Well, the first day of free agency has come and gone, and it was an eventful one for the Clippers. Robert Flom and Lucas Hann are here to break it all down on TLTJTP: the Marcus Morris re-signing, Montrezl Harrell going to the Clippers, bringing back Patrick Patterson, and the departure of JaMychal Green to Denver. They then discuss what avenues the Clippers have to bolstering their roster in the rest of free agency, and where they should look to go from here.

Check out the pod here! Be sure to give a five star rating on whatever platform you listen to us on, and give us feedback on the Clippers first day of free agency in the comments below!

213Hoops is an independently owned and operated L.A. Clippers blog by Clippers fans, for Clippers fans. If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. Subscriptions start at $1 a month and support from readers like you goes a long way towards helping us keep 213Hoops sustainable, growing, and thriving.

TLTJTP: Clippers First Day of Free Agency & Next Steps
Robert Flom

News just broke that former Clippers center Montrezl Harrell will sign a 2 year, approximately $20M deal with the cross-town rival Los Angeles Lakers. This is both surprising (Harrell leaving his home of three years for their biggest rivals) and also unsurprising (he’s a Klutch agent, and Klutch is LeBron James’ agency).

The reigning Sixth Man of the Year, Harrell came over to the Clippers in the summer of 2017 as a minor piece to the Chris Paul deal. Originally the 3rd center in the Clippers’ 2018 rotation, he soon surpassed Willie Reed and won fans over with his energetic play and scoring around the rim. The Clippers re-signed him to a 2 year, $12M deal in the summer of 2018, a deal that was regarded as a steal at the time. Harrell outperformed that contract, combining with Lou Williams to form one of the highest-scoring bench duos in league history over the next two seasons.

However, Harrell’s popularity disintegrated in his last year with the team. Some of that was not his fault, as former coach Doc Rivers played him far too much and for too long a period of time over the superior player in Ivica Zubac. This overuse culminated in the 2020 playoffs, when Rivers’ refusal to bench Harrell was perhaps the primary reason for the Clippers’ devastating second-round loss to the Nuggets. Now, Trez is gone, and to the Lakers at that. For some fans, losing Trez to the hated Lakers will be upsetting – Harrell really grew into his own on the Clippers, and watching him improve and expand his game was a lot of fun. However, Trez’s limitations defensively made him ultimately expendable to the Clippers despite his scoring prowess.

This is probably a decent move for the Lakers. The Clippers did not have a rim-protecting big man who could stretch the floor like Anthony Davis, and he and Trez should be able to play together. Davis and LeBron can cover up most of Trez’s biggest issues on defense, while Trez will dominate in the pick and roll with LeBron and new acquisition Dennis Schroder feeding him the ball. Considering, however, that the Clippers were significantly worse off with him in the playoffs, and that there are still quite a few more well-rounded big men on the market, this isn’t quite as scary an addition as might seem.

The Clippers can now move on, and will presumably seek a backup center who has stronger capabilities defensively than Trez, such as Nerlens Noel, Tristan Thompson, Marc Gasol, or Aron Baynes.

Ultimately, Clippers should remember Harrell fondly, despite his “defection” to the Lakers. He went to a team that offered him a significant pay raise, one that has a big role for him, and that is contending for a championship. There should be no hard feelings there. While his tenure ended in disappointing fashion, he was a huge reason that the 2018 and 2019 seasons were so enjoyable, and gave Clippers fans a lot of good memories over that time. Montrezl Harrell going to sign with the Lakers will make it impossible for Clippers’ fans to root for him in the short term, but in the long term, I wish him well.

Montrezl Harrell Will Sign 2 Year, $20M Deal with Lakers
Robert Flom

Now that the Clippers’ 2020 season has reached its disappointing end, 213Hoops will work through the roster player-by-player for our “Exit Interview” series. Today’s exit interview features Sixth Man of the Year award winner Montrezl Harrell.

Basic Information

Height: 6’8”

Weight: 235 pounds

Position: Center

Age: 26

Years in NBA: 5

Regular Season Stats: 18.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 27.8 minutes per game on 58/0/65.8 shooting splits (60.7 TS%).

Playoff Stats: 10.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 0.4 assists, and 0.5 blocks in 18.7 minutes per game on 57.3/20/60.3 shooting splits (60.8 TS%).

Contract Status: Unrestricted free agent

Expectations

Back when Taylor wrote the check-in for Montrezl Harrell in late June, expectations for the Clippers (and Trez) were sky-high. There was lots of talk (and rightfully so!) of his incredible partnership with Lou Williams, his value to the Clippers, and the dominant season he’d had off the Clippers bench that made him a favorite to win the 6^th man of the year award. While there were some worries regarding Doc Rivers’ tendencies to overplay him, gassing him out in the 2^nd half, and regarding his poor matchups with many Western Conference playoff contenders, the overall thought was that Harrell would be a big part of a Clippers’ team that had potential to make a championship run.

Reality

Things did not turn out how Clippers fans, the Clippers, or Montrezl Harrell wanted. Harrell missed the entirety of the scrimmage and seeding games in the bubble to be with his sick grandmother, who unfortunately passed away. The grieving Harrell then returned for the playoffs out of shape and out of synch with the rest of the team, and carrying a heavy emotional weight. The result was an atrocious playoff performance (the numbers above are actually boosted by his 20-point effort in the Game 7 rout at the hands of the Nuggets), with Harrell posting by far the worst advanced numbers on the team.

