Will new ownership produce a better product on the floor for the Clippers?

Earlier this month, Steve Ballmer officially became the new owner of the Los Angeles Clippers which subsequently marked the dawning of a new era of Los Angeles Clippers basketball. While the arrival of Steve Ballmer and the departure of Donald Sterling is exciting for the Clippers, will this change actually produce a better product on the floor?

I don't mean to curb the enthusiasm of Clippers fans, but they need to understand why it is that they are excited before they go insane like Ballmer did at the most recent Clippers rally. If Clippers fans want to say they are excited purely on the grounds that they can finally cheer for their team in good conscience, then they have every reason to be excited. But if they are excited because they think a championship is just around the corner, they may be in for some disappointment. 

                                             

I don't deny that having Steve Ballmer as their new owner is a good thing for the Clippers organization. I think it's a great thing for the organization, but not because I think it will result in the Clippers winning more basketball games. If you look at the team that they have on the floor right now, it isn't clear how much better they can really get. 

They have a top flight coach in Doc Rivers, the best point guard in the NBA in Chris Paul, and one of the top five best power forwards in the game in Blake Griffin. Not only that, but they have quality players around those two guys with DeAndre Jordan, Spencer Hawes, J.J. Redick, and Jamal Crawford. 

The Clippers right now are as good as they ever have been, and ironically, the building of this strong team was under the stewardship of Donald Sterling and not Steve Ballmer. Of course, with all the losing that the Sterling era went through, it stands to reason that Clippers fans can expect to see a more consistently competitive product on the floor, but that doesn't mean the product will be any better than what it presently is. 

If you look at this Clippers team, there really is not way to improve the team other than having Blake Griffin and Chris Paul get better as a duo. Ultimately, that will come down to those two players working on their game and perhaps some of the instruction they get from Doc Rivers. Steve Ballmer has zero control over how much better Chris Paul and Blake Griffin get and he also can't do much to better the roster since I really think the roster they have is as good as it can possibly be. 

At the end of the day, I don't see Steve Ballmer producing a better product on the floor for the Clippers. They may get better and eventually win a championship, but it won't be because Steve Ballmer arrived. His arrival energizes the fan base and gives people in Los Angeles better reason to cheer for the Clippers, which in and of itself makes his arrival a great thing for the Clippers. However,  I think it is important we clarify that and not make the mistake of thinking that the Clippers are suddenly going to win a championship because they got new ownership. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

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Prospect Examination: Aaron Gordon

Aaron Gordon entered this past college season as one of the best prospects in college basketball and eventual NBA player. The Arizona freshmen wasn't followed with a keen eye like the other freshmen around the country; Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Joel Embiid etc. The high-flyer has "OMG" athletic ability and just watching him you might have to check and make sure nobody is playing NBA 2K. But despite his "video-game" talents, he is a certain lock to go in the lottery but exactly where he might end up is as questionable as the sexuality of Donald Sterling's mistress V. Stiviano.

Some believe Gordon is a future star and some believe he's a role player well either way someway somehow he will be a intricate part to a young NBA team. Coming into his lone season at Arizona under Head Coach Sean Miller, he played the Small Forward position but didn't excel as a wing player as many pundits thought. Gordon is another "tweener" in the league which something not to brag about, but with the right team he'll be alright. Just looking at his season averages, you can tell that Gordon struggled with his shot and isn't the most reliable person at the charity strike. But what well translate to the NBA is his rebounding ability but his offense will need to be retooled.

In 34 games, Gordon averaged:

Year	PPG	RPG	APG	BPG	SPG	FG%	FT%	3P%
13-14	12.4	8.0	2.0	1.0	0.9	0.495	0.422	0.356

Gordon is a 6'8, 210-pound 18-year-old. Earlier I stated that he is a "tweener", and being that isn't the best thing in the NBA. A few examples of "tweeners" in the association are Anthony Bennett, Derrick Williams and Thomas Robinson. All three players were top-5 picks in their respective drafts, but haven't quite panned out as expected. Bennett being drafted No. 1 in 2013 surprised everyone and Williams being drafted No. 2 in 2011 was expected after he dominated college but his struggle at his new job wasn't predicted. Robinson was selected No. 5 and was thought of as the next big thing with his motor but it hasn't quite quite panned out but he is having the best career of everyone else. The potential is there for Gordon to struggle in the league as he has no true position.

