The Los Angeles Clippers fall to the San Antonio Spurs in game one of the Western Conference Semi Finals. The Spurs beat the Clips by 19 points to take a one to zero lead in the series. The Spurs were executing their game plan to the tee as they usually do. The key to the game was the three point shooting; the Clips shot well going 9 for 19 (47%), but the Spurs went 13-25 (53%). Historically the Spurs have not been known for their three point shooting, this season they have become very efficient in that aspect, which makes them a versatile team. Clippers basically have to pick their poison. Either they crash the paint with defenders and allow the opportunities for open three point shots or they stay discipline in the perimeter and make it less difficult for the Spurs to get points in the paint. I know, what the HELL!!! The Spurs are a team that can score points in different ways, which obviously makes them a hard team to defend. So what do the Clippers have to do to win game two and the series?

It starts and finishes with Chris Paul. CP3 had 10 assists in game one, but shot 3 for 13 and scored 6 points. After the game CP3 himself stated, “We cannot win games if I play this badly.” He knows he played poorly by his standards and you can expect him to play better in game two. A troubling issue is Blake Griffin, he had a descent game scoring 15 points and grabbing 9 boards, but the problem is his knee. Not sure Blake will be able to display his explosiveness throughout four quarters, an aspect that can really hurt the Clips in this series.

That being said, how else can the Clippers win the series? For starters it begins with defense. The Clips need to find a way to keep the games in the 80’s or lower. They found lots of success against the Memphis Grizzlies when they were able to keep the game low scoring. The Clips have a good bench and they need to continually rotate fresh players to keep up their defensive intensity.

I was surprised that Reggie Evans only played 8 minutes in game one. His energy, defense, and rebounding ability sparked the Clippers in many games during their seven game series versus the Grizzlies. Along with Evans, Eric Bledsoe is becoming a valuable player for the Clips. Bledsoe led all Clippers scorers with 23 points in game one. Those are the two keys to the Clippers success; defense and bench play.

Game two will be a big one for the Clippers. If they can find a way to get a split and go to Los Angeles with a one to one series tie, then the Clips chances are great to possibly win the series. GO CLIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Los Angeles Clippers: Looking For A Split In Game Two - Fully Clips - Fully Clips - A Los Angeles Clippers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More

May 15, 2012; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) is defended by Los Angeles Clippers forward Kenyon Martin (left) during the first half in game one of the Western Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the AT

The San Antonio Spurs methodically stripped down this game, and made it one that they should easily have won. They did this with a combination of surgical 3-point shooting, double team defense on the Chris Paul pick and roll, and Tim Duncan turning back the clock.

Everybody was shooting the ball well for the Spurs. They had Danny Green, one of the best three-point shooters in North Carolina basketball history, rolling from the moment he got into the game. Kawhi Leonard, who is said to remind Greg Popovich of Bruce Bowen, was making things happen from the perimeter as well. The Spurs space the floor incredibly well and then they make the extra pass to make sure the shooter is wide open. That is why they had the best 3-point field goal percentage in the league this year, and that is why they shot 13 of 25 from downtown in this game.

Popovich’s game-plan was the second reason the Clippers had no chance in this game. He decided to double team Chris Paul in the pick and roll, and force him to pass the ball to Kenyon Martin or another guard with poorer ball-handling than Paul. He made substitutions to outwit Vinny Del Negro, and the match-up between those 2 head coaches is perhaps the biggest mismatch in this series.

Tim Duncan was also a beast in this game; he shot the ball from the perimeter extremely well, and he made cuts to the lane that looked like rookie year Tim Duncan. He scored 26 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and last night looked like he wanted one of his last year’s in the league to end with him holding the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Tim Duncan Turns Back the Clock and San Antonio Spurs Dissect the Los Angeles Clippers - Fully Clips - Fully Clips - A Los Angeles Clippers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More