| Clippers Send Spurs A Message Authored by Graham Flashner - March 9, 2006 - 1:46 am
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Not written on the board, but no less valuable advice: get Duncan into early foul trouble.
Showing they can take advice as well as anyone, the Clippers went out and ruined San Antonio’s two-night stay in Los Angeles with a convincing 98-85 win.
It wasn’t two long ago that playing the Clips on the second night of a back-to-back in L.A. (the Spurs handily defeated the Lakers the previous night) was considered a breather.
No more.
“They’re the bigger team, they’re the quicker team,” said coach Mike Dunleavy about the Spurs.
But on this night, it was the Clippers who came up big, serving notice to the Western Conference that they can rise up and smote one of the elite teams. That is, when they feel like playing the kind of smothering defense they’re capable of. Last week, after turning in the finest defensive half in club history against the Hornets, the Clippers let the Grizzlies shoot the lights out in an ugly home loss. Against the Spurs, they held one of the league’s most feared perimeter teams to 44% shooting, kept Parker out of his comfort range, and never let Duncan get into rhythm.
“The Clippers,” said Spurs coach Paul Popovich, “are one of the 3 or 4 best defensive teams we’ve seen this year.”
Credit Quinton Ross with shadowing Parker all over the floor and refusing to let him dribble penetrate the Clippers into submission. Credit Elton Brand (30 points, 12-24 shooting) and Chris Kaman (15 points) with taking the action to Duncan and forcing him to the bench early in the first half with three fouls.
And credit Sam Cassell for taking charge at the exact moment the game demanded it. Earlier, he’d dislocated a finger, then popped it back into place. (“Never happened to me before,” he shrugged afterwards). When Duncan picked up his fourth foul and went to the bench in the third quarter, the Spurs led 55-54. What followed was a 15-4 Clippers run, keyed by three consecutive baskets by Cassell.
“As Sam goes, sometimes we go,” said Dunleavy afterwards. “Tonight, our defense dictated our offense. Anything they got, they worked hard for.”
Both coaches downplayed the playoff implications, but make no mistake – the Clippers needed to send a message that they could protect their home court against a top seed.
And if they continue to pay attention to what’s written on their blackboard, it should make for an interesting post-season. |