The Clippers consistently played worse with Harrell on the court in the playoffs. He was destroyed by Boban Marjanovic in the Mavs’ series, who prevented him from getting going offensively and scored with ease over him on the other end. Then, in the Nuggets’ series, he was picked apart ruthlessly by a Nuggets’ team that saw a weakness on defense and exploited it. The Nuggets outplayed the Clippers by a staggering margin when Harrell was in the game opposite Nikola Jokic, as Trez proved just too small to do anything to bother Jokic. Outside of individual matchups, Harrell was a nightmare defensively, with a combination of laziness and poor instincts that showed in almost every possible facet on that end. He jumped at every pump fake (even from the likes of Mason Plumlee!) was slow closing out on shooters, didn’t rotate properly on defense, and constantly leaked out on the fastbreak instead of getting in scrums for rebounds. The result was that every Clippers lineup with him on the court performed worse than the ones without him.

Even more disappointing was Trez’s offense. We all knew that his defense was a weak spot that would be taken advantage of, but the hope was that his offense would be good enough to offset the defensive deficiencies. That is not what happened. Trez only had two games with over 18 points (his season average) and both performances saw his points accumulated primarily in garbage time. He failed to punish Jokic (we saw how the Clippers got him in trouble in the Lakers’ series) and was never able to get into the kind of grooves that carried him to the 6^th Man Award.

Not all of this was Trez’s fault. Doc Rivers and the Clippers’ coaching staff did not put him in positions to succeed (getting him moving off the move and with momentum going towards the basket) and continuously played him against poor matchups. Jokic and Marjanovic were just too big for Trez at both ends, and he should have played strictly when those guys were off the court. Alas, Doc went down riding his guy, and Trez was not able to reward his coach’s faith.

Future with Clippers

A year ago, Montrezl Harrell was a fan favorite, and his return to the Clippers was of paramount importance. Even in Taylor’s check-in a few months ago, Trez seemed likely to re-sign with the Clippers in the offseason, and Clippers’ fans would have been happy with the decision. Now, things are a whole lot murkier. Not only have many fans soured entirely on Harrell, but the Clippers presumably are lower on him now too, having seen him get exposed in the playoffs for a second consecutive season. Any thoughts of him getting a $20M year deal (as was rumored last offseason) has faded, but will the Clippers bring him back at all?

The rumors and leaks we’ve seen in the days since the Clippers’ exit from the playoffs suggest the team is likely to bring much of its core back. That could include Trez, who was still a major, major part of their regular season success, and who had mitigating circumstances marring his play in the bubble. That said, there have also been rumors regarding his disagreements with others in the locker room, and it’s possible he wants to move on. This is especially true since he is represented by Klutch, an agency known for getting its players paid. This is probably going to be Harrell’s biggest contract, and it makes sense that money would be a top priority for him in this free agency. The Clippers could still like Harrell, but if he wants more money, he could be gone regardless.

There’s a sense that Trez will be moving on this summer, and it’s an outcome that would probably please many, many fans, who were upset with Trez’s play and Doc’s use of him in the playoffs. If so, it would be a sad end to a Clippers’ career that was mostly joyous. Trez blossomed on the Clippers, and provided many fun performances over the past three years, especially in those surprising 2018 and 2019 seasons. If he comes back, hopefully it’s on a fairly reasonable deal that the Clippers could move in the coming years. If Harrell leaves, the best of luck to him in the future.

Clippers 2020 Exit Interview: Montrezl Harrell
Robert Flom

Per Shams Charania of the Athletic, Clippers’ big man Montrezl Harrell has claimed the Sixth Man of the Year award. This is not really a huge surprise – Trez was one of three finalists (along with Lou Williams and the Thunder’s Dennis Schroder), and numerous journalists announced that they were giving Harrell their votes.

Trez put up averages of 18.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 27.8 minutes per game across 63 regular season contests, with the points and rebounds serving as career highs. His scoring efficiency took a bit of a dip, as his 58% field goal shooting was somewhat lower than years prior, but it makes sense due to his expanded offensive role.

Moreover, Trez just brought a lot of energy to a team that could be very calm and complacent during the long regular season. While there are times he’s not effective, there are very rarely occasions when Trez’s motor isn’t at 100%. That energy and effort sometimes turned the Clippers around on nights when they lacked that kind of passion otherwise, and is tough to put into quantifiable terms.

There has been some “controversy” around Trez this year, as fans have critiqued Doc Rivers’ over-usage of him, especially over Ivica Zubac. Trez is simple not a good defensive player, and there have been times when leads have been bled away due to his deficiencies on that end. Zu, on the other hand, is a fearsome defender, and his improvement on offense has made him the better overall player. It’s not Trez’s fault that he receives so many minutes, bu it has been a source of frustration nonetheless.

All that said, Montrezl Harrell winning the Sixth Man of the Year Award is a magnificent achievement for a player who was a throw-in to the Chris Paul trade and who was lingering on the edges of the NBA in his first couple seasons. Trez has worked hard to become one of the better interior scorers in the NBA, and to translate his energy and effort over a full 48 minute game.

Trez is a fan favorite, particularly of “casual” Clippers fans who don’t engage in hundreds of arguments regarding his playing time on Twitter. He’s energetic, throws down thunderous dunks, and is one of the biggest trash talkers the Clippers have seen in recent years. All of that has made him beloved of the fanbase, and someone who most Clips’ diehards would be devastated to see leave this summer in free agency.

