How's it going? Clippers fans, Clippers people, Clippers folks meet William Updyke,
one third of the hosting triumvirate here at clips did. If you don't
know Clips, he did, it's your favorite Clippers podcast, your new favorite
Clippers podcast. We can mention multiple times a week with all the Clippers content.
I joined as most most times, honestly by Charles Mockler and Adam Osland
Fellas, how's it going? We'll start with you, Chuck. I'm feeling
good. It's freezing in Los Angeles, but I have a feeling as frigid.
I have a feeling the Clippers are gonna go on another wind streak by
the time we put out our next episode, which I'm very excited for.
But I'm feeling pretty good. Cold toes aside, I'm doing fine. Adam,
are you warmer? Are you okay? The Clippers hot shooting keeping us
warm with that sixty two percent field goal percentage tie on the season last night,
I guess again, all right, yeah, all right. We're gonna
kick things off talking about that back to back Lakers versus sounds one severely more
disappointing than the other. We'll also take a look at the standings pretty interesting
right now. I mean we kind of had some expectations and some thoughts about
where this team could be, where they should be coming into the season.
So we'll talk a little bit about that, and it will preview the Clippers
upcoming games as we you know, trudge on towards March, which if you're
new to this show, is very important to Charles Mockler. But let's kick
it off, Adam, where were you at after this loss of the Lakers.
Let's start there, Let's get in, and then let's get into the
good stuff. As you know, I wasn't that surprised by it. I
thought the Lakers would play well, and I think it's a bad matchup for
the Clippers in a lot of ways. The Lakers aren't the same team with
a lot of smaller guards, having two guard Kawhi and Paul George like they
were in recent years when there was this level of dominance from the Clippers eleven
straight victories that now lost to the Lakers twice this season. I don't think
it's alarming. I don't think it's a red flag or anything to overreact too
much about. But I do think they can be a bad matchup for them,
just because they have so much length Defensively, I thought that going in
and the Clippers had their worst shooting game. Uh well, at least since
I think November eighth. They shot under forty percent from the field. They
still call that matchup. Would you call that matchup the lengthy boys versus the
girthy boys? Yeah, hot dog versus Hamberger. They were sub forty.
Wow, I knew it was bad. I didn't know it was sub forty.
They still I had Justin Russeau on pregame last night and he brought up
like shot profile based off of that where the Clippers should have shot, and
they shot eight percent below where they normally would hit those shots at. So
they did have an off night and it was outside of what the Lakers were
doing too. It is bad. As an advanced dad, I get it,
but I still think. You know, Kawhi Leonard had his first bad
game and his last fifteen after fourteenth straight of sixty percent shooting from the floor
and fifty three percent from the outside, he was due. It happened to
come against the Los Angeles Lakers, who said a lot of glowing things about
the Clippers and how well they had been playing post game, by the way,
and he sorry to cut you off. Did you see the new report
that came out about like how the Lakers regret how they handled the Russ trade
that came out today, Like I just saw the headline, but it was
like, what to David Menimon apologizer? Literally I think it might have been
let me look it up, but yeah, it was like, yeah,
just like the Lakers like regret how they handled the situation, And You're like,
I regret posting anything that could be interpreted as Russ slander, even when
I'm saying I love him and he's doing a great job off the bench,
but that's not enough for some people. But I just thought that was funny.
It's like, okay, guys, like move on. They heaped a
lot of praise on a visa Zuba's post game, and Lebron had that comment
about it's coach louse team right to say that too. That's been the biggest
difference. He's putting the guys in the position to succeed and made that change
to the starting lineup since then, Clippers of one, twenty of twenty six.
Since December one, fifteen of eighteen, six of the last seven after
beating Phoenix last night. But still I don't like just how they line up
against the Lakers team. And for people who think that, oh, they
would beat him in a seven game series and it wouldn't be much trouble and
maybe the Lakers won't even make the playoffs and all these things, and I
heard a lot of it last year too. Even if yes, I think
the Clippers would win that series, I think they are the better team.
It's going to take a lot out of you playing this Lakers team that's probably
not a finished product product yet, and they probably are gonna go out and
make a move at some point. They have a sets two and they can
do that. But if you had to match up against them in a first
round series, where and we'll get more to the standings later on, but
that's how it would look right now, based upon how good the Clippers have
been and the swoon the Lakers have been on ever since the Ncason Tournament.
I don't love that. I don't love that. And I've been saying this
for a long time. There's two things that would worry me. One,
they're gonna have the home crowd in probably every game of that series, unfortunately,
and two, the Lakers get calls like what are we talking about here.
You can go back over the last season ever since that Lebron James Boston
incident, and the Lakers was something like a plus five hundred and free throws
attempted more or more of them attempted versus disparity versus opponent. That's a problem.
And they still have Lebron and Ad. Now, if there's injuries,
we're talking about something else. But I'm just saying both teams fully healthy,
it would be a knockdown, drag out fight. The Clippers still had a
chance to win that game. Will's Powell Ranger lineup came in. They were
a plus eight after they were down by ten, They had the game tied.
It still took a miss from Norman Powell that rattled in and out for
the Lakers to win that game. But I think there were some warning signs,
including this, and I'll end with this here in my little spiel,
but when we talk about James Harden and say, well, he's never been
in a position like this before where he's the third option of the third scoring
option. So if you're worried about him in a playoff series, it's different
now in this Clippers team with Kawhi and Paul George in front of him in
the pecking order of shots. That's fair. But because he's the guy with
the ball in his hands and they're generating offense off of him, it's not
exactly him slotted into being the third most important guy in a playoff series.
He's still extremely important. And the five turnovers he had against the Los Angeles
Lakers, where he didn't look like himself, that was a little bit I'm
not gonna say eye opening, but it was his worst game in a long
time, and the Lakers played him well and they generated those turnovers. And
they need James Harden not just to shoot it well in a playoff series.
