Defense Shines In Clippers Runaway Win

By Connor Aylward
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Updated: November 10, 2016

The Portland Trailblazers came to Staples Center Wednesday night to take on your Los Angeles Clippers in their second contest against one another already this season. The Clippers won the matchup on opening night in Portland 114-106. This one wouldn’t be nearly as close.

Defense, defense, defense. That had to be all Clipper Head Coach Doc Rivers preached to his ball club this offseason as the team has really taken a major step forward in that aspect of their game. In the entire NBA the best defensive unit is the Clippers starting lineup. Any guesses for the second best defensive unit in the league? It’s the Clippers backup unit of Raymond Felton, Jamal Crawford, Austin Rivers, Wesley Johnson and Marreese Speights.

Portland felt the wrath of that defense Wednesday as nothing came easy. Shooting just 35.2% from the field and 20% from beyond the arc. The guard tandem of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum were frustrated all night long by Chris Paul and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute who I’m pretty sure will be appearing in Lillard’s nightmares for a while. The Trailblazer pair have been the highest scoring duo in the NBA thus far this season and both were held to single digits getting only 8 points a piece. Only one Blazer would score over double-digits on the night and that was Shabazz Napier who finished the night with 11, most of which were scored in garbage time with no starters on the floor.

The Clippers offense on the other hand was anything but stagnant. The starters would be removed after just three-quarters of play yet again with the clubs huge lead and their stats wouldn’t suffer at all because of it.

End of 3Q 📊 Update:
LAC 93 | POR 50
CP3: 19p/4r/7a/1s
Blake: 22p/13r/5a/2s/1b
DJ: 16p/9r/1a/3b
JJ: 10p/1r/1s#ItTakesEverything pic.twitter.com/mLoSnakmEy

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 10, 2016

This was another record night for one of the Clippers. This time it was Blake Griffin surpassing the 4,000 career rebound mark.

.@blakegriffin32 is now over 4️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ rebounds for his career. Here’s how it happened.#ItTakesEverything pic.twitter.com/izh3gksj5w

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 10, 2016

Congratulations to Griffin on hitting a milestone few hit at his age of just 27. Keep it up big man.

Los Angeles moves to 7-1 on the year with the 111-80 win Wednesday.

Next will be another showdown with the Oklahoma City Thunder who gave this Clipper squad their only loss of the year. That matchup will take place Friday evening on NBA TV at 5 PM PST.

Thanks for reading along Clipper Nation let’s keep this record-breaking start to the season going!

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