GAME #39: LAC (25-13) @ WOLVES (27-11) SUN 1/14—4 PM

[Roscoe Sheed]

Certain players on our team got cocky recently. I don't like that mockery towards Gobert. Don't need that.

I didn't like it either and such behavior only motivates the other team.

However, I'm not certain what they were talking about. It seemed like somebody cracked a joke or something- may not have been totally related to Gobert.

[wakelaunch1]

Hey, we started the 6'8" Daniel Theis against 7'2" Rudy Gobert. Already behind the 8-ball. Bigtime.

We didn't even show up with our backups squared away. If this had been the well-oiled machine we expect to take to the playoffs, Plumlee would have started in place of Zu, and Theis would have kept his normal slot with the 2nd unit.

Theis has only been here for 27 games, and coming back from injury, Plumlee is practically a new acquisition too. This was only his 31st regular season game as a Clipper and only his 8th game this year. He was playing G-league on rehab a couple days ago.

And I gotta say, Zu has gone up another level this year on both sides of the ball. He's got career highs across the board in the PER categories, and is top 3 in rim protection.

Read on Twitter

This is not the Zubac of old. He's very arguably a top 10 center now. You can't just toss out a 6'8" guy you got off the buyout scrap pile and be the same team.

Yup. We missed Zu big time. He may or not be our defensive anchor, but without him, we’re undersized against big teams—and Minny is big.

PG shoots early in the clock and without an assist. He tried to create his own shots instead of in the flow of the offense. This team doesnt need that. Its why I am not a big PG fan.

This loss was on PG/Harden, everyone else was good enough to win.

You’re not a PG fan? Do tell.

Anyway. PG had a lousy first half. He’s also coming off a big run—played in 13 out of the last 14 games, averaged 25-5-3 on 51/48(!)/91 shooting splits. There were wins against the Knicks, Pels, Pacers, Heat, and Suns (twice) in that streak. Going to go with “lousy half” for both him and Harden. Since we went 10-3 in those 13 games that PG went off in, I think the team does need what he does. Big time.

I am a Clippers fan, just not a big PG fan. I think PG needs to be more of a shooter and less of a scorer. If we looked at his shot selection I would bet he makes a million more shots when he is set up by his teammates and just steps into a shot. I would like to see him move the ball more with less dribbling. I would like to see him make make the basic play instead of trying to make a fancy shot/pass. He is a good player when he plays in his role. This team is too good to see him regularly taking his step back, off balance 3s early in the shot clock.

[donemilio21]

I didn't get a chance to post this last night but some takeaways:

- You all must have seen how our bench was making fun of Gobert while he was airballing free throws. It is easy to laugh from the sideline, I didn't see anyone attacking the basket when Gobert was on the floor. Everyone who dribbled into the paint had a change of heart when they saw Gobert.

- Lue's entire game plan is to get the team to knock down threes. He didn't have a back-up plan when the shots weren't falling. We were playing good defense, why not seek to score in the paint or try to get to the line ? Only adjustment he made was to keep Westbrook in the game, and he completely forgot our best 3 point shooter, Norm, on the bench for a long stretch of the game. I'm not encouraged how he is going to coach come playoff time.

-It was interesting to see Theis start over Plumlee when Zu is out. Westbrook-Norm and Theis 2nd unit has been working very well for us, and Lue started Coffey when PG or Kawhi was out, rather than giving the starting role to Westbrook or Norm. Theis was pretty ineffective as a starter between KAT and Gobert.

- We shot horribly, and didn't have Zu. and yet we could have won this game against a heathy Minnesota that has the best record in the West. Our ceiling is high.

[og15]

Hey, we started the 6'8" Daniel Theis against 7'2" Rudy Gobert. Already behind the 8-ball. Bigtime.

We didn't even show up with our backups squared away. If this had been the well-oiled machine we expect to take to the playoffs, Plumlee would have started in place of Zu, and Theis would have kept his normal slot with the 2nd unit.

