Good solid win. Gotta re-watch it when I get to the house to get the full verdict
The Two Remaining Horsemen In A System Reboot -Official LA Clippers '24 off season thread
- Thread starter pete clemenza
- Start date
There isn't much to figure out. Clippers hit a rough patch after they acquired Russ and it changed their team, for the better.
Lue has done a good job managing minutes and Paul George isn't playing terribly.
It also didn't hurt that the Clippers had 3 days to prepare a gameplan against the Knicks and their offensive rebounding attack.
Once Norm comes back, I expect Lue to reduce both Kawhi and PG minutes while using Mann and the 2 and undersized 3 positions.
Now they get another 4 days to prep for the warriors before they go on a string of 6 very winnable games, building more confidence along the way.
Lue has done a good job managing minutes and Paul George isn't playing terribly.
It also didn't hurt that the Clippers had 3 days to prepare a gameplan against the Knicks and their offensive rebounding attack.
Once Norm comes back, I expect Lue to reduce both Kawhi and PG minutes while using Mann and the 2 and undersized 3 positions.
Now they get another 4 days to prep for the warriors before they go on a string of 6 very winnable games, building more confidence along the way.
Of course there was going to be an adjustment period after getting Russ…the 5 game losing streak sucked especially when they had a legitimate chance of getting 2nd in the west…so as always with this team it’s about chemistry and health and if they can have both of those in the playoffs we’re easily in the western conference finals
That's kind of the point.Of course there was going to be an adjustment period after getting Russ…the 5 game losing streak sucked especially when they had a legitimate chance of getting 2nd in the west…so as always with this team it’s about chemistry and health and if they can have both of those in the playoffs we’re easily in the western conference finals
But what's most important, they have extreme flexibility.
Its kinda hard to guarantee health in the playoffs. So, If a player goes down, team performance shouldn't vary due to the flexibility. And Kawhi, PG, and Russ don't have to play 40+ minutes when the team is fully healthy.
They haven't even plugged in ROCO yet.
Yeah Lue said ROCO has sacrificed the most on this team
Devil Plisken…CMS
Veteran
Of all the games on that 5 game losing streak I really wanted Denver the most
FooFighters
Superstar
They pissed away both Kings games, in depressing fashion
Devil Plisken…CMS
Veteran
Respectfully The Kings aren’t the blockade Denver is
They had both Kings games won. The Denver was the only toss up. I'll be really happy and optimistic if we get the Golden State game on Wednesday
Diondon
Thanks to the lawyers uh, I marbled the foyer
They said Machine was washed up 
FooFighters
Superstar
AGAIN, LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MORRIS DOESN'T PLAY!
Really good win tonight brehs. Complete and total team effort. We ate all those Curry punches and still had a lead Russ & Mann is starting to turn into something in second halves. And we all knew good things were on the horizon once Morris was ejected
Russ & Mann is starting to turn into something in second halves. And we all knew good things were on the horizon once Morris was ejectedABlackMan
Superstar
When Russ shot hit side of board before halftime I think smh
KFBF
Superstar
LOS ANGELES — Stephen Curry, the transcendent star of the Golden State Warriors’ (36-34) dynastic ecosystem, did what he’s capable of doing — author one of the greatest displays of efficient scoring prowess this NBA season will see.
But it wasn’t enough as the LA Clippers (37-33) survived every Curry explosion to push back and notch the team’s fourth-straight victory to continue chugging towards a potential playoff berth in a muddled Western Conference.
“We tried to blitz, we tried to fire,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said after the game.
“He split it, he dribbled around it, made some tough shots, some scoop shots falling down, like, so he had it going tonight.”
The Clippers relied upon 30 points from Kawhi Leonard, as well as eight rebounds and five assists. Leonard’s running mate Paul George dropped 24 points and seven assists, as well.
Despite what the stars did, help was sorely needed. And that aid arrived in a multitude of ways.
Eric Gordon, who the Clippers acquired at the trade deadline in exchange for Luke Kennard, got the start in the second half for forward Marcus Morris Sr. after Morris was ejected late in the second quarter for a Flagrant 2 foul against Golden State’s Draymond Green.
Gordon didn’t disappoint, pouring home 16 in the second half, including 14 in the third as he helped the Clippers keep pace with Curry and the Warriors in an exhilarating quarter that saw Curry put up 21 of his game-high 50.
“It was a good spark for us,” Gordon said postgame when asked about him making more threes in that third quarter than Curry did.
“And the ball was coming my way and you’ve just got to take advantage of the opportunities and it was good to capitalize on.”
Gordon has found his rhythm in his second stint with the Clippers. In the last five games, Gordon has averaged 14.6 points on 55.3 percent shooting overall and 46.7 percent on threes. Those five games have coincided with the absence of Norman Powell.