Congratulations to Montrezl Harrell on winning the Sixth Man of the Year Award, building on the legacy of Jamal Crawford and Lou Williams. It’s well deserved, and a testament to Trez’s work ethic and ability.

Montrezl Harrell Wins Sixth Man of the Year, Per Shams
Robert Flom

Since the acquiring of both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard during the 2019 off-season, the Clippers have had championship aspirations. On paper, the roster talent from top to bottom was undeniable, especially with so much versatility on the perimeter. But between Ivica Zubac, Montrezl Harrell, and Mfiondu Kabengele, the depth at the center position seemingly left a lot to be desired. Having just three centers on the roster, including the starting center who was benched during the playoffs, a 6’7 backup, and a rookie that would spend most of his time in the NBA G League, the questions were legitimate. Yet, coach Doc Rivers managed to sustain success for the majority of the season without much reinforcement with this very same Clippers’ center rotation.

However, trying to get through the playoffs with just two big bodies to use figured to be a tall task, especially with the possibilities of having to deal with Nikola Jokic, Anthony Davis, and Joel Embiid over the course of a seven game series. In fact, Embiid’s exposing of the Clippers’ bigs during a February game right before the All-Star break might have been what initiated some necessary changes to the frontcourt. Right before the COVID-19 brought the NBA season to a stoppage, the Clippers announced the signing of Joakim Noah to a 10-day contract, which would later become guaranteed throughout the season. 

Interestingly enough, the NBA restarted in late July, and the Clippers began their scrimmages without both Zubac and Harrell. Trez, the Clippers’ most used big man, left the bubble to deal with the death of his grandmother, and Zubac would be away from the team as he quarantined himself after having tested positive for COVID-19. This led into some new lineups that weren’t used during the first part of the season. Joakim Noah was able to log some important minutes throughout the scrimmages, showing off his veteran IQ on both sides of the ball. JaMychal Green also found himself playing some small ball center minutes, much to the delight of Clippers’ fans. Even Patrick Patterson played some stretch five, and didn’t do too badly himself. With the small, yet impressive, sample sizes of these players rotating in and out of the five spot, many are wondering what the rotation could look like in the playoffs once (potentially) everyone is back in the lineup and available to play. I’ll make the case for each big, and what we should realistically expect of them come playoff time.

Joakim Noah

Joakim Noah is the newest member of the Clippers. After a rough go in New York, Noah had a bit of a redemption season last year with the Memphis Grizzlies, where he was able to prove he was still a rotation-worthy player in this league. He finally got his opportunity with the Clippers in March after being linked to the team during the offseason. While the one-time DPOY has had a few noteworthy moments of play during the bubble games, in particular over the scrimmages, he remains the least likely to see any significant minutes on the court moving forward.

Defensively, Noah is much like Ivica Zubac, which is why Doc hasn’t been shy in mentioning how much of a mentor Noah will be for Zu. He’s a step slower these days, but his instincts and IQ are still quite sharp. In the few games he has logged with the Clippers, Noah showed that he is still solid at defending the post, and positions himself well to be able to challenge and block shots at the rim. Most importantly, Noah still plays with a deep passion and energy that can rally a team, a trait that could be important in the bubble’s crowd-lacking setup.

Offensively, Noah is the polar opposite of what the big man has become in the NBA today. He’s not going to space the floor, and he’s not really a threat finishing at the rim. What he does do well is create offense. Noah continues to be a master at operating out of the high post and finding cutters. Even more impressive was Noah displaying his awareness in pick & roll situations. He thrived during the scrimmages in short-rolling to around the freethrow line and being able to pinpoint passes to spot up shooters; certainly the most natural at doing so of all the Clippers’ bigs. During the playoffs, teams are going to send double teams at both Kawhi and PG in an attempt to take the ball out of their hands, so this ability to receive the pocket/short-roll pass and then play quarterback could really break the defensive scheme.

While Noah’s sheer effort is enough to make the case for more minutes, and his passing has the potential to keep the offense functioning, it’s hard to expect that Noah will see consistent playing time. Given the situation with his late arrival to the team, Trez being Doc’s go-to guy for long sequences at a time, and the recent stellar play of Zu and JaMychal at the center, it’s unlikely that Noah will find more than a few minutes here and there. The majority of his minutes might be used to spell another player who is in foul trouble, or to throw a physical body at the back-to-the-basket opposing bigs.

Patrick Patterson

In what has been sort of a revelation for the Clips, Patrick Patterson has been a pretty good player this season. Coming off a disappointing stint in Oklahoma City, Pat Pat was figured to be an end-of-the-rotation signing last offseason. Very few people thought he would contribute much of anything to this Clippers team.

Patterson’s minutes have run hot and cold thus far. While he has started 18 of the 57 games he’s played in, he has also had his share of DNP-CD’s. Pat Pat isn’t as mobile of a player as he once was, and that has been noticeable this season. He’s done a decent job at times guarding players that mirror his own style, and has even held up well enough defending the post. Patterson’s troubles come when having to use his foot-speed to keep guys in front of him. He’s just too slow to play much defense out on the perimeter, which is a problem, as he’s not big enough to offer much rim protection either.

