NBA Los Angeles Clippers

JJ Redick Is Key To Los Angeles Clippers’ Success

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By @pjacobosports

JJ Redick Los Angeles Clippers

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The Los Angeles Clippers are getting into a groove as they’re beginning to click on all cylinders, winning nine of their last 11 games. The scary thing is that Clippers can get even better. In a tough win over the Indiana Pacers, Blake Griffin (31 points, 16 rebounds) and DeAndre Jordan (15 points, 23 rebounds) were beasts in the paint. Chris Paul filled up the box score as well (20 points, nine assists, five steals).

Aside from their two superstars in Griffin and Paul, I’ve noticed the team has improved when JJ Redick finds his shooting touch. Opposing coaches will think twice about leaving him open after Redick scored 16 points in this game.

During the first 10 games of the season, Redick was shooting 35 percent from the field and scoring only 11 points a game. The team had a 6-4 record. The team’s offense was stagnant because the Clippers’ shooters were struggling to make shots, and Jamal Crawford, Jordan Farmar and Matt Barnes were in a funk.

Over the following 14 games Redick found his stroke, averaging 16.6 points and elevating his shooting average (52 percent) in that span. He nailed 39 three-pointers as opposed to the 15 he made in the early going. It’s no coincidence the team played better. The Clippers are 12-3 since Redick woke up. With Redick finding his shot, the court opened up for his teammates because teams had to account for him.

Griffin is starting to play like the MVP caliber player he was from last year. This year he’s scoring 22 points and 7.3 rebounds. It’s a given what Griffin and Paul are going to contribute to the team. I feel Redick’s impact has a lot to do with the team gaining momentum.

The eighth-year pro out of Duke is a tremendous shooter, but he can be dangerous in many ways. He can stop and shoot, pick-and-pop, be a playmaker off of screens and stretch the floor to give Griffin more space to work inside. If Redick can be that third scorer consistently, the Clippers would be lethal. As Crawford and Barnes begin to play better so will the team.

At the moment the Clippers are the fifth best team in the Western Conference with an 18-7 record. Six of those seven losses were against teams with a winning record. Things would have been different if Redick had been in the zone for those matchups. The Clippers have been steamrolling through teams due to Redick spacing the floor and pulling that extra defender away from the stars.

With 25 games in the books, the Clippers are starting to catch fire. Redick has been key to their run in my opinion. Doc Rivers may want to run more plays for Redick as positive things have been happening for the Clippers.

Pablo Jacobo is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @getempsports, “Like” him on Facebook or add him on Google.

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