Ivica Zubac has had trouble staying on the floor at times in the past against the Warriors due to their ability to play traditional big men off the court, but that wasn’t the case on Wednesday night as the Croatian dominated, putting up 19 points and 16 rebounds in his 30 minutes.
“I feel like, you know, just when they go small, I can, I can punish them on the boards, in the post, duck-ins and all that kind of stuff,” said Zubac. “But like, I’m way better than I used to be before, so, you know, I can, I can affect the game both ways.”
It was the best game Zubac has ever had against Golden State, and the Clippers needed every bit of it. The 19 points and 16 rebounds were each the most Zubac has ever had against the Warriors in a single game, and the 30 minutes against them were the most he’s seen against Golden State since Christmas 2018 when he was still with the cross-hall Los Angeles Lakers.
“Usually when they go small, teams try to go small with them and sometimes it could be a death trap because now they're driving to the paint,” Lue remarked after the game. “You have no shot blocking and no rim protection.
“I thought Zu did a great job, like I said, on the glass, finishing around the basket, getting to the free throw line and he was huge for us tonight.”
When the Clippers played the Warriors in Golden State earlier in March, the Warriors put Draymond Green on Russell Westbrook and had Green sag off of Westbrook to stifle the Clippers’ spacing.
While the Warriors won the game that night, and did so in blowout fashion thanks to a 38-8 third quarter run, the Clippers thought they did some good things offensively, notably in that first half.
Wednesday night saw the Warriors apply that same strategy when Westbrook was on the floor, but this time the Clippers had something up their sleeve.
Opting to go to more dribble hand offs with Westbrook at the elbow, the Clippers used the Warriors’ own strategy against them, using the extra space to their advantage to free up guys like Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in the mid-range or three-point area.
Westbrook finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in 27 minutes while also not turning the ball over a single time. It’s only the third time in Westbrook’s career he’s ever had a game of at least 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists with zero turnovers, and the first time since March 2016.
The veteran guard took advantage of Golden State paying him zero attention as he attacked the offensive glass with reckless abandon, as did the Clippers’ team as a whole. Westbrook tallied four offensive boards that led to nine points. In total, the 16 offensive rebounds by the Clippers contributed to 27 second chance points, the most the Clippers have had in a game this season and the most they’ve had in a regular season game since Feb. 7, 2021 when they also had 27 against the Sacramento Kings.
Terance Mann supplied 17 points and four rebounds, three on the offensive end, in his 25 minutes, and the Clippers found a way to move to 37-33 on the season as they now get a few more days off before they play the Orlando Magic (28-41) on Saturday afternoon.
The Magic will not be an easy opponent. Since starting 5-20, Orlando has gone 23-21 which is the 11th-best winning percentage in the league since Dec. 7.
Coincidentally, Orlando’s turnaround started with a game against the Clippers when the Magic triumphed 116-111 in overtime.
The Clippers now find themselves fifth in a tight Western Conference, only a game back in the loss column of the fourth-place Phoenix Suns (37-32), but still only three games up in that same loss column of the 12th-place New Orleans Pelicans (33-36).
The race in the Western Conference is going to come down to the wire, but if the Clippers continue to play basketball the way they’ve done so in the last 10 days then perhaps the malaise that surrounded this team in their first 66 games could clear up just in time to make a potential lengthy playoff push.
Surviving an explosion from a superstar that has tormented them in the past was a step in the right direction for the Clippers. Now they just need to continue putting one foot in front of the other without tripping.
Source: Justin Russo | creating Basketball Articles, Videos, and Analysis | Patreon
But it wasn’t enough as the LA Clippers (37-33) survived every Curry explosion to push back and notch the team’s fourth-straight victory to continue chugging towards a potential playoff berth in a muddled Western Conference.
“We tried to blitz, we tried to fire,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said after the game.
“He split it, he dribbled around it, made some tough shots, some scoop shots falling down, like, so he had it going tonight.”
The Clippers relied upon 30 points from Kawhi Leonard, as well as eight rebounds and five assists. Leonard’s running mate Paul George dropped 24 points and seven assists, as well.
Despite what the stars did, help was sorely needed. And that aid arrived in a multitude of ways.
Eric Gordon, who the Clippers acquired at the trade deadline in exchange for Luke Kennard, got the start in the second half for forward Marcus Morris Sr. after Morris was ejected late in the second quarter for a Flagrant 2 foul against Golden State’s Draymond Green.
Gordon didn’t disappoint, pouring home 16 in the second half, including 14 in the third as he helped the Clippers keep pace with Curry and the Warriors in an exhilarating quarter that saw Curry put up 21 of his game-high 50.
“It was a good spark for us,” Gordon said postgame when asked about him making more threes in that third quarter than Curry did.
“And the ball was coming my way and you’ve just got to take advantage of the opportunities and it was good to capitalize on.”
