This is suspiciously beginning to look like a preview . . . Game 6 Clippers @ Jazz

The Clippers are 1-5, so, that means they’ll probably beat our brains in by 31 points tonight.

Key Stats:

• PPG Theirs – 93.5
• PPG Their Opponents – 101.0
  
• Clippers allow 36.7 3pt%
  
• They gets to the line 26.8 times a game, but only makes 64% from the line
  
• Opponents get 43.5 rebounds per game, 11.5 on the offensive glass

Click on to read more . . .

The Clippers:

Eric Gordon is scoring 23.7 ppg (56.5 fg%) over the last three games. He’s not killing you from deep, but he’s taking good shots and got to the line 14 times last game. He’s also bringing 6.7 apg over that same span.

Blake Griffin is supposed to be better than Karl Malone (or at least, that’s what the media posits). Right now he’s putting in an 18.5 and 10, with a young Karl Malone like 56.8 ft% (while getting there over 7 times a game). I can’t wait to see Francisco Elson foul him tonight. (We know he’s not going to be boxing him out)

Chris Kaman’s productivity has declined while Griffin has become a bigger part of the team. He only has one double double this season, but he still can be counted on for getting defensive rebounds and he averages more than a block per game. He is in a significant offensive slump right now. He’s shooting 33 fg% so far this season, while still shooting over 15 times a game. Also he’s gone to the line 9 times in 6 games, and hasn’t been there at all in the last three games.

The Baron Davis / Eric Bledsoe situation seems to be a thing, now; especially since Baron is out of shape and injured . . . expect to seem some Ryan Gomes / Rasual Butler tonight, you know, because Vinny del Negro has so much to work with.

Former Jazz players on roster:

Jarron Collins. I’d be totally okay if he gave Jerry Sloan consent to play Fesenko a bit. You know, like meeting your ex, and having them tell you it’s time to let go and see other people / play other back up centers.

The Jazz:

Will anyone besides Deron Williams, Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson, and C.J. Miles step up?

Raja Bell was supposed to be this cagey defender with all the veteran tricks and a dead eye from deep. He’s shooting 3.2 threes a game, and making only 31.3% of them. Defense is harder to quantify but I remember he couldn’t even stay on the floor last night. Andrei Kirilenko would be having a killer statistical season he if was playing over 30 mpg, but he’s not. The team plays well when he’s on the court, but he and Raja Bell combine for a 0.96 assist to 1 turn over ratio so far. Earl Watson isn’t far off either, he has a 1.14 A:TO ratio. These are the main guys who have the ball in their hands during our offensive sets when Deron doesn’t. These are not great numbers. Kyrylo Fesenko has a 1.86 assist to turn over ratio this season (and he’s only getting 0.3 assists less per game than Watson or Ronnie Price, our back up PGs). Oh, and Kyrylo is only playing 7 minutes per game. The main point here is that we’re not playing Jazz basketball. Too many turn overs, not enough assists.

Injuries?

We know how well this went last game (I see you Stephen Curry), but Randy Foye is out-ish, and Baron Davis missed their last game (which was last night for them). Memo is still out, and most of our team is banged up. That said, injuries are an excuse.

What to look for

The Clippers are traditionally bigger than the Warriors, and those same Warriors beasted us on the glass last game. How does Utah respond? Did anyone (aside from Amar) watch the film last night a 2nd time? Jazz need to box out / get a body on someone. Fesenko needs to play. Al Jeff, or Deron weren’t punished for GI distress. Why is Fes not playing? It’s not like Elson’s doing anything that great when he’s on the court. Only Jerry knows . . .