Theis has only been here for 27 games, and coming back from injury, Plumlee is practically a new acquisition too. This was only his 31st regular season game as a Clipper and only his 8th game this year. He was playing G-league on rehab a couple days ago.

And I gotta say, Zu has gone up another level this year on both sides of the ball. He's got career highs across the board in the PER categories, and is top 3 in rim protection.

Read on Twitter

This is not the Zubac of old. He's very arguably a top 10 center now. You can't just toss out a 6'8" guy you got off the buyout scrap pile and be the same team.

Yup. We missed Zu big time. He may or not be our defensive anchor, but without him, we’re undersized against big teams—and Minny is big.

PG shoots early in the clock and without an assist. He tried to create his own shots instead of in the flow of the offense. This team doesnt need that. Its why I am not a big PG fan.

This loss was on PG/Harden, everyone else was good enough to win.

You’re not a PG fan? Do tell.

Anyway. PG had a lousy first half. He’s also coming off a big run—played in 13 out of the last 14 games, averaged 25-5-3 on 51/48(!)/91 shooting splits. There were wins against the Knicks, Pels, Pacers, Heat, and Suns (twice) in that streak. Going to go with “lousy half” for both him and Harden. Since we went 10-3 in those 13 games that PG went off in, I think the team does need what he does. Big time.

I am a Clippers fan, just not a big PG fan. I think PG needs to be more of a shooter and less of a scorer. If we looked at his shot selection I would bet he makes a million more shots when he is set up by his teammates and just steps into a shot. I would like to see him move the ball more with less dribbling. I would like to see him make make the basic play instead of trying to make a fancy shot/pass. He is a good player when he plays in his role. This team is too good to see him regularly taking his step back, off balance 3s early in the shot clock.

You lose part of what makes Paul George valuable if you try to make him into a shooter. Too much is lost there and he's way too good to do that, and the teams potential would be diminished.

Paul George is also not as mistake prone a player in a scorer role (not playmaker) as his Clipper fan detractors make him out to be.

Part of the issue with the constant highlighting of any little short coming of George is that for example, he just came off 17/18 previous games with 20+ points, the only one without being 15 minutes vs Sacramento.

The 11 games before last night he was averaging 25.8 / 5.1 / 2.6 with 1.5 stls, 0.5 blk and only 2.1 tpg as he's doing less playmaking for others. He shot 50.8 / 48.5 / 89.7 and had a TS% of 66.3 and eFG% of 63.2 in that stretch.

So when a player is doing that and as soon as he has a bad game people come out of the woodwork and say, "you see, PG is so unreliable, he needs to do less this, more that, he's this, he's that", it's like Woah, Woah, Woah, can we hold up here, have we not been paying attention?

Clippers fans complained about Paul George's turnovers a lot, the roster had him in a role where he was playing more point guard than he should out of necessity, they had been trying to solve it, and finally did.

So what happened? Since November 14th, Paul George has averaged just 1.8 tpg. George this season is averaging his fewest turnovers since 11-12 when he averaged just 12.1 ppg / 5.6 rpg / 2.4 apg / 1.8 tpg.

....but because some Clippers fans are so focused on trying to nitpick and find any little fault in him, because it was somehow his fault SGA became a superstar, they probably don't even realize how having two capable PG's and a PG in every lineup has changed his play, but are still watching like a hawk to find any mistake as if there's such a thing as a no mistake player.

Is Paul George better when he catches and shoots? Of course just about everyone is. He's also a 37% 3PT shooter off the dribble which is up there, soo...

[esqtvd]

Are we still worried about Mann's FGA? Are we going to discuss this every game over and over? I feel like we've done this dance before, more than once, we all get it now, Mann's not going to pick up scoring slack, I don't think anyone should be expecting him to.

