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Post by v-ice on Mar 4, 2024 19:37:34 GMT -8
Plus those free throw misses were momentum killers.
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Post by hitnrun24 on Mar 4, 2024 19:46:17 GMT -8
Bobby "freaking" Portis...dang Seriously. He was like prime Malone tonight. Plus that white guy Green hitting a 30 footer. Then Pat Bev hitting a contested 3. These games happen, I'm not too worried about it overall. We were playing super slow in the 4th.
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Post by clipzfan611 on Mar 4, 2024 20:02:34 GMT -8
Stagnant offense, settling for lazy 3s, small ball bs, rinse repeat. Where was Mann down the stretch? Prefer him closing vs Coffey.
Too many missed FTs. Losing the potential seeding gamesmanship also.
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Post by v-ice on Mar 4, 2024 21:05:35 GMT -8
I don’t see us winning this game. So guaranteed win? No.
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Post by gilp5 on Mar 5, 2024 0:35:37 GMT -8
We are not a championship team. Yes it's becoming apparent this team is not championship level. So what do they do with the players? Probably not extend the core, right?
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Post by mistwell on Mar 5, 2024 7:00:03 GMT -8
We are not a championship team. Yes it's becoming apparent this team is not championship level. So what do they do with the players? Probably not extend the core, right? Already extended Kawhi. Harden and PG are the other pieces but without the ability to trade them it doesn't make for a decent team. I continue to say the only way to make any rational choice about the team is to extend all three and then decide if you want to trade them.
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Post by clipsentuboca on Mar 5, 2024 7:43:39 GMT -8
Where was Mann down the stretch? Prefer him closing vs Coffey. was thinking that as well while watching Amir in the fourth. Coffey catches the ball on the perimeter, waits a second, then immediate passes it up so really eliminates himself as any kind of threat. Shot has been off too. While both have an energetic bounce-to-their-step Mann is more proven creatively and intuitively both on offensive and D along w not afraid of the moment late. *new arena should be called ‘Intuitive Dome’.
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Post by gilp5 on Mar 5, 2024 10:40:04 GMT -8
Yes it's becoming apparent this team is not championship level. So what do they do with the players? Probably not extend the core, right? Already extended Kawhi. Harden and PG are the other pieces but without the ability to trade them it doesn't make for a decent team. I continue to say the only way to make any rational choice about the team is to extend all three and then decide if you want to trade them. The dilemma, which we've discussed ad nauseum and can agree to disagree, is if we extend for an amount that would make these players untradeable. I don't think we can trade PG at $50m a year (except for negative value), which is likely what he is asking for an extension. We'd be stuck. Kawhi's contract is fair value and TBD on Harden.
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Post by corkscrew on Mar 5, 2024 12:23:35 GMT -8
I just think the team is not constructed well to be a contender. We are missing size & length, versatility, leadership, a glue guy or two, and a defenside determination. The lack of size & length prevents us from being effective against bullying team, the lack of versatility dictates that if we are not making shots at a phenomenal rate we have no other way of scoring, the lack of defensive determination means on any given night or any given stretch of a specific game teams can score at will against us. Another problem is we don't have a strong leader on this team, and how do you bring in an outsider to be a leader in the presence of 4 hall of famers. Last night, Pat Bev was the leader that inspired the Bucks comeback. We didn't have our own leader to counter him. Against the Lakers Lebron was the leader that inspired their comeback. We didn't have our own leader to counter him.
I think there are probably ways to reconfigure this team while keeping our core to be a contender, though I wouldn't know how — I know nothing about the CBA, trading rules, who's available, etc.
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Post by hitnrun24 on Mar 5, 2024 12:26:52 GMT -8
Already extended Kawhi. Harden and PG are the other pieces but without the ability to trade them it doesn't make for a decent team. I continue to say the only way to make any rational choice about the team is to extend all three and then decide if you want to trade them. The dilemma, which we've discussed ad nauseum and can agree to disagree, is if we extend for an amount that would make these players untradeable. I don't think we can trade PG at $50m a year (except for negative value), which is likely what he is asking for an extension. We'd be stuck. Kawhi's contract is fair value and TBD on Harden. What's the alternative? Keep in mind this is a team that doesn't own it's own picks outright until 2030. Don't sign the guys? Then what? Kawhi probably requests a trade because we can't even replace their salary slots with free agents. We could get back a good return for Kawhi, but we'd be in complete blow it up mode and it would be a long one without owning our own picks even if we got a few picks in return. The Suns are in the same position as us too, is this what they should do as well? Currently, we're a team in contention in the West where pretty much anything can happen. We're not title favorites, but we're 1 of the 8 or so teams that can win if things go right. I think in the West any team can win or lose in the 1st round except probably Denver.