NBA scouts have been quite critical of Gordon as he has had a quite grotesque season for a potential lottery pick.

"I think Aaron Gordon would greatly benefit from another year," one scout said. "He has to improve to play the 3 and small-ball 4 at the next level. I think as a true 4 in the NBA, he will be a fringe starter at best."

When the teammate of Gordon, Brandon Ashley, suffered a injury one NBA scout thought that was a opportunity that Gordon needed.

"He's stuck between positions and I think we're going to have to embrace the fact that ideally, he's a four in our league," one scout said. "Now that Brandon Ashley likely is out the season, he'll move to his natural position and I think that will help his stock. Once he gets stronger, I think he'll be fine there. He's so quick, plays the game the right way and plays so hard, he's going to be really good. But you have to understand what he is and what he isn't."

When Gordon played for Team USA at the FIBA U19 World Championships, Team USA coach and current Florida Gators coach, Billy Donovan compared Gordon to his former player, current Chicago Bulls center and reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year - Joakim Noah.

"I don't mean to say he's the same kind of player, but in terms of coaching him, he reminds me in a lot of ways of Joakim Noah," Donovan said. "He's got that energy and that kind of passion."

"A lot of guys are really talented and athletic," Donovan said. "What makes him so different is his effort, his energy. … There are things he's got to get better on – he doesn't necessarily have this great scoring skill, in terms of a low-post game yet or he's not this great 3-point shooter."

"I think he's got such an incredible ceiling because the things I'm talking about," Donovan said."He can get better at those things. What you can't teach, and I think is so important, is an incredible motor. He really has an incredible motor."

The offensive game for Gordon will take a few years to develop as his NBA career progresses. According to Matt Moore of CBSSports.com, Gordon ranked in the 12th percentile in jumpshots, 13th in putbacks and 15th in post-ups. The young-man has a 6'11.5" wingspan an above average vertical and should be able to execute more on putbacks. His post-ups and shooting will obviously have to be something he works on in his downtime to become a threat. Gordon though, is a threat when he enters the painted area as he could finish with authority or simply lay it in. He has great control in the air also but his real weakness to his game is his free-throw shooting.

"What he does, he does a little bit of everything,” Miller said. “And he can really handle the ball. He’s an unselfish passer, he’s great in transition. He can rebound at both ends. From a defensive perspective, it’s like he’s an upperclassman. He can guard a variety of players. And he takes that part of his game seriously. ... I’m almost describing an older player and yet Aaron just turned 18 years old."

Gordon though, is great at defense as he was No. 2 in the PAC-12 in Defensive Win shares at 3.0 and with his footwork along with his wingspan well almost certainly come with him to the NBA.

Everybody in the NBA loves defensive players, and his coach Sean Miller noticed his capability on that end.

"I’ve never had such a young player be so locked in and capable on the defensive end," Miller said. "While it’s hard to argue that an NBA should draft a lockdown defender so high in such a loaded draft, the thought is Gordon’s offensive skillset has only scratched the surface. He guards multiple players each game. In Aaron’s case, he plays the low post, against a post player, and then he turns around and guards perimeter players. I can say that I don’t think any that I’ve coached have been successful as a freshman doing that."

"What's so unique about Aaron Gordon's defense? Miller thinks it comes in the versatility that allows the freshman forward to handle big men and perimeter players alike. 'I can say that I don't think anyone that I've coached have been successful as a freshman doing that,' Miller said."

If you follow college basketball, then might've heard Gordon get unneeded and far fetched comparisons to Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin. Gordon is nowhere close to the talent level of Griffin and his coach Sean Miller came to his defense on the comparisons.

"I think it’s unfair to put that on Aaron,” said Sean Miller. “I don’t know if he’s as much of a post player as Blake Griffin is. Aaron might not even be as big physically as Blake Griffin. ... But he does some other things that are much different. He’s much more fluid away from the basket entering his freshman year, I think if you would make that comparison at equal time, than Blake Griffin [was]. The one thing they share is athleticism in and around the basket or in transition."

