The Los Angeles Clippers’ path to the NBA Finals is littered with booby traps, unscalable walls and, in all likelihood, the history-making Golden State Warriors. Damian Lillard can go off for 50 points if he gets hot and the Trail Blazers are fully capable of completing a Game 1 upset of LA on the road. He speaks softly and evenly, and unlike some of his Clippers teammates (think DeAndre Jordan), Johnson doesn’t raise his voice, tease or joke around in the locker room before games.
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Chris Paul scored 28 points, dished out 11 assists and grabbed six rebounds, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 115-95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of a Western Conference quarterfinal playoff series Sunday night at Staples Center. They split their four matchups, each team winning once on the other’s home floor.
The team started to turn the corner in late December, but as that happened, Lillard hit some speed bumps of his own, as he missed the first games of his career (plantar fasciitis) and was subsequently snubbed of a spot in the 2016 All-Star game. The Clippers hope to have theirs fully intact after shooting guard J.J. Redick spent the last 48 hours in a walking boot and did not practice Friday because of the bruised left heel he sustained Tuesday against the Memphis Grizzlies.
It was like turning on a brand new computer, rather than waiting for one with a disk drive filled to capacity to slowly boot up.
As the the fifth seed in the Western Conference, they will face the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the playoffs.
Griffin played 32 minutes and had 19 points and 12 rebounds. “I’m not really anxious about the whole, “Can he get back or will he be able to play at a high level, ‘” Griffin said”.
Eschewing from the long ball, the Clippers ran most of their early offense through Griffin, who bullied smaller defenders such as Mo Harkless and Al-Farouq Aminu, forcing them to commit fouls or give up point-blank buckets. “It’s just about filling those gaps for our team and finding ways to help”.
“Obviously you like what we”ve done,” Doc Rivers said, “but you know that he”ll be better, he”ll be more suited, he”ll be more prepared.”.
Throw in PG Chris Paul (19.5 points, 10 assists per game) and C DeAndre Jordan (12.7 points, 13.8 rebounds per game), and you have a very risky group.
Redick had himself another excellent season in his third year with the Clippers.
The Clippers have little to worry about defensively.
Both guards have had great seasons, but head-to-head, Paul has won it, averaging 16.8 points and 10 assists per game against the Blazers.
“McCollum”s gripe is a bit needless since Rivers had no say in whether McCollum could play in the game, according to a high-ranking National Basketball Association official familiar with the situation.
All the players on the Portland Trail Blazers didn’t have the doubts like everyone else.
So they’re the ones searching for answers.
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The Blazers must find a way to correct what has been a fundamental defensive flaw all season if they want to have any chance in this series.
