Is going on. Clippers fans, Welcome to Clips in Dip, your favorite
Clippers podcast. I am Chuck Buckler, joined by Adam Austin and Will Updyke.
For the new listeners, Hey, welcome to Clippers season. For the
old listeners, we are back. We're bringing you Clippers news at least three
days a week on the pod. We got you covered on a five to
seventy post game with Adam Osland. Of course, he allows Will and I
to go on there and spew our rhetoric about the Clippers, which is always
fun. We call that the double dip. Today is a very fun day.
We get to preview actual, meaningful Clippers basketball. The regular season is
back. The Clippers are taking on the Trailblazers. We're gonna talk about Terrence
Mann is the starter. We haven't talked about that as a group. We're
gonna talk what could go right, what could go wrong? Some bench discussion.
But first, Adam, Will, how the hell are you fellas?
I feel rejuvenated now that Clippers basketballs is actually back for the regular season.
Yeah, I'm doing well. I'm excited. Adam apparently has another engagement that's
that's more important than this he's watching the Chop Chop guys. Second Angs about
to get it away this guy, Adam, Are you excited or not?
Yeah, it's Astros Rangers. Game seven, Game seven, best two words
in sports. That's what they always say. Game one, That's what we're
focused on. I'm very excited for the Clippers. I've been doing copious amounts
of research already, and yeah, we've talked about it. I like their
early season schedule. They have to take advantage of it. But it starts
against Portland on Wednesday. It absolutely does. Let's get right into it.
Injury wise, we got to assume no Brandon Boston Junior for the Clippers.
I think that's going to be a bit of an extended thing, which is
a shame. Bones Hyland tweaked his ankle in that final preseason game. He
did practice on Monday and Ty said he will be back soon, so there's
a chance he's ready for Wednesday night. I feel like I would love it
if Bones was able to go on this one. I love it if they
don't need them. But is the backup point guard? Right? But no
Bones Hyland, Bones Hyland. Everyone keeps asking who the X factor is going
into this Clippers season. I've heard a lot of chatter about that, and
the easy answer and the most obvious one, I think is Terrence Man.
We'll get into more on him being in the starting lineup in a minute,
but bones Highland to me is somebody with so much untapped potential because Terrence is
twenty seven, which seems to be the cool thing to say, even if
you're not a Clippers fan anymore. I saw Dan Wokie of the La Times
point out, like, you guys know he's twenty seven, right, and
it's like, yeah, we've he's been making this joke for a long time
that he's older than perceived. But bones Hiland's twenty three, only twenty three,
And the way he played at times in the preseason where all of a
sudden his weakness has turned into strengths. Him not being able to get to
the basket and finish at the basket last season that wasn't a problem at all.
In the preseason, he was turning the corner on each and every defender
that tried to slow him down. And his speed, athleticism and youth,
and also being in a premier position at the point guard where the Clippers have
needed some help. I don't know. I think that could be one of
those season changers that we didn't talk about enough coming into this this year in
this offseason. That's interesting. Yeah, No, I really like that.
I think that he has changed some aspects of his game. I'd like to
see a little bit more like body control and efficiency on some of those finishes
around the rim. But yeah, a completely different look at the backup point
guard is something that I hadn't really even thought about being an option for this
team or something kind of changing things up. So I guess I would have
thought of Norm sort of as the X factor just because he's he's gonna put
up numbers, be sort of a regular seasons inning eater, has his own
liabilities defensively hopefully stays away from injury stuff. But bones is interesting because it
does really change basically how this entire second unit can play. Yes, we're
gonna talk more about the second unit because there still seems to be something to
figure out there with some people not sure about. The injuries for the Blazers
doesn't look like anything too crazy per the you know, kind of Jankey ESPN
injury report. We have Terrence Man as the starting power forward I'm putting that
in quotes because who really knows what that's all gonna look like. We as
a group haven't been really talked about this yet, but I'm really excited to
see this against a Blazers team that we have to assume is going to run
around a whole bunch and there's gonna have to be a bunch of communication on
defense for the Slippers starting five of Russ Pg, Kawhi, Terrence, and
Zoo. That seemed to be one of the reasons coach Lou wanted to up
the conditioning and the physicality in the preseason to get ready for some of these
young teams. Yeah, to get off to a quicker start and have those
well conditioned leggs that are in game shape already and can play at a high
tempo and a high pace of play, which has been one of their buggaboos
going back the last couple of seasons. They finished bottom three in pace.
If that changes. Along with what I talked about with Bones, there are
different dynamics of this Clippers team that I don't think a lot of us saw
coming them, just stressing defense, creating turnovers and getting out and running.
