Home >Unlabelled > NBA: Clippers roll into the break with a victory over Nuggets - Whittier Daily News
NBA: Clippers roll into the break with a victory over Nuggets - Whittier Daily News
Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2012 by NBA Playoff Schedule 2012
For better or worse, the Clippers will dart off in 15 or so different directions over the next four days, pushed into the All-Star break with a 103-95 win over the Denver Nuggets that ended an annoying two-game losing streak and provides a happy platform from which to enjoy their time off. It was a struggle throughout, but Chris Paul erupted in the second half with 23 of his team season-high 36 points to help pull away from the injured but pesky Nuggets. Paul was everywhere, punishing the Nuggets with long-range daggers and blowing past defenders for drives to the basket or dish offs to open teammates. Denver led by five points mid-way through the third but behind Paul the Clippers led by one at the end of the quarter then built a lead of six early in the fourth. The Nuggets pulled even, eventually taking the lead back, but a jumper from Caron Butler followed by a layup from DeAndre Jordan and the Clippers jumped ahead 95-92 with 3:28 remaining. Blake Griffin, who finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds, pushed the lead to seven with four free throws and Jordan followed a missed Griffin free throw with a slam dunk to put the Clippers ahead 101-93 with one minute left and the Clippers held on from there. Now comes the All-Star break. The good news is the frantic, furious lockout-created schedule is halted for the moment, a welcome respite for a weary team beaten down by a relentless pace in which games come in On the flip side All-Star starters Paul and Griffin will be front and center this weekend in Orlando, their rest dependent on how well they manage their busy schedule and the self discipline to pace themselves accordingly. Meanwhile, four days off also means four lost opportunities to practice, something a young team trying to fit a new system to new players can ill afford at such a critical juncture. It's trying enough blending so many new faces together on the fly - and a demanding schedule that prohibits sufficient practice time only exasperates the process. Now comes a prolonged layoff, the Clippers going their separate ways for the weekend before gathering again Monday morning. The final image produced from the first half can be interpreted a couple of ways. They struggled for the third straight game, perhaps the sign of a tired team gasping for air at the break. "We've had a difficult schedule, like everyone, but it's the way the schedule is," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. "You can't worry about it you have to manage it as best you can." Or perhaps it's just the inevitable ramifications of adding so many new faces - some of whom jumped aboard during the season - while also making up for the devastating loss of Chauncey Billups to an Achilles' tendon injury three weeks ago. In any event, there were moments when they looked like a team still not quite on the same page, still uncertain at times and unsure of where to be and when. Denver was playing without Nene, Ty Lawson and Danilo Gallinari, three impact starters for the Nuggets.
23 Feb, 2012
-
Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNGExYp66g0NXfE2q2OwBJB5BkMggA&url=http://www.whittierdailynews.com/sports/ci_20025704
--
Manage subscription | Powered by rssforward.com
Blog Archive
-
▼
2012
(2069)
-
▼
February
(971)
- Power Rankings, Vol. IV
- Previewing WSU opponents: Loyola
- It's Halftime
- R.I.P. Dunk-Contest...ein Nachruf
- NBA All-Star Weekend Review
- Miami Heat: LeBron James no substance just talent!
- Video: All-Star Weekend
- Gerüchteküche (All-Star Edition)
- Stern pleased despite condensed NBA schedule - Was...
- NBA All-Star Game: Live updates from Amway Center ...
- NBA All-Star Game 2012: Kevin Love Representing Ti...
- 2012 NBA All-Star Game: LeBron James The Odds-On F...
- NBA All-Star Chat: Will Kobe Bryant get his 5th Al...
- 2012 NBA All-Star Game: East Roster Features LeBro...
- Sacramento, Maloofs meeting on Kings - USA TODAY
- Dwight Howard saga dominates NBA's second half - N...
- NBA All-Star Weekend 2012: All-Star Game, Three-Po...
- VIDEO: Kevin Love beats out Kevin Durant to win 3-...
- Daytona 500, Oscars, NBA All-Star Game may bump up...
- 2012 NBA All-Star Game: Knicks' Carmelo Anthony St...
- 2012 NBA All-Star Game Time, TV Schedule And More ...
- NBA commish talks about Seattle, Sacramento - KING...
- NBA All-Star Weekend: Flo Rida Performs A 'Good Fe...
- NBA Analysis: Miami Heat Midseason Review - Opposi...
- Magic Johnson's 1992 NBA All-Star appearance a def...
- NBA Standings 2012: Can The Mavericks Climb The St...
- David Stern: Adam Silver worthy successor as NBA c...
- Great expectations in NBA's second half - ESPN
- Previewing WSU opponents: Youngstown
- The 2012 NBA All-Star game, the L.A. story - Exami...