Aaron Gordon is a very high-risk player of this years crop of players. The kid isn't offensive talented to be a 3-man and isn't big enough to play 4-spot. He is still a teenager and should add muscle to his brittle frame or else he will be lunch meat to his opposition and become a liability to his team. Gordon has so many flaws that I question as to why he wouldn't stay another year at Arizona because right now in my opinion he is a D-league player and won't be around the league for a long term and I'm just making that assumption based off of his season at AU. Put it like this, I think Gordon is a bust.

NBA Comparisons: Shawn Marion, Kenneth Faried, Derrick Williams

Best Fits: Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers

Twitter: @NBAFLASHNEWS

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X-Factors To Swing First Round Series Tied at One

The NBA Playoffs have lived up to thus far, with --- games going into overtime through two games of each series. Plenty of the series have gone back-and-forth with the teams splitting the first two games of the series. They are now facing a five-game series, with home court flipped to the lowered seeded team. With the series hanging in the balance, it is time for some players, and even coaches in some instances, to step up their game and start producing at the level they are capable of. Here are a list of x-factors in the series all knotted up at one that could swing the series in either direction.

Roy Hibbert, Center, Indiana Pacers – Arguably the biggest surprise of the NBA playoffs thus is the fact this series is tied at one. The No.1 seeded Pacers were embarrassed by the Hawks in Game 1, as Jeff Teague went off and the Pacers looked lost. The first half of Game 2 looked much of the same, but the Pacers were able to right the ship in the second half, destroying the Hawks 53-33.

Matt Detrich-The Star

Taking a look at the box score will show that the Pacers were able to sustain some success by having their bigs play less; namely Hibbert. Against the Hawks, who play a spread out style of offense in which everyone on the court can shoot three pointers, Hibbert is a liability, and he has shown that throughout the first two games. Hibbert has been horrendous, shooting 5-16, scoring 14 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the two games.

It has gotten to the point now that the Pacers may be better off just not playing Hibbert. He is offering nothing positive on the court, as the Pacers desperate tries to get him going are actually doing more harm than help. They are making an already poor offense even less potent by force feeding a player that is not producing.

You can easily place head coach Frank Vogel in this spot as well instead of Hibbert. In the end, it is Vogel’s decision as to who will play and who will sit. Through two games, it is apparent that Hibbert is not helping, and other options off the bench, such as Luis Scola, would be better suited to face the Hawks.

It is a tight rope which Vogel must do his work from, as he risks alienating and sapping the confidence of a player already lacking it by benching him in the first round of the playoffs. But if Hibbert continues playing the way he has, the Pacers very well may not make it past the first round.

Russell Westbrook, Point Guard, Oklahoma City Thunder – The Thunder drew quite possibly the toughest first round matchup, as the rough-and-tough style of the Memphis Grizzlies is not an easy style to play against, especially in a series. They handled the Grizzlies relatively easy in Game 1, but Game 2 the Grizzlies showed resiliency, pounding the paint with Zach Randolph and taking home the victory. With the series shifting to Memphis, the series hangs in the balance and one man, Westbrook, has the power to swing the series for either team.

ESPN.go.com

Westbrook is undoubtedly a talented player, but he sometimes gets caught up in his own game, even though he has arguably the best scorer in the NBA and potential MVP Kevin Durant next to him. Too often Westbrook jacks up mid-range jumpers, not even getting into an offense or having Durant touch the ball. It incenses Thunder fans when he does this, especially when the results aren’t extremely positive, such as Game 2.

To be fair, Tony Allen has made life very difficult for Durant offensively, denying him the ball on multiple occasions. The ball denial Allen has shown sometimes forces Westbrook’s hand, but too often Westbrook settles for that jump shot.

With that mentality, Westbrook is playing right into the Grizzlies’ hands. Per Sports 56 WHBQ and The Oklahoman, Courtney Lee pretty much said so himself. "We're fine with Westbrook taking shots, I mean, that's kinda what you want - the more shots he takes, the less Durant takes."

They know what Durant is capable of, but Westbrook is more of a wild card. He can shoot the Thunder right out a game, and potentially the series, quicker than he can shoot them into it against a team that plays defense as well as the Grizzlies do.

Blake Griffin, Power Forward, Los Angeles Clippers – Just take a look at the box scores from the first two games of this series, and it is evident that Griffin is a no-brainer choice as the x-factor for this series.

Danny Moloshok/AP Photo

In Game 1, Griffin played only 19 minutes before fouling out, and the Clippers were defeated by the Golden State Warriors. In Game 2, Griffin did not commit a foul in 30 minutes, scoring a playoff career-high 35 points to lead a 138-98 blowout victory.

