The Los Angeles Clippers open their six-game road trip facing the Washington Wizards on Saturday night. The Clippers have beaten Washington five consecutive times. Here are the relevant details of Saturday's contest:
Records: Clippers (13-7); Wizards (4-19)
Location: Verizon Center in Washington D.C.
Time: 4 p.m. PST
TV: Prime Ticket, with Ralph Lawler and Michael Smith on the call
Offensive Efficiency: Clippers, 107.5 (fourth in the NBA); Wizards, 95.6 (29th)
Defensive Efficiency: Wizards, 105.9 (24th); Clippers, 106.5 (25th)
Home vs. Road: The Clippers are 3-4 on the road but have won their last two games away from home, snapping two long losing streaks (nine games in Denver, 16 games in Utah); Washington is 3-9 at home this season.
Block City: Both centers in tonight's game, DeAndre Jordan of the Clippers and JaVale McGee of the Wizards, are tied for the league lead with 3.0 blocks per game this season, and each are tied for the lead with five game of five blocks or more. They are also two of just four players to average at least 8.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game since the 2005-2006 campaign, along with Marcus Camby (three times) and Andrei Kirilenko.
Feasting Down Low: Blake Griffin in two wins over Washington last season averaged 29.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists per contest, including his first career triple-double with 33 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists in a double-overtime win on March 23, 2011.
Dunk City: Saturday's game will feature three of the top four dunkers in the NBA, by volume. Griffin has 56 slam dunks on the season, tops in the league, while McGee is third with 50 and Jordan is fourth with 46.
High-Rent District: From Steve Perrin at Clips Nation, on Rashard Lewis, who is averaging 8.8 points and 4.1 rebounds this season:
Quick, who is the second highest paid player in the NBA? First is Kobe Bryant, third is Tim Duncan, fourth is Kevin Garnett. Those all make sense. Second on the list, at over $22M this season, is Rashard Lewis. The Wizards didn't bother to amnesty the guy, I guess because they didn't have anyone to use that money on. Oh, and just so you know, Arenas is fifth on the list, but he did get amnestied.
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