Outside of Kabengele’s 20 3FGA’s on the season, Johnathan Motley’s single attempted and made three-pointer, and Reggie Jackson’s 15-game sample size of shooting in a Clippers uniform, Patterson ranks third on the team in three-point shooting percentage. His 38.6% trails only Paul George’s 41.1%, and Patrick Beverley’s 38.8%. This type of accuracy from downtown has been consistent no matter the situation. As mentioned earlier, Patterson’s playing time has been all over the place; sometimes he starts, sometimes he plays garbage minutes only, and then there are times where he doesn’t play for consecutive games. It takes a true professional to be ready at any given moment, and it’s really impressive that Patterson has consistently been ready to perform despite the variety of roles he’s played.

Doc’s “random acts of Patterson,” as I like to say, leaves all possibilities on the table for the veteran F/C. There won’t be a surplus of Patterson minutes in the playoffs, but due to his floor-spacing, and physical presence, I do think we’ll see him in most games.

JaMychal Green

Perhaps the player who currently makes the best case for more minutes at the five spot is JaMychal Green. After being acquired last season at the trade deadline, Green fit in very well as a stretch four. He quite possibly fit in even better during the playoffs thriving as a small-ball five. Sadly, we hadn’t seen as much JaMychal as we would have hoped for throughout much of this season, but there has been a recent uptick in both minutes and production, which simply cannot be ignored. Maybe Doc was holding Green as a key player in his back pocket, or maybe the absences of Zu and Trez forced his hand. Either way, Green has played more in the bubble, and has been fantastic.

JaMychal is a very important defender. He won’t be confused for Draymond Green on that end of the court, but his versatility to guard many different types of players is what makes him playable in almost any matchup. For example, being 6’8 and a strong 227 lbs, JaMychal has unique physical qualities that have allowed him to defend and make things uncomfortable for the Anthony Davis’ and Kristaps Porzinngis’ of the NBA for stretches at a time. But JaMychal also has the experience of playing on the perimeter during the earlier parts of his earlier career, which makes him capable of guarding players like LeBron James and Kevin Durant from time to time. His ability to switch onto wings and guards is going to play a huge role against teams like the Houston Rockets or Dallas Mavericks, who will try to expose Zu’s pick & roll coverages by playing with pick & pop shooters. 

Speaking of pick & pop shooters, JaMychal has really found his confidence as a shot-maker post all-star break. Since the break, he is shooting 46% from behind the arc, including 52% in the six bubble games at the time of this writing. This type of floor spacing really changes the dynamic of the halfcourt offense, as it creates much more room for gifted isolation players like Kawhi, Lou, and PG to get to their spots. Also worth noting: players like Rudy Gobert, Nikola Jokic, and Steven Adams typically prefer to do the bulk of their defending closer to the basket. So in a potential playoff series against that style of center, JaMychal’s floor spacing and ability to catch and shoot will be key in breaking the defense. 

However, Montrez Harrell’s return to the team is inevitably going to take away significant minutes at the center position. Fortunately for JaMychal, he has spent much of his Clippers’ career logging minutes alongside Harrell off of the bench, and has had successes in doing so. Now, more than ever, we are witnessing the best version of JaMychal as a Clipper. I suspect that Doc recognizes the value that JaMychal adds to the team and will figure out how to keep his minutes up, regardless of lineup or position.

Ivica Zubac

The big fella has played in, and started in, every one of the Clippers’ games this season, and he will continue to do so. Of all of the players on the roster, Zu is perhaps the least versatile in his role. You won’t find him playing any position other than center, and he won’t do anything outside of the normal, but that is exactly what is asked of him. 

Zu is the best defensive and rebounding big on the team by a large margin. His ability to excel in these areas as an elite rim protector will serve a high importance in potential match-ups against other teams that have size at the center position. Synergy Sports rates Zu as an “Excellent” defender in guarding post-ups and isolations, allowing just 25%, conversion rates in those respective areas. This sort of defensive dominance is what keeps players from converting at the rim, and even deters them from attempting those same shots. In terms of guarding the pick & roll, Zu is at his best when he is sitting in drop coverage. It allows for him to be a pest around the rim, but at the same time, leaves the door open for the pick & pop bigs to take advantage. Opposing stretch bigs have hurt the Clippers a few times this season, but never to the point of completely turning the game. It will be interesting to see if stretch bigs become an issue for Zu in potential match-ups against the Bucks’ Brook Lopez, the Mavs’ Kristaps Porzingis, the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, and the plethora of small-ball perimeter players the Rockets use as the five.

On the offensive end, Zu’s job is quite simple; set solid screens to free up the ball handler, finish around the rim, and be opportunistic on the offensive glass. He rarely is asked, or even given opportunities, to do on the offensive end what other bigs on the roster do. However, his 112.8 offensive rating is the best of the available bigs. Combine the offense with the defense and you probably have your best, and most reliable big. 

With all that being said, given Trez’s massive role throughout the season, JaMychal being able to stretch the floor, and Joakim’s possible quick spurts of minutes every here and there, it would be really surprising to see Zu get more than his average amount of minutes. It’s ultimately going to come down to how he is playing during that specific game, and if he is creating more impact than the other bigs on any given night. 

Montrezl Harrell

Last, but certainly not least, is the “Monsta,” Montrezl Harrell. Trez’s energy is felt at all times. He plays with a “dog” mentality and competitive spirit that has earned a special place in the hearts of the Clippers community forever. From NBA D-Leaguer, to 6MOY contender, Harrell has quickly worked his way into becoming one of the better players on the Clippers roster. Before the return of the NBA, Trezz was Doc’s clear-cut favorite at the center position. He came off the bench, but played significantly more minutes than any other center on the team, while also closing the majority of games. 

