SB Nation Los Angeles - Clippers Vs. Mavericks: L.A. Loses In Final Game Of Grammy Road Triphttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48949/la-fave.png2012-02-14T09:28:41-08:00http://losangeles.sbnation.com/rss/stream/25599242012-02-14T09:28:41-08:002012-02-14T09:28:41-08:00Dallas Mavericks' Owner Mark Cuban Still Disagrees With Chris Paul Trade
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<p><a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dallas Mavericks</a> owner Mark Cuban isn't known for keeping his mouth shut and that continued last night when Cuban made comments regarding how the NBA handled the eventual <span>Chris Paul</span> trade to the <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Clippers</a>. <a href="http://espn.go.com/dallas/nba/story/_/id/7573086/dallas-mavericks-mark-cuban-rips-nba-trading-chris-paul-all">Here is what Cuban told ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon</a></p>
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<p>"You're better off just taking the camp room, or whatever," Cuban said.</p>
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<p>Cuban was against the Paul trade to the <a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Lakers</a> as well. It isn't so much he wanted Paul on the Mavs, he just felt the league handled its first major situation post-new CBA poorly.</p>
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<p>"I don't think it was about the Lakers, per se," Cuban said before the game. "I think it was just the way they did the deal, which was ridiculous. I don't think it was about which team. I think it was the fact that, even with the Clippers, we just went through this whole (collective bargaining agreement) and said the incumbent team still has the advantage and then the team the league owns (wimps) out. And look how it's worked out for them... Bad management gets you bad results."</p>
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<p>The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/new-orleans-hornets" class="sbn-auto-link">Hornets</a> are the worst team in the Western Conference at 5-23 and the deal they made looks worse and worse by the day as the prime pieces they received in return - <span>Eric Gordon</span> and Minnesota's draft pick - don't look so attractive anymore. Gordon will most likely be too expensive to keep when he becomes a restricted free agent this summer and Minny's pick won't be as high of a lottery pick as people originally thought.</p>
<p>The Clippers are of course happy to have Paul and are one of the best stories in the league. But Cuban's point still remains. And as time moves on, he may be proven more and more correct.</p>
<p>(pause for dramatic effect...)</p>
<p>Ah well! LOB CITY!</p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-clippers/2012/2/14/2797764/dallas-mavericks-owner-mark-cuban-chris-paul-trade-los-angeles-clippersRonald Clark2012-02-13T20:30:32-08:002012-02-13T20:30:32-08:00Clippers Vs. Mavs: Caron Butler Gets Clips Close, But No Cigar For LA
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<p>Caron Butler scored 23 as the Clippers tried to battle back into the game, but ultimately the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a> fell short as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Dallas Mavericks</a> held on to win 96-92. The Clipper defense improved in the second half, dragging the Mavs' shooting percentage down to 44%. However, the Clippers continued to turn the ball over too easily, getting destroyed in the turnover battle. </p>
<p>Dirk Nowitzki and Shawn Marion were the leading scorers for the Mavs, with 22 and 16 points respectively. Dallas had five players in double figures, as did LA. In fact, the Clippers not only had Caron Butler with 23 and Blake Griffin with 20, but Chris Paul stepped it up in the second half to finish with 16 points. </p>
<p>The difference between the teams was in the play of the benches. Lamar Odom and Jason Terry combined for 18 Dallas points, while outside of the five players in double figures, the Clippers only got 12 points combined. The turnovers certainly didn't help either, as LA turned the ball over 21 times. </p>
<p>While Dallas had 10 fewer turnovers than the Clippers, it was point guard Jason Kidd whose bad pass with 10 seconds left in the game almost gave LA the game. With the Clips down by just two points, Caron Butler missed the three pointer from the left side which would have won the game. </p>
<p>The Grammy road trip has come to a close, and the Clippers now return to the Staples Center to host the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Wizards</a> on Wednesday. </p>