With the Warriors front line diminished because of injury, Griffin should be able to have his way offensively. Neither David Lee nor Draymond Green present much of a challenge in slowing down the explosive Griffin, who has expanded his offensive game this season. Jermaine O’Neal could give Griffin problems in spurts, but at his age he cannot compete with Griffin for an extended period of time.

The only thing that can slow Griffin down against what the Warriors are capable of throwing at him is himself. In Game 1 he did not use his head, committing six fouls and not being able to help his team. In Game 2 he adapted much better to how the referees were calling the game, committing zero fouls. If Griffin is able to continue with the smart and explosive play he had in Game 2, the Clippers should be able to make easy work of the Warriors. But playing in Oracle Arena presents new challenges for Griffin and the Clippers. For their sake, hopefully he is ready for what will be a raucous crowd.

Terrence Ross, Shooting Guard, Toronto Raptors – The Raptors dropped the first game of this series, as Paul Pierce took over in the fourth quarter and willed the Brooklyn Nets to a victory. In Game 2, DeMar DeRozan looked like Kobe Bryant, scoring 17 in the fourth quarter to get the Raptors a victory and split the first two games.

Ron Turenne/NBAE/Getty Images

If the Raptors are to take any games in Brooklyn, they will need another player to step up, and that player is Ross. Through two games, he has given little production, shooting 2-12 and scoring only five points. He is 1-9 from the three point line, enabling the Nets to just pack it in and dare the Raptors and Ross to shoot it from deep.

Ross epitomizes what this series truly is; youngsters with little experience vs. veterans with tons of playoff experience. Ross, like any young player making his first playoff experience, will struggle a little and will need to get adjusted to the new atmosphere. In Game 1, the whole Raptors team looked a little shell-shocked, 39.4 percent from the field while playoff savvy Net players such as Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Pierce excelled.

In Game 2, the roles were reversed a bit, as DeRozan put together a monster game, getting help from one of the few Raptors with playoff experience in Amir Johnson. The Nets, on the other hand, were let down by the same veterans that carried them in Game 1.

This series will ultimately come down to the Raptors youngsters growing up fast, or the Nets veterans finally running out of gas. Right now, it looks like a toss up, as they have split the regular season and playoff series in half thus far. Ross and the younger Raptors stepping up would push them past the Nets.

Jose Calderon, Point Guard, Dallas Mavericks – Calderon was a non-factor in Game 1, as Devin Harris came up big off the bench, but the Mavericks lost as they allowed the Spurs to go on a 18-3 run to end the game. In Game 2, Calderon played more minutes, and Mavericks picked up a victory, with Harris once again putting up good numbers.

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

With Harris performing the way that he has been, it enables Calderon to go full facilitator mode. The Mavericks can rotate Harris as the backup point guard, but also give Monta Ellis some rest and be the scoring guard next to Calderon.

With Calderon on the court, things are also more opened up for Dirk Nowitzki. Calderon is a master in the pick-and-roll, as he has a devastating outside jump shot and is automatic from 18-feet. The threat he is from the perimeter to knock down jumpers forces opposing defenses to watch him, allowing Nowitzki to go to work.

Calderon has his deficiencies, namely the defensive end of the court, which is why he lands on this list. Having to defend another point guard in Tony Parker who excels in the pick-and-roll himself presents problems for Calderon and the Mavericks defensively. Calderon is essentially a swinging gate on defense, as he offers very little resistance. This puts immense pressure on the Mavericks bigs, which outside of Samuel Dalembert are not exactly defensive anchors either.

So for this series to swing either way, it will come down to how the Mavericks manage Calderon. The offense runs much smoother with him on the court, but the defense suffers. It is hard to imagine Harris continuing to play that well for three more victories in the series, as he didn’t put together production like this consecutively all season. The Mavericks are arguably the best eight seed to take on a top-seeded team, but at the same time there is a reason that they are an eight seed and the dilemma they face with their point guard position is a driving factor why.

