The Los Angeles Clippers look to start 2011 on a high note when they host the Atlanta Hawks in an afternoon affair at Staples Center. The Clippers, who lost to Utah at home last Wednesday in their final game of 2010, hope three days off will provide the necessary rest to get back on the winning track. The Hawks, who at 21-14 currently hold the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference, swept the season series with the Clippers last season, and have won their last two meetings with the Clippers in Los Angeles.
Blake Griffin moved up to sixth place among Western Conference forwards (and really just a shade below fourth) in the latest round of NBA All-Star voting, as his notoriety is catching up with his performance on the court. Griffin is averaging 21.5 points and 12.4 rebounds on the season, and has a streak of 20 straight double-doubles, the fourth longest streak in the NBA since the 1991-1992 season. In addition, Griffin is the youngest player to collect at least 10 rebounds in 20 or more games. He likely won't be voted in as a starter, but Griffin should be playing on his home court in some way or another at the All-Star Game on February 20 at Staples Center.
I sometimes think the Atlanta Hawks exist to remind me that Mike Bibby is still in the NBA. Bibby, now in his 13th season, is having a bizarre season so far. He is fourth in the league in three-point shooting percentage, making 48.6% of his shots from beyond the arc, and he has made 71 threes, fifth in the NBA. However, Bibby this season has made just 20 of his 34 free throws, a 58.8% clip that is far below his career 80.4% mark from the charity stripe.
The Hawks are in the middle of a four-game road trip that will also see them travel to Sacramento and Utah. They have a balanced scoring attack with four players averaging at least 14.7 points per game, led by Joe Johnson and his 17.2 scoring average. They are 12th in the NBA in offensive efficiency (106.8 points per 100 possessions), and 11th in the NBA in defensive efficiency (104.8 points per 100 possessions).
Al-Farouq Aminu has averaged 12 points and eight rebounds in the last two contests, making four of nine three-pointers along the way...DeAndre Jordan's seven blocks on Wednesday against the Jazz were the most by a Clipper since Marcus Camby had seven blocks on December 6, 2008 against Minnesota...Eric Gordon ranks 10th in the NBA, averaging 23.8 points per game, and has scored 20 points or more in 22 of his last 28 games.
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