Standing at 6’7, Trez usually finds himself undersized in comparison to his matchup. What he lacks in height, however, he makes up for in athleticism and explosion. Trez has a notion for making highlight blocks as the help defender, using his anticipation and explosive jumps to take shots out of the air. However, his lack of size is often his downfall in defending bigger centers who like to isolate in the post situations, which could present a lot of the same problems as playing JaMychal Green at the center. The competitive nature and high motor of Trezz is enough to get him through most situations, but at the end of the day, his weaknesses on the defensive side of the ball are clearly visible. He simply doesn’t offer the defensive capabilities that Zubac or Noah bring. Trez is a fair rebounder at 7.1 per game, but offensive rebounds are seemingly always there for the taking during his time on the court, being most evident in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks back in January when the Hawks pulled down 23 offensive boards.

You know what you’re going to get with Trezz on the offensive end. Over the course of the past two seasons, Trezz and Lou Williams have used the pick & roll to become the highest scoring bench duo in NBA history. While that dynamic has been a mainstay in the offense, Trezz has seen an increase in opportunity to operate in isolation situations out of the post. He is shooting 58% from the field this season, while using a combination of strength and crafty ball-handling to work his way to the rim. The isolations are sometimes wonky, but necessary. Trezz, who averages 5.6 free-throw attempts per game, attacks the rim in a relentless and creative way that often leaves his defenders in foul trouble. This offensive pressure could be key in shifting momentum in playoff games.

It’s likely going to take Trezz a bit of time to work his way back into game shape and return to form. Given the reality of Trezz’s situation, there won’t really be much time for him to ease his way back in, given that the playoffs are slated to begin August 17th. Nevertheless, he’ll be a key part of the rotation as he has been all year. Don’t expect anything less.

Conclusion

Given Trezz’s absence from the team, the Clippers; center rotation has been altered to experiment with different lineups, and give more minutes to their available bigs. The results have been encouraging, and honestly, seem to be sustainable. However, despite the success, we’ve seen the all-bench lineups really struggle to generate offense during stretches of games. Clearly, Trez’s ability to “get a bucket” is missed, as the lack of shot creators really plagued the bench unit at times. With Trez’s eventual return to the bubble seemingly around the corner, you can expect his surplus of minutes to return with him.

Ultimately, Doc’s decisions on the Clippers’ center rotation should come down to matchups and how things are playing out throughout the course of playoff matchups. He will have tough decisions to make, but I expect that the versatility these bigs bring to the game will allow Doc to be creative with his lineups.

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Making Sense of the Clippers’ Center Rotation
Cole Huff

As always in bubble action, we are here to provide an injury report update on the Clippers and their opponent the day before the game, in this case the Denver Nuggets.

Clippers

Montrezl Harrell: Out (Self isolating)

Patrick Beverley: Out (Calf strain)

Landry Shamet: Out (Ankle sprain)

The Clippers remain far from complete, as two of their key players and another rotation player (I think Shamet has lost the “key” designation at this point) will sit out against the Nuggets. Trez, of course, is healthy, but is waiting until he’s cleared to play. All being well, he should pass the COVID-19 quarantine before Friday’s game against the Thunder, giving him a single regular season game to get back into some semblance of rhythm before the playoffs begin. Shamet’s injury isn’t particularly worrying either – he didn’t seem damaged after the game, and there probably would have been reports if the injury was more serious.

At this point, the bigger question is Beverley. The initial thought was that he would be kept out for a game or two to give him time to relax and recover, but he’s now been out over a week and has missed some crucial game time. He’s the most important of those three guys, and the Clippers need him right in the playoffs. Hopefully it’s all still precautionary, and he too can rejoin the Clippers in that Thunder game before the playoffs begin.

Nuggets

Will Barton: Out (Knee soreness)

Jerami Grant: Questionable (Knee soreness)

Gary Harris: Out (Hip strain)

Vlatko Cancar Out (Broken Foot)

The Nuggets have been dealing with plenty injuries of their own. Jamal Murray made a triumphant return in their win against the Jazz, but looked hobbled and out of gas by the end of that contest. He might have a minutes limit in this one, though he broke it very quickly in that Jazz game. However, the Nuggets are missing two starters, Will Barton and Gary Harris, and those are also two of their best (though still not very good) options on Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Barton is a do-everything kind of guy for them, an energetic scorer who can play some defense, and his absence has been tough on the Nugs. Harris’ scoring and shooting has fallen off a cliff this year, but he’s still a solid defender who offers some tertiary ballhandling and playmaking.

Additionally, Jerami Grant, who’s probably their actual best option on Kawhi Leonard due to his size and strength, is questionable. If he’s out as well, there’s really nobody on their roster who can even come close to guarding Kawhi or PG. For all that the Clippers might not have the chemistry or cohesion they’d like going into the playoffs, the Nuggets will be in similar straits, which is good news for the Clippers considering the Nuggets are either the 3rd or 4th best team in the conference.

Well, that should cover the injury report for this Clippers-Nuggets game. Stay tuned for further updates closer to tip-off, though all the Clippers’ injured guys seem definitively out. This should be a fun game between two likely playoff opponents, and will be a good opportunity to see where each team stands.

Clippers-Nuggets Injury Report: Pat, Trez, and Shamet Are Out
Robert Flom

Although Doc Rivers is mixing lineup combinations off the bench however he pleases at the moment, the Los Angeles Clippers are still one of the deepest teams in the league. The Clippers bench were league leaders in points per game (50.5) coming into the bubble and was third in plus/minus (2.0). Usually, teams go to their bench to hold leads while their starters rest, yet the Clippers reserves have shown that they can do more than that. They can be positives on the court and pull away from teams of their own accord. The key to that is their possessing two Sixth Man of the Year candidates.

