# First Round Playoff Thread: Los Angeles Clippers vs Memphis Grizzlies



## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

*






VS








Los Angeles Clippers (40-26) vs Memphis Grizzlies (41-25)

Game 1: Clippers Win 99-98
Game 2: Grizzlies Win 105-98
Game 3: Saturday, May 5th at 4:30 Eastern on ESPN
Game 4: Monday, May 7th at 10:30 Eastern on TNT
Game 5: TBA
Game 6: TBD
Game 7: TBD

Season Series:
Clippers Win 98-91
Clippers Win 101-85
Grizzlies Win 94-85
Season Series:
Clippers Win 98-91
Clippers Win 101-85
Grizzlies Win 94-85

















Clippers Projected Starters







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Chris Paul | Randy Foye | Caron Butler | Blake Griffin | DeAndre Jordan

Key Reserves







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Maurice Williams | Nick Young | Kenyon Martin


















Grizzlies Projected Starters







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Mike Conley | Tony Allen | Rudy Gay | Zach Randolph | Marc Gasol

Grizzlies Key Reserves







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Gilbert Arenas | OJ Mayo | Marreese Speights




















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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

The only series out West that I think will go 7 games.


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## Knick Killer (Jul 16, 2006)

Really looking forward to this series


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

Clippers comeback with the win


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Where's the excitement?


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## Cris (Jun 18, 2003)

> *Caron Butler out 4-6 weeks with broken hand*
> Caron Butler will be out 4-6 weeks after fracturing his left hand Sunday night.
> Butler fractured the fifth metacarpal bone in his non-shooting hand. Given the timetable, the Clippers would likely have to reach the Western Conference Finals to get their starting small forward back. It's unclear who will step into the starting role, but 6'7" Nick Young is the top candidate to pick up the scoring slack.
> http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/...ppers-caron-butler-suffers-broken-hand-game-1


Injuries have killed the Clippers


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

Young starting for Butler, would've preferred Simmons, even though only giving him 12 minutes, Martin 3 minutes, and Young the remaining 35 minutes at SF. Foye/Mo/Bleds split time at the duece.



Dissonance said:


> Where's the excitement?


Where it matters


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## 29380 (Feb 23, 2009)

I really think Del ***** should go with a 3 guard lineup with Bledsoe at the 3, he is the best defender on the team and can knock down the open 3, I think he is strong and athletic enough to guard Gay despite the height disadvantage.


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

That's about a half foot size advantage. VDN will run a 3-guard with Mo, Bleds, Foye, Paul but it'll be while in a zone or Foye on Gay. 2-1-2 Match Up seems most likely, maybe a 1-2-2 as well


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

Clippers lose Game 2 105-98 and the series is tied at 1 now. Turnovers killed the Clippers along with giving up so many offensive rebounds and points in the paint. Memphis got some home cooking in Game 2, which is expected and I just hope the Clippers get the same type of treatment in Game 3. Clippers did what they needed, stole home court, now just need to win out at home and everything will be the way it should. 

More injuries tonight with Bledsoe, Young and Mo Gotti. Hope they are all fine as Clippers need all three of those guys in the game with Butler and Billups already injured. Simmons did a decent job of stepping up in Butler's absence. Martin wasn't allowed to play his physical brand of D, Evans was invisible, Foye can't hit a shot. Young was solid yet again, should have had a 4 point play in the end as well, but the game was nearing the end. Paul played awesome minus his uncharacteristic DJ was so/so on D, but stupid turnovers. Blake kept getting abused when it came to boxing out. 

Clippers had 15 assists and 20 turnovers...were -9 on the boards and gave up 16 on the offensive end. Shot 56.7%, so if they can just control the turnovers teamed with home cooking for themselves, they should be able to retain home court. 

Props to Memphis for coming back instead of folding.