<p><b><i>For more on all the red and blue happenings, check out <a href="http://www.clipsnation.com" target="_blank">Clips Nation</a>. </i></b></p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-clippers/2012/2/13/2796761/clippers-vs-mavs-caron-butler-gets-clips-close-but-no-cigar-for-laJosie Becker2012-02-13T18:52:05-08:002012-02-13T18:52:05-08:00Clippers Vs. Mavs: Caron Butler Has LA Close With Defending Champs
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a> trailed earlier, but have pulled back within striking distance of the defending champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Dallas Mavericks</a> with the halftime score . <span>Caron Butler</span> lead all scorers with 13 points, and the Clippers hit seven three pointers. However, it was early foul trouble that gave the Mavericks the advantage with Dallas getting to the line eight times in the first half. </p>
<p>Dallas got out to an <a href="http://www.nba.com/video/games/mavericks/2012/02/13/0021100418_lac_dal_play2.nba" target="_blank">aggressive start</a>, and built a 10 point lead after the first quarter. The Clippers were able to close the gap as close as two points, but let it slip back to an eight point deficit at halftime. Caron Butler and Maurice Williams both had three three pointers in the first half, and the Clippers shot 45% from the field. Defensively they've done nothing to slow the Mavericks down, who are shooting almost 60% from the field. </p>
<p>The Clippers are winning the rebound battle, but losing the turnover battle. Along the arc and inside the paint the Clippers have been fine, but their perimeter shooting has been lacking. Dallas meanwhile is living inside the paint, only taking two long jumpers in the second quarter. </p>
<p>LA needs to increase the paint presence on defense in the second half, and with better ball control the gap between the teams should shrink. <span>Chris Paul</span> leads the team with six assists, but the team needs more than the five points he's currently put on the board. </p>
<p><b><i>For more on this game, sail on over to <a href="http://www.clipsnation.com" target="_blank">Clips Nation</a>. </i></b></p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-clippers/2012/2/13/2796615/clippers-vs-mavs-caron-butler-has-la-close-with-defending-champsJosie Becker2012-02-13T14:09:52-08:002012-02-13T14:09:52-08:00Clippers Vs. Mavericks Game Time, TV Info And More
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a> close out their six-game Grammy road trip on Monday night, facing the defending NBA champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Dallas Mavericks</a>. Here are the relevant details of Monday night's contest:</p>
<p><b>Records</b>: Clippers (17-8); Mavericks (17-11)</p>
<p><b>Location</b>: American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas</p>
<p><b>Time</b>: 5:30 p.m. PST</p>
<p><b>TV</b>: Prime Ticket, with Ralph Lawler and Michael Smith on the call.</p>
<p><b>Offensive Efficiency</b>: Clippers, 108.6 points per 100 possessions (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2012.html#misc::8">first in NBA</a>); Mavericks, 101.9 (20th)</p>
<p><b>Defensive Efficiency</b>: Mavericks, 98.6 (fifth); Clippers, 105.6 (24th)</p>
<p><b>Going Streaking</b>: The Clippers have lost nine straight games in Dallas, with their last road win against the Mavericks coming on April 19, 2006.</p>
<p><b>Home vs. Road</b>: The Clippers are 7-5 on the road this season, and have won six of their last seven games away from home; Dallas is 10-5 at home, including 8-3 at home against Western Conference teams.</p>
<p><b>Dirk Warming Up</b>: Mavericks forward <span>Dirk Nowitzki</span> is off to a slow start this season, but the All-Star has averaged 26.4 points per game in his last five contests.</p>
<p><b>Getting Defensive</b>: The Clippers are 9-0 this season when holding their opponents under 90 points, including a January 18 victory over the Mavericks at Staples Center.</p>
<p><i><b>For more news and notes regarding Clippers basketball, be sure to read <a target="_blank" href="http://www.clipsnation.com/">Clips Nation</a>.</b></i></p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-clippers/2012/2/13/2795970/clippers-vs-mavericks-game-time-tv-info-dirk-nowitzki-chris-paul-blake-griffinEric Stephen2012-02-13T11:56:39-08:002012-02-13T11:56:39-08:00Clippers Vs. Mavericks: L.A. Closes Out Road Trip In Dallas
