along with Blake Griffin....he is leaving

Where did you hear this or is it just an observation?

 

[chucksker]

observations....he has had mutliple spats with Griffin, and it should be obvious to anyone that likes the NBA that they cant win a title as constructed

 

[trojanfan12]

observations....he has had mutliple spats with Griffin, and it should be obvious to anyone that likes the NBA that they cant win a title as constructed

There have been some rumors out here that "all is not as it seems" with the Clippers!! It really hasn't been much more than rumor at this point, so I have largely ignored it. But with the way they played in this series, I am starting wonder if there isn't something to it!!

 

[bksballer89]

Where did you hear this or is it just an observation?

I've heard this as well and they didn't deny the CP3 issue. Griffin and Jordan denied that they got into it with each other but neither player denied the CP3 stuff

 

[trojanfan12]

I've heard this as well and they didn't deny the CP3 issue. Griffin and Jordan denied that they got into it with each other but neither player denied the CP3 stuff

I know a team across the hall that would be happy to make him a contender and give a big screw you to David Stern at the same time!!

 

[shitsho]

observations....he has had mutliple spats with Griffin, and it should be obvious to anyone that likes the NBA that they cant win a title as constructed

I didn't hear that tidbit until just now. I thought something was up but was not certain. I did know they wouldn't go far in the playoffs. They need a top notch SG or SF for that. I'm starting to wonder about CP3. Is he really a franchise player? He dominates the ball where ever he goes with no tangible results.

 

[Big Red Slugs]

Blake is going to get better. He is smart and he knows he has limitations. Do you guys see he has improved his game each year? Look for a better jumper next year along with a go to post move.

No, I do not see that Blake Griffin has improved his game each year.

His stats have actually declined every season, and I haven't noticed any improved skill either, and I've watched the large majority of his games. He still has one steady move: Jump with his back to the basket and twist. Which is why he sucked so bad with a bum ankle; he relies too heavily on sheer athleticism. Maybe his mid-range has improved a bit over the years, but not as much as it should, or at least he doesn't go to it enough, he's still mostly just jump and twist.

This is odd:

2010-11: 22.5 pts./12.1 rebs./8.5 FTA
2011-12: 20.7 pts./10.9 rebs./7.1 FTA
2012-13: 18.0 pts./8.3 rebs./5.3 FTA

 

[Big Red Slugs]

As far as Clippers adjustments, I know a lot of Clippers fans don't like VDN (my bro has been a real Clippers fan since the Danny Manning days) but I don't think he's really the problem outside of the fact that he refuses to develop and go to DeAndre Jordan.

I've been saying forever that the one piece the Clippers were missing in order to be title contenders was a steady center. D.J. is totally that guy, he really impresses when they get him warmed up and confident. He actually has a fairly soft touch around the basket, and I like him. He tore it up in preseason, and I thought the Clippers could get it done until they went back to strictly Blake Griffin or CP3 every time down the court.

 

[trojanfan12]

No, I do not see that Blake Griffin has improved his game each year.

His stats have actually declined every season, and I haven't noticed any improved skill either, and I've watched the large majority of his games. He still has one steady move: Jump with his back to the basket and twist. Which is why he sucked so bad with a bum ankle; he relies too heavily on sheer athleticism. Maybe his mid-range has improved a bit over the years, but not as much as it should, or at least he doesn't go to it enough, he's still mostly just jump and twist.

This is odd:

2010-11: 22.5 pts./12.1 rebs./8.5 FTA
2011-12: 20.7 pts./10.9 rebs./7.1 FTA
2012-13: 18.0 pts./8.3 rebs./5.3 FTA

That's a pretty remarkable decline!! It shows that opponents are adjusting to his game and he's not adding new parts to his game.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Where did you hear this or is it just an observation?

Two things leads me to this possibility:

1. He refused to sign a contract extension offer worth 60 million/3 years
2. he refused to discuss his future or decisions and like Dwight Howard wanted to reflect and pray about it.

That does not mean either player intends to leave, but.....

 

[True Lakers Fan]

That's a pretty remarkable decline!! It shows that opponents are adjusting to his game and he's not adding new parts to his game.

Not necessarily because there are some other factors that the person did not consider and look more carefully between his first year and third year


2010-11 22.5 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 3.8 apg, but played 38 minutes and 50.FG%

12-13 18.0 ppg, 8 rpg, 3.7 apg, but played only 32 minutes, 53.8 FG

So while his numbers are down, they are down because he is playing less minutes, has more quality players to help him and he is shooting more efficiently. Griffin didn't have Billups and Chris Paul two years ago, so it is natural for those numbers to go down some with more help. He didn't Lamar Odom either.

In short this is a completely different team from two years ago, so I think it's a bit unfair to say he isn't as good of a player, but I do believe he needs to develop a better post game - that is a given