He has to continue to be sound with the basketball. And I said this
on the last show, but it's flown under the radar that the Clippers over
the last ten to fifteen games, the turnovers had been up and they had
been averaging almost fifteen per game. So even while they were winning because of
the margin of error and the talent disparity between them and their opponents, there
still were some warning signs. There was a little bit of slippage offensively with
too many turnovers, and it came back to hurt them in a big way
against the Lakers in that game, where I think they had eight of their
sixteen turnovers in the third quarter alone. So I think they're obviously the better
team overall, and I would take them in a seven game series. It
would be a battle for Los Angeles still, and I'm interested to see how
they come out when they play the Lakers later on this month. Yeah,
I was excited to see him bounce back so well because all the quote like
the play, guys seemed pissed off after the game. Will You and I
were talking about this, like it's not often you see in the two and
three era guys look not pissed off like at the media or anything like that,
but just genuinely unsettled with how they performed that night. That was palpable.
After that Lakers game, they were upset and they wanted to bounce back
immediately against the Suns, which they fully did. I don't know if we've
seen the Clippers lose the first game of a back to back and then respond
like they did like that in a really long time in the two win three
era, because they I mean, you know it was close issh at half,
but when they decided to put it on the Suns, they absolutely,
you know, kind of imposed their will on the Phoenix Suns. The other
night, Tyler had the quote, I think after losing that game yesterday kind
of woke us up. The way we played defensively, I thought was really
good tonight, that second half, especially Will What was your biggest takeawy from
the Clippers played against the Suns. Also a lot of Suns fans, a
lot of Suns fans in the building last night. Not ideal anyway, Well,
the biggest thing for me was I liked a lot of the combinations of
the lineups. I think they tie did a really good job minimizing the Hard
and Westbrook minutes on the floor. There was there was very minimal overlap between
the two, which we know just I mean, it hasn't been working.
It's it's not to say that it never will, but thus far it hasn't.
In a game like that where you know, through three and a half
quarters it was fairly a fairly competitive game, you definitely needed that. So
I liked them messing around with those things. I loved getting Zoo involved.
Obviously he you know, he has been so pivotal in this in this win
streak and Terrence. Terrence had a great game as well too. Yeah,
Terrence hit what was it? I mean, he's like, what ten of
his last eighteen from outside from three or six last night? Yeah, Like,
dude, I think I called him. I think I called him the
preview that he was gonna I think he was my player of the game,
and I said he would hit three threes. You nailed it. Did you
have a recall last night on the clips and double dip as well? Will
bringing up the Clippers staying big with the Vita Zoobots when the Suns went small
on the third, it was very ineffective. It was so funny to see
it felt well, I mean, Nurt got completely invalidated. He got played
off the floor, Like huge credit to Zoo for that, and huge credit
for Zoo for being able to stay in those positions when they went small,
like you know it, he was unfazed. It was so funny. It
felt like the Sons were like, oh yeah, well, now we're gonna
go small, like who's Zubot's gonna guard? And then it was like who's
gonna guard Zubots he's a foot taller than everyone else out there. Like,
I guess, if you want to go bucket for bucket, we can,
but that doesn't help the other team when they're losing. Yeah, NRK got
he he he was bad. Zoo was a monster. Guys. What he's
done over the last twenty six games with this new starting line up thirteen and
ten on almost seventy percent shooting. And I saw it earlier today. I'm
looking for it right now on the lob of the Jam the podcast. I
think it was doctor Shapp that posted it. But Harden is the best pull
up three point shooter on high volume at forty four percent. Aviza Zoo Boss
has the highest field goal percentage on good volume from five to nine feet now
at almost sixty five percent. Those two shows the baby hook from Zoo was
on full display last night against the Suns. I'm telling you, Zoo,
he's talked about his confidence so much, and you can see it. It
looks like Zoo is showing off a little bit, just showing what he can
do offensively, which is like this, this cool I guess, giant step
that Zoo has taken. Zoo haters and shambles hardened haters and shambles, Terrence
Man, haters and shambles. But I'm just so happy for Viza Zoo boss
to put it together. And I don't know if it's a chicken or the
egg thing, but is he being more consistent because he's getting more consistent minutes
over this stretch? Is or is it just him coming into his own at
the right time because he has this great pick and hole, pick and roll
point guard and James Harden like he's never had before. Whatever it is,
I just am really proud of the way he has played because he's been an
unsung hero, one of the most reliable guys in the league for a while.
Yeah, he credited after the game Westbrook and Harden just has said it
was fun to play. They played basketball a fun way when he's on the
floor, and he said that Harden rewards him like he's never had a point
guard who's really kind of like looked out for. How kind of Zoo felt,
will Adam? You run up a good point, like a seven game
series against the Lakers, that would be tense, that would be not enjoyable.
