Clippers Beat Portland, But Not As Easily As They Should Have

 This game was ugly, y'all. Each team had 13 turnovers, though it felt like a lot more. The Trail Blazers spent the first half looking at the ball like the Monstars in Space Jam, waiting for it to give them the basketball talents of Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Muggsy Bogues, Larry Johnson, Patrick Ewing and Shawn Bradley (seriously, how the hell was he included in that list?) and the other half like Terry Stotts had told them that he was shipping them all to Charlotte if they didn't win the game. Which they didn't. Want to keep reading? Good! Follow the jump.

First of all, let's just say that the Clippers looked downright filthy. This game showcased their versatility and skill more than it did the Blazers' seeming inability or unwillingness to connect on a pass. They shot 53.2% from the field for the game, and they won getting minimal offensive contributions from three key pieces: Blake Griffen (7 points on 9 shots), Eric Bledsoe (8 points, 1 assist, 1 turnover), and to a lesser extent Caron Butler, who I forgot was even playing. They also managed to win while having one of the goofiest backup frontcourt combinations in history in Ronny Turiaf (any Knicks fans miss him? No? Me neither) and Ryan Hollins, who matches DeAndre Jordan in lankiness but far less in net-kicking ability.

Now for Portland. I've got to say, I feel bad for Portland, I really do. They are a team that has done many things right and been rewarded with a royal shafting from every basketball god out there. Their 2007 number one pick in the draft and big man that everyone had been waiting for, Greg Oden, has played a total of 82 games in his career (that's the number of games in one season) and has had a grand total of six surgeries on his knees. Brandon Roy, their smooth All-Star small forward with a knack for getting to the rim retired early because of a degenerative knee condition, only to come back this season for Minnesota (not that he's doing much there).

Sadly, this team is not a good one. There are good pieces--Damian Lillard, the sixth pick in the draft out of Weber State recently joined Oscar Robertson as one of the only players to record 20 or more points and more than seven assists in their first three rookie season games. He still plays with the unbridled fear of a rookie that doesn't know any better, hence his propensity for getting earth-shatteringly blocked (there's links to three of his more embarrassing blocks) early on this season. But his outside game is good, though he had a modest 16 points on 6-13 shooting tonight, and he knows how to move the ball well.

Then there's LaMarcus Aldridge, an under-appreciated, very skilled big man who looked like Shawn Bradley (too much Bradley-ragging?) against DeAndre Jordan tonight but is nevertheless a good piece for the Blazers to have in place.

Finally, Nicholas Batum who looks ready to live up to his 4-year, $46 million contract, leading the Blazers on a huge third-quarter run with 12 of his 23 points before petering out anti-climatically in the fourth.

The problems on this team far outweigh the bright spots, though. This is a team that is last in the NBA with 12.8 bench points per game. Not only that, but this is a team where J.J. Hickson (J.J. Hickson!) is averaging 28 minutes a game, and Sasha Pavlovic gets actual playing time. It doesn't matter how good (or pretty good) their starting line-up is, because they just don't have anything to back it up. Portland's first half was so hideous it caused Sir Charles Barkley to sigh in a moment of genuine displeasure and announce for the world to hear "This game is boring me man. It's a blowout."


So, not a promising game for the Trail Blazers, but lots to look forward to from the Clips (DeAndre Jordan went 5-7 from the line!).

If you're still reading this, you must really like either the Clippers or the Trail Blazers. Either way, remember this? Weren't these the good old days? I like to think they were. That's all for tonight. Sweet dreams, readers.