In the end, who cares how many FGA the guy takes, the team has more than enough scorers. If the stars are taking and missing a lot of shots, my first, second, third or fourth worry isn't, "hope Mann gets more attempts".

Minnesota is on top of the West for a reason, live to fight again.

Actually, OG, we haven't discussed Mann on this board as the new starter at all.

[I HAVE been discussing it with Clippers radio host @followAdamA on Twitter, though. I am actually between Adam and Nek @msubobcat39. Statistically, I think Nek is getting the better of the argument statistically. ]


Mann stans have been begging for more mpg for years and now he's starting beside 3 HOFers. Zubac has responded far surpassing his career numbers while Mann's are bringing up the rear.

So I'm just not going to hear that PG is to blame for every loss when he had a bad shooting game--minus-6 in 42 minutes while Mann was minus-6 in only 19 minutes with 2 lousy points? PG gets much credit for where we are; Mann, little to none.


Look, I think Mann is still the best choice for placeholder starter. But [see above] he is also our best trade bait without compromising our rotation. Coffey and Bones can take his minutes, especially since we would really only trade Mann for a better placeholder PF/C stretch 4.

This is NOT an ideal starting 5 and Mann is the weak link. That shouldn't be controversial, OG.

Mann played 19 minutes, he played 5:42 in the second half, zero minutes in the 4th quarter, he was 7th in minutes played for the game.

If we're looking around the roster trying to find "blame" for a 4 loint loss and find the Mann type player, we're just being petty. If we're looking for every opportunity to "show the stans", whoever these role player stans are, we're wasting everyone's time, who cares, it's just petty. I'm pretty sure we all understand what glue guy role players are, right?

I don't believe every game needs a party to "blame". Players miss shots sometimes, it happens. If we're going to fault someone for a 4 point loss, it's not the role player who played 5 minutes in the 2nd half we use to argue against a complaint about the star who played 42 minutes and shot 5/19 FG, it's just not logical at all. Not to mention another star shot 4/14 FG.

We had two stars combinen for 9/33 FG, 6/22 3PT, that's why the game was lost, not because Mann didn't attempt more shots lol

Make or miss league.

Ty trimming T-Mann's minutes shows he agrees with me. He ran around rather aimlessly and got the hook. And it's not too much to ask that he win a game for us now and then.

It is worth noting that Coffey has been producing about the same for half the price. Before Kawhi re-signed I think Mann was untouchable. Now I'm not so sure.

[esqtvd]

Hey, we started the 6'8" Daniel Theis against 7'2" Rudy Gobert. Already behind the 8-ball. Bigtime.

We didn't even show up with our backups squared away. If this had been the well-oiled machine we expect to take to the playoffs, Plumlee would have started in place of Zu, and Theis would have kept his normal slot with the 2nd unit.

Theis has only been here for 27 games, and coming back from injury, Plumlee is practically a new acquisition too. This was only his 31st regular season game as a Clipper and only his 8th game this year. He was playing G-league on rehab a couple days ago.

And I gotta say, Zu has gone up another level this year on both sides of the ball. He's got career highs across the board in the PER categories, and is top 3 in rim protection.

Read on Twitter

This is not the Zubac of old. He's very arguably a top 10 center now. You can't just toss out a 6'8" guy you got off the buyout scrap pile and be the same team.

Yup. We missed Zu big time. He may or not be our defensive anchor, but without him, we’re undersized against big teams—and Minny is big.

Read on Twitter

[esqtvd]

You’re not a PG fan? Do tell.

...

You lose part of what makes Paul George valuable if you try to make him into a shooter. Too much is lost there and he's way too good to do that, and the teams potential would be diminished.

Paul George is also not as mistake prone a player in a scorer role (not playmaker) as his Clipper fan detractors make him out to be.

Part of the issue with the constant highlighting of any little short coming of George is that for example, he just came off 17/18 previous games with 20+ points, the only one without being 15 minutes vs Sacramento.

