The CW (Clipper Weekly): Home Stretch

(Originally posted on LAist on March 26)

Current Record: 34-36, 3rd Pacific, 8th West

Last Week: While the LA hoops world has been focused on the Bruins’ repeat run to the Final Four and Kobe’s insane scoring binge, the Clippers have quietly found their groove at the best possible time. Over the last two weeks since the last CW, the Clips finished their pivotal road-trip 3-3, which may not seem terribly remarkable, but considering the team’s road woes throughout the season, it was a major step forward. After seemingly going through the motions over the course of the last six weeks, it was as if someone finally flipped the switch to get the Clippers to start playing harder and as a team. The high point was a surprising win against the Bulls, who came in with the best home record in the Eastern Conference, but were pushed around by the Clippers in their own gym during the fourth quarter.

Upon arriving back in LA, the Clippers promptly took out two likely playoff teams on back-to-back nights. They routed the Northwest Division leading Jazz, holding them to a season-low 72 points in a 32-point win, then knocked off the Southeast Division leading Wizards to increase the team’s winning streak to four games heading into the final three weeks. The best part? Most of the work was done without the services of Sam Cassell, who only played in three of these last eight games because of his recurring back spasms. Despite not having their venerable leader on the court, the Clippers came out and showed the heart which has been missing most of the year, executing their game plan on both ends of the court for a change.

Quick Take: Interestingly enough, it was a loss to San Antonio, the first game of that road trip, which seemed to give the team confidence. The Spurs had absolutely demolished the Clips in the teams’ first three meetings by an average of 21.7 points and were coming in on a 12-game winning streak, yet the Clippers played them tough for four quarters. The CW has pointed out how often the Clips have gotten punked by elite teams, but this two-week stretch reversed that trend for the first time this year.

So where has this resurgence come from? Not surprisingly, it’s been a function of all of the components of the team elevating their game at the same time. Unlike the Lakers, where Kobe has been able to singlehandedly take over games during their winning streak, the Clips have needed each different people to step up to facilitate their success. Corey Maggette has been extremely efficient, scoring over 19 points a game during March, but shooting 54% from the field and dishing out 4.3 dimes, well above his career totals. Cuttino Mobley has been dialing long distance, averaging over 18 points a game in the last six, but more importantly shooting 56% from the arc to open up the inside game. And the tandem of Jason Hart and Daniel Ewing has done an admirable job of holding down the point guard position, staying within their own limits and not making too many mistakes – the duo averaged 5.8 assists as compared to only 2.3 turnovers.

The Clippers’ latest winning streak has helped them separate themselves from some of the pretenders in the West. They sit two games behind Denver and out of the 7 spot, and a game and a half up on Golden St. and two on the Hornets for the 8 spot. For the rest of the regular season, LAist will be checking in more frequently to keep you up-to-date on the Clippers’ push for the postseason.

This Week:

Wednesday: vs. Houston (PRIME, 7:00 pm) – the Clippers have played the Rockets very tough this season, going 1-2 with two narrow losses, including a four-point defeat on the last road trip. The Clips actually led with a minute to play in that game in Houston after being down by 17, only to watch Luther Head hit a backbreaking three. A heavy dose of Elton Brand and Chris Kaman kept the Rockets on their heels, and seemed to wear out Yao Ming by the end of the game. With Houston battling for homecourt advantage in the first-round of the playoffs with Utah, you can count on the fact that Jeff Van Gundy will have his team focused and ready to play its usual hard-nosed style.

Friday: at Sacramento (PRIME, 7:30 pm) – all is not well in cow country. The Kings are in disarray and are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1998, the year before the Maloof family purchased the team. Resident nutjob superstar Ron Artest is rumored to be contemplating retirement to spend more time with his family. Yes, this is the same guy who was arrested three weeks ago for domestic battery charges. Sacramento is still a dangerous team, as evidenced by yesterday’s win over Phoenix, with Artest, Kevin Martin, and Mike Bibby roaming around on the perimeter. The Clips found success with a big lineup last time the teams played, using Brand, Tim Thomas, and Kaman on the floor at the same time for stretches, and will likely need to pound the ball inside to take advantage of the Kings’ lack of frontcourt depth.

Saturday: at Portland (KTLA-CW, 7:00 pm) – with the Blazers on their way to their fourth consecutive season in the lottery, the team is determined to let its young players get crushed to ensure a better draft position gain experience. First-round draft pick LaMarcus Aldridge is getting a lot of run, showing glimpses of his potential with his scary ability to finish around the hoop, while rookie-of-the-year frontrunner Brandon Roy continues to impress, having scored at least sixteen points in all ten games this month. The Clips must beware of a letdown against a team that would love to help knock them out of the playoffs.

AP photo by Gus Ruelas