Where I think they ended up averaging something like twenty one fast break points per
game in the preseason, which is stellar and at odds with how they have
looked over the past couple of seasons. So even though yes, the two
to three connection is a year older, some of their vets are a little
bit older, there are young guys on this Clippers team now that can get
up and down the court, and you're bridging that gap between older vets and
young youthful exuberance and speed. I'm very interested to see, as you mentioned,
how the face off against a team like the Portland Trailblazers, who we
expect to play fast as well with Scoot Henderson. Yeah, they got Scoot,
they got Simon's, they got sharp. Like this is a team Jery
Grant, Like, this is a team that is built to run, Like
the wins that the Trailblazers get this year are gonna be a lot of them
from running teams out of the building completely. Will what are we looking for
kind of tone wise from the Clippers. This is game one of a season
where a lot of people are saying maybe championship, maybe last chance? Who
knows, like would love people say that. I haven't heard a lot of
like a lot of talk about the Clippers being an actual contender, but that's
entirely that's an entire who different conversation for an entirely different time. But like
I'm ready to see, like like when it comes down to brass hacks,
Like we've been hearing the same phrasing all throughout training camp, all throughout,
you know, all throughout the preseason, and it's you know, this team
is taking a completely revamped approach. This team is gonna run, this team
is gonna X y Z, Like okay, like that's all great to say,
I have a you have a chance here against an opponent that should I
mean theoretically uh being easy out. And we'll see if that's like if that's
really truly the case, or if it's more of the same, if we
see another lethargic start, if we see the same thing, and that's done
an indictment on the entire season. It is the first game of the season,
but you know it's if we're going to be seen more of the same,
that's not gonna be a good indication to me early that you would definitely
want to see the Clippers start fast, which was something that they have struggled
with going back years, partly because of old legs, old vets, But
now with Russell Westbrook starting a season off with them, that alone kind of
gets guys geared up and in line, because you know, playing next to
Russell Westbrook, there's going to be a different pace right off the bat,
and we saw it with him the last third of the season, or even
less than that, I think it was by the time he was in and
implemented. But this is somebody who I think can be I don't want to
say the engine of the offense or anything like that, but I do think
guys take notice when they're on the court next to us, knowing the way
he plays, knowing how he can get you easier shots if you get up
the court quickly. And we saw a little bit of that in the preseason
where he was looking for a Viatza Zubats who was just stealing off his man.
Zubots and Mason Plumbley can both beat their defender, beat their man down
the court. Both those guys are pretty athletic centers. And I'm interested to
see the matchup between Zoo and DeAndre eight and after I thought he got the
best of zubots in that first round series, whereas Zubots I thought got the
best of him in the Western Conference Finals a couple of seasons ago. So
DeAndre eight now the Portland Trailblazers obviously gonna be very different, and I'm excited
to watch it. I actually the Portland Trailblazers, like when you look at
the West going into this season, the three teams last year that we thought
were, you know, the worst three teams in the West going in,
it was more obvious than Portland, San Antonio, the Houston Rockets. They've
all become much more interesting this off season, some more than others. But
yes, and Portland has talent. They have some veteran leadership there with Malcolm
Brogden now with Jeremy Grant getting older, that's not a young team. And
there's guys there who are gonna be hungry. Robert Williams is a problem.
Seeing him and DeAndre eight on the same squad, that to me is intriguing.
We're gonna definitely I want to talk about the weirdly the bench defense for
the Blazers is something that I'm really interested to talk about after the second after
we get through the starters. But you mentioned eight and eight and averages seventeen
and ten in games against the Beats Zubos. That was when I don't know
what you take. I don't take a bunch of stock in those numbers.
I think he'll probably get fed a little bit more on the Blazers versus what
was happening maybe with the sun. So he's gonna actually go out the rim
though, or is he gonna give it away, go for some long like
some Hey, you go at them like Valley oop. You mean like that?
Yeah, so Zuber Sayan's gonna be huge, and then PG and Kawhi
who is guarding them? Who on the Trailblazers is going to a tap like
Jeremy Grant, Jeremy Grant match like that's one guy? Yeah, I mean
Jeremy Grant though, has matched up pretty well against Kawhi defensively. Sure,
you know things are different now it's been a few years. He's also playing
on a completely different team with a completely different look. Who knows what the
commitment to like to defense is going to look like on a Trailblazers. Of
course, as I say this, you know, feel free to make me
eat my hat or whatever. When you get blown out by the Trailblazers.
