NBA News 2013: Chris Paul doesn't focus on the what ifs

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks (Photo credit: sarahr691)

The what-might-have-beens don't enter Chris Paul's mind anymore.

As his Clippers prepare for the latest Los Angeles turf war on Friday night at Staples Center against the Lakers team to which he was almost traded back in December of 2011, the point guard who has transformed one of the worst organizations in professional sports into a legitimate title contender wouldn't have it any other way.

"Never, ever – ever, ever," he told USA TODAY Sports emphatically on Wednesday night when asked how often he wonders what life with the Lakers might have been like before commissioner David Stern vetoed the deal with New Orleans back then for those infamous "basketball reasons." "

And why would he?

Even with the Clippers' losses at Denver and Golden State that followed their franchise-record 17-game winning streak, they have the league's second-best record (25-8) and are nine games ahead of this Lakers team that so many expected to dominate this season. And while Kobe Bryant responded to the latest Lakers loss by declaring that age was to blame for their woes – "We're old as (expletive)," he told reporters after they fell to Philadelphia on Tuesday night – Paul has continued this improbable push to turn the Clippers into champions.

"You can't back up any talk in January or December or nothing like that," Paul said of the matchup with the Lakers.

The game itself will come with some consequence, though, even if Clippers forward Blake Griffin said it was "just like any other game." The Clippers, who beat the Lakers without Steve Nash on Nov. 2, don't want to lose a third game in a row. The Lakers, whose fans so often point to the title count between the two organizations (16 to zero) as their ultimate defense, need a win like this to keep momentum moving forward after winning six of their last eight games.

"It's a big deal for us," said reserve small forward Lamar Odom, the longtime Laker who was traded to the Clippers during the summer. "What's most fun is to be here and to really see the change in (expectations), as far people expecting us to come out and play at a high level. That's fun."

Said reserve small forward Matt Barnes, who signed the Clippers in the summer after spending his last two seasons with the Lakers: "Any time you play an old team, and it's the talk of the town – Lakers-Clippers - it's going to be a fun one."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2013/01/03/los-angeles-lakers-vs-los-angeles-clippers-chris-paul/1807855/

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NBA News 2012: Point Guard Defense

English: Maurice Williams playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Over the past few years, there has been a growing sentiment that defense at the point guard position is of inconsequential importance in the game today.

Proponents of this view point to the plethora of explosive point guards in the NBA today that are bigger, more athletic, and more scoring oriented than those of the past. However, the fact that many modern day point guards can score with ease does not mean that defending the position is no longer important. Talented scorers should highlight the importance of defending rather than diminishing it. Rather than conceding 15-20 points a game, opposing coaches make them work for it, hoping to use various defenders and schemes to force tough shots, and ultimately low conversion rates.

A more popular view is that having a great shot blocking help defender such as Dwight Howard negates the detriment of having a poor defender at the point guard position. This assumption is founded on a very specific situation: the opposing point guard blows by the defensive player, and the center on the defensive end rotates to help and effectively prevent the point guard from scoring.

Although athleticism and timely help defense may be able to prevent the attacking point guard from scoring, getting beat off of the dribble at the top of the key will ultimately result in a 2 on 1 advantage for the team on offense, often leading to a basket.

A perfect example of this is the Los Angeles Clippers. Sure, whenever Chris Paul drives past his defender, opposing post players are able to rotate over to defend him and “negate” the fact that their point guard had just gotten beat. As such, Paul might not score, but that defensive slide from one of the post players to stop Paul leaves a single post player to deal with both Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, enabling the many highlight dunks in Lob City.

More importantly, if the defenders choose to stick with Griffin and Jordan, then they concede an easy lay-in for Paul. The significance of this is that no matter how the defensive post players choose to play the situation, they are in a compromising defensive situation; one that they would be in less frequently if their point guard could contain the opposing one with limited help.

In addition, defending a point guard does not begin and end with beeline drives to the basket from the top of the key initiating basic defensive rotations. Point guards can attack in numerous ways, the most popular method being through the pick and roll or one of its variations.

A recent game between the Utah Jazz and the struggling Los Angeles Lakers served as an example highlighting the vulnerability of a team that has weak point guard play on the defensive end. In the last few minutes of the 4th quarter, the Jazz held a fair lead on the Lakers. Despite an efficient offensive effort from Kobe Bryant, his team failed to close the gap because they couldn’t stop a very simple but effective Utah attack.

Each Jazz possession would begin with Mo Williams choosing a side of the court then calling for a screen. Williams would attack the pick aggressively, forcing Howard to guard Williams while Duhon recovered. Despite Howard’s best attempts, this brief moment was more than enough for Williams to hit either Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap for a low difficulty jumper or lay in. If Bryant or World Peace chose to help instead, Williams hit Hayward or Foye for an open look.

