Random NBA Observations 2023 - 2024

[Primetime]

It'll be made into a Harden vs Westbrook thing by fans/pundits, but Kawhi has never been this trash out the gate. It's more than just his usual slow starts.

The difference between LAC and PHX is that KD and Book are playing at a superstar level dragging their teams to dubs, whereas Kawhi and PG are not. Kawhi had 31 but on 10 for 26 shooting? PG 2 for 13?

Ultimately too many excuses/deflections about systems and what the two over the hill guards should be doing. PG and much more so KL have been disappointing so far.

 

[RubioTheCruel]

It'll be made into a Harden vs Westbrook thing by fans/pundits, but Kawhi has never been this trash out the gate. It's more than just his usual slow starts.

The difference between LAC and PHX is that KD and Book are playing at a superstar level dragging their teams to dubs, whereas Kawhi and PG are not. Kawhi had 31 but on 10 for 26 shooting? PG 2 for 13?

Ultimately too many excuses/deflections about systems and what the two over the hill guards should be doing. PG and much more so KL have been disappointing so far.

Unless the NBA starts playing games with more than one basketball, it's never gonna work with the Clippers. Harden/Westbrook/PG13/Kawhi all really need the ball in their hands to be the best version of themselves

 

[Primetime]

Unless the NBA starts playing games with more than one basketball, it's never gonna work with the Clippers. Harden/Westbrook/PG13/Kawhi all really need the ball in their hands to be the best version of themselves

Thing is, Harden doesn't want to shoot. That best version of himself from 5 years ago... he don't want to be that. He wants to pass the ball to KL or PG (or Embiid, or KD, or Kyrie) and spot up and watch.

Kawhi needs the ball as much as KD does... which isn't much, but he's no longer shooting the ball like KD. More possessions with him dribbling isn't gonna change that. Same with PG, he was inconsistent with suspect facilitating skills before Russ and Harden came onboard.

Ultimately, if KL is holmes status then the whole experiment is moot imo

 

[RubioTheCruel]

Thing is, Harden doesn't want to shoot. That best version of himself from 5 years ago... he don't want to be that. He wants to pass the ball to KL or PG (or Embiid, or KD, or Kyrie) and spot up and watch.

Kawhi needs the ball as much as KD does... which isn't much, but he's no longer shooting the ball like KD. More possessions with him dribbling isn't gonna change that. Same with PG, he was inconsistent with suspect facilitating skills before Russ and Harden came onboard.

Ultimately, if KL is holmes status then the whole experiment is moot imo

If I'm the Clippers, I would gut the whole thing. Trade everyone, recoup as many firsts as you can and start anew. They're going nowhere.

Hindsight is 20/20, but they'd probably be in a better position if they just kept SGA and built around that team

 

[Primetime]

If I'm the Clippers, I would gut the whole thing. Trade everyone, recoup as many firsts as you can and start anew. They're going nowhere.

Hindsight is 20/20, but they'd probably be in a better position if they just kept SGA and built around that team

Isn't it crazy that SGA has not only played at a much higher level than KL and PG these last 2 years, but is currently a top 3 player production wise (behind only Jokic and Embiid) putting up prime Jordan numbers 30/6/6 on 53/36/94 shooting splits, and leading a team with a top 5 record in the league?

Ironically, SGA was the co-superstar LAC needed for Kawhi.

 

[daemonova]

The fact that this Nuggets × Clippers game is close with no Jokic or Murray says alot about the Clippers and it's not good...this should've been an easy game for them but if the Reggie Jackson (and the reserves) led Nuggets beats them then .

 

[RubioTheCruel]

Isn't it crazy that SGA has not only played at a much higher level than KL and PG these last 2 years, but is currently a top 3 player production wise (behind only Jokic and Embiid) putting up prime Jordan numbers 30/6/6 on 53/36/94 shooting splits, and leading a team with a top 5 record in the league?

Ironically, SGA was the co-superstar LAC needed for Kawhi.

SGA probably isn't on the same development path as he is now if he stayed with the Clippers and I understand why Ballmer did it, but PG becoming even more injury prone than Kawhi has to be a bitter pill to swallow when you watch SGA turn into a 1st team all-NBA guy

 

[daemonova]

Yeah... Break this shyt up. No way you lose to a team without Jokic, Gordon, or Murray.

That's fukkin embarrassing.

Nah, team got to fold, you gotta Flint Tropics they ass.