WHOA, that's not gonna happen. It's not gonna happen. But I'm saying
if it does. But PG and Kawhi are gonna be I love this for
a season and home debut for them. This is a nice chance for them
to be like, oh, you want to use our picture for all these
rest rule articles like this? What happens when we play? So deal with
it. We're back. We're here to make an actual statement. I guess
on the two guys with the best opportunity to try to slow them down our
Jeremy Grant. As you mentioned, Will and thible Right, those are the
two best wing type of defenders that they start. That's what ESPN has in
there, like they probably should against the Clippers. But to your point,
Chuck, this is a team that the Clippers have traditionally dominated in the two
one three era. I know the configured out Dame's no longer there, no
CJ. McCollum, no use of Nurkic. But I feel like just seeing
an opponent that you have a lot of confidence against, just seeing those colors,
seeing that jersey out there, that's not a bad way to start off
the year opening night for the Clippers. That's a team that they should feel
very comfortable going up against, right, which is what I meant. Kind
about the tone setting too, like let just right off the bat, like,
let's let's make this first quarter one that people maybe want to turn off.
No. I should, though, say, you know, fear of
the unknown a little bit. You don't know what Scoot Henderson's going to look
like, you don't know how DeAndre is gonna play it, how many touches
to your point he's going to get now, because that was part of the
reason he wanted to be featured more. That was never gonna happen in Phoenix.
That is definitely going to be happening in Portland. And I expect him
to be a much more aggressive player to what will was talking about earlier.
I think there was an attitude issue. I think there was a moodiness to
him because he wasn't appreciated because he and Bonnie Williams didn't get along. And
I think a change of scenery could do wonders for DeAndre eight and I expect
him to have a really big season. We haven't touched enough on Scoot Henderson
either who I feel like in his NBA debut, can you imagine like how
hard he wants to go at this team? And I feel like, you
know, you know, just with his athleticism, you know, he has
a chip on his shoulder over not being taken one he thought, you know,
he thought going in in the draft he was good enough to be to
be up there. So I think that that's something that's really interesting, is
like, does the Clippers new mentality and there what could potentially be their last
the last year of the championship window. Does that does that overpower sort of
youth and their need to like prove themselves in carve out of place in the
league. It is cool how thematically it's like thematically dramaturgically it makes sense.
Sure, dramaturgically, this is a wonderful matchup for those who love through lines.
Right, you have the new age of the Blazers coming in against this,
you know, version of what the two and three Clippers are, you
know, because the way time is so weird in professional sports now. I
think this is a perfect opponent for the Clippers. Game one, it's theirs
for the taking, right, I have very I have confidence in Tyler,
who got manned starting already. So I think Clippers fans have already got some
emotional, you know, stuff banked up by tyleru by that good decision.
We have no idea what's gonna happen with Marcus. We're gonna talk about the
bench in a bit, but I'm really excited for this game. It's such
a wonderful chance for the Clippers to show that this year is different, like
we was talking about, like we're gonna take this regular season shit seriously or
more seriously, however you want to think about it. And as much as
there were so many positives we've talked about in the preseason, the one warning
sign to me was Game three at home against a Denver team that was depleted
and not playing their starters. The Clippers played down to their opponent that first
stint. They did not play well. Reggie Jackson was taking Kawhi and Paul
George off the dribble and going around screens and looking for a shot. And
if you listen to the podcast p a little bit earlier, it was after
a play with Reggie Jackson, I know he didn't chuck calling out of eats
a zoobots for being in drop and saying you're too far down, and then
he knocked down a three pointer. Right after that is when Paul George said
said, Okay, we're hooping now, and that's when he went off and
dropped twenty three points. And I think about the span of ten minutes because
he didn't score in the first six minutes of the ball game. So they
have to stop these notoriously bad starts that they've been having, and that will
be the first sign I think that something has changed with this team, because
we saw it against Utah the first two games in Seattle in Hawaii, where
they put the clamps on them. If you don't come out with that defensive
mindset, that defensive intensity, everything that coach who has been preaching for some
time now but has been trying to really instill in them during this training camp.
Anthony Simons gets going early, it's gonna be hard to turn them off.
If Scoot Henderson gets going early and gets comfortable, it's hard to turn
these guys off. Even though we haven't seen Scoot yet, but you assume
because of the talent, he gets going, he gets confident, he gets
hot, It's it's gonna be tough for the Clippers. But you can't wait
to set your defense because if you do and guys are already in rhythm,
sometimes it doesn't even matter if you have a hand up. I mean,
and anybody can get hot. Look at Jonnis Valachutas or any number of players
who have killed the Clippers, Like I mean, it can be anybody.
So yeah, definitely is definitely that defensive intensity is something to watchboard for sure.
