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SAN ANTONIO
LA CLIPPERS |
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208
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Final
107 |
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| Western Conference - Round 1 - Best of 7 - Game 1 | | |  | |
| 715 | SAN ANTONIO | 206 | Pick | | 716 | LA CLIPPERS | -2 | 207.5 |
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| All Games | 55-27 | -3.6 | 41-39 | 39-42 | 103.2 | 51.4 | 46.8% | 51.2 | 97.0 | 45.9 | 44.4% | 50.0 | | Road Games | 22-19 | -6.1 | 20-21 | 16-24 | 99.0 | 48.5 | 44.8% | 51.0 | 96.1 | 45.1 | 44.4% | 51.0 | | Last 5 Games | 4-1 | +0.9 | 2-3 | 3-2 | 107.4 | 52.8 | 51.8% | 49.6 | 97.6 | 48.8 | 45.3% | 49.4 | | Playoff Games | 0-0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 |
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| Team Stats (All Games) | 103.2 | 51.4 | 39-84 | 46.8% | 8-23 | 36.7% | 17-21 | 78.0% | 51 | 10 | 24 | 19 | 8 | 13 | 5 | | vs opponents surrendering | 100.5 | 50.2 | 38-84 | 45.0% | 8-23 | 34.9% | 17-23 | 75.0% | 52 | 11 | 22 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 5 | | Team Stats (Road Games) | 99.0 | 48.5 | 38-84 | 44.8% | 7-22 | 34.0% | 16-21 | 79.9% | 51 | 10 | 23 | 20 | 8 | 13 | 5 | | Stats Against (All Games) | 97.0 | 45.9 | 37-84 | 44.4% | 7-19 | 36.0% | 16-21 | 74.5% | 50 | 10 | 21 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 4 | | vs opponents averaging | 100.5 | 50.2 | 38-84 | 44.9% | 8-23 | 35.0% | 17-23 | 75.0% | 52 | 11 | 22 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 5 | | Stats Against (Road Games) | 96.1 | 45.1 | 36-82 | 44.4% | 6-18 | 36.1% | 17-23 | 74.1% | 51 | 10 | 20 | 19 | 7 | 14 | 5 |
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| All Games | 56-26 | +0.7 | 37-44 | 38-43 | 106.7 | 53.5 | 47.3% | 51.9 | 100.1 | 50.0 | 44.2% | 51.9 | | Home Games | 30-11 | -5.6 | 16-25 | 15-26 | 106.0 | 53.6 | 47.0% | 52.8 | 98.0 | 48.1 | 43.4% | 52.6 | | Last 5 Games | 5-0 | +2 | 2-3 | 1-4 | 105.4 | 54.8 | 46.7% | 54.4 | 93.6 | 44.8 | 42.0% | 52.4 | | Playoff Games | 0-0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 |
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| Team Stats (All Games) | 106.7 | 53.5 | 39-83 | 47.3% | 10-27 | 37.6% | 18-25 | 71.0% | 52 | 10 | 25 | 21 | 8 | 12 | 5 | | vs opponents surrendering | 100.2 | 50 | 38-84 | 44.9% | 8-22 | 35.0% | 17-23 | 75.1% | 52 | 11 | 22 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 5 | | Team Stats (Home Games) | 106.0 | 53.6 | 39-82 | 47.0% | 10-26 | 37.2% | 19-26 | 71.1% | 53 | 9 | 26 | 21 | 8 | 12 | 6 | | Stats Against (All Games) | 100.1 | 50.0 | 36-82 | 44.2% | 8-24 | 34.9% | 19-26 | 74.1% | 52 | 11 | 23 | 22 | 7 | 14 | 3 | | vs opponents averaging | 100.3 | 50.1 | 38-84 | 44.9% | 8-22 | 35.0% | 17-23 | 75.2% | 52 | 11 | 22 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 5 | | Stats Against (Home Games) | 98.0 | 48.1 | 36-83 | 43.4% | 8-23 | 33.0% | 18-25 | 72.5% | 53 | 11 | 24 | 22 | 7 | 14 | 3 |