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<p>The Clippers have lost nine straight games in Dallas.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a> close out what could be the best extended road trip in franchise history, facing the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Dallas Mavericks</a> at American Airlines Center on Monday night. <span>Chris Paul</span> and the Clippers are 4-1 in the first five games of their road trip, their second winning road trip of six games or more since 1990.</p>
<p>The 2005-2006 Clippers, the last time the franchise made the playoffs, enjoyed a 4-2 road trip, but if the Clippers win Monday they will have the best record of any road trip of six games or more in franchise history, and will also have won seven of their last eight road games.</p>
<p>The Clippers beat the Mavericks 91-89 in Los Angeles on January 18 thanks to a game-winning three from <span>Chauncey Billups</span> in the final seconds. The Clippers were without Paul in that game, as the point guard was dealing with a strained left hamstring at the time. Billups is of course gone now, but Paul is back and it doesn't take a genius to see that is a positive trade for the Clippers.</p>
<p>The Mavericks have beaten the Clippers nine straight times in Dallas, with their last win in Dallas coming April 19, 2006 (see again, the last time the Clippers made the postseason). But this Clippers team has made a habit of erasing such streaks in recent weeks:</p>
<p><b>January 29</b>: Clippers beat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/">Nuggets</a> 109-105, snapping a nine-game losing streak in Denver</p>
<p><b>February 1</b>: Clippers beat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.slcdunk.com/">Jazz</a> 107-105, snapping a 16-game losing streak in Utah</p>
<p><b>February 6</b>: Clippers beat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/">Magic</a> 107-102 in overtime, snapping a nine-game losing streak to Orlando</p>
<p>The only streak the Clippers haven't busted of late was their losing streak in Cleveland, which was extended to 10 games with their 99-92 loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cavaliers</a> on February 8. That game in Cleveland is the only road game the Clippers have lost in their last seven games away from home.</p>
<p>The Mavericks also lost at Cleveland, a 91-88 loss to the Cavs on February 4. But Dallas has won three straight games since then, including a double-overtime triumph over Portland on Saturday night. <span>Dirk Nowitzki</span> is averaging 26.4 points per game over his last five contests.</p>
<p><i><b>Monday's 5:30 p.m. PST game will be televised by Prime Ticket. For more news and notes regarding Clippers basketball, be sure to read <a target="_blank" href="http://www.clipsnation.com">Clips Nation</a>.</b></i></p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-clippers/2012/2/13/2795708/clippers-vs-mavericks-game-preview-nba-chris-paul-dirk-nowitzki-blake-griffin-dallasEric Stephen2012-02-13T05:00:55-08:002012-02-13T05:00:55-08:00Clippers Week In Review: Chris Paul & The Road Warriors
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<p>At 17-8, the Clippers matched the 1974-1975 Buffalo Braves for the best start in franchise history.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a> faced tough tests last week, and they passed with flying colors. <span>Chris Paul</span> and <span>Blake Griffin</span> led the team to three wins in four road games and the club is off to the best start in franchise history at 17-8, tied with the 1974-1975 Buffalo Braves.</p>
<p>The week began in Orlando, where the Clippers overcame a 15-point deficit to beat <span>Dwight Howard</span> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/">Magic</a> in double overtime. The win snapped a nine-game losing streak to Orlando for the Clippers, the latest losing streak dragon slayed by Paul, along with wins in Denver and Utah in the last two weeks.</p>
<p>But all was not great about the win in Orlando, as guard Chauncey Billups tore his left Achilles in the second half, and was lost for the season.</p>
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<td bgcolor="#ffffcc" width="200"><b>Week Record: </b></td>
<td bgcolor="#ffffcc" width="60">3-1</td>
<td width="10"></td>
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<td bgcolor="#ffffcc"><b>Points For: </b></td>
<td bgcolor="#ffffcc">97.0</td>
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<td bgcolor="#ffffcc"><b>Points Against: </b></td>
<td bgcolor="#ffffcc">91.0</td>
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<tr>
<td bgcolor="#ffffcc"><b>Offensive Rating: </b></td>
<td bgcolor="#ffffcc">116.6</td>
</tr>
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<td bgcolor="#ffffcc"><b>Defensive Rating: </b></td>
<td bgcolor="#ffffcc">109.4</td>