In short, poor defense at the point guard position forced the Lakers into compromising defensive situations where the goal was no longer preventing a good look for the Jazz, but delaying it. What this situation reveals is that no matter how athletic and talented of a help defender a team has, it is not enough to overcome a numerical disadvantage in terms of defensive to offensive player ratios.

It seems that people often forget what the first word is in the phrase “help defense.” Yes, having a great defensive help defender in the post such as Dwight Howard is helpful, but help is not the same as prevent. Once a point guard gets beat, the team is at a numerical disadvantage, rotating to take away the immediate threat of a basket at the cost of conceding a later one. Once a team’s defense is compromised, a basket for the opposing team is likely.

As such, having a point guard that can at the least stay in front of his man and make it tough on defense is at the very least valuable in that it allows his team to play five-on-five defense, with one defender primarily responsible for only one offensive player. Is point guard defense the most important aspect on the defensive end of the game? Maybe, maybe not? However, is point guard defense irrelevant? Far from it. Just ask the Lakers.

http://basketball.realgm.com/article/225017/The_Reality_Of_Point_Guard_Defense

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NBA News 2012: Celtics re-sign Jeff Green

Boston Celtics v/s Washington Wizards April 11, 2011 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Boston Celtics have re-signed forward Jeff Green.

Green missed all of last season after a physical exam revealed an aortic aneurysm. He underwent surgery and became a free agent before signing Wednesday.

The 6-foot-9 Green had been expected to play a key role as a backup forward last season and is being counted on to do that next season. The Celtics obtained him from Oklahoma City in February 2011 with center Nenad Krstic and a first-round draft pick from the Los Angeles Clippers for center Kendrick Perkins and guard Nate Robinson.

In 2010-11, Green averaged 13.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 32.4 minutes. For his four-year career, the former Georgetown player has averaged 13.9 points and 5.5 rebounds.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/celtics-sign-f-jeff-green-003517984--nba.html

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NBA News 2012: Hawks trade Willie Green to Clippers

Sofoklis Schortsanitis (Photo credit: Hoops Photos)
The Atlanta Hawks sent guard Willie Green to the Los Angeles Clippers in a sign-and-trade deal that gave the Hawks the rights to Greek center Sofoklis Schortsanitis, the Hawks announced Monday.

Schortsanitis was selected by the Clippers in the second round (34th overall) of the 2003 NBA Draft. He signed a three-year contract with Athens club Panathinaikos earlier this month, so he is unlikely to join the Hawks this season. However, the Hawks gain a trade exception in the amount of Green’s first-year salary with the Clippers.

Green, 31, played in 53 regular season games for Atlanta in 2011-12, averaging 7.6 points and 1.5 rebounds.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/hawks-trade-willie-green-to-clippers/

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NBA News 2012: Mo Williams clears way for trade

Wizards v/s Clippers 03/12/11 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Los Angeles Clippers guard Mo Williams has invoked his $8.5 million option for next season, clearing the way for a proposed three-way trade that will send Lamar Odom to the Clippers and Williams to Utah, Williams' agent, Mark Bartelstein, told ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Utah will use the trade exception it created in the Mehmet Okur deal with New Jersey this past season to take on Williams' contract. The Mavericks also will create their own trade exception worth $8.2 million by shedding Odom's contract without taking any salary back.

The Los Angeles Times reported Friday that the Clippers will send the draft rights to second-round pick Furkan Aldemir to the Houston Rockets as part of the deal, and the Mavericks will receive money from the Rockets.

All parties had essentially agreed to the deal Thursday, according to sources, but it could not proceed until Williams made a firm decision on whether to pick up his option for next season. He had until Saturday night to do so.

Two sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein the deal will be completed Friday night. Bartelstein told The Associated Press that Williams is expected to hold a news conference in Salt Lake City either Monday or Tuesday. While there was no official confirmation from the teams yet, Bartelstein said the trade was done.

Bartelstein stressed that the delay had more to do with timing, rather than any issue Williams had playing for Utah, where he began his career in 2003.

"There was no blocking going on," Bartelstein said. "When you make a decision like this, you want to study it very closely.

"But the more we looked at it, the more excited we were about going back to Utah. Mo's very happy to be going back there."

The trade will be a homecoming for Odom and Williams, who started their careers with the Clippers and Jazz, respectively.

In a text message to ESPNLosAngeles.com, Williams wrote: "It's where it all began. I'm excited about the opportunity."

