Ball or Nuthin' » Chauncey Billups

Clippers Look Good on Paper, But…

T Lamont — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:29:43 +0000

A front-office that was unable to land any notable offseason acquisitions.

An organization that allowed a versatile veteran to migrate over to the reigning NBA champions for peanuts.

An organization that will be the laughing stock of the league.

If most of us were to choose the Los Angeles basketball franchise that best fits the descriptions above, we know which one we would usually choose.

But this winter, the aura surrounding these organizations would force us to reconsider what is routinely the status quo.

Let’s just take a peek at the peripheral of these teams:

Clippers – signed Caron Butler; gave up Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu, Chris Kaman, 2012 first-rounder for Chris Paul; signed Chauncey Billups

Lakers – lost Lamar Odom for a trade exception (and protected 1st round pick)

On a roster that’s aging, and focusing on providing Kobe Bryant with as many opportunities to line his trophy case with titles as possible, the Lake Show’s deportation of Odom seemed rather…stupid. Not only was Bryant vocal about the weirdness of the move, but now he’s coming up with ailments that, during any other circumstance, he would undoubtedly find a way to power through.

Add to that the fact that the Lakers came up short on making a deal for a talented point guard – something that they’ve publicly declared as a need years ago. Their need for playmaking has been so bad that Bryant was singing the praises of an over-the-hill Jason Kidd back in 2007, and – in case you forgot – had an expletive-filled tirade about them not letting go of a young Andrew Bynum to get him.

By contrast, the Clippers did something that they have seldom done in the past – they made a move to make them relevant right now. Of course, the presence of power forward phenom Blake Griffin provided the team with something to build on. Adding almost anything to him can yield relevance in a conference without a true favorite at this point, but Chris Paul is a lot more than almost anything.

However, perhaps the more impressive part of the Clippers’ haul was that they did not have to part ways with recently signed pieces Chauncey Billups or Caron Butler. And with scoring guards Mo Williams and Randy Foye coming off the pine, Los Angeles doesn’t seem to be short on the ability to put the ball in the basket.

The Clippers are loaded with offensive firepower.

In a Western Conference without a clear cut favorite, it’s pretty safe to say that the Clip Joint can definitely count on earning an invite into the playoff party this time around.

But how will they fare?

They may be able to skate through a first round matchup based on the superior collective talents of Paul, Griffin and Butler. However, as things stand now, prospects of any further advancement is quite gloomy – and here are the main reasons why:

- Lack of quality front court depth – Granted, there aren’t many quality bigs lingering throughout the NBA free agent market, but Los Angeles will need someone to spell Jordan and Griffin. As the Clips find themselves in battles against the conference’s tougher, more physical opponents (from Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Memphis, and that other L.A. team), they’ll need to become more strategic in their management of matchups to keep their top talents on the floor and out of foul trouble.

- No offensive cohesion – Thus far, the Clippers offense consists of a heavy dose of dribbling by Chris Paul, and a lot of watching from other offensively gifted players on the rster. The Clips are living off of their ability to get easy baskets from pushing the ball, but those opportunities will diminish exponentially when they play quality opponents (particularly in the postseason). Simply put, they are a team of players who are accustomed to being number one options on their rosters.

- Offensive philosophy needs tweaking – Seeing that it’s best position player thrives in this manner, it seems like a safe bet to assume that Los Angeles will primarily become a high screen and roll team. While it may make sense, there are two downfalls to it: (1) Blake Griffin will cap its effectiveness due to his extrememly limited range and (2) the Clippers’ other talented weapons will continue to be untapped resources. Thus, the team will need to plug in some offenses that incorporate movement to spread the wealth – allowing them to become less predictable and less dependent on Paul’s ability to lose his defender and draw the attention of other defenders.

Improving in these three areas will go a long way to ensuring that the Clippers can continue to be the most talked about team in L.A…in a way that they aren’t used to.

Carmelo Anthony Ends Cavs Win Streak

T Lamont — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 04:38:48 +0000

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Carmelo Anthony has always believed that he belongs on the list of the best players in the NBA. After tonight’s game against Cleveland, LeBron James may be a believer, too.

While being closely guarded by James, Anthony sunk a jumper with 2 seconds left in overtime to lift the Denver Nuggets to a 118-116 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron James attempted a last-second heave that bounced off the rim, ending the Cavs win streak at 13.

The contest saw both teams exhibit hot and cold streaks. The Nuggets jumped out to a double-digit lead in the middle of the first half. Then, it was Cleveland that came back and took command of the game at the close of the third quarter. But down the stretch, the game tightened up. With the game tied approaching the end of regulation, the Nuggets have a chance to win. However, Chauncey Billups’ three-pointer was off the mark and the game entered overtime.

LeBron had a monster game - 43, 13 and 15.

The overtime period saw the Nuggets build a 5-point lead after Anthony penetrated and dished to Billups in the corner. Billups gave a slight hesitation to freeze James’ close out, and then calmly buried the shot. But the Cavs charged back and tied the game on a conventional three-point play by LeBron.