Will How would you feel about a seven game series against the Phoenix Suns
to open up the playoffs. I right stamp of this if you want also
as well, Yeah, if the songs look the way they do today January
ninth, I would feel very very comfortable with that, I thought. And
we didn't give him as flowers either, but Paul George was absolutely wonderful as
well. I think he was four nine from three, finished with like twenty
five points. He They just don't have an answer. They don't have an
answer for these guys. And Kawhi, you know, had a solid game,
but not like not like we were seeing pre the hip contusion, and
I just I don't defensively, I don't know, I don't know how they
how they can stop the Clippers. I mean they can try to like shoot
you out of the gym, but I just don't think that your entire team
is shooting forty percent from three over a seven game series like and I think
that's what it would take as well as you know, great individual performances from
Durant and Booker and you know as most likely Oh yeah totally. And I
didn't even mention Bill yet, but I you know, guards, especially smaller
guards like they've never that's not a good playoff matchup for any guard against the
Clippers like it hasn't been and you can you can look at the data,
so I would feel really really good about that. The two things I think
for the Sons is like, a, the depth is paper thin. Clippers,
They've had their ups and downs, but I feel like all of their
role players are hitting a stride right now. You know, we talked about
this like a week ago, but like if the playoffs started tomorrow, I
would feel pretty confident with where we're at. I mean, I guess I
would love to have Mason fully back, but I would feel really pretty comfortable
with where we're at. Whereas the Sons, I think have a lot more
questions in terms of depth, and then outside of Nurkic, like just not
having another center. I just I don't know how they're gonna be. I
really don't know how they're gonna be almost any team in the West in a
playoff series, if those are the options, if it's nerd or nothing,
Yeah, bull bull bull boll. Towards the Clippers the first time we played
them, Adam, how would you feel. I I think they're gonna figure
it out obviously a little bit. But I think, yeah, the Suns
are gonna win a couple of games just off of hot shooting and elite shooting
talent and a bunch of guys who can score all three levels with KD,
Beale and Booker, but they do feast and have a steady diet of mid
range jumpers. And we saw Vista Zubats not playing and drop as much in
the second half of that one, and Kawhi just take control. I know
he didn't have a great game offensively, but a couple of big buckets in
that fourth quarter, including that ridiculous fade away over two players, spin move
think between the legs as well, But to me, what he did defensively
is what changed the game in the second half. He guarded Kevin Durant as
he did in the first quarter, but he was much better in the third
quarter. KD had twenty points of the half, had just three in the
third quarter, and then Kawhi had four of his five steals in the fourth
and I think three consecutive steals also assisted in a way deflected by Daniel Tice,
who played really well in that fourth quarter after having a slow first half.
But I just think it's a bad matchup for Phoenix because they don't have
the horses to guard the Clippers because the guys they have to have out there
that are their offensive juggernauts, two of them are just too small and Beal
and Devin Booker Paul George. I think when three of his first four makes
over Devin Booker in that first quarter where he had ten points, he had
no regard. But yeah, he got picked on by Russ as soon as
he came into the ballgame. They don't have a team that has enough two
way players that you can keep on the floor. They're a little bit two
one dimensional. I think the Lakers have that somewhat the other way, where
they have some really good defenders, but they aren't good enough offensively. But
yeah, the Phoenix Dones are flawed right now. It's still only six games
so far with their big three together, and they could still make a move.
I never liked the move for Nurkic. I don't think he's a great
defensive censor. I think I know, maybe it was untenable with DeAndre Ayton
and the chemistry issues there and how he soured on the situation. But I
always thought when they brought in Frank Vogel it was to get the most out
of DeAndre Ayton. Now it was a clean slate, no more money Williams
and how he's being used. Frank Vogel's a big man whisperer. Instead,
they made the move and I don't think they got enough back for him.
But I still wouldn't like it in a first round series because Phoenix has that
much top end talent. But I don't know what you would like in a
first round series in this Western Conference right now. You know, there aren't
a lot of teams that you feel like, Okay, they can easily win
this in four or five games. If the Clippers are a top three or
four seed whoever they're taking on the bottom half, and you're not gonna find
out till later on because of the not in season tournament, but because they're
playing. Yeah, so five games is the new sweep. Winning in five
is the new sweep. It is so like, it's so hard to sweep
teams unless Denver against the Lakers and the Western Garmerce finals. But very true.
That's a great segue. We can talk about the league in general.
We're all feeling great after the Suns win. We're talking standings. Let's start
micro, Let's start Division. As someone famously once said not very long ago,
the Clippers are the worst team in the Pacific Division. But as of
halfway through the season, the Clippers are one and a half games ahead of
the Kings, four and a half games ahead of the Suns, five and
a half ahead of the Lakers, and six ahead of the Warriors. I'll
tell you what, as to be honest, someone who has a lot of
division pride, not the best year for the active as a whole right now,
but I'm not too worried about that considering the Clippers are on top.
Do we think the Clippers will finally get to raise a division banner this year?
Don't care. Look, I'm going to get a tattoo of the division
banner if they win the division. Have to got it. I'm the only
plane that matters. What were the division or California Championship shirts they put out.
I don't have as much Pac div pride. I prefer the pack that
Div to be down so the Clippers could have an easier road and get more
victories to be a top three seed. But I understand where you're coming from.
Of course, now wins, you know, just as a Kings fan
growing up Pacific Division banner doesn't do much for me. I've seen those.
All right, let's get macro with it if we want to, if we
want to screen shares. We got a lot of YouTube conference demanding more screen
sharing of the standings, just saying you know, I'm gonna go ahead and
share it. Uh. I was trying to find that that Lakers, Sure,
but I can't so looking at the standings right here, let's bring it
up on the thing. Boom boom, Oh sorry, will do you want
to click it? I clicked it. Clippers are sitting in what I think
I like to call the death zone. They're only a game and a half
out of the Nuggets. Excuse me, not a game and half the Nuggets.
Oh they are weird. This is wonky as hell. Thanks Google.
But if you look at four, five six or five six and seven,
that is where it kind of becomes a hellscape. I think, do we
think? I think the Clippers can separate though, I think they have a
chance. Like I said, you know, maybe start a wind streak here
before our next episode, after these two upcoming games. But I would love
to avoid this quagmire that is five to sixty seven. They need to they
need to be a top three seed. I'm not gonna pivot away from that.
I've been saying it for years. The only team that is one that
has not been a top three seed is in the ninety five Houston Rockets the
last forty seasons. It's not gonna be easy to crack that because Denver,
okay See, and the Timberwolves are all ahead of them. We'll see the
Timberwolves on Sunday, but they have an opportunity now where we thought. I
certainly thought when they lost six in a row that might have sunk them from
getting a top three seed. But top three seed back on the menu.