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| | Average power rating of opponents played: SAN ANTONIO 95.5, LA CLIPPERS 95.9 |
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| 3/10/2015 | TORONTO | 117-107 | W | -7 | W | 204.5 | O | 41-85 | 48.2% | 56 | 11 | 43-97 | 44.3% | 53 | 9 | | 3/12/2015 | CLEVELAND | 125-128 | L | 1 | L | 207 | O | 49-87 | 56.3% | 48 | 13 | 44-91 | 48.4% | 49 | 12 | | 3/15/2015 | MINNESOTA | 123-97 | W | -14 | W | 207 | O | 49-84 | 58.3% | 45 | 14 | 38-86 | 44.2% | 44 | 15 | | 3/17/2015 | @ NEW YORK | 100-104 | L | -14 | L | 194.5 | O | 36-94 | 38.3% | 62 | 11 | 41-91 | 45.1% | 59 | 11 | | 3/18/2015 | @ MILWAUKEE | 114-103 | W | -5.5 | W | 192 | O | 38-76 | 50.0% | 48 | 8 | 39-80 | 48.7% | 45 | 12 | | 3/20/2015 | BOSTON | 101-89 | W | -9 | W | 205.5 | U | 38-81 | 46.9% | 50 | 13 | 35-88 | 39.8% | 55 | 15 | | 3/22/2015 | @ ATLANTA | 114-95 | W | 1.5 | W | 200.5 | O | 46-82 | 56.1% | 48 | 16 | 38-80 | 47.5% | 32 | 18 | | 3/24/2015 | @ DALLAS | 94-101 | L | -3.5 | L | 207 | U | 36-85 | 42.4% | 49 | 16 | 42-87 | 48.3% | 52 | 16 | | 3/25/2015 | OKLAHOMA CITY | 130-91 | W | -7.5 | W | 217 | O | 51-88 | 58.0% | 58 | 11 | 36-90 | 40.0% | 38 | 10 | | 3/27/2015 | DALLAS | 94-76 | W | -8.5 | W | 205.5 | U | 37-84 | 44.0% | 55 | 14 | 31-82 | 37.8% | 51 | 18 | | 3/29/2015 | MEMPHIS | 103-89 | W | -8 | W | 193.5 | U | 42-83 | 50.6% | 53 | 8 | 36-82 | 43.9% | 38 | 10 | | 3/31/2015 | @ MIAMI | 95-81 | W | -8 | W | 195 | U | 37-74 | 50.0% | 49 | 19 | 32-79 | 40.5% | 39 | 18 | | 4/1/2015 | @ ORLANDO | 103-91 | W | -10.5 | W | 196.5 | U | 35-86 | 40.7% | 55 | 10 | 39-93 | 41.9% | 54 | 12 | | 4/3/2015 | DENVER | 123-93 | W | -13 | W | 208.5 | O | 47-85 | 55.3% | 50 | 18 | 40-87 | 46.0% | 41 | 18 | | 4/5/2015 | GOLDEN STATE | 107-92 | W | -6 | W | 211.5 | U | 44-83 | 53.0% | 53 | 12 | 39-91 | 42.9% | 46 | 10 | | 4/7/2015 | @ OKLAHOMA CITY | 113-88 | W | -5.5 | W | 215 | U | 47-89 | 52.8% | 57 | 15 | 34-84 | 40.5% | 52 | 15 | | 4/8/2015 | HOUSTON | 110-98 | W | -6.5 | W | 204.5 | O | 48-95 | 50.5% | 51 | 9 | 39-84 | 46.4% | 49 | 13 | | 4/10/2015 | @ HOUSTON | 104-103 | W | -3.5 | L | 204 | O | 41-85 | 48.2% | 49 | 15 | 31-66 | 47.0% | 57 | 20 | | 4/12/2015 | PHOENIX | 107-91 | W | -17 | L | 199.5 | U | 35-69 | 50.7% | 50 | 15 | 35-85 | 41.2% | 45 | 10 | | 4/15/2015 | @ NEW ORLEANS | 103-108 | L | -5 | L | 193 | O | 45-79 | 57.0% | 41 | 15 | 43-83 | 51.8% | 44 | 9 | | 4/19/2015 | @ LA CLIPPERS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4/22/2015 | @ LA CLIPPERS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4/24/2015 | LA CLIPPERS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4/26/2015 | LA CLIPPERS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| 3/11/2015 | @ OKLAHOMA CITY | 120-108 | W | 6 | W | 210.5 | O | 35-76 | 46.1% | 53 | 12 | 33-76 | 43.4% | 49 | 20 | | 3/13/2015 | @ DALLAS | 