Newsletter: Clippers! Danilo Gallinari has been better than expected

Hi, my name is Broderick Turner, and welcome back to the Los Angeles Times’ Clippers newsletter.

His forte was supposed to be his three-point shooting exploits, but Clippers small forward Danilo Gallinari has shown there is more in his repertoire.

Gallinari has taken his game down to the low blocks, displaying parts of his arsenal that few had known existed.

“It’s something that I’ve always done, but maybe we’re doing it more now because of the matchups that we have and because of the players that we have,” Gallinari said. “But it’s something that we definitely have to keep doing.”

At 6-foot-10 and 225 pounds, Gallinari has the size and strength to be effective inside.

He uses his body to ease his way down low, never seeming to be in a hurry, always looking for the right angle and open teammates.

“I’m very comfortable,” Gallinari said. “It’s something that I’ve always had. I’ve been working on it every summer. So, I’m glad it’s working for the team.”

The benefit has been having Gallinari do lots of work at the free-throw line.

He was making 95% of his free throws through the first six games, ninth-best in the NBA.

He was averaging 3.3 free-throw attempts per game.

“I just want to be aggressive every time,” Gallinari said. “Whenever I can, I have the chance to go to the basket and get to the free-throw line. It’s something that I do pretty well.”

The Clippers had targeted Gallinari for a few years, the team thinking he could fill the void at small forward, giving them another weapon.

So when summer arrived, the Clippers put together a three-team, sign-and-trade deal to acquire Gallinari from the Denver Nuggets.

It cost the Clippers sixth-man Jamal Crawford, who was shipped to the Atlanta Hawks before he landed in Minnesota.

The thinking was that Gallinari was going to be the best small forward the Clippers had at least since Doc Rivers arrived as coach of the team in 2013.

Gallinari came to the Clippers as a known three-point marksman.

He had made 37% of his three-pointers over the first eight years of his NBA career. He had made a career-high 38.9% of his threes last season with the Nuggets.

But he has struggled with that shot in the first six games with the Clippers.

Gallinari was making just 27% of his three-pointers through the first six games.

But it was not something he seemed too concerned with because the rest of his offense has been on point and he has been a solid defender.

Gallinari was averaging 14.2 points per game, second-best on the Clippers.

Besides, Gallinari said, the Clippers are playing good basketball and that’s the most important thing.

“We have been playing very good basketball with great intensity,” Gallinari said. “It’s not just on offense, but on defense. I like our defense a lot and the way that we can play the defense. We can keep switching it with me, DJ [DeAndre Jordan] and Blake [Griffin]. I think our guards, between Pat [Beverley] and Austin [Rivers], they have been doing a great job upon the other guards, especially on guards because they can score a lot of points.”

In case you missed it

Austin Rivers, Patrick Beverley making backcourt work for Clippers.

Milos Teodosic showing progress from left foot injury.

DeAndre Jordan speaks out about Texans owner Bob McNair’s controversial comment.

Clippers show signs of growth in face of controversial call.

Up next

All times Pacific

Saturday vs. Memphis, 12:30 p.m.

Sunday vs. Miami, 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday at San Antonio, 5:30 p.m.

And finally

We’d love for you to subscribe or to spread the word and ask your friends to subscribe. It’s free! Click here to subscribe.

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Clippers newsletter? Email me and follow me on Twitter: @BA_Turner.