Semi pro gonna be on Max in December, yall

@Bryan Danielson

 

[SchoolboyC]

Clippers window shut in 2021 if we’re being real

The Harden trade was just a last ditch Hail Mary to save a sinking ship

Even if they didn’t trade SGA for PG he would’ve been trade bait for a vet star anyway. Ballmer wasn’t waiting 4 years for him to become an All-NBA player

 

[daemonova]

Didn't watch a second of Nuggets/Clippers after I saw Jokic was declared out, Clippers are not a serious team letting DeAndre Jordan and Reggie Jackson get those games off in 2023

 

[Unbothered]

The difference between LAC and PHX is that KD and Book are playing at a superstar level dragging their teams to dubs, whereas Kawhi and PG are not. Kawhi had 31 but on 10 for 26 shooting? PG 2 for 13?

I think at this point it'd be better if Kawhi and PG came to terms that they're not winning anything together and went their separate ways, for the better they both need a change of scenery.

I know they both wanted to be home in California but, it's time to move again while they still have some good years left in them...imo the lackadaisical play between them both is a case of them realizing that it's a failed experiment so it's like they're not trying.

Also as much as I like Ty Lue, he may be on the hot seat eventually if the Clippers continue to struggle and have these poor seasons. Maybe not this season but I could see him being fired next year or resigning. I know the Clips owner tryna keep and hoard as many stars as possible to sell that new arena to fans but, this duo of Kawhi and PG ran out of gas a few seasons ago and now running on fumes. The additions of Westbrook and Harden haven't made things better although I felt Westbrook was fitting in pretty well until Harden's arrival and now he's back to playing as shyt.

 

[pete clemenza]

It'll be made into a Harden vs Westbrook thing by fans/pundits, but Kawhi has never been this trash out the gate. It's more than just his usual slow starts.

The difference between LAC and PHX is that KD and Book are playing at a superstar level dragging their teams to dubs, whereas Kawhi and PG are not. Kawhi had 31 but on 10 for 26 shooting? PG 2 for 13?

Ultimately too many excuses/deflections about systems and what the two over the hill guards should be doing. PG and much more so KL have been disappointing so far.

Last night was PG's first bad game of the season, he's been ballin out actually. Kawhi hasn't been good, Harden is washed & out of shape, Russ is up and down.. Mostly down now. It's a f*cking mess. One of the main issues is that the Harden trade, along with PJ Tucker(another washed player) pushed Bones and Kobe Brown(a promising rook) out of the rotation completely. The only fire comes from Mann & Russ when he plays well. But these guys are old, semi washed, rich, content, and just going through the motions. They had some fire before the Harden trade and things were looking up, but now it's a joke. Last night was a new low. So bad, it actually looks like the front office sabotaged the team.

Cats are calling for Lue to get fired but what coach is going to come in here and get respect from the vets, tell them what's what, and sit vets who are playing like sh*t? Because that's what Ty Lue needs to do, but either he doesn't want to or the front office won't let him. I don't even think Ty wanted Harden. This sh*t is a top to bottom problem for reals

 

[Belize King]

If I'm the Clippers, I would gut the whole thing. Trade everyone, recoup as many firsts as you can and start anew. They're going nowhere.

Hindsight is 20/20, but they'd probably be in a better position if they just kept SGA and built around that team

What does blowing it up look like? You making a deal with the devil aka Danny Ainge? Does Ainge even want broken players?

Chicago maybe? Derozan isn’t moving the needle. You can tank with him and hope KL or PG doesn’t get Chicago into the playoffs. Trade with the Wizards for their picks? They are silly enough to take the broken players. Detroit? They have some kids that are good. Can Lu develop them though?

I don’t think the owner wants to tank and lose. That stadium is almost complete. They have “stars” that people pay to see. They just won’t make it past the first round.

I’ve said this several times. Outside of Westbrook, them LA boys don’t care about winning. The are content with losing but living in their city. They have no passion.

 

[pete clemenza]

If I'm the Clippers, I would gut the whole thing. Trade everyone, recoup as many firsts as you can and start anew. They're going nowhere.

Hindsight is 20/20, but they'd probably be in a better position if they just kept SGA and built around that team

If course this went without saying but I think they were on to something at the start of the season with health, new attitudes, some youngsters ready to contribute, and some fire but ultimately had to double dip yet again into the pool of chasing/acquiring washed up stars and set everything back twenty paces.

 

[GoldenGlove]

If course this went without saying but I think they were on to something at the start of the season with health, new attitudes, some youngsters ready to contribute, and some fire but ultimately had to double dip yet again into the pool of chasing/acquiring washed up stars and set everything back twenty paces.

Ty will figure it out