Boys, Rod thought that too. I think, Will what do you?
I mean a great company? Will what do you? What do you feel
when you look at the standings? Right now? Halfway through, we're sitting
at the four. Not bad, not bad. I still think looking at
it though right now, it still seems pretty difficult, Like who were you
overtaking? Like who do you think is realistically gonna slip and day there for
the rest of the season. You know, Minnesota and okay See your neck
and neck nuggets are right there. I just who do you bump out?
Who do you think you can bump out realistically, that is, I guess,
like my only concern you know, the Kings are game and a half
on our heels, doesn't really concern me. Four or five against the Kings
doesn't necessarily excite me. I think it's a good match for the Clippers,
but it doesn't necessarily excite me for that to be your first round matchup.
Yeah. I if I had to pick the two teams that I think are
gonna slip, I think it's Timberwolves in Thunder, and I think because of
youth, I would have to maybe guess the Thunder, you know, just
can't figure out something. But it's not like I expect them to slip,
you know what I mean? But if I'm not, you know, I
can't really bet against the Nuggets yet as someone as a Clippers or anyone who's
watched them play. But I think i'd have to put the Thunder in the
maybe get drop down still stay a top four or something. See when we
talked about the Western Conference and you asked the question who scares you the most
about three weeks ago, I brought up the Okac Thunder. Yeah, and
I'm still there with it because I was just looking at Sorry, is that
the power Rangers store? What's that norm? Okay, yeah, yeah,
keep shooting sixty percent fourth quarters. That's your delined the norm. If you're
only listening to this pod and you want to see what we were just talking
about, which was Adam's Power Ranger store my paperweight for my desk, I
guess check it out YouTube dot com Slash at Clippers podcast. But continue about
the Thunder. Uh So, out of the three teams that are ahead of
the Clippers on the standings right now, according to tankathon remaining strength of schedule,
only the Denver Nuggets have a tougher schedule than the Clippers remaining they're at
fourteen. The Clippers are at sixteen, but Minnesota is at twenty eight and
the OKC Thunder are at twenty one when it comes to toughest schedules left and
okay, see it can still go make a move, guys. If they
want Seaakham, they can get Sea Oakham. Like if they want marketing,
they can get marketing. That is a problem, and they have a ridiculous
amount of poise late in games they show up. They don't look like a
young team to me. That is you know, halfway through the season.
You are right, it's not like they've really shown any young the youth flaw.
I think there are more complete team than the Sacramento Kings were last season
when they ended up being the three seed. I believe, I just do,
and they had a ton of good health. But Sga he's better I
think than Darren Fox and jet Holmgrin with the way he has played in his
rookie season. Uh, that's a great option. They have a ton of
depth. They may trade some of it in. They could be a juggernaut.
It's between them the Denver Nuggets. I haven't seen enough in the Minnesota
Timberwolves, but of the top two teams of the West that scare me the
most, Denver's obvious, but I think okay see, I don't know.
You know, for years, they have the loudest crowd in the NBA.
If you have to go there and play on the road and okay see,
that's gonna be a problem. It's that pregame prayer. It gets everyone so
fired up down there. Okay see. I would love it'd be fantastic to
face okay See in the Western Conference finals and beat them. That would be
good for the Paul George trade narrative that people don't think was a good trade.
That'd be a fun time. I mean, is worst case scenario losing
to Okay See in the playoffs or losing to the Lakers in the playoffs.
What would be worse The Lakers by a mile, because that team is getting
bounced the next round. If he loses Thunder, you probably lose to like
a team that might win the championship. As of now, that's the team
you traded with. You can't lose that series. I'm already thinking of about
how would they match up against them? Who do they throw at SGA.
To me, that's a situation where you might need Russell Westbrook in that defense
against Shay gilds allamsander point of attack. Wise, I get made fun of
for looking at March Adams doing playoff matchups right now with the twenty twenty four
Now, Chuck worried about March back in twenty twenty three. In July nineteen,
I was worried about March twenty twenty four. All right, coming up,
we're gonna talk. The Clippers play the Raptors tomorrow and then the shockingly
incredibly shorthanded Grizzlies after the John News and then Jared Jackson situation. But first
we have some ads coming up. If those have been too loud for you
can go ahead and turn it down. Some people have complained about that.
We're gonna talk Clippers, Raptors and Clippers Grizzlies coming up. Ads in three
to one. Welcome back in Clips in Dip Season two, episode thirty eight.
I'm Meta Monslim, we got Chuck Mockler, we got Will Updek a
good Clips and Double Dip with Big Will last night on AM seventy LA Sports.
