Comments on: Clippers vs Bucks Preview: Entering the Second Half of the Season

By: Sweet Lou

Sweet Lou — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:38:15 +0000

I have been pretty firm that we need/more realistic place is the 6th spot.
If we can meet Memphis there i’ll be OK with it , The rockets we’re actually too athletic for us.

By: John Maclean

John Maclean — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 04:05:14 +0000

So the Lakers are as advertised and we aren’t even to the buyout market yet.

This would suggest that rising above 6 is not likely so we should be focused on holding our current spot.

I know we fans are hungry for a win after the Bucks game but the smart play in the bigger picture is to sit guys against Indiana and make sure we get the Detroit win at full strength. Then get a win in Chicago and finish this road trip 2-2 and 8 games above .500. Our ceiling is pretty high and all we need is a little runway to gel.

Let’s just get home and start working toward that.

By: John Maclean

John Maclean — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 05:28:34 +0000

Not a bad league scoreboard tonight other than Memphis eeking a win out. Denver will ultimately overtake them regardless.

By: mlslaw1

mlslaw1 — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 02:24:40 +0000

Concur on Amir’s D–he plays “stiff legged,” jumping and hopping those stiff legs around–as opposed to bending from the knee and moving more fluidly. It’s his nature and not gonna change. He gets beat plenty because he just can’t stay with his man like Ben and Kawhi do. As an aside, TMann got beat plenty as well.

By: John Maclean

John Maclean — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 23:19:02 +0000

Folks are freaking out over this loss to the Bucks more than I expected. The idea that we would lose on the road to a perennial playoff team and MVP candidate who are proven champions with Damian Lilliard in tow is not some shocker whether we were up by 13 and/or Giannis was on a minutes restriction or not. Especially when we were without Norm. How many times have we done this to other teams? This isn’t losing to Portland at home or like that horrible debacle last year where we lost at home to the Nuggets who only had DJ and Reggie. THOSE are bad losses.

This is an unfortunate loss but there were way too many positives (listed here by many) to become too fatalistic about the entire season now.

Houston will probably beat Minny today and give us back that two game separation. Memphis is up against a very tough Orlando team on the 2nd night of b2b. The Lakers will lose to Denver tomorrow night which will tighten that gap too. If we can beat them the next two times we got em.

I think at full strength we are the 3rd best team in the West and we don’t need home court. Unless there are some injury disasters I’m confident that we hold the 6th seed—which is fine because it means probably a matchup with Memphis in the first round and I would rather play Denver than OKC in the second round assuming they are the 2 seed. We’ve played Denver well all season and we at least have a guy who can bother Joker, while I’m not certain they have anyone who can do that to Kawhi. It would also sting far less to get bounced by Denver than OKC for obvious reasons.

If we somehow make the WCF then anything can happen. I seriously hope we have Norm for these next two games because they could be rough. If we can get both we’re back in business. Even if we only get a split it’s not the end of the world. Then we can hopefully get into a groove with the new players and rotations and make a serious run.

By: khyber jones

khyber jones — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:33:07 +0000

It is on Lue, but Coffey is terrible on D and it’s been plain to see for years.

By: khyber jones

khyber jones — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:32:11 +0000

I don’t think Bogi is an upgrade over Mann. Our 3 pt line defense, physicality and ball movement suffer without T-Mann. Bogi is a better player than Coffey in that wing scorer role. We gave up Mann to get him, thinking that Dunn + DJJ made Mann redundant. That’s a defensible position for the F.O. to take, but it depends on playing Bogdanovic and recognizing that Amir Coffey is not a 30 min player on a good team.

Simmons was an upgrade over both Bamba and KPJ as a backup #5 and playmaking backup #1. In fact, if Mann were still here, he’d be thriving on the 2nd unit with Simmons running point and getting him touches in shooting spots.

The rotations and offensive process in Q4 were not good. Lue has to fix that.

By: mlslaw1

mlslaw1 — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:46:59 +0000

Kinda see it differently. Right now we’re on the verge of slipping into the play ins with several teams on our heels–any slip ups could drop us down. I’d say the goal is the no. 6 spot. Go on a losing streak and all bets are off.

By: Greek_Clippers_Fan

Greek_Clippers_Fan — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:39:34 +0000

We are on the post-trade deadline adjustment period. We did almost win against the Bucks away, without our top scorer.

We will see imporvement as the chemistry improves. Hopefully TL will be on top of things, because today he wasn’t great.

I think top 6 is feasible if:

1) Kawhi holds steady and does not force things.
2) Bogi gets hot from 3.
3) Rotations become smoother and everyone buys in.
4) No unexpected set backs happen.

We are in a position where we can have 4x20pt scorers in every game, and not necessarily the same four in every game. Share the bloody ball.

By: Greek_Clippers_Fan

Greek_Clippers_Fan — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:32:11 +0000

Bogi>KPJ (Better shooter and playmaker)
Simmons>Mann (More complete package of Mann skills, particularly with Terrence as a hesitant shooter)
Eubanks>Mo (He seemed more aware of positioning)
Patty>Bones (more mature and professional at least)
Beauchamps>PJ Tucker (hell, I am better than PJ this season)

Overall a clear gain, but surely there are ways that things can go wrong (injuries, form, chemistry)

PS: I miss Mann too.