The 11 games before last night he was averaging 25.8 / 5.1 / 2.6 with 1.5 stls, 0.5 blk and only 2.1 tpg as he's doing less playmaking for others. He shot 50.8 / 48.5 / 89.7 and had a TS% of 66.3 and eFG% of 63.2 in that stretch.

So when a player is doing that and as soon as he has a bad game people come out of the woodwork and say, "you see, PG is so unreliable, he needs to do less this, more that, he's this, he's that", it's like Woah, Woah, Woah, can we hold up here, have we not been paying attention?

Clippers fans complained about Paul George's turnovers a lot, the roster had him in a role where he was playing more point guard than he should out of necessity, they had been trying to solve it, and finally did.

So what happened? Since November 14th, Paul George has averaged just 1.8 tpg. George this season is averaging his fewest turnovers since 11-12 when he averaged just 12.1 ppg / 5.6 rpg / 2.4 apg / 1.8 tpg.

....but because some Clippers fans are so focused on trying to nitpick and find any little fault in him, because it was somehow his fault SGA became a superstar, they probably don't even realize how having two capable PG's and a PG in every lineup has changed his play, but are still watching like a hawk to find any mistake as if there's such a thing as a no mistake player.

Is Paul George better when he catches and shoots? Of course just about everyone is. He's also a 37% 3PT shooter off the dribble which is up there, soo...

lol

Read on Twitter

[clipperlover]

Not too worried about the Wolves game. Clips understand how the game is played. They have been doing it for awhile. If the opposing team is above you in the standings and you may run into them in the playoffs, Clips (and other teams) appear to strategically prioritize rest over full strength. Clips sat Zu the other night and they will sit Zu again tonight. They know that his size will be needed vs those teams, but why let the opponent see our team at full strength.

Minny pulled out the win, but didn't really get a true feel for what we can do vs them. We still control our own destiny vs them.

[ERClips]

Watching the Grizzlies v Wolves and Chuck on TNT said that Jaren Jackson is showing no respect to the Wolves bigs. Especially Gobert. Taking it right at them. No fear.

Exactly what we need to do against them

[PeteyPablo]

It looks like Kawhi is 5th and PG is 8th in the All Star votes for forwards .

James Harden is 4th for the guards

How do we see these numbers ?

[clipperlover]

It looks like Kawhi is 5th and PG is 8th in the All Star votes for forwards .

James Harden is 4th for the guards

How do we see these numbers ?

I think the NBA All-Star team is going to have some very tough decisions based on the voting.

For example, look at the current starting 5 based on the vote:
LeBron, Jokic, KD, Curry and Luka

Now, the coaches select the reserves. So, whom do they reward? Will it be based on name or will it be based Team record.

Reserves:
Shai - OKC's top player
Kawhi - our top player
Anthony Edwards - MIN top player
Top players on the best of the West

Now, let's look at teams
Denver - Top tier of the West and the defending champs. Do they only get 1 All-Star spot?
OKC, Min, LAC - Top Tier 4 in West, Do they each only get 1 spot?
NOP - Top 5 in the West, currently 8 games over .500. Do they get a player?
Dallas - Top 6 in West, 6 games over .500? Does Kyrie get added
SAC - Was in top part of West most of 1st half. Do they get a player?
PHO - Don't deserve a 2nd spot
Utah - Hottest team in West after the Clips. Markkanen has been on a tear and Utah has been 10-3 over his last 13. Does he get left out?

All of the above leads us to Anthony Davis. His team is currently .500 and they have been .500 or less for 19/42 games this year. They have been no better than 5 games over .500 all season. SAC and NOP have been 9 and 8 games over .500.

If the fans don't vote AD in, then I don't see how coaches can justify putting him in over top players on better teams.

[clipperlover]

Lol. Karl Anthony Charmin goes for 62 tonight and the Clips move closer to the Wolves in the standings.