99-129 | L | 2 | L | 204 | O | 41-82 | 50.0% | 37 | 15 | 51-84 | 60.7% | 49 | 15 | | 3/15/2015 | HOUSTON | 98-100 | L | -5 | L | 213.5 | U | 36-82 | 43.9% | 62 | 20 | 32-86 | 37.2% | 55 | 12 | | 3/17/2015 | CHARLOTTE | 99-92 | W | -10 | L | 201.5 | U | 35-77 | 45.5% | 53 | 12 | 32-79 | 40.5% | 50 | 13 | | 3/18/2015 | @ SACRAMENTO | 116-105 | W | -9 | W | 214 | O | 45-88 | 51.1% | 43 | 11 | 38-79 | 48.1% | 51 | 10 | | 3/20/2015 | WASHINGTON | 113-99 | W | -7 | W | 201.5 | O | 45-86 | 52.3% | 58 | 14 | 37-86 | 43.0% | 42 | 9 | | 3/22/2015 | NEW ORLEANS | 107-100 | W | -10 | L | 199.5 | O | 42-91 | 46.2% | 51 | 10 | 38-75 | 50.7% | 46 | 18 | | 3/25/2015 | @ NEW YORK | 111-80 | W | -15.5 | W | 197 | U | 44-78 | 56.4% | 46 | 15 | 29-82 | 35.4% | 49 | 20 | | 3/27/2015 | @ PHILADELPHIA | 119-98 | W | -12.5 | W | 201.5 | O | 44-82 | 53.7% | 65 | 16 | 36-86 | 41.9% | 47 | 13 | | 3/29/2015 | @ BOSTON | 119-106 | W | -6 | W | 207.5 | O | 41-84 | 48.8% | 66 | 12 | 39-93 | 41.9% | 50 | 10 | | 3/31/2015 | GOLDEN STATE | 106-110 | L | -3.5 | L | 218 | U | 36-82 | 43.9% | 53 | 11 | 38-85 | 44.7% | 53 | 9 | | 4/1/2015 | @ PORTLAND | 126-122 | W | 3 | W | 209.5 | O | 46-86 | 53.5% | 46 | 6 | 45-89 | 50.6% | 49 | 8 | | 4/4/2015 | @ DENVER | 107-92 | W | -10 | W | 216.5 | U | 34-79 | 43.0% | 65 | 12 | 32-85 | 37.6% | 58 | 15 | | 4/5/2015 | @ LA LAKERS | 106-78 | W | -13.5 | W | 208.5 | U | 40-75 | 53.3% | 47 | 10 | 29-75 | 38.7% | 50 | 17 | | 4/7/2015 | LA LAKERS | 105-100 | W | -16.5 | L | 207 | U | 39-81 | 48.1% | 57 | 8 | 35-84 | 41.7% | 50 | 11 | | 4/11/2015 | MEMPHIS | 94-86 | W | -9.5 | L | 197 | U | 35-88 | 39.8% | 57 | 13 | 34-77 | 44.2% | 51 | 18 | | 4/13/2015 | DENVER | 110-103 | W | -18 | L | 214.5 | U | 37-82 | 45.1% | 56 | 13 | 38-101 | 37.6% | 67 | 11 | | 4/14/2015 | @ PHOENIX | 112-101 | W | -10.5 | W | 207 | O | 42-87 | 48.3% | 55 | 12 | 39-80 | 48.7% | 44 | 15 | | 4/19/2015 | SAN ANTONIO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4/22/2015 | SAN ANTONIO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4/24/2015 | @ SAN ANTONIO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4/26/2015 | @ SAN ANTONIO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| |  | SAN ANTONIO: GUARDS: TONY PARKER may not be ageless, as he'll sit a handful of games during the regular season. But when the 32-year-old is on the court, he still gets into the lane whenever he wants . . . He can't do anything off the dribble, but DANNY GREEN is one of the league's elite spot-up shooters . . . MANU GINOBILI will need some regular-season maintenance as far as playing time goes, especially coming off a stress fracture in his leg. He's essential for the postseason . . . MARCO BELINELLI will have a significant role off the bench due to his ability to defend, shoot and do some ball-handling . . . It might be a lost regular season for NBA Finals star PATTY MILLS as he works his way back from shoulder surgery. He hopes to make his season