Those two cogs are, of course, Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams. They give LA a spark and energy off the bench when called upon, and allow Rivers a lot of flexibility in late-game situations. Williams and Harrell know what their roles are and play them exceptionally well. Their play has earned them talk of winning this year’s Sixth Man of the Year award. But they are not alone in the race for this honor. Dennis Schroeder of the Oklahoma City Thunder is also in the mix, and many media members with ballots have stated they are voting for him. Each of them has reasons for why they should be the winner as they have shown to be an impact for their team’s reserve units. Let us take a look at all three candidates and what they bring to the table. 

Dennis Schroder

The Thunder are not shy to use all three of their top point guards whenever they want to. Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Schroder were all in the top three in minutes played for OKC before the shutdown. It should therefor come as no surprise that they are three of the top four scorers on the team. Billy Donovan has found the right lineups and roles for each of the three. But Schroder has a slightly more unique role in that he comes off the bench, starting only one game so far this season. He has rebounded well from a drop in scoring last season to average 18.9 points while playing 30 minutes a game. His rebounding and assist averages have stayed around the same, however, as OKC uses him in more of a scoring role. 

Schroder has seen a sizeable uptick in his shooting metrics as he’s become more efficient this season. His effective field goal percentage jumped up six points while his true shooting went from below average at 50.8 to slightly above average at 57.8 percent. It’s a pretty big jump for Shroder given both of these averages are career highs for him. Part of the drive in that efficiency is that he’s become a much more reliable three-point shooter this season. Schroder is shooting a career-high 37.9 percent from downtown and on a career-high number in attempts per game as well with five. He’s been a floor spacer for the Thunder, acting as a kick-out option for when defenses crash in on Paul in the mid-range or the lane. 

Defensively, Schroder has been solid for the Thunder so far this season. He currently has a defensive rating of 103.0 per game, third-best of anyone on the Thunder who has played more than 40 games. At 6’1, Schroeder can struggle when matched up against bigger lead guards, as they can shoot over him. On drives, however, OKC has plenty of help surrounding Schroder, as Nerlens Noel and Steven Adams are there to protect against any opposing players who find their way into the lane. But according to the advanced metrics, his defense has been a mixed bag. On one hand, he has a negative defensive box plus/minus of -1.2. On the other, his defensive player impact plus/minus ranks out at 0.87, fourth-highest on the Thunder. 

Playmaking is sill an issue for Schroder this season. His assist percentage has dropped off massively ever since he came to the Thunder. But some of it can be attributed to a new role on the team, and given that he plays with Paul, it’s fair to expect him to be more on the receiving end of assists rather than giving them. His efficiency, while improved, is still only near league-average levels and there is room for improvement in that department as well. But given his impact on offense with his scoring and at least being an average defender (depending on what metrics you use), Schroder has a strong case in this Sixth Man of the Year award race. 

Lou Wiliams

When you think of a sixth man scorer, Lou Williams is the guy who appears in many people’s minds. He has been the winner of this award three times in his career and has won it the past two years running. Ever since coming to the Clippers in Paul trade, Williams has found his fit on this team and has played to his strengths brilliantly. He can catch fire from the floor at any time and can go on game-winning scoring runs by himself. Williams is also excellent at getting to the line, averaging 5.3 free throw attempts per game, third-highest on the Clippers. He can get defenders off balance by changing directions quickly to create space, and is also adept at drawing contact with creative fakes to get his man to jump into him. Even if space isn’t created off the dribble, he is excellent at jumping away and still getting off a clean shot. Williams will pull this move off multiple times a game. It’s been effective and is a part of the reason why he’s such a dangerous scorer. He always seems to find creative solutions to generating offense. 

Like years prior, Williams was one of LA’s top scorers. He is currently fourth on the Clippers in points per game at 18.5 and averages the third-most minutes (29.1). It’s not just all scoring with Williams on offense though, as he can find open teammates and create good shots for them too. He leads LA with 5.7 dimes per game and takes advantage of defenses when they focus all-in on stopping him alone. Williams is always a threat from three, shooting around 36 percent and taking nearly five attempts a game from there. Defenses can’t help off him and run the risk of leaving him open when challenging Kawhi Leonard of Paul George.

The knocks on Williams have been ones that have been there for a while. His efficiency and defense are still a problem. William’s effective field goal percentage has dropped in recent years, going from 51 in 2016-17 to now around 47 percent this season. His true shooting numbers do show him being around average from the field at 54.5 percent. The advanced metrics have been on both sides of the coin for Williams. His offensive box plus/minus of 2.1 is the lowest total he has recorded since the 2013-14 season, but his O-PIPM is the fourth highest on the Clippers and the highest of any guard on the team. 

Defensively, however, the metrics and numbers seem to tell the same story. Like Schroeder, his height does factor into his struggles as a defender. He has had his best defensive season according to defensive box plus/minus since coming to LA but it’s still at a negative (-1.4). His D-PIPM is the lowest on the Clippers at -2.40 and teams sometimes try to pick on him defensively. 

You cannot deny Williams’ scoring prowess and the fact that he’s a big part of what makes the Clippers depth so valuable. The ability to pick them out of slumps with his scoring is extremely helpful, especially in a bubble setting where everyone is still trying to get back into the swing of things. Scoring has been Williams calling card for quite some time and the reigning sixth man award winner is a candidate to go for a three-peat in this year’s race as well. 