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The Future For Carmelo Anthony

Written by Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

ESPN.GO.COM

Carmelo Anthony has come out and said that he will not be traded at the NBA Trade Deadline next week and that he also wants to remain with the New York Knicks. He went as far as even saying that he will take a pay cut to stay with the Knicks if it meant getting some more talent around him. That is quite possibly the best thing that has happened for Knicks fans this season, as the Knicks already have more losses this season before the All-Star break than they had all of last season.

Even with what Anthony has said, the Knicks will be hard pressed to make changes to the roster. The Knicks are not holding a strong hand from the asset position, having no draft picks to trade until 2018 and not many players other teams want. For this season the Knicks will need a turnaround from the players they currently have to sneak into the post season.

The Knicks can shop Iman Shumpert around again, but his stock is at an all-time low currently; the Knicks have already had trades with the Denver Nuggets for Kenneth Faried and Timberwolves for Derrick Williams, who was traded to the Sacramento Kings, declined. At this point it may be best just to keep Shumpert and hope he can rekindle some of the magic he had during last season’s playoffs. There are no other players on the roster currently that would bring back much in the way of trades, as players like Beno Udrih and Metta World Peace would just bring back filler or maybe a second round draft pick.

Instead the Knicks should just hope their players can get it back on track this season. Injuries have decimated the Knicks throughout the first half so getting healthy through the All-Star break would be a big plus. The Knicks can then start shaping the roster to appease Anthony. The Knicks need to stop making short-sighted moves and hold onto the young assets they have like Tim Hardaway Jr.; trading him for a rental such as Kyle Lowry, a free agent after the season, would deplete the Knicks assets further and could dig into the cap space they are saving for 2015. The fact the Knicks could have had Lowry earlier in the season before he got on a roll and the Raptors started winning makes trading for him now that much worse of an idea; the Raptors are now dealing from a position of strength and will once again take advantage of the Knicks short-sighted decision making and quick trigger.

Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Images

This summer the Knicks can be big players in the trade market. They will be armed with massive expiring deals when Tyson Chandler, Andrea Bargnani and Amar’e Stoudemire all come off the books after the 2014-2015 season for a total of more than $48 million. Contracts of that size could be attractive for teams looking to get anything for players who may leave for free agency, such as Rajon Rondo or Kevin Love.

It would not be a problem and could even be the smartest move for the Knicks to just hold onto the players and let them expire off their salary cap. It would give the Knicks loads of cap space and the ability to hold onto players such as Hardaway Jr. and building around the players they have, instead of stripping down the roster again and taking on bad contracts. There have been too many examples of the Knicks giving away expiring contracts to bring back bad ones, a practice that has not worked well for them. Letting the contracts expire also gives the Knicks the best chance to put the kind of players around Anthony necessary to elevate the team to the next level.

Signing the younger players they have now to team-friendly contracts would be a smart idea as well. Jeremy Tyler looks like he can be a solid big man off the bench, providing energy, scoring and a presence in the rebounding department. He is only 22 years old, so locking him up as soon as possible would be smart before he out-performs what the Knicks’ budget is. Toure’ Murry is another player that would be worth a look as a third or fourth guard. He is still learning the point guard position but is already a strong defender with the capability of becoming lockdown once he gets more experience.

But what if Anthony ends up not staying? Nothing is official until he signs on the dotted line so there is still a chance that he leaves the Knicks and if he does it would be a big blow to the franchise.

Howard Simmons/New York Daily News

With how the New York Knicks have been playing this season it is fair to think that Carmelo Anthony will bolt from the Knicks. They have been underachieving all season and with each passing loss the possibility of missing the playoffs becomes more and more of a reality. Who could blame him for leaving the Knicks as a free agent this offseason when he opts-out of his contract? He has stated that the main goal for the remainder of his career is to win a championship (shouldn’t have been that from the very beginning?).

If Anthony would leave the Knicks this team would be on a fast track to the top of the lottery. They are losing with him having quite possibly the best season of his career, imagine the team without him? If he walked as a free agent it would be catastrophic for the Knicks. They would lose their best player with little to no chance of replacing him. Being cash strapped already above the salary cap and with no draft picks not much would be able to be done to replace Anthony leaving as a free agent. Depending on where he decided to sign the Knicks could attempt working out a sign-and-trade but there is no guarantee that would happen. Walking as a free agent would be the worst outcome for the Knicks because of how limited their resources would be to even make the feeblest attempt at filling his shoes.