If you missed it, we pull that segment we uploaded also on the
Clips and Dip podcast links still to come. In the show, we got
a little bit of Rando stuff for you. We'll talk a little bit horror
about the Powell Rangers and if they're going mainstream yet. That nickname that Will
coined for the Clippers death lineup, which did well again, was a plus
one in just one minute against the Phoenix Suns in the second quarter. That's
all they needed per thirty six. Yeah they're destroying. But let's get into
some of the upcoming matchups here, including the Clippers next game against the Raptors
coming up tomorrow, Sloppy seconds after the Lakers take on the Toronto Raptors new
look Toronto Raptors tonight at Crypto dot Com Arena, after they made the trade
for Emmanuel Quickly and r J. Barrett Chuck, I know you've done a
little bit of digging on this Toronto Raptors team, which is kind of in
no man's land in what direction they were moving tours with a rebuild or restart
or reload, and now they have gotten a little bit younger, I guess,
or they've gotten two players for one at least, so a little bit
more down the trophy Anonobe. But this is a team that I guess is
going to lean into more offense, because that's kind of where they have struggled
over the last season, and really since Kawhi Leonard has left them, it
just hasn't looked the same consistently offensively from the Toronto Raptors. But they still
have Siakham, they still have talent there, and I guess a little bit
of a culture left over from that twenty nineteen championship. Yes, Kawhi gave
them a lot of things in Toronto. Yeah, so no Yaka pertle in
this one, which is quasi big. The Raptors are like, they're perfectly
in the middle. Their seventeenth offensive rating, they're seventeenth, defensive rating,
nineteenth and net rating, so they're just like a perfectly blow affage team kind
of like every meta wise since that trade, they're three and one. They
beat the Warriors, Grizzlies, and Calves plus four point seven net rating,
third highest scoring team in the NBA over this recent stretch. But will I
had a note on here that I think, like, if the Clippers can
shut down Siakam, and by shut down, you know below the season averages
for points, let's call it that, it's hard for me to find,
you know, another path for the Raptors to get to win in this one,
just with how the Clippers are playing. Siakam is averaging twenty nine to
nine over the last three games against the Clippers, which is bad. But
I'm just not seeing a lot of avenues where the Clippers don't you know,
turn up, you know, turning the ball over things like that to try
and let this team into it. Yeah, I mean this, this Raptors
team is in a really interesting place to me. They're kind of it's reminiscent
to me a little bit of I mean a less good Trailblazers kind of like
where they were at for a while where it's like this, you know this,
where is this really going? Especially after they yeah, after they traded
McCullum, it was kind of like that's what the Raptors kind of are to
me right now after like the O G trade. They have some interesting pieces.
I mean, like RJ. Barrett could make something happen. I mean
like, I don't think he's the guy right now. Maybe he will be
empowered in that offense, but right now, I don't think he's the guy
to really take the reins. I don't think with someone like Kawhi or even
Paul George on him, he would could you know, like go off in
a significant enough way to like take a game over from the Clippers and no
Pertol. I think is really really interesting. That trade still baffles me.
But you seem so confused by the Raptors. It's so great, like yeah,
yeah, And I mean I think Emmanuel Quickly is interesting. You know,
six Man of the Year candidate. He could come and provide a spark,
he could maybe punish, you know, he could he could punish this
team when especially if we have like two guards or something. I think it's
definitely possible that you know, the two you know, the two guards I'm
talking about, not just any combination of two guards. But yeah, I
don't see a lot of avenues. But then again, I mean, if
the Clippers are viewing this matchup the same way I am, that just spells
double trouble. Well, and they're starting quickly, so they're already in the
spot where they're like starting quickly. Shooter off the bench, Gary Trent Junior
can get hot. How do you feel they leaned into offense definitely when you
trade og Away and that was an area they were struggling. They're the fourth
best offense over the last four games since the trade, and they just blew
out Golden State up in San Francisco. One thirty three is what they put
on them in the ballgame to one eighteen and RJ. Barrett had thirty seven,
so his best game so far Siakam was sixteen. Uh. This is
a team that's shooting also forty pc from three since the move, so you
can't let them get hot. But even if they did get into a shootout
with the Los Angeles Clippers. You wouldn't feel that bad about it, as
they've been a bottom ten defense since making the trade. So the Clippers definitely
have a lot of paths to victory against this Toronto Raptors team, especially because
they'll be on the second night of a back to back. I expect the
Lakers to play hard against them tonight, and uh, that could be a
competitive ball game, but it's one the Clippers they just need to win.
If we're talking about getting into the top three in the West, this is
a game you have to win. Friday Friday is another one you have to
win. Yeah. The thing that I get a little maybe just something to
watch for in this game for people is they are a good offensive rebounding team.
The Raptors have a pretty good their top ten and total offensive rebounds per
game and offensive rebound percentage. So that's how many of those games where they
balance for boards against Zoo? Right? Well? Very good? I think
none. I don't think where the ranking games against Zoo. Yeah, what's
the record against what's every player on the Raptors record against Zoo other than Siakam
who I'm assuming we're gonna throw some multiple looks at and whatnot? Who are
we about? What do we who do we want to see go off for
the Clippers. I feel like everyone's playing so well, it's kind of hard
to be like, this guy would be nice to bounce back team Terrence is
crushing it from deep right now. It's just normal to watch him make multiple
threes because we keep saying it. But I'm ready for like a Kauhi offensive
explosion with the two way play like we saw, like we saw versus Sons,
like like thirty like plus thirty five. Yeah, I thought that.
I thought that. Uh. I think it was like after the second steal
that he was gonna like he was gonna completely put the game away, which
yeah, I mean it was more or less he did more or less he
did. I just meant like offensively as well. Yeah, Adam, Yeah,
he hasn't had more than nineteen points his last three games, some blowouts
in there, but when he first came back from the hip injury, had
twenty four against Miami, had thirty in Phoenix. I wouldn't mind seeing that,
but I need to go elsewhere, I suppose, so I'll go with
a guy who only took eight shots. He made the most of them.
And had fifteen points in the second quarter alone last night. But James Harden,
aside from the ten assists that he had to just three turnovers, would
like to see him get twenty plus points in this ball game. God,
he had nineteen on just eight days. Yeah, it honestly could not be
looking any better right now with the bearded onester out there in a Clippers uniform,
with the way he has played, it's been phenomenal. It's been good.
Yeah, I I guess I just kind of want to keep seeing Terrence
have this ascension, this getting it back into his room and getting the confidence
because we talked about the confidence with Zoo, and it's awesome to see if
Terrence can get feeling No I'm not saying that he's like shook or anything like
that, but if he can get to where Zoo is this plus confidence is
feeling so comfortable and making good decisions and you know, just all of these
things coalescing. It feels like we're going towards that the starting lineup will be
better than the Powell Rangers lineup. If Terrence is able to get into this
same level that Zoo's at, I think, well, you're gonna take that
smoke will disrespectful. I got another one. Okay, fire away Mason,
And yeah, by ascension, I just mean I would like to see Mason
Plumbley play maybe a couple of minutes non garbage time. Yeah, two minutes,
two minutes, guys, two minutes a week. By the playoffs,
he's up to thirty six. I thought he was needed against the Lakers.