Williams spoke with Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor and coach Tyrone Corbin before opting into the final year of his deal.

Friday had been the deadline in Odom's contract for Dallas to either pay $2.4 million to buy out Odom's $8.2 million salary for next season or have him on the books for 2012-13.

While Williams pondered his options, sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein that the Mavericks and Odom had agreed to extend the buyout deadline in Odom's contract until Saturday, leaving one more day to finalize the proposed three-way trade.

The Clippers are hoping that Odom looks more like the player who won the Sixth Man of the Year Award with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011, and not the enigmatic player who shot just 35 percent from the field and averaged a career-low 6.6 points for the Mavericks last season.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8113523/los-angeles-clippers-mo-williams-picks-option-clears-way-lamar-odom-three-way-trade

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NBA News 2012: Clippers advance, knock out Grizzlies

Los Angeles Clippers Blake Griffin during a game against the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center in Washington on March 12, 2011. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Chris Paul played with an aching right hip and Blake Griffin's sprained left knee stiffened up during the game. If the Clippers were truly a two-man team, then they would have been in trouble facing elimination by the Memphis Grizzlies.

Good thing the guys on the Clippers' bench want to keep playing.

Kenyon Martin's 23-footer put the Clippers ahead to start a fourth quarter in which backups scored 25 of their 27 points, helping Los Angeles' other NBA team beat Memphis 82-72 Sunday and advance to the Western Conference semifinals.

''Our bench was our MVP,'' Clippers guard Randy Foye said. ''They realized what they had to do. We had a lot of guys hurt, so we just continued to grind.''

The Clippers reserves outscored Memphis' bench 41-11 to help Los Angeles clinch its first playoff series since 2006 and only the franchise's third overall. They also helped the Clippers avoid becoming the ninth NBA team to blow a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven series and now they head to San Antonio for a second round starting Tuesday night.

Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said they will regroup Monday and focus on the Spurs then. He wanted his team to enjoy the series win for a little bit.

''But obviously another big challenge for us,'' Del Negro said.

Chris Paul scored 19 points despite his strained right hip flexor, and he was the only starter to score in the fourth quarter. Paul was so confident of victory he bought plane tickets for his wife and son to San Antonio on Saturday.

''I felt like we should have won earlier,'' Paul said. ''But it doesn't matter. As long as you win, I think it is a step in the right direction for our franchise.''

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/clippers-advance-knock-grizzlies-82-093909995--nba.html;_ylt=AoarG_rP9qkn_bUN_8zN.ww5nYcB

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NBA News 2012: Chris Paul boosts Clippers in OT for 3-1 series lead vs. Grizzlies

Los Angeles Clippers logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Los Angeles Clippers' 10-point lead late in regulation had evaporated, and Blake Griffin stood helplessly at their bench with hands on hips after fouling out in overtime. A building full of red-shirted fans sat nervously, dreading another disaster for a franchise with more than its share.

Except Chris Paul wasn't around for any of the Clippers' bad times.

While everybody else worried, he calmly shepherded his club out of another perilous spot and onto the brink of something big.

Paul scored eight of his 27 points in a dynamic overtime performance, and the Clippers moved to the verge of their second playoff series victory in 36 years with a 101-97 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night, taking a 3-1 series lead.

"It's fun, it's exciting," said Paul, who atoned for his inability to score at the regulation buzzer.

"The worst mistake I probably made in the game was not getting the shot at the end of regulation," he added. "If I was at home watching it on TV, I'd be talking so bad about me. But you've got to get through it. The [best] thing about it is that I have teammates that have confidence in me. Everything that we do is a team win."

Maybe so, but the Clippers were ever so grateful to rely on their All-Star point guard.

Griffin had 30 points and seven assists before fouling out with 2:26 left in overtime for the Clippers, who blew an 84-74 lead over the final 4½ minutes of regulation before Paul took charge in the overtime. He played with the same intensity he showed late in regulation, heedlessly flinging himself over the front row of chairs in an attempt to save a loose ball.

"He's a great player, and that's what great players do," Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said.

Game 5 is Wednesday night in Memphis, with Game 6 back at Staples Center on Friday if necessary.

After Paul hit consecutive jumpers to put the Clippers ahead 99-93 with 44 seconds left, Mike Conley's layup with 8.1 seconds left trimmed the Clippers' lead back to two points. But after Mo Williams hit two free throws with 7.2 seconds left and Rudy Gay missed a meaningless 3-pointer, Griffin and Paul embraced while another frenzied sellout crowd of long-suffering Clippers fans roared.

"Chris is always intense," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. "That's what makes him special. Chris is so good, not only at making plays for himself, but making the right play. That's what makes him a star."

