Buzzer Reaction Los Angeles Clippers 112 Final Recap | Box score 91 Denver Nuggets No Dime tonight. Instead, enjoy this Blake Griffin dribbling exhibition: Tweet(s) of the Night Uhhh … Thanks? RT @portlandgiirl91 Hi you're hot..for an older guy @kevinarnovitz — Kevin Arnovitz (@kevinarnovitz) December 22, 2013 Defensive Rating Update Despite holding the Nuggets to 95 points and improving their defensive rating from 100.5 to 100.0, the Clippers remain eighth in the rankings. Efficiency Flow The Depth Charge BENCH MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF +/- PTS Byron Mullens, C DNP COACH’S DECISION Ryan Hollins, C 10 0-1 0-0 1-2 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 -4 1 Antawn Jamison, PF 10 2-4 0-0 1-1 1 1 2 0 1 0 0 2 0 5 Total 20 2-5 0-0 2-3 1 3 4 0 1 1 0 2 -4 6 ClipperBlog Live’s Best Moment Jordan White joins Andrew and Jovan to discuss the Clippers’ defensive improvement and ceiling in the West. Also, Jovan compares Fred’s head size to that of two NBA All-Stars. Check Your Messages Hitting Their Stride Since shuffling Jamal Crawford into the starting lineup and Willie Green to the reserves, the Clippers are sporting a 115.9 offensive rating and 95.5 defensive rating. That’s good for third on offense and second on defense over that four game stretch. One would think those numbers will only improve now that premiere utility man Matt Barnes has returned to the rotation. - Andrew Han Swat City J.J. Hickson caught a bounce pass from Ty Lawson and went up for a dunk. Blake Griffin, the closest help defender, instantly recovered and met Hickson at the apex of jump, blocking his shot. Hickson grabbed the loose ball and gathered himself under the rim. With Griffin off balance and out of the play, Hickson went up again. Swat. DeAndre Jordan rotated over and erased the layup, which ultimately led to free throws for Griffin on the other end. As the Los Angeles Clippers continue to grasp coach Doc Rivers’ defensive schemes, these sequences have become commonplace; the Clippers had nine steals and eight blocks for the game. More important, the win column validates Los Angeles’ recent progress. The Clippers held the Denver Nuggets to just 35.2 percent shooting in L.A.’s 112-91 win Saturday night, protecting the rim and thwarting a pick-and-roll attack, thanks in large part to Griffin’s and Jordan’s activity. Despite entering the game with the 11th-most efficient offense, the Nuggets shot under 40 percent in each of the first three quarters and would have struggled to crack the 85-point mark if not for Wilson Chandler’s (19 points) monster first half. With the victory, the Clippers (19-9) have won four in a row — tied for their longest streak of the season — and held seven of their last nine opponents to 95 points or less. - Jovan Buha at ESPN LA
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