Tag Archives: New Orleans Pelicans

Doc Rivers said he wanted his team to drive more to the basket in Sunday’s loss at New Orleans

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Wesley Johnson

Wes Johnson of the Clippers was 0 of 6 from 3-point range in Sunday’s loss at New Orleans/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers

 

One might not think Clippers coach Doc Rivers tries to dissuade his team from taking too many 3-point shots, especially after the Clippers hoisted up 39 of them in Sunday’s 109-105 loss at New Orleans and made just 10 for 25.6 percent.

Judging by his reply when he was asked afterward about his team’s 16-point third quarter, he does.

“Yeah listen, we just couldn’t make a shot,” he said. “You know, they played pretty good D, but I thought we settled a lot tonight. You can see that we played yesterday at 7. … In the third quarter, I said ‘You guys, we played last night and we are getting open shots, we’re getting 3s. Can we please drive the basketball?’ And once we started doing that, the game changed for us. When you lost the night before and you’re trying to fight uphill, you don’t have a lot of energy left. And there’s no room for mistakes. So I was happy with the comeback, I just wasn’t happy with the results.”

The Clippers were down by 14 points at 102-88 with 2:17 left in the game and twice crawled within a point in the final 27 seconds.

The Clippers lost 113-102 a night earlier in Memphis.

 

Five things to take from Clippers’ 109-105 loss at New Orleans

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New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis, center, sits on the bench because of injuries with teammates center Alexis Ajinca, right, and guard Tim Frazier, left, in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Sunday, March 20, 2016.

The Pelicans were without Anthony Davis (in the suit) on Sunday, but still managed to beat the Clippers 109-105 in New Orleans/AP photo by Max Becherer

 

– One of the first things that stands out is how many 3-point shot attempts the Clippers took and how few they made. The Clippers shot just 25.6 percent (10 of 39) from beyond the arc. The worst offenders were Wes Johnson (0 of 6), Austin Rivers (0 of 5), Paul Pierce (0-4) and Jamal Crawford (1 of 5). Hard to win like that, even against a Pelicans team missing Anthony Davis.

– This was the Clippers’ 39th game without forward Blake Griffin (quad, hand) and although they got off to a great start, reality seems to be setting in. The Clippers have lost four of their past five and six of their past nine and are now 26-13 sans Griffin.

– J.J. Redick had a fine game. He scored 24 points and shot 9 of 11, 4 of 5 from 3-point range. Unfortunately for the Clippers, his marksmanship couldn’t off-set what was a team overall shooting percentage of 40.2.

– DeAndre Jordan had just nine rebounds, well under his average of 13.9. It also marked the first time this season Jordan has had sub-10 rebounding games in succession. He pulled down only seven a night earlier in a loss at Memphis.

– The Pelicans committed 23 turnovers to just 14 for the Clippers. And the Pelicans still won. That’s because not only did they shoot better – 49.3 percent to 40.2 percent for the Clippers – they made their free throws. New Orleans shot 80 percent (32 of 40) from the free-throw line, the Clippers shot just 69 percent (29 of 42). DeAndre Jordan made 6 of 11. For him, that’s good.

BONUS TAKE: Good for the Clippers that they came from 14 down with 2:17 to play to trail by just a point twice in the final 27 seconds. But they never should have been down to a poor team missing its best player by 14 to begin with, even if they were the road team. The Pelicans are 26-43. The Clippers are 43-26.

Clippers’ guard J.J. Redick says team’s spirit currently not right

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New Orleans Pelicans forward Dante Cunningham (44) makes a layup against Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, center, and forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (12) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Sunday, March 20, 2016. (AP Photo/Max Becherer)

Dante Cunningham of the Pelicans goes up for a shot as DeAndre Jordan of the Clippers defends. Cunningham scored 19 points/AP photo by Max Becherer

 

Clippers coach Doc Rivers said after his team lost Saturday by 11 points (113-102) at Memphis that his team was “out-competed tonight” and that practice the day before and the morning shootaround were  of the “waste-of-time” variety.

After the Clippers lost again Sunday, 109-105 at New Orleans, guard J.J. Redick intimated the team’s overall mood is down a bit.

“I just think our spirit isn’t great right now,” said Redick, who had a fine game, scoring 24 points on 9 of 11 shooting – 4 of 5 from 3-point range. “We just have to get it more together and fight more. You can talk about Xs and Os all you want, but as a player you feel that your spirit isn’t right. But I’m not worried about that. You have two games like this every season. It could come back in a day. It could come back in two days, two weeks … I don’t know.

“We fought the whole year and I don’t think it’s a deal with fatigue – our spirit just isn’t right.”

Although Redick shot well, the Clippers as a team shot just 40.2 percent – 25.6 percent (10 of 39) from distance. Wesley Johnson was 0 of 8 from the field, 0 of 6 from beyond the arc. Austin Rivers was 0 of 5 from deep, Paul Pierce 0 of 4 and Jamal Crawford 1 of 5.

The Pelicans (26-43) were without their top player, forward Anthony Davis. The Clippers (43-26) were again without forward Blake Griffin.

Doc Rivers devastated upon learning of death of Ingrid Williams

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Ingrid Williams, Monty Williams' Wife, Dies at Age 44 After Car Accident

Monty Willimas/Photo by Layne Murdoch, Getty Images

 

Doc Rivers had known Monty Williams and his wife,  Ingrid, for a long time. Rivers was therefore crushed to hear that Ingrid Williams died Wednesday after having been in a car accident Tuesday in Oklahoma City. Police said a woman driving with a dog in her lap crossed the center line and drove into the car being driven by Ingrid Williams, who was 44. The woman, Susannah Donaldson, died at the scene.

Williams is the former head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans and current assistant at OKC. Williams was head coach of the Pelicans when Austin Rivers, son of Doc, was with them before coming to the Clippers in January 2015.

“Monty Williams and his wife Ingrid – I’ve known them since I was married,” Doc Rivers said. “So I don’t know if … there’s no words, there really isn’t. I am heartbroken. I’m sick to death. And once again it puts this stuff we do in perspective. This is awful. Obviously, our love and our support and all that – but you know, sometimes that doesn’t seem fair. There’s no better human being in the world than Monty. And Ingrid. And for this to happen, it’s just – sometimes you question everything, and this is one of those times for me, at least.”

 

VIDEO: Check out this work by Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan

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The Chris Paul to DeAndre Jordan lob and dunk has been an integral part of the Clippers’ flare over the past few years. Check out this one secured during the third quarter of the Clippers’ 114-111 overtime victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday at Staples Center:

Clippers overcome slow start to lead Pelicans 56-49 at halftime

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Chris Paul

Chris Paul/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers

 

The Clippers on Sunday overcame a sluggish start to take a 56-49 lead over visiting New Orleans into the halftime intermission at Staples Center.

The Pelicans went on a 13-0 run that began in the first quarter and went into the second to lead 30-19. But the Clippers regrouped, thanks in part to Chris Paul, who led the team with 16 points and six assists.

Jamal Crawford contributed 10 points.

Ryan Anderson started for the injured Anthony Davis (back bruise) and led the struggling Pelicans (11-24) with 12 points. Jrue Holiday scored 10 off the bench.

The Clippers (24-13) have won eight consecutive games, the past seven without leading scorer Blake Griffin (partially torn quad tendon).