debut in mid-January . . . CORY JOSEPH will pick up a few more minutes while Mills is out. FORWARDS: There's plenty of buzz surrounding KAWHI LEONARD after his Finals MVP performance, though it seems unlikely they'll make him the centerpiece of this offense as long as their vets are still going strong . . . Thirty-eight-year-old TIM DUNCAN is still one of the better power forwards in the league. Just like Parker and Ginobili, he'll take the occasional DNP-CD. His rebounding and shot-blocking rates continue to surge. The only real disappointment last season was that his FT shooting slid back towards his sub-70% career mark . . . JEFF AYRES is one of the new anonymous big men at the end of the San Antonio bench. He'll see a handful of starts when Gregg Popovich rests his star players . . . KYLE ANDERSON is too much of a defensive liability to see major minutes as a rookie, but his versatile skill set suggests he could be Boris Diaw's heir apparent . . . MATT BONNER will hoist some threes during the regular season. CENTERS: Popovich rotates his centers depending on the situation. TIAGO SPLITTER, the more traditional 5, will likely take the bulk of the minutes again . . . BORIS DIAW will play when the offense gets stagnant, especially when opponents go small. | | LA CLIPPERS: GUARDS: Head coach Doc Rivers pretty much hands the offense over to CHRIS PAUL, who is very much in his prime. He has a chance to lead the NBA in assists and steals again . . . He was banged up during the regular season, but J.J. REDICK fit nicely next to Paul when healthy . . . JAMAL CRAWFORD will reprise his sixth-man role. He can still fill it up, though he'll lose a bit of playing time if Redick stays healthy . . . JORDAN FARMAR is still hanging around L.A., this time to back up Paul. He'll run point for the second unit . . . C.J. WILCOX is arguably the best shooter in the rookie class, but he's not guaranteed to grab a rotation spot. FORWARDS: He still has flaws in his game, but BLAKE GRIFFIN continues to evolve into a more complete player. His improved shooting, both mid-range and at the line, is a testament to that . . . The Clippers failed to land an upgrade at small forward, so MATT BARNES might be the starter by default again. He's a good glue guy, though his streaky shooting is a frustration . . . The Clippers retained GLEN DAVIS in free agency. "Big Baby" can do some damage against opposing second units during the regular season. CENTERS: Rivers made DeANDRE JORDAN into a full-time player last season. He's a rim protector and rebounder who has made some strides defending in space, but there's a reason the Clippers spent on another big man . . . SPENCER HAWES gives them a different look at the 5-spot, and he can play alongside Jordan as a floor-spacer as well. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER NBA PLAYOFF PREVIEW (SAN ANTONIO-LA CLIPPERS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(With AP Photos.)
