Five takeaways from Clippers’ win over Portland
When told that thousands took to the streets Wednesday night in downtown Los Angeles, not far from where the Clippers were playing Portland at Staples Center, in protest of President-elect Donald Trump, Coach Doc Rivers weighed in on the situation after the game.
Rivers had not shied away from voicing his opinion on voting, the right to protest and Trump winning the election.
Rivers kept it up after the game when told about the protesting.
“Well, we have a right to protest,” Rivers said. “There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s the American way. Protest is a good thing. The election didn’t go the way I wanted it to go. I said that. I personally know Donald Trump. I’ve golfed with him and I know him. I don’t think there’s anyone who runs for president who wants to do bad. I really don’t.
“He won. My take on it is let’s give him a chance and see what he can do. That’s the only way anyway now. Let’s go with that. You still have a right for your voice to be heard.
“Like I said before, voting is really important. And I think that lesson was learned here. But I do sympathize with some of the people that didn’t vote, because they feel like their voice is not being heard. I grew up in the inner city. A lot of things have not changed. My parents voted every year. So we have to figure out a way to improve our country and we have to figure out a way for me, if you know me, to educate our kids. And the way we’ve done that has not worked, clearly. And if it keeps not working, there will be civil disobedience. You know that. And so we have to figure it out. But right now we have a president in office who is terrific and we have one coming in that has done nothing yet and you have to give him a shot. He’s going to be president. That’s a guarantee. So to me, let’s see. Let’s see if the Congress and the Senate can actually work together. They’re all the same party. If they can’t, in two years, go vote and you can change it all. You really can. And I hope everyone hears that. Voting is powerful. It really is. That’s what we’re going to have to exercise.”
2. Blake Griffin had another strong game in the Clippers’ victory over the Trail Blazers.
Griffin had 22 points on seven-for-14 shooting. He also had 13 rebounds, five assists and one blocked shot. He played just 26 minutes, 21 seconds and finished the game with a plus-34.
3. The Clippers keep playing top-notch defense.
After holding Portland to just 35.2% shooting, the Clippers are now holding opponents to just 39.6% shooting over eight games.
They are limiting teams to just 88.3 points per game over that same span.
4. Marreese Speights continues to get buckets.
He came off the bench to score 12 points and contribute eight rebounds.
Speights was four-for-nine from the field, two-for-four from three-point range.
5. The Clippers shot the ball well from three-point range, making 34.4% [11-for-32] from distance. Chris Paul was on target, making three of six three-pointers.
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