Inside the Clippers

LIFE WITHOUT BILLUPS

2012-02-09T02:27:38Z

The Clippers played their first game without Chauncey Billups Wednesday and understandably it was a struggle.

And ultimately a loss as the fell 99-92 to the Cleveland Cavaliers to snap a four-game road winning streak.

Billups was lost Monday for the season to a torn left Achilles tendon injury and a Clippers team low an energy took the floor against the Cavaliers. Billups isn't the Clippers leading scorer and he isn't one of their two All-Stars,

But he is a hugely important veteran prescence and that loss of presence was felt Wednesday as the Clippers struggled against one of the lowly teams in the NBA.

The Clippers struggled from the field, hitting just 41 percent of their shots from the field.

Blake Griffin had 25 points and15 rebounds and Chris Paul had 16 points an 12 assists. Randy Foye, who started for Billups, had 15 point while former Cavalier Mo Williams finished with just five points on 2 of 10 shooting in his return to Cleveland.

The Cavaliers were without prized rookie point guard Kyrie Irving, who is suffering from a concussion, but Ramon Sessions - whom the Lakers are reportedly interested in - stepped in and had 24 points and 13 assists.

BAD NEWS ON BILLUPS

2012-02-07T23:15:24Z

The Clippers got the worst news possible on guard Chauncey Billups when an MRI Tuesday revealed he's torn his left Achilles' tendon.

The injury, which Billups suffered during rhe fourth quarter of Monday's win over the Orlando Magic, will sideline him for the remainder of the season.

Billups is averaging 15 points and four assists for the Clippers, who are 15-7 and in second place in the Pacific Division.

With Billups out, Mo Williams will likely move into the starting lineup with second-year guard Eric Bledsoe expected to garner more minutes off the bench.

CLIPPERS BUILDING A ROAD IDENTITY

2012-02-07T02:58:03Z

It takes menatl toughness to win on the road.

And the Clippers are developing that.

Even without Chauncey Billups, who was lost to an a left injury Achilles' tendon injury, the Clippers won their fourth straight road game in a 107-102 win over the Orlando Magic in overtime.

The team that won nine road games all last season is now showing they can win tough games in difficult venues - a definite sign of a serious contender.

Caron Butler hit a huge three-pointer in overtime for the Clippers, who trailed by 15 points at one point and four in over time only to finish on an 11-2 run to close the game out,

Butler stared the game 1 for 7 from the field but was there at the end to help win it for the Clippers.

"My teammates kept believing in me," said Billups, whop also had an important offensive rebound in OT.

The Clippers are back in action Wednesday at Cleveland.

Clippers and Magic tied late

2012-02-07T02:21:17Z

Chauncey Billups went down in a heap and left the game with five minutes to go with the Clippers up five. The Magic have tied it 89 with 2:44 to go

The preliminary report on the injury is Achilles-related.

KENYON MARTIN AGREES TO DEAL WITH CLIPS

2012-02-03T18:31:28Z

The Clippers filled a glaring need in the frontcourt Friday by agreeing to a contract with veteran free agent power forward Kenyon Martin. The deal is pending Martin passing a physical.

Martin had been playing with the Xinjiang Tigers in China but was allowed out of a season-long contract with the club when FIBA, which oversees international basketball, stepped in on his behalf.

In doing so the 6-9 forward was free to sign with a team in the NBA and the Clippers, who need help behind center DeAndre Jordan and power forward Blake Griffin, immediately showed interest.

Martin has career averages of 13.5 points and 7.2 rbounds over 11 seasons with the New Jersey Nets and Denver Nuggets and averaged just over 8 points and 6 rebounds last year with the Nuggets.

Martin chose the Clippers over the Miami Heat, Lakers and Atlanta Hawks, among others showing interest, and it will be interesting to see how much his past relationship with Clippers guard Chauncey Billups helped in swaying him to Los Angeles.

Clippers beat Denver on the road

2012-01-30T03:21:57Z

Chris Paul's two foul shots with 17 seconds left sealed the 109-105 come-from-behind win for the Clippers in Denver. Paul and former Nugget Chauncey Billups spearheaded the comeback in the fourth and helped Los Angeles (11-6) gets its second road win of the season.