Montrezl Harrell

Another addition in the Paul trade was big man Montrezl Harrell, which the Clippers are thankful for, as he has blossomed into an excellent scoring big off the bench. It is the second year in a row we have seen production like this from Harrell, showcasing some consistency. So far this season he has averaged career highs in points (18.6) and rebounds (7.0) per game. He has played around 27 minutes a game, the most of any center on the roster. Like Williams, Rivers isn’t afraid to play him in crunch time. 

Harrell isn’t exactly an offensive creator by any means. He doesn’t take many jump shots at all and there is no three-point presence from him. But he is extremely reliable when it comes to scoring in the paint, throwing down lobs, or finishing at the basket after catching a pass as the roll man. Out of players who average more than two possessions per game as a roll man, Harrell is eighth highest when it comes to points per possessions and seventh in eFG%. Any time you get it to Harrell near the hoop, he’s almost guaranteed to score, shooting 70.5 percent from shots at the rim. Although his eFG and TS percentages dropped from last year, they were still pretty good overall. Of Clippers players who have played more than 1,000 minutes, Harrell is second in true shooting (60.7) only behind Ivica Zubac. He does struggle from the free-throw line, but Harrell isn’t one to shy away from contact. His 5.6 free throw attempts per game are second to Kawhi Leonard. He is one of their most important and impactful players on that side of the ball, as his 0.88 O-PIPM ranks third on the team. 

As their inside scorer, Harrell adds another dimension to the Clippers. While their other top scorers mostly come from the outside as jump shooters, he is the go-to guy for everything else. Additionally, Harrell brings energy to Los Angeles whenever he steps on the court, always crashing the glass or running to the rim. He can absolutely turn games around with his energy alone, which is invaluable.

However, like Williams, defense can be a problem for Harrell. His D-PIPM and defensive rating rank fourth and seventh-worst on the Clippers respectively. He is more than willing to step in front of an opposing player for a charge, and effort isn’t a problem either. However, in the modern NBA, bigs need to be able to drag themselves out of the post and be comfortable defending on the perimeter. This isn’t always the case with Harrell, as he sometimes gets caught flat-footed and watches his man dribble right by him. When teams space the floor, Harrell is frequently caught in no-mans land. He has to choose between defending the paint or constantly stick to his assignment, and sometimes doesn’t do either. He then can’t recover quickly enough, and in the playoffs, opposing teams will exploit it. The Clippers do benefit from having two elite wing defenders in George and Leonard, but it is fair to ask questions of Harrell’s defense. 

Harrell has been LA’s best big man this season (Editor’s Note: Ivica Zubac fans might quibble with that). His inside scoring is much needed, and is crucial for opening up other areas for their offense to thrive. George and Leonard won’t always get the chances they have without Harrell there. With his dunks and willingness to chase after any loose ball, he has become a fan favorite and for a good reason. He has never won this award but given his contributions and importance to one of the best teams in the league, he should be a strong candidate as well. 

Conclusion

It’s very hard to decide a winner to this year’s Sixth Man of the Year award race. All three players offer different strengths and weaknesses, and have different cases to win. What do you all think about who should win the sixth man of the year award this year?

213Hoops is an independently owned and operated L.A. Clippers blog by Clippers fans, for Clippers fans. If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. Subscriptions start at $1 a month and support from readers like you goes a long way towards helping us keep 213Hoops sustainable, growing, and thriving.

A Look At the Race for the Sixth Man of the Year Award
Vijay Vemu

The last Clipper not in the bubble, Montrezl Harrell, lost his grandmother a couple nights ago, and Doc Rivers discussed his potential return to Orlando before the Pelicans game yesterday.

Doc’s response is worth quoting in full, because it’s very powerful and heartfelt:

When he’s ready, he’ll come back. You can’t play if you’re not right mentally and because of the emotional part of it. … His grandmother is very tight with him so all I told him is I love him and take your time. We’ll be ready with open arms when you come.

That’s really the perfect answer. Montrezl is grieving right now, as anyone would be, and his closeness with his grandmother makes it all the more difficult. He needs to spend time with his family (or as much as is possible with the COVID restrictions), grieve in peace, and recover mentally. There is no timeline for Trez to return, nor should there be. However, many athletes, when grieving, like to throw themselves into their work, to take their mind off things (think Isaiah Thomas in the 2017 playoffs after losing his sister). It could be the same for Trez. The bottom line is this: when Montrezl Harrell wants to return to Orlando, he will return, and he will have the full support from the Clippers the whole way.

In the meantime, the Clippers are slowly starting to get healthy. Lou Williams should be ready to play either against the Suns, or certainly against the Mavs. While he will miss his pick and roll partner Trez, Lou will be a much-welcome addition to a bench unit that has had shaky firepower (to be charitable) in the first two seeding games. Whenever Lou comes back, Trez will be the last Clipper not in Orlando and with the team.

Our condolences once again to Montrezl Harrell and his family on the loss of his grandmother.

Doc Discussed Montrezl Harrell’s Return to Orlando
Robert Flom

Lucas Hann and Robert Flom of 213Hoops are joined by Charles Mockler of Locked on Clippers to discuss the upcoming Clippers scrimmages, breakdown the potential impact of Joakim Noah and the current departure of Montrezl Harrell, and review the seasons of the Clippers’ forwards, including the somewhat controversial Marcus Morris.

