<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">DENVER (AP) -- Forget their lousy playoff history. These Los Angeles Clippers push back -- and win. The Clippers ended a 13-year road playoff drought and moved within one victory of the franchise's first series win in 30 years by beating the Denver Nuggets 100-86 Saturday night. Corey Maggette finished with 19 points and Elton Brand had 11 points and 10 rebounds to lead Los Angeles, which flustered Denver into five technical fouls and a few shoving matches while swaggering through the Nuggets on their own floor. "It's a great feeling, but we can't get lackadaisical. We have to come out with some fight," Brand said. "I don't know what else to say. When we get to the second round, it will be like, 'Welcome to the party."' The Clippers shot 62 percent in the first half and matched the offense with stifling defense in the second as the Nuggets continued to struggle from the floor. "Without a doubt we didn't do much different other than really start out quick. It was a great team effort. I love it," Brand said. "Everybody was sharing the ball." Denver shot 42 percent, the Nuggets' best effort in the series but not nearly enough to match the Clippers. Carmelo Anthony led Denver with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Anthony was stunned after the loss, staring at the back of his locker with a towel draped over his head. "This right here really hurts, to lose on our home court the way we did," Anthony said. The Clippers moved ahead 3-1 in the best-of-seven series and can clinch Monday night back home in Los Angeles. The Clippers haven't won a playoff series since 1976, when as the Buffalo Braves they beat the Philadelphia 76ers in the opening round. The last time the Clippers won a road playoff game was when they beat Houston 95-83 on May 1, 1993 -- before veteran point guard Sam Cassell even joined the league. The 36-year-old Cassell spent much of the game with an ice pack on his back on the Clippers' sideline, but waved towels and cheered his much-younger teammates on to a dominant victory over the dispirited Nuggets. "They're not my concern. My only concern is about my ballclub," Cassell said. "We did an excellent job tonight." "Ol' Pops" -- as Cassell called himself -- was no slouch, finishing with 11 points. Chris Kaman, treated with IV fluids for a virus earlier in the day, scored 12 points and showed the Clippers -- who hadn't been in the playoffs since 1997 -- were hardly intimidated by the Nuggets, even in Denver. Kaman thought Denver's Reggie Evans reached between his legs while going for a rebound and shoved Evans to the court at the whistle in the first quarter. </div> Source I have no idea why Reggie Evans reached under to grab Kaman in the crotch. Shaun Livingston played great in this game on both ends of the court. What's great to see is the mentorship role Cassell has embraced. He always pulls Livingston aside to point things out Livingston isn't seeing on the court or giving him advice on the right decision to make with the basketball. The Nuggets can't make an outside shot, yet they continue to launch 3 pointers. Greg Buckner is 6-27 from behind the arc and just 1-15 in the last two games. The only threat to score is Carmelo Anthony, but he's constantly being guarded by fresh legs. Whether it's QRoss, Maggette, or Livingston they are wearing Melo down and he's well below his FG%.
The problem with Carmelo is that when he's not scoring, he doesn't really do anything else to help his team. He's not a great rebounder, defender, or distributor. If you can shut down his scoring, he's completely out of the game. Clippers need to knock out the Nuggets out in game 5. I think Cassell will make sure they're ready. They're playing at the same level as in the beginning of the year when they had Maggette and Ross in the lineup. They're a very potent team, and they could easily get all the way to the WCF.
QUOTE: I have no idea why Reggie Evans reached under to grab Kaman in the crotch. I do. He wanted to work on his ballhandling skills.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Is Sam Cassell a future coach in the making?</div> Yes, he even said he wanted to be a coach after his playing days. Shaun Livingston is playing great, he's IMO the best passer in the league and he's only a second year pro. He finds people when there open, his jumpshot looks much better than it did last year as well, and he's just manhandling little earl.
Reggie Evans has problems, he needs to get a suspension for that nonsense. The Clippers just ended the series with that game, they should take game 5 at home, and prepare to possibly face the Lakers in round 2.
congrats on the win!!!!! what Evans did was pretty nasty though. lol... here's the clip.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itu6BeKEi8Y&search=kaman
lakers. vs. clippers in round 2. WHo would have thought at the beginning of the season. At least both have homecourt advantage! LMAO
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Kaman reported his version of what happened to the officials and repeated it during an interview Sunday with NBA security, according to the Times. TV replays showed Evans putting his hand under Kaman's shorts during a battle under the boards. "I told [the NBA] in complete detail what happened," Kaman said, according to the Times. "The three refs also knew what happened." Kaman said he showed restraint in not punching Evans. "With what we're trying to do, I didn't want to get thrown out," he said, according to the Times. "I thought about it, but I knew what would happen. "One of the refs said he would have knocked [him] out. It was crazy." "When I saw it on TV, it was like, 'Wow,' " Clippers guard Sam Cassell said. "I asked the referees about it at halftime, and Jess Kersey, who has been in the league for [29] years, said he's never seen anything like it. You know what, Reggie is a good guy. I think he just lost it for a minute." </div> Kaman: Evans pulled testicles, prompting outburst I don't how Kaman restrained himself, I know would have kicked Evans in the nuts if he pulled my testicles.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post"> I don't how Kaman restrained himself, I know would have kicked Evans in the nuts if he pulled my testicles.</div> Chuck Norris would've roundhouse kicked him..IN THE BUTT to reach through to his testicles
