Nets at Clippers Recap: Chris Paul Takeover

In the previous match up between the Nets and Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn finished on top. The Deron Williams vs. Chris Paul match up has been something to watch for their whole careers an tonight did not disappoint.

First Half:  Joe Johnson scored 10 in the first quarter but the game was still tight and remained so for the half. Keith Bogans and C.J. Watson combined for 11 points in the seconds but the Clippers balanced effort kept them in the game. Kris Humphries replaced Reggie Evans in the first quarter and played good defensive on Blake Griffin despite not scoring. Brook Lopez only had 8 by the half and Deron Williams looked decent. Johnson could not hit a three which was a big problem.

Second Half: Gerald Wallace arose from dead offensively, scoring an aggressive 13 points in the third quarter. The teams battled and the Nets managed a five point lead into the fourth quarter. Chris Paul simply just took over the game with 17 points. His ability to slice between defenders after high screen and rolls is just unstoppable, and the fact that the Nets put the Clippers in the bonus did not help. The Nets offense struggled and they even managed to get into the bonus themselves but did not take advantage. They went on a slump and the Clippers scored 31 points in the quarter. Deron Williams made a lazy pass that that turned out to be crucial in favor of the Clippers and Jamal Crawford with only less than a minute left. Joe Johnson was not himself in the quarter and the team wanted to go through him but could not. Williams hit a few shots at the end but Lopez only shot 14 times for the game. He needs way more touches, especially against a fast paced team. Overall the team effort was decent but it wasn't enough. The Clippers pushed their winning streak to 10 with this win. The good news is that P.J. Carlesimo will look at Kris Humphries in the future.

Box Score - NBA.com

Final Score: 95-101 Clippers
Most Disappointing Stat of The Game: Willie Green scored 15 points.
Most Promising Stat of The Game: 13 points for Wallace in the third quarter.
Scariest Moment of The Game: Johnson bangs his thigh/knee in the third.
Best Moment of The Game: Chris Paul's double cluth and the finish.


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