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

> All of the Clippers said that it was a good thing to return home to Los Angeles on Thursday tied at 1-1 in the best-of-seven first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies.
> 
> But still, the Clippers wanted more, and thought they let an opportunity to win Game 2 on Wednesday night slip away.
> 
> "We did what we were supposed to do, yeah, win one game," guard Chris Paul said after Game 2. "But I felt like we could have got two. Now we've got to go back home and take care of two."





> The Clippers did not practice Thursday.
> 
> Game 3 is Saturday afternoon at Staples Center and Game 4 is Monday night also at home.
> 
> ...





> Mo Williams (bruised right forearm), Eric Bledsoe (bruised left elbow) and Nick Young (sprained right thumb) will continue to get treatment and are expected to play Saturday.


http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-clippers-fyi-20120504,0,638006.story


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

> LOS ANGELES -- Not even a fractured left hand may be able to keep Los Angeles Clippers forward Caron Butler from the NBA playoffs.
> 
> Butler, who suffered a fractured fifth metacarpal in his left hand with 2:38 remaining in the third quarter of Game 1 on Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies, saw a hand specialist on Thursday in Los Angeles and shot around with the team on Friday, wearing a brace on the hand.
> 
> ...


ESPNLA

Could be a huge boost, or a huge negative.


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

"Caron Butler shooting pregame. He is wearing a pad on his fractured left hand."

Let's see how that works out.

LATimes says Butler will start:



> Caron Butler will be in the starting lineup Saturday for the Clippers in Game 3 of the playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center despite a fractured left hand, said sources who were not authorized to speak publicly on the situation.


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

87-86 Clippers win to take a 2-1 series lead and maintain home court advantage. 

Was a great finish by the Clippers, and while they missed free throws, you have to look at who was shooting them before you say they were choking. Bledsoe was 63.6% on the season and Evans is worse than Ben Wallace, so they can't really choke at the line, just shoot how well, or horrible, they usually do. The choking aspect was on Vinny. Mo Williams inbounding with a power forward on him, instead of Nick Young or even Caron Butler. Bledsoe in instead of Mo, when Mo would've knocked those free throws with ease. 

I loved how aggressive the Clippers were being, namely Reggie, Kenyon, Foye and Bledsoe despite the officials giving Memphis everything for the first three and the Clippers nothing when both teams were being pretty damn equally physical. Take away the last 8 free throws due to intentional fouls and the Clippers shot 22 free throws to the Grizzlies 39! Don't care if they were 12-22 at that point or 13-30 to end the night, it didn't excuse the inconsistent officiating. I mean, 5 fouls on Martin in 20 minutes, missing the and-1 for Blake when Z-Bo clearly fouled him on that alley-oop, the clean block by Foy3. 

Chris Paul again showing his heart, dude really is a winner and thats what the Clippers have been lacking since Cassell back in 06. His basketball IQ is also beyond any player the Clips have had in recent days and think he'd make a great coach one day, is already better than Vinny afterall. I'd be happy if the Clippers would fire Vinny and his staff, bring in Cassell, Mobley, Kim Hughes and Paul Silas next year. Hell, let Billups coach, 13-2 with him on the bench in a suit. 

Butler showed a lot of heart, as did Bledsoe, Sushi and Mo as they were all playing hurt out there, though none more than Butler with a fracture in his hand. Just glad it wasn't his shooting hand, but it still affected him as he went 2-7 and had some uncharacteristic turnovers. Mo was 2-4 from three and 2 blocks, just awesome for him to go with Foy3 hitting 4-5 from long range. Blake also started playing good D near the end, even altering shots himself, which was just as huge.

Clippers still aren't in the clear, however. They have a long ways to go in order to improve their defense. Quite a few missed rotations and easy offensive rebounds for Memphis early on in this game. 17 turnovers is also vastly too many and they need to cut that down for the remainder of the series. Being more patient after offensive rebounds along with crispier passes will greatly help in that regard. 









Go Clippers!


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

Clippers win Game 7!


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## 29380 (Feb 23, 2009)

Congrats


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