"As you know, we gotta get better on the road, said Billups, who played with Denver last season before getting shipped to the Knicks midway through the year. "We have to be locked in defensively. Chris hit some major, major baskets at the end. It was a good win for us"

The Clippers were down 10 in the fourth quarter, but went on a 10-point run with shots by the two veterans. The Clippers went up three points late, but Denver's Nene hit two straight dunks and got the host team up by one with 47 seconds left.

Paul then took control of the game for the Clippers.

He drove to the bucket and missed the shot, but got fouled. He hit both foul shots and put the Clippers up one 105-104 with 35.9 left.

The Nuggets then missed the shot to take the lead, but after Jordan got the rebound, he got fouled and was sent to the free throw line. He missed the first and made the second to put the Clippers up 107-105 with 23 seconds remaining.

Denver (14-6) then one last chance to tie, but Nene got called an offensive foul on a drive to tie the score, and the change of possession gave the ball back to the Clippers with 18.1 left. Paul then got fouled and made two foul shots and Denver missed its last-chance shot to end the game.

Billups finished with 32 points - including six of 12 from the 3-point line - and Paul had 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Blake Griffin added 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

Nene led Denver with 18 points and Danilo Gaillineri had 17.

The Clippers return to Staples tomorrow to face Oklahoma City, which is the top team in the Western Conference, play in Utah on Wednesday

Nene hit two straight dunks turned a three-point deficit for Denver to a one-point lead with 47.3 seconds left.

CLIPPERS RECALL ERIC BLEDSOE FROM BAKERSFIELD

2012-01-29T21:06:21Z

The Clippers today recalled guard Eric Bledsoe from the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League. Bledsoe, 22, appeared in two games with the Jam as he continues his rehabilitation from surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee. Bledsoe is with the Clippers in Denver and will be available for tonight's game against the Nuggets.

In two games with the Jam, Bledsoe averaged 12.5 points and 8.5 assists in 21.0 minutes per game.

HUGE TEST AWAITING THE CLIPPERS

2012-01-29T03:43:27Z

The schedule has been relatively kind to the Clippers to start the season.

It is about to become unkind.

Beginning Sunday the Clippers will play 10 games in 16 days including three back-to-backs and one stretch in which they play on three consecutive nights.

Oh, and did I mention eight of those ten games are on the road?

If anyone is wondering why the Clippers played it so safe with Chris Paul, the upcoming schedule is why.

Paul could have come back earlier than he did, but the Clippers understood the importance of buying some time with him knowing the schedule was about to go from tough to ridiculously tough.

Clippers waive Courtney Fortson

2012-01-28T04:11:39Z

The Los Angeles Clippers today waived guard Courtney Fortson. He was signed by the Clippers on Jan. 16 and appeared in four games, averaging 4.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 11.2 minutes.

The 5-foot-11 guard scored a career-high 13 points on Jan. 17 vs. Utah.

Fortson was promoted from the D-League after Chris Paul injured his hamstring and then Paul returned the lineup Wednesday.

Blake Griffin comments on Grizzlies throwback uniforms

2012-01-27T07:29:09Z

"They weren't that bad. But I don't know why their tops didn't match the bottoms."...

Clippers beat Memphis 98-91

2012-01-27T06:22:25Z

The Clippers outscored Memphis 24-17 in the fourth quarter to win at Staples Center 98-91.

Blake Griffin led Los Angeles (10-6) with a near triple-double - 20 points, eight assists and nine rebounds - and Chris Paul almost had one too, with 18 points, seven assists and seven rebounds.

(Chris Paul tries to go around Mike Conley)

(Blake Griffin drives on Rudy Gay of the Grizzlies)

Marc Gasol got the Grizzlies as close as two points with under a minute to go, but then the Clippers clamped down. Caron Butler had a drive and a basket with 58 seconds left to get Los Angeles up four, then Paul had a steal and got fouled, which resulted in two free throws to get the advantage to six, 95-89.

Butler then hit a free throw and OJ Mayo tried a desperation 3-pointer, but missed and Gasol had another chance to score, but also missed.

DeAndre Jordan then hit a free throw and Griffin had another one that ended the game at 98-91.

Along with Griffin's and Paul's near triple-doubles, Jordan finished the game with nine points and nine rebounds and Butler added 17 points.

Rudy Gay led Memphis with 24 points and Gasol added 18 points and 11 rebounds.

