| Nothing Like Knicks To Cure Clippers Woes Authored by Graham Flashner - January 1, 2007 - 5:33 pm
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A Melo Behind The SuperstarsCarmelo Anthony has never been one of the league's most efficient offensive players.
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The win also closed out a disappointing first three months of 2006. Hampered by injuries, distracted by ongoing trade rumors, and plagued by an inconsistent defense that takes nights off without warning, the Clippers have only occasionally displayed the kind of single-minded focus that made them a playoff team to be reckoned with last May.
Against the Knicks, however, the Clippers looked almost like themselves again. They shot 50.8%, blocked 16 shots (8 by Elton Brand, tying a career-high) and harassed the Knicks into 34.5% shooting. On the other hand, there were 19 turnovers, and a mini-fourth quarter collapse that allowed the Knicks to cut a 24-point deficit to 10.
“I was pleased with the way we played defensively,” said Dunleavy. “Our deflection numbers were great, we contested their shots… but I wasn’t pleased with our turnovers.”
Still, if you think Dunleavy has problems, try the guy on the other side of the hallway.
Before the game, Isiah Thomas said the key to stopping the Clippers was “Brand, Brand, and Brand.”
All Brand did in the opening eight minutes was to score 15 points, on his way to a game-high 32. With Chris Kaman (13 rebounds) frequently muscling in for offensive boards, the Clippers controlled the paint all day.
The Knicks had no answer for defending Brand in the low post. Offensively, with Quentin Richardson and Steve Francis sidelines by injuries, they had no reliable shooters to keep the Clippers defense from swarming Eddie Curry. Curry managed 15 points on 5-13 shooting, but was too slow to react to double-teams. And he got no help from Jamaal Crawford (2-8), Jared Jeffries (1-5), Renaldo Balkman (0-5) and even Stephon Marbury (3-13).
“Our spacing was bad because we are just not knocking down shots,” said Thomas.
Added Stephon Marbury (14 points, 8 assists), “Once Eddy understands that he’s going to be double-teamed for the remainder of his career, it’s going to be tough for us until he understands that. He’s starting to learn that when the trap comes to kick it out right away and repost. This is all brand new to him.”
“Curry’s a beast down there,” said Brand. “We were helping a lot, rotating off the ball, we wanted to take away his shots.”
The Knicks did get help from Mardy Collins (4-9, 11 points) who played his first game since his suspension for fighting. Still, they never led, and the Clippers, who’ve won 4 of 5, appeared to have turned a corner.
“We’re getting our swagger back,” said Tim Thomas.
The upcoming road trip will be the test: 6 games in 9 days, many of them against Eastern teams the Clippers should beat.
"There's no better time than now, going back east for six games,” said Brand. "Since I've been here, this trip every year has been kind of a make-or-break stretch for us to make the playoffs."
CLIPBOARD: Road records of the teams the Clippers beat on this homestand: 36-54… Asked why Corey Maggette wanted to be traded despite having publicly endorsed his sixth man role, Mike Dunleavy answered, “Talk to his agent.” Sam Cassell, on whether the Knicks were more united after their brawl against the Nuggets: “If it takes a fight to bring you together, you should fight every day.”… |
