First of all, we have to look at the comparison between what many call the best two power forwards in the game right now: Kevin Love and Blake Griffin. Love scored 66 points, Griffin 77. Love shot 41% from the field, Griffin shot 50%. Love was 7-15 from distance, Griffin shot is only 3 pointer of his career (exaggeration) and missed. Love grabbed 38 rebounds, Griffin had 29. Love's +/- was a combined total of -6, while Griffin's was -4. Love had 4 turnovers, Griffin turned it over 10 times. Love played about 104 minutes, Griffin played 113. K-Love had the game winner 6 weeks ago, Griffin got owned by Darko 3 straight games. Love got knocked out of Game 2, Griffin tried to end Luke Ridnour's career last night on a ridiculous play on a fast break. You stay classy Blake Griffin. Love's team won 3 games, Griffin's team found it impossible to beat the Wolves.
The Timberwolves out-scored the Clippers 85-69 in the 4th quarter in the 3 meetings.
Derrick Williams was +43 in the first two meetings before posting a -18 last night. Williams still finished with 51 points in the series.
Ricky Rubio struggled in all three games, shooting an abysmal 11.5% from the field (3-26), dishing out 21 assists, and turning the ball over 7 times. Chris Paul had 45 points and only 11 assists in the 2 games he played in. Rubio posted a +/- of -1 over the three games, while Paul was a surprising -12 in his two appearances.
Caron Butler proved his value shooting 1-16 in the two games he played in, but was actually +3 altogether.
The Timberwolves were 27-65 from 3 point range in the three games for an impressive 41.5%, while the Clippers shot only 18-55 for 32.7%.
At the beginning of the season, I saw the Clippers as an intriguing, exciting, young team that would be fun to watch. After seeing this series with the Wolves play out so far, I view the Clippers as an arrogant, over-confident, bullish team that thinks it can just take what it wants. They complain and bully their opponents and the officials assuming they can do anything they want. The Timberwolves out-worked, out-hustled, and out-energized the Clippers down the stretch of every one of the 3 matchups. As long as the Wolves hustle back on defense and take away the run to the rim, and force Griffin at least 6 feet away from the basket; I like the Wolves to take the season sweep April 12th at Target Center. Now, if only the Wolves could have this kind of success against that other team from LA.
Follow Wolves Rubes on Twitter @wolvesrubes.
Like I told Dwight last night during the game after he tweeted about the Clippers not knowing how to handle winning after 30 years of stink... I would compare the L.A. Clippers to the NFL's Detroit Lions instead of the Eagles. The Clippers have been the butt of the joke for years. They continually make personal mistakes. And now, they land arguably the best point guard in the NBA (save your CP2 jokes for now although they are hilarious...) and they win games and bam!! Detroit Lions. The way they constantly petition officials for ridiculous calls, the way they play with the arrogance of 5-time defending champions when they haven't won anything. Ever. And now the way Blake Griffin and Kenyon Martin get technicals that cost their team the game.. Detroit LIONS! The other thing I told Dwight: it is still unfair to compare Griffin to Suh though, because Suh is a much superior Free Throw shooter. Ooh, zing. Can't stand that dude. And as an avid Nebraska football fan, it pains me to say that he is turning into the Ndamukong Suh of the NBA - freakishly athletic, despised by all except his teammates. Feels good to sweep those guys!
ReplyDelete