The only way the Knicks would be able to field a competitive team for next season without Anthony would be trading him. They would be able to add some pieces to help kick-start the rebuild process, but who would be willing to trade major assets away for Anthony without the guarantee that he will stay with the team long term? The landing spots for Anthony are far and few between as teams with the combination of cap space to re-sign him and assets the Knicks would want are slim. Add in the fact that there seemingly so few places Anthony even wants to play makes it that much more difficult. It would not be easy trading Anthony, but if it is something the Knicks decide needs to happen they could pull it off. More than likely the Knicks will have to take back less than what Anthony is truly worth.

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images

One landing spot that has been mentioned that Anthony wants to play is the Los Angeles Clippers. Infamously at Anthony’s wedding it was proclaimed that Chris Paul would be joining him in New York with Amar’e Stoudemire to make their version of a ‘Big 3’. Because of decisions made by the Knicks that was never able to happen, so why not unite in Los Angeles together? The idea of a trade centered on Anthony and Blake Griffin sounds good but has little chance of happening. Griffin is 24 years old and coming into his own while Anthony is about to hit 30 and is pretty much set in his ways. The other landing spot that has been mentioned for Anthony is the Chicago Bulls. They have plenty of assets the Knicks would be glad to take back, such as up and coming wing Jimmy Butler and 2013 first round draft pick Tony Snell. The Knicks would have to be willing to take on a contract such as Carlos Boozer to make the money work, but that should not be a hindrance.

If the Knicks are in fact going to trade Anthony before next week’s trade deadline it would not be surprising to see them then unload virtually everyone on the roster. Next in line would most likely be Chandler, who off his reputation alone could fetch the Knicks a first round draft pick from a team looking to get over the hump as a contender; possibly the Oklahoma City Thunder or Portland Trail Blazers. It would be smart for the Knicks to also attempt including albatross contracts they no longer want, such as Raymond Felton and J.R. Smith in any moves they make.

If they do end up going down the path of trading Anthony, it would be a successful trade deadline if they can get back some picks to replenish the ones they have traded away and move the contracts of players that no longer would fit into the rebuilding process. This would be a forced rebuild for the Knicks, something they have avoided doing with quick patch work trades to take on veterans on bloated contracts and disregarding draft picks. It would also mean that Dolan admitted it was a mistake to move so many pieces for Anthony, so the chances of that happening are minuscule at best. With or without Anthony the 2015 offseason will be when the Knicks can truly start remaking this roster, hopefully into a title contender.

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Clippers Molly-Whop Knicks As Losing Streak Hits 3

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Friday, January 17^th, 2014

Los Angeles Clippers vs. New York Knicks

Post Game Recap

The Knicks struggles continued Friday night as the Clippers defeated them at Madison Square Garden 109-95. The score does not do justice to just how poorly the Knicks performed as they were lucky to only lose by 14. The Clippers struggled to shoot the ball throughout the night, missing numerous open jump shots as the Knicks once again looked disinterested in the game. The shorthanded Knicks were unable to get anything going throughout the game on the offensive end as the Clippers stifled them throughout the night. The Knicks will look to right their wrongs Monday in a matinee affair with the crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets at 2 PM ET at Madison Square Garden on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Player of the Game: J.R. Smith

Smith was inserted back into the rotation by Mike Woodson and he responded with one of his better performances of the season. Smith shot the ball efficiently, virtually the only Knick to do so, knocking down 9-18 from the field (3-7 3pt, 3-4 FT), adding four rebounds and two assists. Smith was game all night, playing tough defense and administering hard fouls to make the Clippers earn their points from the foul line instead of laying the ball in the basket. Smith, at least for one night, looked zoned in and ready to contribute to the team again after having a tumultuous season and especially last 10 days.

Match of the Game Recap:

Smith and Jamal Crawford both performed as expected from the pre-game; they put on shows and lit the scoreboard up. Smith and Crawford are two of the most explosive scorers in the NBA and are luxuries for the Knicks and Clippers to have such potent offensive weapons at their disposal off the bench. Tonight Crawford will get the edge because his team won and he ended up with more points; the only real barometer to grade these two gunners by. For Smith, if he continued playing more like he did tonight the Knicks will start to see a turnaround in their overall performance.

