Rowan Kavner
LOS ANGELES – This may not be the same Pistons team the Clippers saw earlier this year.
The Pistons (5-19) enter Monday night’s game after snapping a 13-game losing streak with back-to-back wins against the Suns and Kings, while the Clippers (16-7) go into the matchup having lost back-to-back games for the first time all season.
It wasn’t like the Clippers ran all over the Pistons in the first meeting, when the Clippers needed to win the fourth quarter, 32-25, to come out with a six-point victory. With the Clippers searching for a win and the Pistons finally finding their stroke, the Clippers know they can’t let up.
“We’ve just got to find a way,” said Chris Paul. “Find a way to push through. I’ve got to get into the ball more, better defense, and I’ve got to find out how to attack more. Game’s played at both ends, and no one’s going to feel sorry for us.”
The Clippers all chimed in after Saturday’s loss about the need for better defense and energy. The Clippers at least now get an opponent in the Pistons who are last in the league with a 40.9 field goal percentage. Offensively for Paul and the Clippers, it’s about taking better care of the ball and finding their rhythm and pace.
“We’re too good offensively to turn the ball over,” said head coach Doc Rivers. “We lead the league in offense, so when we turn the ball over, it’s a big turnover, because it probably was a basket.”
LAST TIME OUT
Bucks 111, Clippers 106: The loss was the second straight for the Clippers, despite a season-high 26 points from Matt Barnes and 25 points from J.J. Redick against the Bucks. Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, who committed six turnovers in back-to-back games for the first time ever, scored only 10 points apiece. The Clippers let the Bucks shoot 56.6 percent.
Pistons 95, Kings 90: The Pistons’ second straight win was sparked by a full stat line from Josh Smith, who had 21 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, two steals and five blocks. Greg Monroe added 24 points and eight rebounds. The Pistons held the DeMarcus Cousins-less Kings to just 35.5 percent shooting.
NOTEWORTHY MATCHUP
Clippers’ Bigs vs. Pistons’ Bigs – Andre Drummond is finding his groove, recording a double-double each of the last three games. He had 17 points and 13 boards the last time the Pistons played the Clippers. With Greg Monroe and Josh Smith, who both scored more than 20 points against the Kings, also lighting up the stat sheets in recent games, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan will need to be busy for the Clippers to reverse their fate. Griffin had to resort to dishing the ball Saturday, as the Bucks showered him with defenders. That led to nine assists for Griffin but also a season-low 10 points.
TWO THINGS TO WATCH
Deep Ball – Both teams made at least 10 3-pointers in the last matchup, a rare feat for a Detroit team that averages 7.4 a game. A lot went wrong in the Clippers’ most recent game against the Bucks, but the deep shooting wasn’t an issue, as they drilled 14 3-pointers. The Clippers average more than 10 3-pointers per game and are more than five percent better from deep than the Pistons. The law of averages would suggest the Clippers should have a better advantage in that department than they did in the first meeting.
Griffin Involvement – Since his 45-point output against the Suns, teams have done a better job limiting Blake Griffin’s shooting. His combined point total the last three games is less than what he had in the Suns game alone. After a 10-point performance in which the Bucks doubled every time he touched the ball, head coach Doc Rivers said he’s got to get more creative finding ways to get Griffin the rock in a position to score.
NOTES
The Clippers have won seven straight games against the Pistons… The Clippers have two straight home games before traveling to Denver and coming back home for a rematch with the Bucks this coming week…The Pistons are top 10 in the league in second chance points and rebounds…The Clippers are top two in the league in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, effective field goal percentage and true shooting
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