This all set the stage for Melo’s dramatic finish. Billups brought the ball up the court, and Denver was setting up for a screen and roll with Anthony. After dribbling off of the screen, Billups passed off to Carmelo. LeBron, knowing that Melo had his stroke going, gave him no room to breathe. But Anthony calmly jab-stepped and quickly released a jumper that hit nothing but the bottom of the net.

The game was a non-stop display of two of the best talents – and friends - in the NBA. LeBron James finished the game with 43 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists. He was the first player since 1974 (Pistol Pete Maravich) to put up 40-10-15. Carmelo Anthony was able to score at will as well, dropping 40 points of his own.

Perhaps the best part of the game was the head-to-head matchups between Anthony and James. They did what so many superstars refuse to do…they guarded each other on both ends of the floor. The competitiveness of the teams’ best players made this a memorable game.

And that last shot that Anthony made will be one that James won’t soon forget.

Billups Leads the Nuggets Past the Lakers at Staples

T Lamont — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:59:55 +0000

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Without Carmelo Anthony, one had to wonder how much of a chance the Denver Nuggets would have against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center.

Plenty, if Chauncey Billups had his say.

The Nuggets defeated the Lakers 126-113. The high-scoring affair saw both teams combine to place 12 players in double figures.

Smith provided great bench support for Denver, socring 27 points on 17 field goal attempts.

But it was Billups who was on fire Friday night, connecting on 12 of 20 FGs – including 9 of 13 3-pointers for 39 points. The former NBA champion also commanded the offense well, handing out eight assists. Billups, who received big support off the bench from guard J.R. Smith (11-17 FG, 3-4 3-pointers, 27 pts.), was able to outduel All-Star Kobe Bryant (11-22 FG, 33 pts.).

Denver’s Billups:

”You’ve always got to be confident. There’s a lot of people that can say it, but until you can do it, you’ve got to get that confidence from the right place. They’re the world champs. But we feel that we can compete with them.”

The Lakers led the contest at halftime 64-59, but the third quarter saw the visiting team outscore them 35-25 to take command. Billups made good on 4 consecutive triples, putting Denver up 87-85. Contributions from Smith and rookie point guard Ty Lawson helped them cushion their lead in the final quarter.

The victory was very gratifying for the Nuggets from a variety of angles. Denver and L.A. competed in a heated 6-game Western Conference Finals series last year, with L.A. advancing to (and eventually winning) the Finals. The Nuggets were again without superstar Carmelo Anthony and his 30 points per game. And finally, any win on the road – particularly against the NBA champs – is one to be savored. This win brings the Nuggets record up to 12-12 on the road, however, this one could give them the confidence to compete night in and night out when they’re not at home.

Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith:

”It was huge, especially to win on their court. We’ve struggled a lot out here, so getting one here without Melo is big. And when we get him back, hopefully we can keep it rolling.”

With The Game On The Line…

T Lamont — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:24:28 +0000

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Here’s my top five list of active NBA clutch performers…

Robert Horry - ”Big Shot Rob” has been just that throughout his career. Horry has provided the final dagger in many playoff and championship games. The “Lord of the Rings” has been a integral part of seven championship teams – so he knows a thing or two about winning.

Chauncey Billups- Billups will be best known for leading the Detroit Pistons to the 2004 NBA title, defeating the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers. Also referred to as “Mr. Big Shot”, Billups always steps up in clutch situations.

Rashard Lewis – Game after game, Lewis proves that he can easily stake a claim as one of the best end-game performers in the league. As demonstrated in the Orlando Magic’s 2009 NBA playoff run (when he hit three game-winning shots), pressure is not an obstacle for him. Lewis is 6’10″, so he has the requisite height to give himself clean looks at the basket in crunch time situations.

Robert Horry has a ring for each day of the week.

Ray Allen- The UConn alum is the best shooter in the NBA, and his shot-making ability increases with the game in the balance. He has unlimited range and one of the quickest releases in the league. The 9-time NBA All-Star who holds many 3-point shooting records, came up with some stellar in this year’s playoffs to add to his clutch-performance resume’.

Kobe Bryant- The 2007-2008 NBA MVP defines what it means to be a clutch performance. He has the rare ability to beat you with all aspects of his game – shooting, penetrating or passing. Kobe is the reason that the Lakers always have a chance to win any ball game. His supreme confidence puts him head-and-shoulders above his competition.

L.A. Outlasts Denver

T Lamont — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:56:15 +0000

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What a great game 1!!! Back and forth throughout the second half – - this is the type of close game that we should be seeing in the conference finals. 39 for Carmelo Anthony. 40 for Kobe Bryant.

The turning point? A reach-in foul by Kenyon Martin when they had Kobe Bryant contained. Bryant goes to the free throw line and calmly sinks both. Then, the Nuggets had 6’1″ Anthony Carter trying to inbound the ball under intense pressure from 6’10″ Lamar Odom. A poor decision on the pass led to the Lakers sealing this game with a couple of Kobe Bryant free throws that put L.A. up by 4 with 10 seconds remaining in the game.

Despite a 3-pointer from Chauncey Billups, the Lakers had already established control of the lead. And with alternating possessions and free throws, those two aforementioned plays decided the game.