Uh, Daniel Tice against the Phoenix Suns makes more sense to me. But
against the Lakers, yeah, you just need a bigger body. He's the
better rebounder, he's the better finisher, and I want to see him in
the pick roll with James Harden. Last season with the Clippers, I heard
this from Doctor shapp earlier. As a roller, Mason Plumley was something like
a point and a half per possession as a roller. Daniel Tye with the
Clippers has been about one point one. That's still good, But I feel
like we're forgetting about this whole other dimension to the Clippers and a guy that
was such a big pickup for them last season in Mason Plumley. It's not
like I want to see Daniel Tye completely out of the rotation or anything like
that. He has earned minutes, But I think it should be more matchup
dependent. Right now, if Mason Plumbley is fully back to being Look,
we're not even at the point. We're not even at the point where it's
one or the other right now. I don't think that. I don't think
that Mason is physically there. That's why all I'm saying is like, how
about a couple of non garbage ten minutes, Like, let's can we assess
that much? I just want to see that much of an assessment. But
I agree with you. I think that Tyson I think is very interesting matchup
depending wise. I love that he's on this roster, especially you know,
in a playoff run. I think having that extra versatility, that extra guy
is great. But yeah, right now, I don't think that we're anywhere
near the conversation of like, okay, where does tys fen in to the
rotation? Right now, Tyson is the backup center. That's the way it's
gonna be until Plumbing is back at one hundred percent. Let's let's ease him
in. Let's you know, let's let's let's cradle him gently in to uh
to uh some some regular yeah, into some into some regular second string minutes
and then hand it off to Russell Westbrook like Paul George did with the baby
recently, since Chuck took shots at the Powell Rangers, I just want to
go to the starting lineup here. Someone said on the live that you like
to sew discord, and they might have been correct because I did not take
shots at the Power people like, well, we gotta give you the starting
lineup data for a second with Terris Man here because it is, let's unreal
and to your point, Chuck, they might be able to overtake the Power
Rangers if he really gets the shot going. So so far this season,
in twenty games played with James Hard and Paul George Kawhi, Leonard Viatz Zubats
and Terrence Man in the starting lineup, their offensive rating is one twenty five.
Their defensive rating is one oh eight. That's a plus seventeen point five
net rating. But to dumb it down a little bit, field goal percentage
wise, fifty three percent from the field in three hundred and one minutes and
forty three percent from three and that is including Terrence Man being in that shooting
funk for so long where he just pulled out of it. Going ten to
eighteen. And one more stat for you, going back to last season,
Clippers are thirty one to ten in the last forty one games that Terrence Man
has started for this ball club? Is that is that a coincidence? A
half a season worth of games with him as the starter, and they're seventy
six percent of those games they have won. It's impressive. It's not bad
at all. So we're feeling good about the Raptors. Will and I were
at Staples yesterday when everyone got the jaw news, which was kind of surreal
for those of you who missed it. John Morant sublixation that'll get you.
Uh, he's having surgery. He's done for the year. Memphis fans confused
at the timeline of all of this, which I think I share their confusion.
There was a quote Taylor Jenkins today describe the Grizzlies as gutted by the
news that John Morant needs surgery. Moran's with the team. They're hoping that
he can travel with the Grizzlies. After his surgery, He's likely be able
to practice or play, which is big loss for them. But another big
loss is the Triple J is out verse. I believe their next game,
so they might be down I mean their two best players or one, I
mean one of them is not going to be healthy. So is this a
trap game? We already we lost them without John Moran? Is this is
this a trap game if those two guys, I mean one of them's not
there. But this feels like another thing where I'm having a hard time seeing
the Clippers lose this game. Respectfully. Yeah, this is like, this
is an area where I mean, this team, where they're at right now.
You know, we keep talking about we hope that this isn't even the
final form yet, and I do believe that dropping either one of these games
and look like things happen. You know, you can add like a bad
shooting night, like I'm I'm willing to look at some contexts, but you
know, if you're looking to get a top receis like we think they need
to do to be a serious championship contender, these are the kind of games
that you really cannot afford to drop. You just you just can't. And
obviously you don't want to come in overly confident, but you can't pencil in
a win I guess against anybody in the in this League. But I mean,
if if you were to it'd probably be the Memphis Grizzlies right now.
I mean, if it's not the Pistons or somebody. So yeah, these
are just these would be a little bit inexcusable losses for me. M They
got to make up for that loss. Wasn't it at home? Yes to
biz Mack and Biambo and the Memphis earlier this season or he was getting where
he wanted to now they didn't play big Zoo. I don't think down the
stretch of that one wasn't a made man yet. But uh, yeah,
you have to win these next two because Minnesota is coming up in Minnesota on
Sunday. Far from a guarantee best team in the West right now, first
time Clippers will see them, and you might have to win in convincing fashion.
I don't know. You can't give a team like Memphis. They're a
good home team. They always have been grit and grind team, whooped that
trick. Whatever they say from the hustle and flow, that is exactly what
they say. Yeah, the chance that they do, they're gonna try to
rally around this injury and try to find wins here and there and be you
know, a ski team. They're up right now. Yeah, they're not
just gonna give in to this season because of who they have been culture wise
for years now. And if John Moran I is traveling with them, that
kind of speaks to it. Also just cheerleading off the bench then, So
don't take them lightly, but play well, lock in, execute. I
forgot about I forgot about the won't that trick thing. The Grizzlies are definitely
only gonna lose. That's a loser behavior. Hustle, terrible movie, damn
shots fired, huston all right, player the movie. Player of the game
picks for Memphis. I'm gonna go I'm going first on this one because I
don't know I'm going We've already said plump for that last one. I'm going
to mirror. I think a Mer is gonna have a good, a big
impact in that game against the Grizzlies. Might maybe I'll hit a little weird
patch in the game of me. Is gonna come in, hit a quick
three, make a defensive play. It'll be a nice It'll be a good
U a good a Mer game. I had Amir last night. I'm not
sorry about it. He played well. I won't seem to be sorry.
