Clippers-Spurs a better match than you think

[coyotes_geek]

I never said Duncan can't outplay Griffin this series. Griffin has a knee sprain and is in his first playoff run of his career. Duncan is the smarter and more experienced player so it's possible. Griffin also struggles with Duncan's length. That being said it doesn't mean Duncan is the better player.

Aren't we talking about a playoff series matchup? Because if we're talking about a 7 game (or less) playoff series then the better player here is Duncan. The fact that Duncan can't put up the numbers over a lenghty regular season that Griffin can doesn't make Griffin the better player here where it matters.

[dougp]

What's so wrong or stupid about it? The guy is about to turn 37. I consider him a top 10-15 player of all time. One of the greatest bigmen ever. To say RIGHT NOW he's not a top 3 PF isn't a personal insult so stop being so sensitive.

Duncan turned 36 at the beginning of the playoffs, he's not about to turn 37. You just ing blew your entire argument on this site because of that.

Griffin will NEVER be ANYWHERE in top PFs in the league until he gets a mid-range shot and a reliable post-up game. Griffin excels at alley-oops and dunking off the P&R. He also needs to improve on his defense, we'll see what it's like in the coming series. I'd take Duncan over him in a heart beat right now, as well as Love (if he could learn to play D, he'd be the best big in the game), Randolph and Gasol.

[Clippersfan86]

LOL @ Griffin #1. Guy is benched in clutch time so he won't get put on the FT Line.

Should of watched the series and you wouldn't be talking out of your ass. Griffin was benched the 4th quarter because his knee locked up on him. He actually hit pretty much all of his clutch free throws against the Grizzlies. Including games 1, 3 and 7 where he hit multiple free throws in the last couple minutes of close games.

[Clippersfan86]

Duncan turned 36 at the beginning of the playoffs, he's not about to turn 37. You just ing blew your entire argument on this site because of that.

Griffin will NEVER be ANYWHERE in top PFs in the league until he gets a mid-range shot and a reliable post-up game. Griffin excels at alley-oops and dunking off the P&R. He also needs to improve on his defense, we'll see what it's like in the coming series. I'd take Duncan over him in a heart beat right now, as well as Love (if he could learn to play D, he'd be the best big in the game), Randolph and Gasol.

If Duncan is still elite and so much better than Griffin I ask again why wasn't he on the all star team DESPITE being so popular and respected? You're talking out of your ass here champ. Nobody outside of San Antonio considers Duncan a better all around player at this point than Griffin. Better defender, yes. Better player? No.

[Clippersfan86]

Aren't we talking about a playoff series matchup? Because if we're talking about a 7 game (or less) playoff series then the better player here is Duncan. The fact that Duncan can't put up the numbers over a lenghty regular season that Griffin can doesn't make Griffin the better player here where it matters.

We haven't even tipped off game one yet but we'll see who outplays who won't we? Assuming Griffin's knee doesn't bother him too much I have a good feeling you guys will learn a lot about him and find more respect for him. He does A LOT more than dunk.

[SpurinDallas]

If Duncan is still elite and so much better than Griffin I ask again why wasn't he on the all star team DESPITE being so popular and respected? You're talking out of your ass here champ. Nobody outside of San Antonio considers Duncan a better all around player at this point than Griffin. Better defender, yes. Better player? No.

Pop limited his minutes dumb ass, so all the "experts" could point out that his numbers were down. They conveniently forgot to mention they were down because his minutes were as well.

[TheSkeptic]

If Duncan is still elite and so much better than Griffin I ask again why wasn't he on the all star team DESPITE being so popular and respected? You're talking out of your ass here champ. Nobody outside of San Antonio considers Duncan a better all around player at this point than Griffin. Better defender, yes. Better player? No.

No disrespect because frankly I haven't watched enough Clipper games to form a proper opinion on Griffin, but the All Star team isn't a good argument imo. Voting tends to be either late or premature and it's mostly based around popularity with fans.

Duncan, imo, is more of a musician's musician if you know what I mean. Plus he's picked up his production this year and the Spurs in general have been flying under the radar. In any case, my impression is that Griffin is talented but lacking in polish and that CP3 is the best player on your team.

I'm going to wait until seeing the series before making any comparisons but I think in the playoffs Duncan will be fantastic while Griffin will be hampered by his knee. We'll find out soon enough though.

[sa_butta]

1. Griffin
2. Gasol
3. KG
4. Duncan

In terms of best PF's left in playoffs. Love, Aldridge, Zbo, Smith are all out of the playoffs. I'm going by individually best player for 2011-2012, not current production so far in the playoffs. KG has probably been the best PF overall this year in the playoffs.

BTW the tricky part is Duncan has been playing center for what 8 years now? Pop and Duncan both call TD a center. So is it fair to even call him a PF or compare him to PF's? I'd say he's the best center in this playoffs outside of Bynum.

Hasn't KG also been playing Center?? And if you are including KG and you are talking individual best player for 2011-2012 then you have to at least put Duncan ahead of KG overall. KG has been playing great in the playoffs, but I think Duncan was better over the course of the season. And in the playoffs Duncan and Griffins numbers are pretty similar. Pretty hard to see Duncan at #4.

[coyotes_geek]

We haven't even tipped off game one yet but we'll see who outplays who won't we? Assuming Griffin's knee doesn't bother him too much I have a good feeling you guys will learn a lot about him and find more respect for him. He does A LOT more than dunk.

Like bricking 15 foot jumpshots and needlessly burning up a bunch of shot clock staring down defenders while out on the wing?