- Fake NBA All-Star gear leads to arrests in Orlando...
- NBA All-Star Saturday: No. 1 in Orlando ratings - ...
- NBA All-Star Weekend: Slam dunk contest and three-...
- NBA All-Star Game 2012: TV Info, Time, Anthem/Half...
- NBA All Star Basketball - KENS 5 TV
- NBA All-Star Game 2012: 5 All-Stars You Don't Want...
- David Stern says Adam Silver is ready - ESPN
- West All-Stars-East All-Stars Preview - ESPN
- NBA All-Star Game Rare Shootout Involving Iguodala...
- Is Dwyane Wade the Best Player in the NBA? - NESN.com
- 2012 NBA All-Star Game Time, TV Schedule And More ...
- NBA Slam Dunk Contest | 02.26.12 - News & Observer
- 2012 NBA All-Star Game Time, TV Schedule And More ...
- NBA commissioner David Stern has no sympathy for D...
- NBA's focus back on Howard - Bryan College Station...
- NBA Power Rankings 2012: Bulls And 76ers Boast Bes...
- Kyrie Irving talks about return of 'NBA Live 13' -...
- NBA Capsules: Utah's Evans wins Slam Dunk Contest ...
- NBA All-Star Game Live Blog: LeBron James, Kobe Br...
- NBA All-Star Game rosters - Columbus Dispatch
- NBA teams already looking beyond this year - San F...
- 2012 NBA All-Star Saturday Night - San Antonio Exp...
- 2012 NBA All-Star Skills Challenge: Celtics' Rajon...
- NBA All-Star Weekend: Slams, skills and shootout -...
- Heat, Thunder prepared to take NBA All-Star Game b...
- NBA All-Stars Shine In Skills Contests - KERO-TV 23
- NBA All-Star Game back in SLC? Not anytime soon, J...
- Stern: Silver worthy successor as NBA commissioner...
- Stern: Silver worthy successor as NBA commissioner...
- NBA Slam Dunk Contest 2012: All-Star Game Warmup B...
- NBA's David Stern: No deal yet on new arena for Sa...
- Kevin Durant, the NBA's unassuming superstar, reme...
- Celebrities at NBA All-Star Weekend - SI.com
- Tennis player Michael Chang has given advice to NB...
- For one night, Lakers and Clippers will work toget...
- All Star Weekend LeBron James still Don't Understand-
- Handing out NBA midseason awards: LeBron James loo...
- Phoenix Suns' Steve Nash, at NBA all-star game, do...
- Jerry Zgoda's Sunday Insider: There was one Magica...
- Lakers' Darvin Ham unenthusiastic about 2012 NBA d...
- NBA All-Star Weekend: Three Point Shootout, Slam D...
- NBA Trade Rumors: Suns Are Foolish Not to Trade St...
- Johnson: 'Linsanity' might bring change to NBA nar...
- NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers interested in trading for...
- NBA Four Quarters | All-Star edition - Kansas City...
- No one seems to notice, but the Spurs are a threat...
- NBA Slam Dunk Contest: Competition Has Long Histor...
- Previewing WSU players: Vaughn Duggins
- Women's Basketball
- Men's Basketball
- NBA All-Star Game a social media bonanza worldwide...
- Monroe 'steals' show at NBA Rising Stars (with vid...
- 2012 NBA Skills Challenge: Four PGs Compete In ......
- 2012 NBA Three-Point Contest: James Jones Seeks Re...
- NBA All-Star Weekend: Three-Point Contest Includes...
- NBA All-Star Weekend: Jeremy Lin Not Main Event Bu...
- Jeremy Lin humbled, humorous during All-Star weeke...
- NBA Rising Stars Game 2012: Kyrie Irving Showed Us...
- NBA All-Star Saturday Night 2012 Time, TV Schedule...
- NBA Debate: Why David Stern Should Shorten Season ...
- Not an All-Star, but Lin stars in Orlando - Atlant...
- NBA All-Stars showcase skills leading up to big ga...
- NBA All-Stars and more pitch in for charity - Orla...
- 2012 NBA Dunk Contest: Jeremy Evans Could Surprise...
- 2012 NBA All-Star Saturday: Schedule, TV Info And ...
- Syracuse vs UConn: Future NBA Studs to Watch in Bi...
- NBA All-Star Weekend: Rising Stars and the Celebri...
- Vic's Picks: NBA, Dwight Howard, Missouri-Kansas -...
- NBA Rumors: Suns Shouldn't Wait for Steve Nash's B...
- NBA: Lights, camera & stars - Daily News & Analysis
-
▼
February
(971)