-Positives

Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports

Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks in scoring tonight with 26. The downside was how inefficient he was scoring the ball, as he shot 4-23 from the field. Anthony took permanent residence at the foul line, where he knocked down all 16 attempts. He was a monster on the boards once again, where he pulled down a season high 20; seven on the offensive side of the ball and 13 defensive. Anthony only had three assists tonight, continuing the trend of the Knicks losing more often than not when he is unable to hit the four assist plateau.

Jeremy Tyler received his first real minutes of his Knick tenure and they were mostly positive. He came in and gave the Knicks a spark, scoring six points on 3-3 from the field. He added two rebounds and also drew an offensive foul on Blake Griffin later on in the fourth quarter. Tyler definitely held his own tonight against one of the top power forward/center combinations in the NBA and should be the first big man off the bench in the absence of Amar’e Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin as long as Andrea Bargnani stays in the starting lineup.

-Negatives

Peter  Foley Corbis

Tyson Chandler recorded a double-double in the game with 12 points and 14 rebounds but it was the quietest, most lackluster double-double recorded. Chandler was toasted by Griffin on multiple occasions; Griffin went off on the Knicks with a monster 32 points, seven rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block. Griffin has improved immensely on the offensive end, augmenting his scoring arsenal and is one of the better passing big men in the league. He has a good idea of what to do with the ball in his hands and is a willing passer. He has improved his jump shot and foul shooting, which if he can continue improving should catapult him to the upper tier of players in the NBA.

At halftime this game was tied and in the second half the Clippers turned things up while the Knicks were stuck in neutral. The Clippers struggled shooting the three ball throughout the first three quarters but were unconscious in the fourth quarter from deep. They knocked down four of their first six in the fourth quarter to knockout the Knicks and take control of the game for good. The Knicks were lucky this game wasn’t over by halftime; the Clippers shot a putrid 3-21 from the three point line to start, missing a number of open looks. 

The Knicks, who turn the ball over as little as any team in the NBA, were a turnover machine on Friday night. Every starter had at least two turnovers in the game; feeling left our Toure’ Murry had two of his own off the bench as well to add up to 18 in total for the Knicks. Anthony and Raymond Felton tied for the most with four, as the Knicks offense operated as furthest opposite of smoothly as possibly.

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W2W4: Los Angeles Clippers vs. New York Knicks; January 17th, 2014

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Friday, January 17^th, 2014

Los Angeles Clippers vs. New York Knicks

Pre-Game News and Notes

The Knicks will look to get back on track after two lackluster performances against the Charlotte Bobcats and Indiana Pacers. Tonight will be the kickoff to a franchise matching long home stand of eight games. This will be a make-or-break stretch of the season for the Knicks; they can use the home court advantage to get back into the playoff race or if they drop the ball like the last two games can virtually kiss the playoffs goodbye. They will face only two teams currently over .500 over the home stand; the Clippers tonight and the Miami Heat to close it out. Here are some things to keep an eye on for the game tonight.

-Player News and Notes

The Knicks suffered a lot more than a loss last night against the Pacers. They lost Amar’e Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin to left ankle sprains. Stoudemire is hoping to be back within the next week but Martin’s timetable is unknown currently. It is the same ankle that gave Martin problems during the preseason and early parts of the regular season. This does not bode well for the Knicks as Tyson Chandler is still working his way back from an upper respiratory infection. Expect Jeremy Tyler to see his first extended minutes of his Knicks career tonight as the Knicks are severely shorthanded against an explosive Clippers front line of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.

Tim Hardaway Jr. re-injured his surgically repaired left wrist and will be questionable at best tonight. If he is unable to go the J.R. Smith benching will definitely come to an end as he will be relied upon to replace all of Hardaway Jr.’s minutes. Pablo Prigioni will be out again tonight and is targeting Monday for his return to the line.

For the Clippers they will be without Chris Paul tonight and for a couple of more weeks.

-Guard the Perimeter

Debbie Wong/USA Today Sports

The Clippers struggled in the first game without Paul, losing to the San Antonio Spurs 116-92. But in the four games following that they have been on a tear, scoring 101, 111, 123 and 129 points. A big reason for the strong play in Paul’s absence is the return of J.J. Redick and play of backup point guard Darren Collison.