Check out the podcast here! Also, be sure to subscribe to the channel on Spotify, Google Pods, and Apple Podcasts.

213Hoops is an independently owned and operated L.A. Clippers blog by Clippers fans, for Clippers fans. If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. Subscriptions start at $1 a month and support from readers like you goes a long way towards helping us keep 213Hoops sustainable, growing, and thriving.

TLTJTP: Preview of Clippers Scrimmages and Review of their Forwards
Robert Flom

Summary

The Clippers started the game off slow. They were clearly trying – it wasn’t an effort issue, as it has been at times this year – but they just weren’t executing as sharply as they have been recently. This was especially obvious on the defensive end, where the Clippers looked helpless to stop Tobias Harris and Shake Milton. Harris was one thing, but Milton’s scorching hot start catapulted the Sixers to an early double-digit lead. Spoiler: he never cooled off. With the starters flagging, Doc Rivers turned to the bench, and as they have of late, the reserves stepped up. Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell did their thing, Reggie Jackson added some verve, and JaMychal Green brought the toughness. The Clippers cut into the deficit, and faced a manageable five-point margin going to the second quarter.

The Clippers reserves continued their strong play, and briefly tied the game, but then the Sixers came roaring back. The culprit, again, was Milton, who drained threes, got to the basket, and drew fouls, scoring in all variety of ways to torch the Clips. The Sixers regained the advantage, yet weren’t able to pull away due to the scoring prowess of Paul George. PG kept his hot shooting going, nailing several tough threes and keeping the Clippers afloat while Kawhi remained quiet. Even with Milton’s ridiculous shooting, the Clippers trailed by only two entering halftime.

The Sixers started off the third just as hot as they had been previously, and fans’ hopes of a quick turnaround faded. Milton scored, Al Horford drained a three, and the Clippers were fouling too much. Once again, however, the bench saved the day. Lou, Jackson, and Trez came in with energy on both ends, finally forcing some stops and getting out in transition. Then, Lou took over on the offensive end, scoring or playmaking to get the Clippers buckets and eventually gain the lead. Once the Clippers had the advantage, they didn’t relent, continuing to attack the defensively-weak Sixers while pressuring their offense. The Clippers’ lead swelled to double digits, and the Clippers had the game won.

Of course, there was another quarter to be played, but the Clippers never seemed close to losing the game again, even when the Sixers made a run to cut the deficit to four. Kawhi and Lou were in the zone, and on the rare occasions when they did miss, Montrezl was right there for the offensive rebounds and putbacks. Things were a little closer than they should have been, as the defense slacked off somewhat, but the Clippers held on for the 136-130 victory.

 Notes

Shake, Rattle, and Roll: The story of the game was Shake Milton, the unheralded second-year player from SMU who set a new career high in scoring with 39 points. Milton hit 14 of 20 shots, 7 of 9 three pointers, and 4 of his 5 free throws for a simply absurd scoring performance. If anything, he was actually better than those numbers would display, consistently shaking (heh) free of Clippers’ defenders and draining tough shots. The Clippers just could not stop him except for brief stretches, and are lucky he didn’t have more help (and that the Sixers were missing over half their starters once Josh Richardson exited the game). This was a special performance, and it was extremely fun to watch it play out. He obviously won’t be this good every game, but the shooting and ball-handling seems for real, and he could be a huge boon for the Sixers down the stretch.

Throwback Clippers Bench: While Paul George and Kawhi Leonard played fairly well (especially George), the starting unit has a whole was not particularly good, with the other three starters combining for only 13 points and playing middling defense. Therefore, as we’ve seen so often over the past couple years, the bench had to save the day, and save the day they did! Lou Williams dazzled as a scorer and playmaker, scoring 24 points on 12 shots while dishing out 8 assists, and made the most of his time off-ball alongside Jackson. Montrezl Harrell had 24 points on 13 shots and pulled in 9 rebounds, and while his defense was still up-and-down, the energy and passion on display was constant throughout, and allowed him to make some huge plays. Jackson, JaMychal Green, and Landry Shamet filled in the gaps by playing well defensively, moving the ball, and hitting shots when called upon. It was a great performance as a unit, and one that has now carried over for several games. The addition of Jackson has been huge thus far, and he’s unlocked Lou in particular in a way that is refreshing to see.

Tobias Harris and Mike Scott Return: Both Tobias Harris and Mike Scott received tribute videos in the 1^st quarter, with Harris getting (rightfully so) the somewhat longer billing. And, fittingly, both guys played well, probably being the Sixers’ 2^nd and 3^rd best players behind Milton. Harris scored 25 points, most of them coming in that opening quarter, and made some nice drives to the basket. Scott drained several threes, which helped the Sixers make their early 3^rd quarter run. It was great to see both guys again, and hopefully they continue to play well for the Sixers down the stretch.

The Road Ahead: Well, the Clippers have now won four games in a row, but might be entering the most difficult three-game stretch of the season. They first head to OKC to take on the sizzling Thunder on Tuesday night, then make their way to Houston to face the even hotter Rockets in a nationally televised game on Thursday. The Clippers will then head back home, but will square off against the Lakers in a game that the Lakers will be eager to win considering their two earlier losses. A 2-1 record in this stretch would be great; 3-0 would be absolutely phenomenal. Buckle up!

Clippers Overcome Shake Milton’s Career Night, Beat Sixers 136-130
Robert Flom