There's some reason I'll go ahead, when you brought up Scoot Henderson and
what he could look like. I had this terrible feeling of Cam Thomas with
the Brooklyn Nets after they lost Kevin Durant and they played the Clippers and he
dropped fifty or something like that and was just hitting everything on them and just
looked insane. Yeah, a row or something like that. And maybe you
know when you have Terrence Man starting and we I don't know if we've talked
enough about this yet, but that is one more guy that, while he'll
be at the four times whatever, he can be a great point of attack
defender and one more guy you can sick on to one or one of these
quick guards out there, like Cam Thomas or like Scut Henderson. So yeah,
I'm interested in that, Adam, because we haven't super talked about Terrence
Man getting this starting role here, we haven't really dealt into it on the
podcast. I'm curious both of your guys's thoughts. How do you think Terrence
Man meaningfully changes what this team looks like on both ends of the floor.
Offensively, I think it helps the Clippers kind of three level scoring as a
team. Right, you have Zoo down low, you have Russ who's gonna
be left open, you know, around the premier, but is gonna do
most of his damage driving the ball. Terrence. Now we've talked about this
kind of step back or whatever, you know, kind of new shot he's
added to his arsenal to help them in the mid range. So Terrence kind
of helps bridge a bit like Offensively, I think the at the rim of
the mid range to help with you know, PG who's gonna help stretch out
from three and things like that. His activity. I want good chaos Terrence.
I want mosquito Terrence. I want him buzzing around helping Russ grab boards
crash like guys, if his man isn't on him, crash the boards,
things like that. On offense, make the open shots that are there too.
That's what he's gonna be judged on from tylu who has his confidence seemingly
so far. And defensively, it's switchability, like he can you know,
any and whoever was gonna play the four except for Marcus Morris, was gonna
have switchability between at least two positions, Terry. Nobody has the lateral movement.
No, no, what we have at the four has the lateral movement.
Then he can go one through four. He can adequately not leak you
defense one through four. He's obviously better at some of than the others,
but like he's not gonna be a nightmare guarding anyone one through four. So
that's actually how I think he keeps his spot. I would hope he can
be a part of setting that defensive intensity. If he can be a part
on that end of the floor, I think that is like what keeps him
nailed into that starting position. I don't even think, like, I don't
even think that his you know, efficiency or anything as a score is gonna
matter as much. Obviously it can't be as bad as Marcus Morris has got
for that long stint there. But like I think defensively is like that that
is what is going to keep Terrence in this spot. That is what is
gonna make this spot his. And he's gonna be running around after I'm assuming
Simons like because they're not gonna want to If he's running around trying to find
screens, it's night one. Maybe we don't put quieme PG on for the
majority of the time. I could just see Terrence doing it like he's gonna
get a lot of the go run around and stay on this guy's hip work.
So that, I mean, I don't know, that's That was a
very long winded way to say I'm very excited for Terrence. Adam your thoughts.
No, I think you guys nailed it. It's that defensive versatility.
When I was thinking about this, when I first heard, I was like
a half hour late. I was at the gym. I wasn't paying attention.
And then I was like, oh wait, they might announce it today.
I checked Lob Murray's Twitter account and it says terrace Man is the fifth
starter. The first thing that came to mind is, okay, if you
start Roco over man, Yeah, there's gonna be some matchups where I think
Robert Covington shrinks the floor, but he's more specific to guarding a certain position.
While versatile still, Terrence Man just offers you far more options on the
defensive end point of attack defense and really just taking the toughest assignment and not
having to put it on the lap of Kawhi or Paul George to wear them
out on the defensive end if Terrence is willing to do that, and they
still stay connected defensively, and you know he can be an inspiring player out
there. It's not just Russell Westbrook. When Terrence call, he motivates.
How many times have we seen him come in midway through the third quarter and
jump start a comeback. It's often been Terrence Man and his play getting downhill
getting some easy ones. Now it seems like that mid range is locked in
right now and he offers more versatility offensively than Roco would on that end.
Terrence Man is a thirty eight percent three point shooter. That's what he's been
throughout his first four years of his career. So it's funny to me the
national narrative about him when you just look at the numbers on their face and
people are saying they won't trade this guy for James Harden. I saw some
dumbass I think it was Nick Wright saying this. You know he scores eight
points per game. Why would you not give up Terrence Man for someone like
James Harden. You want to talk going beyond the numbers. And I think
we said this before, but what Doc Rivers said about Avery Bradley being unstatable,
Terrence Man, Terrence Man is most definitely unstatable and less plus minus.
You look at the plus minus. He's always a net positive out there.
He starts runs for this team, and I do think defensively, with the
way and just the activity level that he expends on that end, it gets
everybody else thinking, oh, I got to go just as hard as this
guy is tonight. That's what Patrick Beverley often brought to this team. Hey,
Rust did a lot of that in that playoff series. I'll say when
he started games off with a block on Kevin Durant, he was very good.