Redick has been scorching in his return to the lineup, scoring 19 and a career high 33 in his two games since returning. Collison has been a monster taking over for Paul, averaging 16.6 points on 61.5 percent shooting from the field, 50 from the three point line and 85.7 from the foul line, adding 7.2 assists as well. The Clippers have relied heavily on the three pointer without Paul and have been connecting at a good percent; in their last four games the Clippers are a combined 46-118, good for 38.9 percent. On the season they have shot 33.9 percent from the three point line.

The Knicks will have to make sure the Clippers do not get going from deep or it will be a long night. In addition to Redick and Collison the Clippers have more than capable three point shooters in Matt Barnes, Jared Dudley and former Knick Jamal Crawford.

-Match-Up Of the Game: J.R. Smith vs. Jamal Crawford

Carmelo Anthony and Griffin will get all the attention and spotlight will be on them throughout the night. The real show will be between the two bench players and former Sixth Man of the Year award winners in Smith and Crawford.

The two of them will be matched up throughout the game and have been connected the past few years because of how good of sixth men they are. Smith took the crown from Crawford last year, but this year the two could not be performing any differently. Smith’s play has cratered after off-season knee surgery and has become as disobedient and defiant as ever. Crawford has continued his great play off the bench but also stepped into the starting lineup when Redick was hurt and played well too.

Much like Smith with the Knicks, Crawford is the main scoring option off the bench; he just has done it more consistently this season. Smith has played better recently in-between his benching though and for the Knicks to get back on track Smith playing well will help. The match-up between Smith and Crawford will be a fun one to watch tonight as Crawford has said he always loved playing at Madison Square Garden as a Knick and as an opponent.

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NBA All-Star Weekend 2011

The 2011 NBA All-Star starters have been announced and the fans almost got it right.  On the west the starters will be Kobe, Chris Paul, Carmelo, Kevin Durant, and Yao Ming. The east starters will be Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, King James, Amare, and Dwight Howard.  The talent that will be displayed at this years event will  be one of the most dynamic ever.  With that being said, there's no way that Yao Ming should have been voted as a starter when he's out for the season and his career may be over.  I understand the need for a center in the game but both Kevin Love and Blake Griffin are deserving starters with Love having the slight advantage.  I believe that the fans having a say in who starts is a great thing but now David Stern has to name a replacement starter for Yao Ming so essentially millions of fans votes were waisted.

The NBA does the best job of all the professional sports leagues in the US celebrating its All-Stars, from All-Star Saturday Night which features the Slam Dunk and Three Point contest, to the big game itself the next day, the NBA is great at showcasing its stars and the league as a whole.  Every year the highlight of the weekend for me is the Legends Brunch, it's never advertised but it's televised every year the Sunday of the big game on NBA TV and it features the retired players association recognizing the achievements of former players on and off the court.  It lasts about 2 hours and it's great to watch and learn about the history of the game.  The mix of players from the past to the present all in one room is just an event that's too valuable to pass up.

With Thursdays announcement of the starters also came the debate about who should be the reserves for both conferences.  The commentators on TNT did a tremendous job expressing their views on who should or shouldn't be voted as reserves by the coaches next week as they do every year.  Names like Kevin Love and Blake Griffin are a lock, but players such as Russell Westbrook and Paul Pierce should be considered locks as well.  Westbrook, who plays for the Thunder exhibits the type of overall game that will one day make him the best point guard in the league, there's nothing he can't do on the court.  He's explosive, can rebound, pass, and his jump shot his getting better by the game, Westbrook can be considered the west coast version of Rajon Rondo.  Kevin Love is a rebounding machine, leading the league in boards as well as shoot almost 40% from three point land.  Paul Pierce is as deadly as he was three seasons ago when his Celtics won the championship.  What can I say about Blake Griffin that hasn't been said, he is on his way to become one of the most exciting players the league has ever seen barring injury.

This years All-Star weekend will be the best yet and yes I'm predicting a win for the east in the big game and Lebron James will earn the games MVP award.  Next year I will be giving a first hand account of the events from Orlando, that is if we have a season!  The intensity of the NBA season picks up after the All-Star break which makes for some great basketball and is astounding considering the fact that thus far this year, some of the best ball has been played in years.  Prepare yourselves because the best season that the NBA has seen is about to be raised to an entirely new level of excellence.





If there's any questions or comments feel free to email me at nbaballanation@gmail.com, all emails will be responded to.  You can also follow me on twitter @ballanation2010.

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