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Post by gilp5 on Apr 4, 2024 17:46:06 GMT -8
If we lose to Dallas in the first round, there needs to be some real evaluation on how to move forward. Would firing the coach be enough? Let's hope this team can turn things around. The talent is still there. They took us to 7 games when we had a better team and they had a worse team. They're one seed behind us. Why would you be so surprised they would beat us? I'm not talking about Dallas specifically, just using it as an example. I can see this team easily losing to any viable first round opponent. Dallas, NOP, Phoenix, whoever. And where do we go if that happens? How do we improve?
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Post by hitnrun24 on Apr 4, 2024 18:04:15 GMT -8
There's pretty much only 3 moves if we go 1st round out and 1 of them is probably completely unrealistic considering we're going into a new arena next year. 1 would be firing Lue and trying again with basically this team and a new coach. I don't really know how enthusiastic the fan base would be about that one if we went out badly early. Option 2 is full rebuild. Sign and trade George/Harden or both and also Kawhi. Restock our picks and suck for a few years. This one isn't super realistic for a couple reasons. Notably Intuit Dome. But also we don't own our own 1st round pick until 2030 so all that sucking will be for basically nothing.
Option 3 is sign and trade 1 or both George/Harden and take back different/younger players. Harden would prob be furious, and his value on a max is, well we saw similarly to what it was. Batum/Roco/Morris and a pick. George would have decent value, but nothing near what we gave up for him of course. We'd be unlikely to improve much from these moves, but I guess we could probably be a deeper team around Kawhi just with less talent upside. Maybe Russ takes on a larger role. If I were in the FO I'd really hope we don't go out early because none of these scenarios are great options.
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Post by dane on Apr 4, 2024 18:29:07 GMT -8
I see Harden is playing with his usual intensity. 0-4. this team won't beat any playoff team.
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Post by hitnrun24 on Apr 4, 2024 18:51:15 GMT -8
Bench having a nice shift out there. They're gonna be outmatched with Jokic on the court, but without Murray you can def make the Nuggets pay in the other minutes. I don't care if we win, but don't want to see them roll over.
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Post by nuraman00 on Apr 4, 2024 20:45:58 GMT -8
Denver tried to come back and win, but Clippers held on.
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Post by dane on Apr 4, 2024 20:46:25 GMT -8
did I just see P J Tucker make the play of the game?
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Post by nuraman00 on Apr 4, 2024 20:47:22 GMT -8
As for the answer to the title of this thread, just pointing out there there have been teams that got swept in the regular season, and then would go on to beat, sometimes even sweep, the same team in the playoffs. I had a partial list a few weeks ago.
Pretty much every team that got swept in 3 or 4 (or sometimes 5 or 6, in the 80s) thought the same thing. But those teams would still somehow turn it around.
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Post by nuraman00 on Apr 4, 2024 20:47:56 GMT -8
did I just see P J Tucker make the play of the game? See, good things happen when you watch. This proves it OFFICIALLY.
Good things also happen when you create great thread titles.
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Post by mistwell on Apr 4, 2024 20:49:30 GMT -8
Well, that was an intriguing game.
I need to mull that one. Maybe even watch it again.
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Post by nuraman00 on Apr 4, 2024 20:51:34 GMT -8
Well, that was an intriguing game. I need to mull that one. Maybe even watch it again. Added thoughts are welcome.
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Post by corkscrew on Apr 4, 2024 20:53:12 GMT -8
Look what happens when you play defense! Who knew?
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Post by clipzfan611 on Apr 4, 2024 21:16:18 GMT -8
Lucky to win that one but a W is a W at this point with how its been.
Lue in his infinite wisdom will use PJ Tucker in a potential series against them. Although he is better on Jokic on the perimeter, in the post Zu is much better and he is a negative on offense. Very dumb that Harden was on him a couple times and not even on a switch. Although that is probably on Harden just being a dumb lazy player. If he isnt shooting the ball well he isnt great and another TO prone player on top of PG/Westbrook.
Speaking of, PG is such a pathetic finisher around the rim for a guy his size. Im sure it can be attributed to the leg break and being less athletic but man work on finesse or something. He goes up so soft and straight up and either falls or gets blocked half the time.
We also have some of the stupidest shot selection in clutch moments (I guess just a result constant of iso ball). Part of it is players PG/Harden/Westbrook and even Kawhi at times, but Lue not getting them to move the ball at all and become stagnant and one dimensional is what kills us in the playoffs.
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Post by hitnrun24 on Apr 4, 2024 21:54:14 GMT -8
I'll defend PJ a bit. Not that he's good, but we can't always just play guards and he does at least bring hustle and physicality. Like you could get by for a few minutes here and there with him on Jokic. We lost a playoff series because we had no one behind Zu who had any chance and Doc was actually stupid enough to elect to bench Zu for a lot of the times until game 7 came and he got into foul trouble. I think Jokic would cook Mason or Theis.
If we had any better PF's and if Lue tried Kobe one more time during these last few weeks, which btw I'm 90% sure Kobe isn't ready but when everyone else is stinking it up why not give him one more run at it now that he's had some experience. Kobe's the exact player type that would benefit this team, but he's super lost on defense as of the last time he played. And not like he killed it on offense either. Anyways point is, I'd rather not go down with some 4 guard lineup and a lot of our team is too passive as it is. The bench gave us a chance in this one. Overall, happy with the effort at least in this one. As for Paul George, he is quite the experience. His surface stats are downright great, I don't know how he does it.
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Post by clipsentuboca on Apr 5, 2024 6:14:28 GMT -8
Entertaining game and to win w Harden/Powell subpar shooting nights is huge. Zu some ice-water-veined Free Throws late. Woulda been super annoying if Joker hit that last deep turnaround. Poorly reffed game in mostly the Clippers favor (Malone had valid gripes), though PG was also hacked on a drive.
Psychologically at least the Clips can say they split the reg season series w Den. With Murray and Kawhi back in likely lose a series 4-2 because of Jokic. Guy is never injured either.
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Post by mistwell on Apr 5, 2024 6:40:28 GMT -8
Although that is probably on Harden just being a dumb lazy player. If he isnt shooting the ball well he isnt great and another TO prone player on top of PG/Westbrook. Harden is not a turnover prone player. Ball is in his hands most of the time, he's passing excellent, and he has relatively low turnovers for his usage. He has 4 assists for every 1 turnover - that is a very good rate.
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