*Spurs-Clippers Preview* ========================
By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer
San Antonio At La Clippers, Game One, 10:30 p.m. EDT
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The San Antonio Spurs have faced almost every postseason obstacle imaginable during their 18-year run of steady success.
They've never had their team owner banned from the NBA for life in the middle of a playoff series, though.
"Yeah, we've had some challenges as a team," Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin said. "And we're tougher because of it."
The Clippers hope their unique experience during last year's supremely turbulent postseason gave them some of the tenacity necessary to survive a first-round meeting with the defending NBA champions. San Antonio visits Staples Center for Game 1 on Sunday night.
A year after Donald Sterling's public exposure for racist comments led to his banishment in the middle of their first playoff run under coach Doc Rivers, the Clippers are healthy, hungry and free of off-court distractions.
They just hope they're prepared for the daunting challenge of knocking off the Spurs in the league's most intriguing opening-round matchup.
"I think experience is the best teacher, and that was definitely tough," Clippers guard Jamal Crawford said, recalling Sterling's downfall last spring. "Playing the defending champs in the first round, that's tough, but I think we're up for the challenge."
The Clippers are unlikely ever to face anything similar to the distractions they overcame last year to eliminate Golden State in a tense seven-game series. Sterling's comments were made public early in the series, and the Clippers wore their warmup shirts inside-out before dumping them at center court in Oakland in a defiant display of unity against their team owner.
The Spurs survived their own seven-game slugfest with Dallas in the first round last spring, but lost just four more games on the way to the fifth championship for Tim Duncan and coach Gregg Popovich.
Both teams drew a brutal opening matchup thanks to San Antonio's loss to New Orleans on the final day of the regular season. The 55-win Spurs dropped all the way to the sixth seed, giving them a matchup with the third-seeded Clippers, who won 56 games and had the NBA's third-best record.
"We're starting on the road against one of the hottest teams playing right now," Duncan said. "We're comfortable playing on the road. We've been through just about every situation possible, so we have the capacity and we have the experience to be able to start a series on the road."
While the Spurs have won five championships and reached nine conference finals in the last 18 years, the Clippers have won only four playoff series in their entire 45-year franchise history - two of those in the previous three years.
"We're not going to have their experience. There's no way," Rivers said. "So what? It's a clear advantage. They should have an advantage. They have an advantage over every team playing, not just us. They have an advantage over everybody. They've won titles together, and that you cannot knock off."
Here are some additional story lines in this marquee Western Conference matchup:
A SIXTH FROM SIXTH: If the Spurs are going to win their first repeat championship and sixth overall, they'll have to do it as a sixth seed. Only the 1995 Houston Rockets have won a title from the No. 6 spot, something French guard Tony Parker knows well: "I watched the finals. I woke up at 3 in the morning to watch every game. It's a great example. It's been done before, (but) it's not going to be an easy task."
STREAKING HOME: The Clippers and the Spurs aren't just two NBA powers who got an unfortunate draw: They're both heading into the postseason with incredible momentum. Los Angeles has won 14 of its last 15 games, losing only to Golden State since March 15. San Antonio has won 14 of 16, including 11 straight before that season-ending defeat.
HACK-A-DJ: DeAndre Jordan couldn't make more than 40 percent of his free throws this season, and Popovich is well aware of the NBA rebounding champion's shortcomings. San Antonio sent Jordan to the line 28 times in a loss to the Clippers in February, and Jordan won't be surprised if such a strategy is used against him again. "There are situations in which we will probably do it," San Antonio's Manu Ginobili said.
KEEP COOL: The Spurs have been called for only 50 technical fouls in the last five years. The Clippers were called for 57 this season alone. Yet Rivers isn't worried: "I think we should stay that way, because that's who we are. We're not quiet. We are an emotional team, so let's not run from who we are. ... There's a lot of ways you can win. The Spurs have perfected their way, and they've done it really well. I think every coach would love to be that way, and that's not who we are."
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| | Last Updated: 4/18/2024 1:38:47 PM EST. |
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