But tomb does too right. It's that infectious defensive spark that everyone wants
to jump on top of. Yeah, and he can just put out fires.
Oh, this guy is starting to get hot. It's basically the opposite
of what I saw last season when Marcus Morris was really struggling that game against
the New Orleans Pelicans. I think it was the last start that he had.
Uh, they were hunting him with multiple guys. That was a nightmare.
And it was just like, Oh, he's a he's an act,
he's a complete turnstyle, he's a sieve. Like it was just it was
almost like everyone on New Orleans was just point like double hand pointing. It
started with Brandon Ingram on him, then they put Kawhi on brandon Ingram,
and then it was I think Jones who was knocking down threes in Marcus Morris's
face, like there was no way to hide him, there was no way
to disguise him. With Terrence Man, it's actually the opposite. It's like,
how do we get away from this guy? How do we get this
guy off of us? Get him off you? And then you got to
deal with Kawhi or Paul George, Like Russell Westbrook may be the weakest defender
there if he's not locked in. If he is and he's playing the way
in that level of intensity defensively that we saw in the playoffs and at times
during the regular season with the Clippers. They can be a top five defense.
They should be a top five defense. Hell yeah, they absolutely should
be the top I just I'm in, I'm on board with this campaign.
I think that's their way like to me, you know that they have to
be like they just don't have the firepower that other Western Conference opponents are going
to have. It's they don't have the three point shooting. That's not disrespectful,
but it's not like this Clippers teems going to put up absurd three point
volume. The thing is that there's still like you know, to make a
deep run or anything, I know where it's game one where you getting I
don't want to get too carried away. But like pre they're still going to
have to execute offensively. But like I think, yeah, top five defense,
that's their way into having, you know, not a nightmare seating matchup,
to avoiding the play in to like yeah, and just the more I
thought about why not Covington, Well, how many teams go that big anymore?
Like Robert Covington I think is better situationally against teams that play a more
traditional positions. But Terrence Man in today's league I think is the better option
on most nights than Robert Covington would be. Plus he's better offensively than Roco.
Roco maybe a better set and shoot guy, attack close out guy.
Probably Actually Terrence Man's probably better at that too. But it's one box out
of the fifteen that Terrence Man is better than him at offensively, including playmaking
bringing the ball up the floor. So obviously that's gonna be a lot of
Russ. But still you have an option there and kawhiet PG are just more
comfortable with Terrence. You've you've heard how Paul George kind of talked about Terrence
taking everything that's come his way, being a professional and getting the starting role,
like not to diminish ro Co, but like there is a comfortability thing
there which is very good for this starting five. Yeah, there were some
numbers out there, Paul George Terrence being one of the top seven or top
eight players in his career that he's spent the most time yeah on the court
with, which is pretty crazy. And the other one's probably Russ. Right,
So it's good stuff from the Clippers starters. After this break, we're
gonna talk the bench because things get not bad, but a little interesting when
you're looking at how this Clippers bench matches up with this kind of weirdly potentially
defensive minded Blazers bench. We got ads coming up. We do have to
keep the lights on. If they've been too loud for you, go ahead
and turn it down. We got ads coming up, and then depth talk
in three two one. All right, welcome back into clips and did we're
doing your season opener game one preview? We talked a little bit about the
starter, is now it's time to talk about the bench where things are a
little murky, right? Is that fair to say? I feel like things
are a little unclear how that's all gonna work. We still have a logjam
at four. You know, depending on Bones's health, who knows what the
guard is going to look like? Where? Where? Where are you guys
at on this? Do we want to start with who we definitely believe is
going to play on opening night on the bench. So it's like Bones,
if he's healthy, is one hundred percent the backup point card? Uh,
Norm Plumbly Plumbly Roco. Then you got Roco, Batum, kJ and Morris.
Those four. I'm like, I'll tell you what, I wouldn't be
surprised if Morris gets a d NP. I think maybe kJ gets some time.
But like that, that last four is a little who's it gonna be?
I wonder right' not bad, but I don't know if they're gonna play
Roco and batoomb I wouldn't be shot if Nicholas Batum got the DNP. I
know we talked about it a little bit last time. But if there's one
guy that you're sure about that you could hide on the bench for a little
bit, bring him out in case of emergency and he's going to perform,
it's Nicholas Batum. I'm just not worried about him, you know, rocking
the boat, being upset, temperamental anything. He's the ultimate team guy and
he's steady and consistent and when he gets his opportunity, he'll be great.