I don't have a problem with Blake. He's a great player, but his game isn't built for the playoffs and Duncan's game is. Griffin is going to get his sportscenter highlights in this series, but the Spurs are going to have success denying Griffin the ball in the spots he wants it and they're absolutely going to pick and roll him to death.

[Clippersfan86]

Like bricking 15 foot jumpshots and needlessly burning up a bunch of shot clock staring down defenders while out on the wing?

I don't have a problem with Blake. He's a great player, but his game isn't built for the playoffs and Duncan's game is. Griffin is going to get his sportscenter highlights in this series, but the Spurs are going to have success denying Griffin the ball in the spots he wants it and they're absolutely going to pick and roll him to death.

You're being too hard on Griffin. He's a raw player in his first playoff run. He will get better with a great coach and more experience. Imagine if Pop got his hands on Griffin? Griffin actually has a VERY unique skill set. Ballhandling and playmaking ability of a guard. Quickness of a SF. He needs better coaching and time.

[Venti Quattro]

You're being too hard on Griffin. He's a raw player in his first playoff run. He will get better with a great coach and more experience. Imagine if Pop got his hands on Griffin? Griffin actually has a VERY unique skill set. Ballhandling and playmaking ability of a guard. Quickness of a SF. He needs better coaching and time.

flop flop city

[Clippersfan86]

Hasn't KG also been playing Center?? And if you are including KG and you are talking individual best player for 2011-2012 then you have to at least put Duncan ahead of KG overall. KG has been playing great in the playoffs, but I think Duncan was better over the course of the season. And in the playoffs Duncan and Griffins numbers are pretty similar. Pretty hard to see Duncan at #4.

Correct about KG. So I won't consider TD or KG PF's in this playoff run. Duncan was better during regular season and KG is playing better in the playoffs. In general Duncan always gets it done when it counts but we can't act like he's dominating right now. He's putting up like 14 ppg in the playoffs. Griffin is putting up 19 although his rebounding is way down (think like 7 rpg in playoffs).

That was against the best frontcourt in the NBA with an injury too. Now with 2 days rest on that injury and against a small frontcourt Griffin won't have issues really. Duncan will do well on him but Diaw, Splitter, Blair, Bonner are going to get crushed.

[Clippersfan86]

flop flop city

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibkih7Gv9E8

[sa_butta]

Correct about KG. So I won't consider TD or KG PF's in this playoff run. Duncan was better during regular season and KG is playing better in the playoffs. In general Duncan always gets it done when it counts but we can't act like he's dominating right now. He's putting up like 14 ppg in the playoffs. Griffin is putting up 19 although his rebounding is way down (think like 7 rpg in playoffs).

I'm going by individually best player for 2011-2012, not current production so far in the playoffs.

[Clippersfan86]

I listed both after the fact. Griffin= better player in general this year. Last year too.

[ambchang]

Stopped reading after Kiki talked about how and why the Spurs and Clippers are similar based strictly on the ability of players at their respective positions.

Chris Paul and Tony Parker are both fantastic players, but they have totally different games. Paul controls the game through pace, and controls the ball for much of the game. Parker runs the team by being a constant scoring threat and relishes the running game.

Comparing Duncan and Griffin is even MORE insane. Griffin is an athletic freak, who does not have a consistent outside game. His defense and rebounding is not based on the same discipline and positioning as Duncan's.

The Clippers, in general, are a poorly coached team that relies on athleticism and Paul's on-court smarts, the Spurs are a highly discipline team that relies on executing their offensive and defensive sets to perfection.

Just an overly poorly reasoned article, and I expect an ex-all star like Vanderwedge to write.

[coyotes_geek]

You're being too hard on Griffin. He's a raw player in his first playoff run. He will get better with a great coach and more experience. Imagine if Pop got his hands on Griffin? Griffin actually has a VERY unique skill set. Ballhandling and playmaking ability of a guard. Quickness of a SF. He needs better coaching and time.

He'll get better. I agree with that. Had you said "good ballhandling and playmaking ability for a big man" instead of "ballhandling and playmaking ability of a guard" I'd have agreed with that too.

Regardless, all I care about is right here, right now. Using the proverbial check mark system to see which team has an advantage in this playoff series, I'm giving the check mark to Duncan over Griffin.

[Clippersfan86]

He'll get better. I agree with that. Had you said "good ballhandling and playmaking ability for a big man" instead of "ballhandling and playmaking ability of a guard" I'd have agreed with that too.

Regardless, all I care about is right here, right now. Using the proverbial check mark system to see which team has an advantage in this playoff series, I'm giving the check mark to Duncan over Griffin.

We can agree to disagree, I'm cool with that. I give Spurs a big overall edge but Duncan over Griffin isn't one I can give. Good news is we can find out a bit tonight.

BTW check these clips of Griffin's ballhandling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZIwcvp0eW0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9hBjVFaqog

I tried to post a few others but they have been removed by Youtube. I've seen him toy with defenders with his crossovers. I'm excited for you guys to see more this series.

[sa_butta]

We can agree to disagree, I'm cool with that. I give Spurs a big overall edge but Duncan over Griffin isn't one I can give. Good news is we can find out a bit tonight.

BTW check these clips of Griffin's ballhandling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZIwcvp0eW0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9hBjVFaqog

I tried to post a few others but they have been removed by Youtube. I've seen him toy with defenders with his crossovers. I'm excited for you guys to see more this series.

Griffin is not exactly at 100% right now. Is it not possible that they could just cancel each other out posting similar numbers?

[Spurtacus]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibkih7Gv9E8

Flop City

[Clippersfan86]

Griffin averaged 22, 13 and 4 on 61 percent shooting vs the Spurs this year. If anything stops him it will be his injury.