I hope I'm able to pick this player. Russ stands. Can I pick
Russell Westbrook back in Memphis after the game he had last season, because I
think on a road trip like this, even though they got some days off
in between, Russell Westbrook could be very, very valuable. And if you
want to talk about keeping that energy up and keeping that focus up and that
intensity, I think Russ can certainly help in those areas. So I'm going
with Russell Westbrook against Memphis. Will Zoo. I think she's gonna have a
huge game. Hell yeah, I think that's I think that's a pretty safe
call. So we're feeling good about a win streak starting maybe before the new
the next episode, the next full episode, because we'll have some double tips.
But they're starting another streak, right, Yes, this has to be
the most uh like winning streaks. You know we're got. We're calling a
winning streak three. I think that's fair. The Clippers are up to three
different winning streaks now of at least three games. Right. If they get
past these two teams, every time it stops, it just starts again.
It's fantastic to see. It's a good time to be a Clippers fan.
Coming up, we're gonna be talking a bunch of random stuff. We're gonna
be just taking even a further look ahead. Adam maybe heard our nickname that
we'll thought of on podcast P. We're gonna talk some prosecco, and then
we got a break down the YouTube contest one more time. Coming up,
a bunch of random stuff. The adsn't allowed for some people, So if
that's been the case, you go ahead and turn it down. Random stuff
in three two one, what is going on? We are back here on
Clips and dip. If you're listening, thank you so much for listening.
Please leave review on iTunes or wherever you're listening. If you're watching, we
appreciate you as well. Used to say on our old show that we don't
mention anymore per will, but but tell your friends to subscribed with the YouTube.
It's at Clippers podcast. We're just talking a bunch of random stuff.
Adam. You alluded to it a little bit. We got these games against
the Timberwolves and Thunder. After these two maybe not as intense games. I'm
really excited for the stretcher play from the Clippers. I think we get to
see we know this team is very good. We know they can be very
good. We're gonna see kind of this is a what are you made of?
Stretch? One of these teams is gonna be on the back end of
the back to back. I think the thunder are gonna be but this is
this is a really I'm really excited for these two games just to see what
we really have in this Cliffs team. And I think the bounce back what
we saw last night illusions Michael. I think that was a kind of what
are you made of? How do you respond after a loss like that?
We saw it earlier when they lost that Friday night game to the Pelicans,
and then the very next night at Kurpto they held the Dallas Mavericks to eighty
eight points. There have been signs that this Clippers team has a more intense
laser focus this season. We've seen it a lot. They have backed up
the regular season. They have to get back to respecting it talk. For
the most part, these next two games vital because Minnesota is coming up on
Sunday. But I think it's the best stretch in franchise history, winning twenty
of twenty six since the new starting lineup in the fashion they have, level
of competition wise, when you put all the context into it and stir it
up, I think it's better than the seventeenth straight they won in twenty twelve
and twenty thirteen. And what you were talking about there before the breaker,
just talking about how confident you can be about the Clippers showing up for these
games against lesser competition and having that mindset of these are very winnable games and
they can get right back into a winning streak. I don't know if we've
felt that confident in past years like we do right now with this Clippers team,
because they can just overwhelm you with talent some nights, even if they're
not playing their best basketball. That's a good call. Well, how are
you feeling if we split this? This? These two games terrible? What?
No against the Thunder and no against the Thunder and the Timberwolves terrible?
Gotta win them both. I mean, I'd love to win them both,
but you're gonna feel terrible if they split. It's over. I'm fine if
they split the games. If they split these games, you might switch.
It's all messed up. I know, I'm trying to fix it. Right,
it is over it's over all right. If we split against the two
best teams in the Western Conference like a thing, it's over. You gotta
surpass, you gotta surpass one of those three teams. I know. But
if we split split head to head record matters at some point it could matter,
I know. But a split's not crazy. I'm excited for those games
we're gonna be previewing Those's not crazy. If you could only get that's what
I'm saying. You can't split, I hope Tyrese haliburt is okay, Yeah,
absolutely, that was no shade at Tyrese Haliburton hive coming. If you
can only get one of the next or those two games between two top teams
in the West, who would you take your pick of getting the victory against
between okay See Minnesota, it'd be the Timberwolves. For me, M interesting,
I'm going okay See. I mean, like, very good team.
I still respect them. I think we're all kind of on the same page
that like, is this okay See team gonna be the okay See team that's
in the playoffs because I mean I'm not on that page with you guys.
It definitely could go out of it, definitely could go either way. But
with the season that they're having, I just don't see why you wouldn't use
some assets to make a move. And if that's the case, I'd rather
beat the Timberwolves because the Timberwolves are right now, they're going to be in
the playoffs, and I think that those were are important. I'm taking the
Thunder just strictly for this regular season one because I want to see I want
to see Shay get locked up by our defense. I just selfishly I would
like to see that happen, and it would be cool to get a win
when that happened. But Will's reasoning is makes a lot more sense than the
actual long run for the Clippers. It's a tough call. I see it
Will's way. The only reason I'll say okay see is because they already have
lost to them, and it was a game without Kawhi Leonard on the road
and they lost bad. And I do want to see what they can do
at full strength against okay See and give us a little bit of a glimpse
of that. How they could try to bottle up Sha kills is Alexander,
because nobody's really doing it, and with his quick first step and the mid
range game and the arraya shots that he has. Now, I'm not sure
how you do it, and things can fall apart from there. If you
let him consistently get by you, you're not taking up that challenge. And
look, even if you do, he's just so fast now and he's so
much in control. I just I am very curious to see how the Clippers
do at full strength against Okay, see hopefully full strength. Also, hell
yeah, it's gonna be some good basketball. Next on the docket, Adam,
did the Power Rangers get mentioned on Podcast P or I Gotta Take the
l there? I listened to it multiple times. The first time when I
texted you guys, and I was all excited. I was like, they
mentioned the Power Rangers on Podcast P. He just said Power Rangers and was
comparing coincidentally, I guess them getting it together after losing five in a row
to the Power Rangers getting beat up early in the episode and then coming back
and then morphing and then having the Zords and then pulling it out eventually.