I don't think he needs to be that much in rhythm or having played so
many games to get up to speed. It's Nicholas Batum. We know who
he is. Will We're so you so adam you think maybe Roco over Nico.
I'm gonna guess that. Who knows that? Once again? Like,
are are we keeping true to the rhetoric that we've been like that we've been
hearing all preseason and they're staggering to think about as well. We didn't see
any staggering in the preseason of Kawhi and PG, but Tyleru did say in
oppresso recently that he's going to do that more, which isn't a surprise,
but that plays a bit of a factor too. Well. Look, I
think if the Clippers take care of business the way that they should, I
don't know why you wouldn't get to see run from all of these guys,
like especially Oh yeah, there should be right, there should be room.
There should be room. I mean, like, you know, but toom,
hell, give him five minutes, you know, just just the guys
play a game speed for a little bit, you know, like this should
be if if they're doing what they've been talking about doing, like this should
be an opportunity for everybody in the rotation to get it soak up a couple
of minutes. This needs to be a year where they are the ones flexing
on teams instead of the opposite happening where they are a team that's down twenty
and trying to come back. If you want to be a championship contender,
if you want to be talked about as being one of the elite teams in
the West, and I agree with Will. From what we've heard from most
pundits, it's they're a second tier team in the West currently. We'll believe
it when we see it. With the Clippers, will they get James Harden,
that's still up in the air. So nobody kind of has a beat
on them, or nobody's willing to stick their neck out and say they're still
a championship contender because they've been burned before. Prove it early on this season.
Destroy some teams, dismantle them this week. Destroy this Blazers team,
please. Paul George earlier on his podcast today, I pulled the quote put
it at follow out of May on X, but he talked about the mindset
being different this season, being more locked in and focused, and one of
the things he pointed out was, you know, we got a back to
back that first game. We need to blow that team out. We need
to knock them out and have the starters out of that game by the fourth
quarter. And I know this isn't a back to back upcoming, but to
what Will say as well, if you are a team that's contending for a
championship, then you should knock the blazers off by ten or fifteen points and
other guys should get run and that's how you keep You know that that is
kind of an underrated way to keep guys in rhythm and something you see with
championship teams. They blow teams out a ton. We saw it with Denver
early on last season. We've seen it with Phoenix. I don't want it
with fork PG. I want to clutch scenarios for handle your business with your
starters and get your backups, run and get guys and keep them in the
flow of the game so when they are called upon for a bigger role,
they aren't going to be as rusty because you got him in on a night
where they were blowing a team out with the starters. And a guy like
that is kJ. Martin Tyler talked about him today. Kj's the odd man
out in this Clippers rotation. I don't mean that in a weird way.
He's just the one guy and just where does this piece? Where does he
fit? And right now he's basically his Tyler said, trying to learn two
positions. He's playing the four and the five, which we talked about his
year in Houston. One year he played the three, bunch one year he
played the four bunch, So that I mean it, It not really sure
is minutes are gonna look like to open the season. Hope he gets some
run in this one. This feels like a team where if we need legs
that when we're looking to the bench, kJ Martin's a guy that might be
a run higher than a couple other guys if things aren't going the Clippers way.
Like for this season to go right, the team almost has to play
to their capabilities against lesser teams because you as single seen that for a full
year. Yeah, but that goes back to a different mentality with the regular
season and taking it more seriously that night. It's not just about that team
that night. It's about getting guys rest for that next upcoming game, keeping
things on schedule so you don't get bobbed down by this treacherous schedule that they
have with twenty five, three and four nights. The only way to him
that is to take care of business against lesser competition. That's how you keep
that smooth and steady pace throughout a regular season where guys are in rhythm but
not overtaxed, yep, ready but not tired. Basically, there's two guys
on the Blazers bench that could make things more difficult for the Clippers. This
is again, we don't really know what their rotation is going to look like.
But if Tybole and Robert Williams, the third are both on the bench,
that's not the worst two guys to be playing defense. Malcolm Brogden that
knows the game, not exactly a stalwart on defense, but he can do
his thing out there. Like, I'm not saying that the bench is gonna
get shut down or anything like that, but these are two guys, Tybole
and Williams specifically, who like it might be hard to get buckets early if
these guys are playing motivated or if they come in with heaven forbid, some
kind of lead when we get a bench out there, like this is a
bench that has guys who root themselves in being defensive minded guys, and we
kind of have the opposite other than Roco and Batoomb. For the most part,
I really hope Bones can go because I think he disrupts this potential defensive
pairing, But just I don't I'm saying, maybe, don't be surprised if
Norman Bones are a little off. If things aren't is smooth here? I
would love that too, But they're solid. They're not slouches defensively, Oh
no, no, because they have theirs very much. So yes, because
our yeah, our yeah. Their defense makes up for their offense, and
our bench's offense makes up for the defense. Is what it feels like with
no reference right now when they have it going to the other we haven't really
seen Bones have it going. He was good to close the preseason, and
after the shaky start in Game three, was solid. Norm Is who I'm
the most worried about. Yeah, solid, twenty five points. It was
solid. They just can't let and there's this big unknown, as I mentioned
earlier, who is Scoot gonna be If he turns into this guy that's just
breaking down the defense and making the game easier for all their players around him,
then all of a sudden, you're in a dogfight with a team that
has confidence. It's opening night, everybody feels like they can make the playoffs.
