Tag Archives: Jamal Crawford

Four of five starters will not play in Clippers’ regular-season finale

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J.J. Redick

J.J. Redick has a bruised left heel/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers

 

Several Clippers will not play in the regular-season finale at Phoenix on Wednesday night. Resting will be starters Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and J.J. Redick and sixth-man Jamal Crawford, who also rested in Tuesday’s 110-84 victory over Memphis at Staples Center.

Chances are Redick would not have played anyway because he sustained a bruised left heel during the second quarter Tuesday. Afterward, coach Doc Rivers said, “We hope that it is not that serious, but we do not really know.”

A team spokesman on Wednesday afternoon said there was still no word on Redick, who was to get checked out in the morning.

The starting lineup at Phoenix will feature forwards Luc Mbah a Moute and Jeff Green, center Cole Aldrich and guards Austin Rivers and Pablo Prigioni.

Five things to take from Clippers’ 110-84 victory over Memphis

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The Clippers' Paul Pierce, left, is elbowed in the face by Memphis' Xavier Munford during Tuesday's game at Staples Center. The Clippers won 110-84. Mark J. Terrill - The Associated Press

Clippers forward Paul Pierce takes an elbow to the face from Memphis’ Xavier Munford during Tuesday’s 110-84 Clippers’ victory/AP photo by Mark J. Terrill

 

– In winning their sixth game in a row and 10th in 11, the Clippers once again displayed a solid defense. The short-handed Grizzlies were held to 40.7 percent shooting, 25 percent (5 of 20) from 3-point range. The Clippers have allowed an average of only 87.2 points over their past five games.

– Blake Griffin scored 12 points, grabbed seven rebounds, doled out four assists and made three steals in his fifth game back after missing the previous 45 with injuries and a four-game suspension. He played only 23 minutes and 16 seconds because none of the starters had to play in the fourth quarter. Those numbers are not too shabby at all.

– J.J. Redick made three 3-point baskets in the first half to take him to 200 for the season. That tied his franchise record set in 2014-15. Unfortunately, a bruised left heel sustained in the second quarter meant he would not have a chance to break the record as he did not return. Coach Doc Rivers said after the game he wasn’t sure how serious the injury is. But he did say Redick, Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, Griffin – all starters – and sixth-man Jamal Crawford would be kept back from traveling to Wednesday night’s regular-season finale at Phoenix. If that holds true, Redick will have to wait until next season to try and surpass his record.

– The victory over Memphis means the Clippers will play either Portland or Dallas in the first round of the playoffs, which begin this weekend. The Grizzlies, who have clinched a playoff spot, needed to beat the Clippers and then win at Golden State on Wednesday in order to have a chance at playing the Clippers. As it stands, if Portland wins at home against Denver on Wednesday night, the Clippers will play the Trail Blazers. If Portland loses and Dallas beats San Antonio at home, then it will be the Mavericks.

– The Clippers had good numbers across the board in this one. They shot 54.7 percent from the field, 48 percent (12 of 25) from beyond the arc. They also had 29 assists, 11 steals and seven blocks. The Clippers committed just nine turnovers and shot 76.2 percent from the free-throw line; they shot 69.2 percent for the season.

Five things to take from Clippers’ 98-91 victory over Mavericks

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The Clippers' Blake Griffin, left, passes the ball against the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on Sunday. Stephen Carr - Staff Photographer

Blake Griffin passes the ball during the Clippers’ 98-91 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday at Staples Center/Staff photo by Stephen Carr

 

– It’s interesting to note that the Clippers won this game while shooting a horrendous 40.5 percent (15 of 37) from the free-throw line. Not surprisingly, DeAndre Jordan had a lot to do with that as he was just 6 of 23. Almost shockingly, Jamal Crawford was just 4 of 7. He’s shooting 90.4 percent this season.

– Chris Paul shot poorly in this one, making just 2 of 10 from the field, 0 of 4 from 3-point range in just over 35 minutes. He did dole out 11 assists and committed zero turnovers, so he was able to help while not having a good offensive game. He scored just five points.

– Blake Griffin started very slowly, making just two of his first 11 shots. But Griffin shot 5 of 7 in the second half to finish with 17 points on 7 of 18 from the field. He also had 11 rebounds and seven assists in his best game since returning from a 45-game absence. He played 33 minutes and 18 seconds, his longest stint since in four games since coming back. He also had two steals and four turnovers.

– Jamal Crawford had another nice game. The 36-year-old sixth-man scored a game-high 22 points on 7 of 13 shooting – 4 of 6 from beyond the arc.

– The most proficient offensive performance of the night came from shooting guard J.J. Redick. He scored 20 points while making 8 of 10 from the field and all four of his shots from distance. Redick is now shooting a league-best 47.5 percent (197 of 415) from 3-point range.

VIDEO: Jamal Crawford, Blake Griffin say adios to Kobe Bryant

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Wednesday’s game between the Clippers and Lakers was the final time the Clippers will play against the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, who is retiring after this season. It figured there would be some emotions between Bryant and some of the Clippers after the Clippers defeated the Lakers 91-81 at Staples Center. There were, which is obvious in these exchanges between Bryant and the Clippers’ Jamal Crawford and Blake Griffin. Check it out:

Jamal Crawford confident Blake Griffin will soon round into form

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Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers

 

Jamal Crawford and the rest of the L.A. Clippers know that it’s going to take some time for Blake Griffin to round into the MVP form he was showing before he went down with injuries that kept him out for more than three months.

But Crawford is of the mind that Griffin will get it all back. And when he does, look out.

“He is getting his feet wet again as far as being out for a while and coming back again,” said Crawford, whose team took on the Lakers on Tuesday in the first of a back-to-back. “I missed a month last year and it was tough to come back, and that was just a month. He has been out for (over three) months, so each game, each day and each practice will get better and better.

“He will manage the soreness and once your conditioning is better, everything kind of falls in place.”

Crawford played in 64 of 82 games this past season, missing several weeks with a bruised right calf.

In Griffin’s first game back Sunday, he scored six points on 2 of 7 shooting and had five rebounds and four assists in a 114-109 victory over the Washington Wizards at Staples Center.

He had missed the previous 45 games, during which time the Clippers went 30-15.