Cavs at L.A. Clippers: Windhorst Beat Blog
By Brian Windhorst, The Plain Dealer
January 16, 2010, 6:58PM
LOS ANGELES -- Pre-game from the Staples Center:
Projected starting lineups
Cavs: Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, LeBron James, JJ Hickson, Shaquille O'Neal
Clippers: Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Rasual Butler, Marcus Camby, DeAndre Jordan
Officials
Scott Foster, Brian Forte, David Guthrie
• Huge factor in his game is which gametime decision players play. Chris Kaman is being listed as questionable by the Clippers and he's a difference maker. When he's playing, the Clippers have one of the best frontcourts in the league and they are a formidable team. But he's been out with a bad back and the Clippers are on a losing streak because of it. Kaman should be an All-Star this season, he's having a career year. He didn't play last night against the Lakers and the Clippers lost by 40. With Kaman, the Clippers beat the Lakers nine days before that.
For the Cavs, the question mark is Delonte West. He was sick this morning and missed shootaround. His value in this game is higher than normal because both Davis and Gordon are penetrators and scorers. The Cavs will need West's defense out there because both Davis and Gordon have the ability to break down the Cavs defense off the dribble. It sounded like the Cavs were hopeful Delonte would play.
• Daniel Gibson might get some time in this game and not just because West isn't 100 percent. The Clippers use a smaller backcourt than most teams, so the matchup favors playing Gibson more instead of Jawad Williams. Then again, I've thought that before recently and Mike Brown has stuck with Jawad.
• In the last month, the Clippers have beaten the Lakers, Spurs, Celtics and Heat. This is not going to be a simple game and it is the make-it-or-break-it game on this trip for the Cavs. Going 3-2 isn't great, but it isn't bad and it would make them 5-0 on the West Coast this season. It's always hard to win out here. After the way they have let games get away in Denver and Salt Lake on this trip, it would stand to reason the Cavs would look to focus on finishing it on the strong note. But the Cavs have been tough to figure when it comes to focus this season. If Kaman plays, the Clippers aren't going to be easy to beat.