You have to shut the water off before it starts flowing, Like,
just get your plumber wrench out and take care of it. Because you let
any young team get going and get confident, they are sneaky talented. They
really are this Portland team. I'm not just saying that. Well, a
lot of people say, well, they're in experience experience, but that stuff
matters more in a series. It matters more throughout eighty two games. We're
talking about one game opening night, they're gonna be hyped two. You can't
let them get confident and get going. What did La Murray say. We
had him on last year and he talked about in the Clippers schedule where he
was like, when you play these teams that are quote unquote bad or whatever
you want to use early in the season, that does not matter because it's
early in the season. So this team is still hungry, it's still wanting
to prove that they're good. They might be bad, but they're not gonna
know that for fifteen to twenty five games. You know, like in the
grand scheme of the NBA schedule, we're getting the best punch from a team
that was you know, we were maybe gonna trade for the scoot or all
this stuff, Like, we're gonna get the best punch from a team that
feels disrespected also, that feels disrespected by their former franchise player who's now like
mad that he got traded to the team with the best championshipods or whatever like
this, this Blazer team is gonna want to come out and give the double
bird to everybody. So like we're getting there, We're getting maybe the best
shot the Blazers are gonna give any team all year to open the season.
Well, they're not in rhythm yet, so I don't know if that but
but you know what I'm saying, like energy wise, like they're pissed off,
like a couple of shots go early. They can be in rhythm,
Like you have to create an environment that makes them uncomfortable. Yes, one
hundred percent. You know what, I'd love to see a big Zoo block
on Scoot Henderson in the first quarter. That would be That would be a
nice thing to see to set that tone right there before we get into predictions.
What else are we looking for in this game? What else is popping
into your mind? We got a couple of days before the game. There's
still some question marks. That's what the Clippers offense kind of looks like.
Is PG gonna take most of the threes with the starting unit? We assume,
so it's Kawhi get He took ten that one game, in the preseason.
There's a lot of unknowns for the Clippers offense, but I would say
they are funnns. You know, it's a fun thing to learn about what
we're gonna learn about from the Clippers offense. We know the their known quantities
for the most part. The one thing I'm looking at, and law Murray
brought this up earlier on the Law of the Jam the Pod on the two
and three Empire, is there is a price to pay for playing so much
better on the defensive end. Yes, you create turnovers and get some easy
buckets that way, But could there be a connection between the Clippers poor shooting
in the preseason and then playing that hard defensively. So I'm wondering how much
that takes out of their legs and their jump shooting. Because the three pointers
were way way down. They were miserable from the outside. I've heard the
conditioning is insane. It needs to be and that's the reason why. But
I hope that doesn't translate from the preseason. I'd love to see the Clippers
come out and knock down five to three pointers in the first quarter. Yes,
that that would be nice. Well, what are you looking for?
What's a major trend at half that maybe you're going that you're gonna keep an
eye out for because I'm looking at possession. I'm looking at possessions because that's
been a big thing the past couple of seasons for the Clippers. Yet on
this podcast we've talked about it. You look at the amount of just field
goal attempts, and the Clippers were continually continuously losing that category by at least
ten most You know what I mean, There'd be games we're giving a team
almost a full quarter of extra attempts. That's what I'm going to be looking
for at halftime, is what the attempts are looking like, what this glass
situation is like. Because we got to win the possession battle. It's what
we talked about with them acting like they were a flip the switch team that
had all these championships banked, but they haven't earned any of that yet.
Go why is the one guy? Yeah? Who, I'm like, sure,
flip the switch. I believe you can do it. Go for it?