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Post by hitnrun24 on Mar 5, 2024 12:35:42 GMT -8
I just think the team is not constructed well to be a contender. We are missing size & length, versatility, leadership, a glue guy or two, and a defenside determination. The lack of size & length prevents us from being effective against bullying team, the lack of versatility dictates that if we are not making shots at a phenomenal rate we have no other way of scoring, the lack of defensive determination means on any given night or any given stretch of a specific game teams can score at will against us. Another problem is we don't have a strong leader on this team, and how do you bring in an outsider to be a leader in the presence of 4 hall of famers. Last night, Pat Bev was the leader that inspired the Bucks comeback. We didn't have our own leader to counter him. Against the Lakers Lebron was the leader that inspired their comeback. We didn't have our own leader to counter him. I think there are probably ways to reconfigure this team while keeping our core to be a contender, though I wouldn't know how — I know nothing about the CBA, trading rules, who's available, etc. But you can also look at the things we do well. Half court offense and defense, we are at or near the top of the league in both of these. Which is what playoff basketball becomes. We know Kawhi saves another gear for the postseason. I mean we'll see, but every team has flaws night to night. Lue is falling for the spacing thing recently and benching Zu too much. Or maybe Zu isn't fully recovered in his conditioning, but that covers some of our defensive issues. We have lineups that aren't super small if Lue decides to play them.
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Post by clipanswerman on Mar 5, 2024 12:40:58 GMT -8
I give the team a pass for yesterday's game. It gets hard this late in the season for teams - particularly a veteran team - to play the second night of back to backs on the road. Fortunately, there are no back to backs in the playoffs, which helps veteran teams over younger teams that can more easily handle back to backs. Kawhi, Paul George, Powell - every three that missed toward the end of the game was short - a symptom of tired legs.
What I didn't like about the game is that with 9 minutes left in the fourth, and Milwaukee out of fouls, we didn't take it to the basket. We certainly should have done that at the four minute point. Instead, it was the Ty Lue show - go small, no center, and chuck up threes. Bad. Paul George is the only 'all star' who's a stat stuffer. He hits the practice threes at the end of games in the last minute or two when the game's over - to puff up his stats. Kawhi never would do that.
We are still a legitimate contender. Are we the favorite? No. Do we have as much a chance as the 7 or 8 or maybe even 9 teams that have a chance in the playoffs (with maybe Denver as an exception - maybe?) Absolutely. Matchups are huge. If I'm OKC, I really don't want to play Denver. I'd even put us in the top half of those 8 or 9.
As for going forward - our core is Kawhi. Hopefully Harden too. He can still play. My hope is a sign and trade of Paul George for someone whose salary is less than his, and whose reputation is too. Mikal Bridges or someone a peg down from him would be great (plus whatever the difference in salary is). It looks like the front office sees it this way too. If they didn't Paul George would have been sewn up already. They locked up Kawhi - they haven't locked up Paul George. That tells you that - at the very least - they don't want to pay what Paul George is asking. At the most, it could mean they've grown tired of him.
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Post by v-ice on Mar 5, 2024 13:59:05 GMT -8
Westbrook would have continue driving to the basket…. In the 4th.
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Post by dane on Mar 5, 2024 15:29:21 GMT -8
The dilemma, which we've discussed ad nauseum and can agree to disagree, is if we extend for an amount that would make these players untradeable. I don't think we can trade PG at $50m a year (except for negative value), which is likely what he is asking for an extension. We'd be stuck. Kawhi's contract is fair value and TBD on Harden. What's the alternative? Keep in mind this is a team that doesn't own it's own picks outright until 2030. Don't sign the guys? Then what? Kawhi probably requests a trade because we can't even replace their salary slots with free agents. We could get back a good return for Kawhi, but we'd be in complete blow it up mode and it would be a long one without owning our own picks even if we got a few picks in return. The Suns are in the same position as us too, is this what they should do as well? Currently, we're a team in contention in the West where pretty much anything can happen. We're not title favorites, but we're 1 of the 8 or so teams that can win if things go right. I think in the West any team can win or lose in the 1st round except probably Denver. Agreed. Clips have a good team now, not the best team in the league, but a good one. Who are the available players who will make for a better team by blowing this one up? Given that the ball is moving, they're fun to watch (even Harden), I don't see the upside of getting rid of everyone.
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Post by gilp5 on Mar 5, 2024 16:48:24 GMT -8
The dilemma, which we've discussed ad nauseum and can agree to disagree, is if we extend for an amount that would make these players untradeable. I don't think we can trade PG at $50m a year (except for negative value), which is likely what he is asking for an extension. We'd be stuck. Kawhi's contract is fair value and TBD on Harden. What's the alternative? Keep in mind this is a team that doesn't own it's own picks outright until 2030. Don't sign the guys? Then what? Kawhi probably requests a trade because we can't even replace their salary slots with free agents. We could get back a good return for Kawhi, but we'd be in complete blow it up mode and it would be a long one without owning our own picks even if we got a few picks in return. The Suns are in the same position as us too, is this what they should do as well? Currently, we're a team in contention in the West where pretty much anything can happen. We're not title favorites, but we're 1 of the 8 or so teams that can win if things go right. I think in the West any team can win or lose in the 1st round except probably Denver. Alternative is to trade Kawhi for picks and assets and not keep PG and Harden. Then begin the rebuild. If the team loses in the first round (very possible depending on matchup) this might be the best option. Is it better to commit long term to a first round playoff team? I'm not saying this is a first round playoff team, and this is certainly not my preference, but I'm not confident either that this team would beat New Orleans or Phoenix or even the Lakers in the first round.
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