(Head coach Vinny Del Negro in the press room)

Clippers vs. Memphis game

2012-01-27T06:08:38Z

With a little less than four minutes to go, the Clippers are leading 89-83 - in their powder blue, ABA-type uniforms.

Blake Griffin is working on a double-double so far - but with points and assists instead of his usual points/rebounds. He has 20 points and eight assists at the moment.

Mo Williams has 18 points off the bench for Los Angeles. Griffin leads the team with 20

By the way, the Clippers lead the league in Lob-type dunks - with 26.

Minnesota beats Clippers 101-98

2012-01-21T06:26:46Z

Kevin Love hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Timberwolves the 101-98 win over the Clippers at Staples Center.

After Ricky Rubio tied the score at 98 with a 3-point shot with 20 seconds left, the Clippers (8-5) had one last chance to win.

Chauncey Billups got the inbounds pass and ran the clock down to a few seconds before he drove into the lane and shot, but it missed and the Wolves (7-8) got the rebound. A foul stopped the clock with 1.5 seconds left and Minnesota gained possession and the chance for the last shot.

Minnesota got to inbound the ball on their end of the court and the pass went to Love, who shot the three from far behind the line at the top of the key. DeAndre Jordan was defending him, but he got stuck behind a screen at the foul line, which delayed his covering Love, who was wide open.

Love finished the game with 17 points and 14 rebounds and Darko Milicic led Minnesota in scoring with 22 points and he grabbed seven rebounds.

(Kevin Love, in black, tries to pass over the Clippers' Blake Griffin)

Mo Williams, who was ejected from the game with three minutes left, led the Clippers with 25 points and Blake Griffin scored 21 and had 10 rebounds. Billups finished with 20 points and Randy Foye, starting in place of Chris Paul, added 12.

(Mo Williams drives into the lane for the Clippers)

Paul didn't play due to his hamstring injury, nor did Caron Butler, who hyperextended his knee in the game against Utah.

The Clippers next play Toronto at home on Sunday. Tipoff is at 12:30 p.m.

Injury report for tonight's game against Minnesota

2012-01-21T03:15:52Z

Caron Butler is out for tonight's game with a hyperextended knee. An MRI on his leg was negative and he will be listed as day-to-day.

He injured his knee in the Utah loss, but then played Wednesday night in the win over his old team, the Mavericks.

Ryan Gomes will start in place of Butler and Mo Williams will start again for Chris Paul, who is still out with a hamstring injury. Paul is tentatively scheduled to return on Sunday against Toronto.

Clippers/Mavs final

2012-01-19T06:10:39Z

Chauncey Billups hit a 3-pointer with one second remaining to give Los Angeles a thrilling two-point win over the defending-champion Mavericks at Staples Center Wednesday night.

With the win, the Clippers (8-4) got victories in two of their three back-to-back-to-back games, beating New Jersey on Monday, before losing badly to Utah yesterday and winning today.

The Clippers led by five with less than a minute to go but Jason Terry's 3-pointer got the Mavericks (8-7) to within two points with 36.7 left. Billups then missed a 12-foot jumper after a timeout and after a timeout, DeAndre Jordan and Dirk Nowitzki got tangled up with the ball, which resulted in a jump ball situation. Jordan then controlled the tip, which went to Billups, but Jason Kidd tied him up and the ball went out of bounds, last touching Billups.

Dallas then inbounded the ball and got it to Terry, who again hit a 28-foot, 3-pointer wth five seconds left to put Dallas up 89-88.

The Clippers then had one last possession to win the game.

Billups, threw the inbounds pass to Griffin, who gave it right back and the wide-open, 14-year veteran hit the trey, which put Los Angeles up two with a second left. (The shot was first thought to be a two-pointer, then determined to be a three.)

With a second left, Dallas got the ball in its end of the court, got the inbounds pass, under the basket, but missed the last-second shot as time expired.

Mo Williams, who returned to the lineup after being injured and playing for Chris Paul who is also injured, scored 26 points in his first game back. Griffin finished with 14 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists, Jordan scored 19 and grabbed nine boards and Billups finished the game with 21 points.

Delonte West and Nowitzki each had 17 points for Dallas, Ian Mahnimi scored 13 and Terry and Shawn Marion each had 12.

Jason Terry hit a 3-pointer with 36.7 to get Dallas to within two points and after a jump ball