Rowan Kavner
LOS ANGELES – Head coach Doc Rivers thought the bench gave the Clippers a lift in their win Saturday in Sacramento.
Meanwhile, everyone actually sitting on the bench was actually lifting up out of their seats a lot. Rivers liked the energy he saw from everyone on the floor since the Portland game and hopes to see that continue Monday against the Celtics.
“The energy, you could just see it on the floor and on our bench. It’s really nice to see,” Rivers said. “It’s just good to see guys excited. It’s something we’re up and down in, to me. I really think the last few games our guys are really involved. It helps.”
Rivers said that jumpstart in energy began out of nowhere, but he believes it started against the Blazers. The bench has changed significantly in the last week, and more changes could still come soon, but Rivers is seeing a change in inconsistency of energy.
Many times, Dahntay Jones was the most excited person on the floor in Sacramento. Even when he was on the bench, he’d be one of the first to get up to congratulate others. That attitude seems to be infectious. The bench players are getting up for the starters, and when the starters took a seat Saturday night, they stayed vocal and involved from the bench.
“You can just see it,” Rivers said. “Even (Friday) night when the bench didn’t play well, they were up cheering. (Saturday) when the bench was on the floor playing well, our starters, I had to move them back four or five times they were so engaged. That’s good.”
Jamal Crawford said when so much change is happening with the reserves, the newcomers have to feel welcomed. It helps that they’ve come in with a professional attitude.
“You have to embrace the guys that come through that door,” Crawford said.
LAST TIME OUT
Clippers 117, Kings 108– The Clippers made up for an early season loss against Sacramento by building on a third-quarter lead early in the fourth and having the starters put the Kings away late. The Clippers took advantage of playing Sacramento without DeMarcus Cousins, as Blake Griffin scored 30 points and Matt Barnes recorded his first double-double of the season with 26 points and 10 rebounds.
Bulls 119, Celtics 103: Derrick Rose scored 29 points and added 10 assists, as the Bulls scored at least 30 points in each of the final three quarters. The Bulls shot 53.9 percent from the floor and 52 percent from 3-point range. Jared Sullinger led the Celtics with 20 points, also adding eight rebounds.
NOTEWORTHY MATCHUP
Blake Griffin vs. Jared Sullinger – This really could be a choice of any of the Clippers’ three stars. The Celtics are rebuilding and retooling for the future, leaving the present a struggle. There’s not a ton of star power in the Boston starting lineup, so it makes sense as the Celtics mix and match that all 10 players who played for them in their last game got at least 13 minutes of playing time. This has the potential to be a night Griffin, Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan all get going.
TWO THINGS TO WATCH
Free Throws – The Celtics are in the bottom five in the league in free throws made and attempted. The Clippers, meanwhile, are in the top five in the league in free throws made per game. The Celtics allow 46 points in the paint per game, although they’re also top five in the league in points in the paint. If the Clippers attack inside, they could win this one from the line.
3-Point Advantage - If the Clippers choose to shoot from outside, however, they should still hold the advantage. The Clippers are averaging 10.2 made 3-pointers per game and shooting 38.1 percent from 3-point range. The Celtics are shooting just 32.3 percent from deep, and only five teams allow a higher opponent’s 3-point percentage than the Celtics (36.6 percent).
NOTES: The Clippers won both games of the matchup last season…The Celtics enter this game having lost 11 of their last 14 games overall…Griffin led the Clippers with 29 points and eight assists in the last matchup between the Celtics and Clippers…The Clippers and Celtics are both in the top five in the league in assists per game…The Celtics are in the top five in the league in fast break points