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<td bgcolor="#ffffcc"><b>Field Goal %: </b></td>
<td bgcolor="#ffffcc">44.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#ffffcc"><b>True Shooting %: </b></td>
<td bgcolor="#ffffcc">53.3%</td>
</tr>
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<td bgcolor="#ffffcc"><b>Effective FG%: </b></td>
<td bgcolor="#ffffcc">48.0%</td>
</tr>
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<td colspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffcc">
<b>Monday</b>: <a target="_blank" href="http://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-clippers/2012/2/6/2776545/clippers-vs-magic-final-score-chris-paul-caron-butler-overtime-orlando/">Clippers 107, Magic 102 (OT)</a>
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<td colspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffcc">
<b>Wednesday</b>: <a target="_blank" href="http://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-clippers/2012/2/8/2785987/clippers-vs-cavaliers-final-score-ramon-sessions-antawn-jamison-cleveland-losing-streak/">Cavaliers 99, Clippers 92</a>
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<td colspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffcc">
<b>Friday</b>: <a target="_blank" href="http://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-clippers/2012/2/10/2790975/clippers-76ers-recap-chris-paul-blake-griffin/">Clippers 78, 76ers 77</a>
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<b>Saturday</b>: <a target="_blank" href="http://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-clippers/2012/2/11/2792692/clippers-vs-bobcats-final-score-chris-paul-blake-griffin-blowout/">Clippers 111, Bobcats 86</a>
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<p>In their first game without Billups, the Clippers lost in Cleveland, snapping a four-game road winning streak that was one shy of the franchise record.</p>
<p>But the Clippers rebounded in Philadelphia on Friday, thanks to Paul. The game wasn't particularly pretty, as the Clippers shot just 38.8% from the field, but Paul rescued the team with a game-winning shot in the final seconds.</p>
<p>The win in Philadelphia was the first win for the Clippers while shooting under 40% since December 5, 2009, and was just their 17th win since the 1985-1986 season while shooting under 39%.</p>
<p>The Clippers trailed by 12 points against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.libertyballers.com/">76ers</a>, and the win gave the Clippers four road wins this season in games they trailed by 10 or more points. That total equaled the number of such wins for the team in the last four seasons combined.</p>
<p>On Saturday in Charlotte, the Clippers had their only back-to-back set of the road trip, but there is no better team to face on the second night of a back-to-back group than the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/charlotte-bobcats">Charlotte Bobcats</a>, owners of the worst record in the NBA. The Clippers did what good teams do, obliterating Charlotte and getting the starters rest at the same time.</p>
<p>The Clippers are battling the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">San Antonio Spurs</a> for the second seed in the Western Conference, and looking every bit like a team that could make a lot of noise in the playoffs. With the way Paul and company are playing, that is becoming less and less surprising by the day.</p>
<p>Here are some individual numbers for the week:</p>
<ul>
<li>Chris Paul: 21.8 points per game, 9.5 assists per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, 2.0 steals per game, 59.1% true shooting percentage, 24-for-24 from the free throw line<a target="_blank" href="http://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-lakers/2012/1/29/2755174/kobe-bryant-kareem-abdul-jabbar-lakers-field-goal-record"></a> </li>
<li>Blake Griffin: 20.0 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 55.6 TS%, four double-doubles in four games, 81.5% from the free throw line (22 for 27)<br>
</li>
<li> <span>Caron Butler</span>: 14.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 58.9 TS%</li>
<li> <span></span>Randy Foye: 12.3 ppg, 54.8 TS% in three games as a starter</li>
<li> <span>Kenyon Martin</span>: 16 points, 14 rebounds in 59 minutes in his first three games with the Clippers, 48.1 TS%.</li>
</ul>
<p><i><b>For more news and notes on the Clippers, be sure to read <a target="_blank" href="http://www.clipsnation.com">Clips Nation</a>.</b></i></p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-clippers/2012/2/13/2793952/clippers-week-in-review-chris-paul-blake-griffinEric Stephen