Some post-game thoughts (Clippers edition)

Well, I guess reality had to catch up with us eventually . . .

• The Blazers hung with the Clippers tonight through three quarters, but they were eventually done in by the Clippers torrid shooting.  Blazer fans really shouldn't lose any sleep over this loss.  It's not at all embarrassing to lose severely short-handed on the road to a near .500 team that is shooting lights out from the field.  


• The Blazers actually played a very solid game.  They shot over 50% from the field and forced a number of turnovers with aggressive defense.  But the Clippers were simply on fire, especially in the second half.  They shot 58% from the field and a completely aberrational 62% (8-13) from the 3-point line.  When guys like Ricky Davis are hitting every shot, there's not much you can do.  Despite giving up lots of height, the Blazers generally contested most shots.  The Clips just made them anyway.  The Blazers did allow quite a bit of penetration by the Clipper guards, especially late in the game, but that's to be expected when a team is hitting all of its outside shots.  You have to cover the shooters and that creates space.  


• Despite it all, however, the Blazers might well have won the game if Brandon Roy had even an average night.  He finished with a mere six points on 3-12 shooting.  His streak of games with 23+ points ended tonight.  A big reason for Roy's off night was the Clippers decision to trap and double-team him as soon as he touched the ball.  Roy was not able to get out of the traps or, for the most part, find the open man.  He was simply taken out of the flow of the game.  


• Nevertheless, the Blazers kept it close most of the night thanks to the play of some other guys, chief among them Andre Miller.  Miller had a monster night, finishing with 22 points, 16 assists, 3 boards, and 3 steals.  He was aggressive and poised and looked like the guy everyone was hoping he could be when the Blazers signed him this off-season.


• Martell Webster also had a great night.  He finished with 25 points and 6 rebounds, including 5 three pointers.  


• The Blazers third highest scorer tonight -- as hard it is to believe -- was Juwan Howard.  Howard had his outside shot going tonight and finished with 16 points on 8-11 shooting.  Toward the end of the first half, he got a feed from Brandon Roy near the hoop and absolutely posterized Chris Kaman, dunking the ball viciously.  I'm not sure even young Howard ever did anything like that.  The crowd was momentarily stunned.


• Jeff Pendergraph and Dante Cunningham each made solid contributions.  Pendergraph had 8 points, 7 boards, and 1 block in 30 minutes.  Cunningham had 7 points, 3 boards, and 3 steals (!) in 23 minutes of play.  For the third game in a row, I was really impressed by Cunningham's defensive play.  Like Nic Batum, he seems to have excellent defensive instincts and a knack for getting into passing lanes and knowing when to help.  Cunningham has the potential to carve out a role for himself as a defensive specialist.  And his outside shot looked pretty good tonight, too.  


•  Jerryd Bayless had a tough night, for the third game in a row.  Bayless scored just 7 points on 2-6 shooting and had 3 turnovers.  The confidence that seemed to be oozing from him just a few games ago is now gone.  He looks very tentative out there, much like he did in his spot minutes last season. His jump shot is not falling and he seems to have, at least for the moment, lost his ability to penetrate and draw fouls.  He needs to get his mojo back.  To his credit, though, he seems to be playing pretty solid defense.  Whenever anyone beats their man, he seems to be the first guy there to help out.  He's at least contributing on that end.  


• Patty Mills got some very limited run tonight in his first NBA game.  He didn't score any points, but he got two assists.