So that was the analogy and metaphor that Paul George was using. But it's
gonna happen. The word is getting out the words getting out. There may
be a shirt coming. Eric Buie said on the last live stream in the
comments that that there's a Power Rangers shirt Powell Ranger shirt possibly happening. Will
this one's for you? Have you tried James Harden's prosecco yet? If not,
should we go to his tasting event on the twenty fifth. I have
not tried it, but yes we should go. Tasting event seems fun.
If James Harden is there. Why not we could try and dress like James
and be told that we were not allowed at the function. I think is
what would probably happen. All right, last thing, we had the YouTube
contest winner from last time we did the episode Adam. Has Luca gotten their
shirt sent out yet or no? Have we got the padded mailer in the
mail? I haven't sent it out yet. I will later this week.
And even if I had sent it out by now, it wouldn't be in
Germany, so I'm not overnighting it. No one's asking you to overnight it.
Oh, tracking well, we need the track it's going, David Beren.
I will include it into a dome rock in a ziplock bag so it
doesn't dirty up the shirt ziplock bag, clean apparel. That's what you can
get here. We need professional shipping here at clip professional Uh. And then
there's a YouTube contest for this video. Correct. I believe we have another
best comment contest over on at YouTube dot com slash at Clippers podcast. You
comment on this video, we picked the best one. It was pretty unanimous.
Last time, we are giving away the Mexican Heritage Night jersey from the
Clippers. This thing is sick legit mesh. I believe Adam, you're the
only one who's touched it, so can you confirm feels like it? I
could read off of it? Oh, made in China? Is that one
polyester? That's legit? Right? We had some inquiries from some of our
friends that we're trying to get ahold of this jersey, but I don't think
that would be fair after we already advertise best comment on it. Of course,
unless Hey, if they want to put a comment on there and it's
the best one, you could have the jersey. It's that easy. If
this guy wants to get back on the internet, i'd, you know,
encourage him to do so. All right, I think that about wraps it
up. We want to thank you all the listeners all the viewers as well.
Will where can these people? Like, what do we need these people
to do? If they're maybe listening to this on a on a certain platform.
Sure, if you're listening to this, it'd be great if you could
give us a rating or review. You can do that over on Apple Podcasts
or Spotify. Get those Spotify numbers up. I feel like not enough people
are leaving ratings and view them on Spotify. They do that now. You
can also listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts. On Amazon Music,
We're on Google Podcast, on stitch we're on These are all the usual
suspects. However, if you listen to the show, you're only getting half
of these. I'm sorry. You're paying the same price, which is free,
so you're only getting to be clear experience. So if you want to
get the full experience, you got to follow us over on YouTube. That's
YouTube dot com. Slash Clippers podcast really trying to get to a thousand and
subscribers by the end of this month. If you can help us out,
tell your friends, that'd be awesome. You can chop it up with us
anytime over on Twitter that's at clippers pot Thank you so much for listening.
And as soon as we get monetized on YouTube, all of that money is
going to the give No Quarters thing that we have going on, which we
we will have an update on the next pod. We'll figure out how many
quarters they gave no quarter last night against Phoenix. Hey, we saved a
couple a couple of seventy five cents. Those charities are hurting. Now,
Oh, we have to pick a charity too, So if you throw a
charity we should donate to, We're gonna dot We're each going to donate a
quarter for every quarter the Clippers lose at the end of the season, Adam,
would you like to send us out on some positive stuff. Yeah.
As we have mentioned, this Clippers team is playing great basketball and the response,
as Chuck said earlier in the podcast, very encouraging. After losing that
game to the Lakers, they looked upset about a postgame they said, this
is not the team we are, and then coach lou last night said it
kind of woke us up and you need games like that here and there.
I know a lot of people are saying, if we just didn't lose this
game earlier, if we just didn't lose that game earlier, we'd already be
tied with the Denver Nuggets or the OKC thunder. But the truth is,
you know, there is somewhat of that butterfly effect where those losses fueled wins
later on because you learn from them. I don't know if they're at this
point, if they didn't lose to the Denver Nuggets the way they did against
Reggie Jackson and DeAndre Jordan, it may be a blessing in disguise. Like
some players on the Clippers already see it as, I think it's gotten their
full attention, It made them adjusted, made them make tough decisions, and
so sometimes I do feel like everything happens for a reason. I'm not always
that guy that's looking at it a glass half fle being the optimist or anything.
Oh yeah, I believe it or not. But when it comes to
the Clippers so far this season, and I know a lot of people are
saying, if we just got James Harden a little bit earlier. If they
did, they probably would have had to give up Terrence Man to do so,
so thankfulness that didn't happen. Everything right now feels like intelligent design.
Hell yeah, sorry, ip A Biola g I praise. Let's go we
again, Adam, thank you for the positive send off. We'll be back
most likely Thursday, definitely Saturday to talk the very important matchups against the Timberwolves
and Thunder. We will talk to y'all then we're gonna have a double dip
for you. We're are on AM five to seventy with Adam after the game.
I hope everyone has a great rest of your week and as always,
let's go Clips.