Man, I just realized my previews suck. One reason that I don't read previews or recaps until after I've done my own is so that I don't subconsciously lift something and so that I don't feel like I have anything to contribute.
Well, I made that mistake today and read the previews early. I blame them for getting them up to early :). Here's the best from ClipsNation (click through for more),
The Clippers have opened the season 0-2 after leading most of the second half against Phoenix Wednesday night only to lose in the final seconds. In a game as dependent on emotion as basketball, the risk is that the team will get into a tailspin if the season starts poorly, especially considering the ill-timed injury news on Blake Griffin the day before the season started. And with Utah and Dallas in back-to-backs, the Clippers could easily have 4 losses before November, which would pretty much have to be an NBA record for worst October record of all time. The fact that the Clippers are 1-38 in Utah since the 80s (that's not a typo, 1 win, 38 losses, almost 20 years) - well, let's just say that unless you believe in the law of averages and think the Clippers are about to go on a sustained Utah winning streak, it doesn't bode well. Having said that, the team has actually played well for long stretches in the first two games. Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby were great against Phoenix, Eric Gordon has been impressive, Baron Davis has played well. They just really, really need to play a 48 minute game and get a win. Can they do it in Salt Lake City?
The Clippers have about the same success rate in the SLC as the Jazz do in San Antonio. I would hope that the Jazz don't take being home for granted. They should beat this Clipper team despite the injuries. It might take 48 minutes and 48 points from Deron, but we can't let this streak end. Boozer and Millsap should play better.
And the other preview comes from UtesFan89 at TBJ,
The Clippers are 1-34 all-time in the Delta Center/EnergySolutions Arena... For all the emphasis the Jazz & Jerry Sloan continue to place on defense, the Jazz imploded defensively (& offensively, I'll admit) late. Except for Carlos Boozer; he imploded the second the jump ball took place... Memo Okur might not play today. Which means we'll see Kaman going up against the vaunted Koufesenko (Fesenkoufos?) duo. Maybe. Unless Jerry decides he hates 1 (or both) of them... Jerry Sloan- 1 game in and already down on Eric Maynor. Get ready for the D-League dude. Though, knowing the Jazz, he'll probably spend most of the season on the bench/inactive list... The Clippers don't want to start 0-3. So they'll be playing hard. If the Jazz sleep on this, it could turn very ugly... The Jazz were good at home last season... Like the Jazz ('Sap, Price, Fesenko), the Clippers seem to have 3 guys that they'll turn to on the bench (Butler, Craig Smith, Sebastian Telfair). No one else has guaranteed minutes... Steve Novak (Clippers) & Wesley Matthews (Jazz) were college teammates... For the first time in 3 seasons, the Jazz go into the season without an ex-Clipper in the back-court. Hallelujah!