I’m not expecting a win against the Warriors, but I am hoping for a decently competitive game, and hopefully no egregiously dirty shit by Draymond.

Glad to see in form Kawhi back, less PJ Tucker and some minutes to Brown.

We need to start moving up the rankings, hopefully clinch safely a top6 playoff berth.

The cohesion and chemistry can only increase, and unless anyone has a time machine we are stuck with Harden and largely the current roster.

I feel we are one piece away from being dominant with both starters and bench.

We need a 3&D power forward/small forward type (like the ones we gave away).
He doesn’t even need to be great. Just the fit will be so good and it would balance the roster.
With Zu, Theis and Plumlee (when back) we are secure at the center position.
We have plenty of guards, including two diametrically opposite former MVP point guards.

If we can trade a couple of youths for one more experienced piece… Or youths and Norm?

Dorian Finney Smith?
Royce O’Neale?
John Collins?
Kelly Olynyk?

Someone…

To get to at least the 30 3PAs per game, Mann is going to have to take 5 to 6 3s. Right now, I think you can pencil the big 3 in for 6 per game, which gets you to 18. Terance at 5 would be 23. Then you have Norm with another 4 and Russ with 2 and someone else taking 1-2 more.

If Bones were in the rotation the Clips would probably get closer to that 30 mark on a consistent basis, but then there are the defensive issues w/3 guard lineups.

Cuts are used more often (jump from 18th to tied 11th) and are used efficiently (jump from 11th to 5th). We generate 139 points per 100 possessions with only 4.6 turnovers. Overall jump from 65.5 to 86.2 percentile.

Pick’n’roll roll man: better efficiency, dropped from worst to second-worst turnover rate. Zu is better and I spotted at least Russ as the roll man from time to time. Not gold but less disastrous, jump from 10.3 to 34.5 percentile. This is an important one on a team with Harden.

We’re slightly improved in isolation and Dallas is catching up in frequency. However, we’re gonna be top2 in frequency for a long time and turnovers remain a problem.

Transition improved a bit, it’s still awful though (10.3 percentile).

Post-ups remain a decently strong weapon with regards to efficiency (1.00 point per possession) but a strong one within context: we give up only 3.3 turnovers per 100 (even the 2nd best post-up team gives up twice as many) and even if it happens, this is an easy situation to get back in transition.

Context: we faced Denver without three starters and the Kings, an already below-average defense, without one starter. Some improvements offensively. The big negative: we’re tied for last now in frequency for DHOs – a play type where we’re #1 in efficiency and one that should be a no-brainer for a team that has six guys, including 4 starters in the core rotation who can dribble and drive – plus a strong screener. Ty’s focus may lie elsewhere at the moment but this is a MUST-implement in my opinion.

Overall result: we jumped from 25th to 21st in assist-to-turnover ratio, progress.

We’re now having a stretch of 7 straight games without facing a top10 defense (while being almost completely healthy). Time to get the offense going. For future reference: we’re tied 15th in offensive rating. This has to improve until Christmas. 6th in defense, facing two top11 offenses over the 7-game stretch. The defensive rating should at worst only drop slightly – that’s if the effort is there and turnovers are kept in check.

his was interesting… Clippers’ play types:

Isolation: 1st in frequency! 12th in points per possession (PPP). 10th (lowest) turnover frequency. 55.2 percentile

Transition: 4th in frequency. 29th in PPP… 7th (worst) in turnover frequency in transition. 3.4 percentile –> we suck

Pick’n’roll ballhandler: 17th in frequency. 4th in PPP. 8th worst in turnover frequency. 89.7 percentile –> looks like our bread and butter but the turnover frequency is way too high

Pick’n’roll roll man: 24th in frequency. 27th in efficiency. Highest turnover frequency. 10.3 percentile –> sorry, Zu, that’s mainly you and valid criticism

Post-up: 14th in frequency. 13th in efficiency. Lowest turnover frequency (by a mile). 58.6 percentile –> good job, better spacing would help to increase frequency, efficiency and easy kick-out passes

Spot-up: 26th in frequency. 15th in efficiency. 9th (best) turnover frequency. 51.7 percentile

Handoffs: 29th in frequency. 1st in efficiency. 2nd lowest turnover frequency. 100 percentile –> while the efficiency could drop a bit running it more often, even the eye-test looks good on these plays. Come on, coach, we need a lot more of those. Positive side effects: movement ensured, fewer isos.

Cuts: 18th in frequency. 11th in efficiency. 14th in turnover frequency. 65.5 percentile

Off screens: 6th in frequency. 14th in efficiency. 4th lowest turnover frequency. 51.7 percentile

Why the focus on turnover frequency? Because it affects the defensive rating as well. And because we’re 25th in assist-to-turnover ratio.

I think using more dribble handoff actions and either fewer roll man actions or different roll men should be another focal point. I like it that we’re generating more assists and the turnovers weren’t very high recently. But there’s a lot more that can improve offensively. Transition and the roll actions are an embarrassment.

Also: if we’re first in isolation frequency, we can’t be middle of the pack. For reference: 95 points per 100 on isolation plays, with 8.7 turnovers. 99 points per 100 on post-ups with 4.1 turnovers. 120 points per 100 after handoff actions with 6.5 turnovers

While Norm is out, play Bones. Give Bones his shot.

Yeah man.