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=320507012

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NBA News 2012: Clippers rally from 27 down, stun Grizzlies 99-98

MEMPHIS, TN - APRIL 29: Vinny Del Negro the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers talks with DeAndre Jordan #6 in Game One of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Mephis Grizzlies in the 2012 NBA Playoffs at FedExForum on April 29, 2012 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)
Chris Paul begged coach Vinny Del Negro to put him back into the game for the fourth quarter and not give up despite being down 21 points.

The result was another Clippers comeback - one of the greatest in NBA playoff history.

Paul hit a pair of free throws with 23.7 seconds left, and the Clippers rallied from a deficit that had been as much as 27 to stun the Memphis Grizzlies 99-98 Sunday night in the opening game of their Western Conference series.

The key, Paul said, is to keep believing.
''Unfortunately, that's how we play,'' he said. ''We get killed in the first three quarters and in the fourth quarter we like to try to stand up for ourselves, and we found a way to win tonight.''

The Clippers tied the NBA playoff record for largest deficit overcome at the end of three quarters, when they trailed by 21.

''I don't think I've been part of a game like that ever,'' Clippers forward Blake Griffin said. ''It was unbelievable.''

Rudy Gay missed a 15-footer with 0.9 seconds left after the Grizzlies squandered a lead they held for the first 47 minutes, with a 24-point cushion disappearing in about nine minutes.

''Obviously, we gave it away, and everybody's kind of down,'' Gay said. ''We're still into it. It's a long series, and we're ready to fight. That's all this means. We've got to fight hard.''

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/clippers-rally-27-down-stun-042831257--nba.html;_ylt=Av8RKWosz5X860g6NtjaVSG8vLYF

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NBA News 2011: Talk of Iguodala-for-Kaman swap

Image by Getty Images via @daylife
A spot for Evan Turner may be opening. Amid increasing signals that the Philadelphia 76ers are finally prepared to deal Andre Iguodala after years of trade speculation, another potential swap has surfaced that would send the swingman to the Los Angeles Clippers for center Chris Kaman, sources with knowledge of the discussions told ESPN.com. Although it's believed that the trade has not yet advanced past the discussion phase, sources told ESPN.com that the teams have discussed an Iguodala-for-Kaman swap.

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/288874-talk-of-iguodala-for-kaman-swap-emerges

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NBA News 2011: Defending The Blake Show

Image via Wikipedia
Successfully defending Blake Griffin is a simple task conceptually.

Load up the paint to restrict his air space, keep a body on him on the pick and roll, force him into settling for jumpers and make him catch the ball in the post as far from the bucket as possible.

Griffin's best months of the season were easily in December and the first 10 games of January until Eric Gordon’s injury.

His overall efficiency in February has decreased from his seasonal marks, as teams have learned to adjust and game-plan more effectively for Griffin, causing his scoring percentages to dip and teams also have been doing a better job in reducing his rebound and assist rates.

Griffin is seeing consistent double and even triple teams, partly a result of his inescapable prominence, but more also as a direct result of Gordon’s absence. Griffin’s supporting cast without Gordon is far too mediocre offensively for opposing teams to respect well enough not to give him their complete attention.

http://basketball.realgm.com/article/211541/Defending_The_Blake_Show

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NBA News 2010: Arron Afflalo: "I'm ready."

Image via Wikipedia

The Nuggets acquired him in July of 2009 and in his first year with the team, Afflalo averaged 8.8 points a game on 46.5% shooting including 43.4% behind the arc.

Although preseason stats can be somewhat misleading, through three exhibition games, Arron has averaged 21.7 points a game while shooting 54.8% from the field and 52.9% from the arc.

Coach George Karl had nothing but praise for Afflalo after his 27-point night against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday in a 100-95 Denver victory.

"I joked with him all summer, 'You better ready man because I'm going to have to play you.'  He's worked as hard as anybody I've ever coached in the summertime, working on his game and on his shot," said Karl.  "I don't think people in the league think he's a top three-point shooter but we think he is.  We think he's going to shoot over 40% the rest of his career."

At 6'5", 215 pounds, Arron was originally drafted out of UCLA by the Detroit Pistons.  His reputation was that of a top-notch perimeter defender but the Pistons dealt him to the Nuggets in a cap space move.

Afflalo talked about his efforts over the summer.

"Over the offseason, I tried to work hard and get better," said Arron.  "I've always done that.  It just took some years for my maturity, my confidence and everything.  The more comfortable I feel on the court, the more confident I am.  I really took a huge leap this summer.  I've always worked on my game."

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=17626

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