Gordon has found his rhythm in his second stint with the Clippers. In the last five games, Gordon has averaged 14.6 points on 55.3 percent shooting overall and 46.7 percent on threes. Those five games have coincided with the absence of Norman Powell.
Ivica Zubac has had trouble staying on the floor at times in the past against the Warriors due to their ability to play traditional big men off the court, but that wasn’t the case on Wednesday night as the Croatian dominated, putting up 19 points and 16 rebounds in his 30 minutes.
“I feel like, you know, just when they go small, I can, I can punish them on the boards, in the post, duck-ins and all that kind of stuff,” said Zubac. “But like, I’m way better than I used to be before, so, you know, I can, I can affect the game both ways.”
It was the best game Zubac has ever had against Golden State, and the Clippers needed every bit of it. The 19 points and 16 rebounds were each the most Zubac has ever had against the Warriors in a single game, and the 30 minutes against them were the most he’s seen against Golden State since Christmas 2018 when he was still with the cross-hall Los Angeles Lakers.
“Usually when they go small, teams try to go small with them and sometimes it could be a death trap because now they're driving to the paint,” Lue remarked after the game. “You have no shot blocking and no rim protection.
“I thought Zu did a great job, like I said, on the glass, finishing around the basket, getting to the free throw line and he was huge for us tonight.”
When the Clippers played the Warriors in Golden State earlier in March, the Warriors put Draymond Green on Russell Westbrook and had Green sag off of Westbrook to stifle the Clippers’ spacing.
While the Warriors won the game that night, and did so in blowout fashion thanks to a 38-8 third quarter run, the Clippers thought they did some good things offensively, notably in that first half.
Wednesday night saw the Warriors apply that same strategy when Westbrook was on the floor, but this time the Clippers had something up their sleeve.
Opting to go to more dribble hand offs with Westbrook at the elbow, the Clippers used the Warriors’ own strategy against them, using the extra space to their advantage to free up guys like Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in the mid-range or three-point area.
Westbrook finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in 27 minutes while also not turning the ball over a single time. It’s only the third time in Westbrook’s career he’s ever had a game of at least 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists with zero turnovers, and the first time since March 2016.
The veteran guard took advantage of Golden State paying him zero attention as he attacked the offensive glass with reckless abandon, as did the Clippers’ team as a whole. Westbrook tallied four offensive boards that led to nine points. In total, the 16 offensive rebounds by the Clippers contributed to 27 second chance points, the most the Clippers have had in a game this season and the most they’ve had in a regular season game since Feb. 7, 2021 when they also had 27 against the Sacramento Kings.
Terance Mann supplied 17 points and four rebounds, three on the offensive end, in his 25 minutes, and the Clippers found a way to move to 37-33 on the season as they now get a few more days off before they play the Orlando Magic (28-41) on Saturday afternoon.
The Magic will not be an easy opponent. Since starting 5-20, Orlando has gone 23-21 which is the 11th-best winning percentage in the league since Dec. 7.
Coincidentally, Orlando’s turnaround started with a game against the Clippers when the Magic triumphed 116-111 in overtime.
The Clippers now find themselves fifth in a tight Western Conference, only a game back in the loss column of the fourth-place Phoenix Suns (37-32), but still only three games up in that same loss column of the 12th-place New Orleans Pelicans (33-36).
The race in the Western Conference is going to come down to the wire, but if the Clippers continue to play basketball the way they’ve done so in the last 10 days then perhaps the malaise that surrounded this team in their first 66 games could clear up just in time to make a potential lengthy playoff push.
Surviving an explosion from a superstar that has tormented them in the past was a step in the right direction for the Clippers. Now they just need to continue putting one foot in front of the other without tripping.
Source: Justin Russo | creating Basketball Articles, Videos, and Analysis | Patreon
Another 3 days to gameplan against Orlando. Then the next set of games are on every other day for 2 weeks.
Russ has been Great for the team and adds a new element, and shooting better as well with the highest +/- on the team since his arrival.
I know everyone doesn't like Morris, but he honestly needs to start, just play him fewer minutes. That way he'll come through for the Clippers in playoff time.
Kawhi is the ONE guy that has a chance in stopping Giannis, and he's back to being T-1000.
I hope you guys notice that everything is lining up very nicely for the 4 seed, maybe even 3 seed.
And they got the deepest team in the league hands down.
Russ has been Great for the team and adds a new element, and shooting better as well with the highest +/- on the team since his arrival.
I know everyone doesn't like Morris, but he honestly needs to start, just play him fewer minutes. That way he'll come through for the Clippers in playoff time.
Kawhi is the ONE guy that has a chance in stopping Giannis, and he's back to being T-1000.
I hope you guys notice that everything is lining up very nicely for the 4 seed, maybe even 3 seed.
And they got the deepest team in the league hands down.