Why I drink? Coach Lou Though, did stress this in the preseason,
saying, look, we were twelve and three when we won the possession
battle. Win Kawhi and Paul George played last season. They know it has
to be a point of emphasis. That's why they want to take care,
better care of the basketball, create more turnovers, clean the glass, all
things they are capable of. By the way, this isn't something like they
don't have the personnel, they don't have the roster to do it. No,
That's why it was so baffling last season that they were so sloppy all
the time. They just they were careless and those unforced turnovers came back to
haunt them off in late in games. This is a young team. No,
I'm I'm agreeing with you. And this is again, this is how
do young teams win games, capitalizing on turnovers. That's how the Blazers are
going to win this game if they beat the Clippers as if we are sloppy
as hell. And I really hope that was the magic number last year?
Was twelve? Was it fourteen? For what we had a magic number going
that we were looking for for the Clippers turnovers? Oh, I have to
go back to I think it was. I think it was around four.
I think they've averaged around thirteen to fourteen and sort of the two to one
three era. I believe it's right around there. So anytime you're in that,
in you know, in wegion. Yeah, like anytime you're in that,
let's give them the benefit of the doubt. Let's say like twelve to
fifteen, I feel like you're probably fine. Anytime you're dripping out of that,
it's probably getting pretty sloppy. And I would guess there's a there's a
coefficient of you know, shots not going in and things not being taken that
seriously on the defensive end because you're losing by a bunch. So it is
one of those things that this is through design, a bit of a high
turnover like not high, I mean, I guess with the modern NBA,
but a higher turnover team by having forwards kind of do that do that sort
of thing more, but something to look at for sure. They were right.
Will said they were thirteen and a half turnovers per game last season,
which put them right in the middle of the pack. Basically the best team
in the NBA taking care of the basketball was Toronto. Granted, their offense
wasn't very good, and I'm guessing maybe they also played at a slower pace
and that had some effect, But they were about just over a tick over
eleven turnovers per game. So within that range, anytime you're getting around only
twelve turnovers per game, that's a really good number. That's a good call.
All right, coming up, we're gonna be giving our predictions. You
know what Adam's gonna say, which we need, We need that positivity.
But are you gonna say, Chuck, I'm gonna no, I'm going positivity.
I'm just worried what Will's gonna say. Uh, he's getting doing predictions.
We're gonna be talking about how all of us are going to be at
the game one capacity or another. For those of who nicknames tonight, wait,
who gets a nickname? Does? All our screen names are still the
same and we're so I was just talking about that. We've been so entrenched
in this clip. Serious business, serious ship, serious business. Clippers Basketball's
back. There's no nicknames, Adam is referencing. We have a very fun
time on this podcast. Those as you know who've listened to us, If
you are new, we have a lot of new listeners with Clippers basketball starting.
You can watch our podcast over on YouTube dot com slash at Clippers Podcast
and we give each other fun names. It's a very fun time. Right
now, they're all normal. Last episode, Adam was the five second man.
What was that about? Who knows you? Gotta could have been two
seconds? Okay, could have been his words. Someone else replied that was
great defense by Kawhi Leonard. They saw what I saw that all right?
The five the five second family is inexplicably growing. It's a twenty four second
shock clock. Five seconds is meaningful. Hey hey, however, however the
math works for you, big dog coming up the ocean for predictions and good
other good times. The ads have been loud for some people. If you're
new to listening, that's been a real thing. I'm just continuing this bit.
Some people people DM me and tell me to stop doing this. I
will never stop doing this because of those people. If the ads have been
too loud for you, go ahead and turn it down. We got our
closing sec coming up three like a fucking flight attendant three two what welcome back
in clips and dip. I'm Adam Allison. We got Will Updyke and Chef
Mockler and those are still our name tags on the YouTube feed. We'll see
if one of them gets changed before the end of this show. Last time,
I think I edited as lord Z, we're talking about Power Rangers.
Some said it was the best ending to a show. People loved it.
Now the people loved it. You know what, I'm not going to say
what others said that basically just what I was thinking of my head. There
was a discussion. There was a discussion afterwards. There was a discussion.
Okay, so a little bit uh more of a game preview here or are
we just gonna go with predictions and that kind of same thing? Adam,
what's your prediction? Clippers won ten Portland ninety two? D Is that hardy
vigna a hardy victory? See that way, I don't have to actually look
at the spread or make any ill advised comments about gambling, because I'm not
funny story. I don't even Oh the spread is up. The Clippers are
nine and a half point favorite. The Clippers are nine and a half point
favorite. So, Adam, you believe in the clips? You think so?
You think it's gonna be defense because ninety scoring below ninety five and in
twenty twenty three twenty four season in the NBA is the new eighty. I
would argue, Yeah, I think the Clippers are gonna put clamp City back
on the map, wingstop, whatever you want to call it, and the
pointy trail Blazers are gonna have a tough time. Just ask my bookie.
Yes, so you think, okay, you think it's the defense will Where
are you at, Clips, dumb? Clips dumb? You were a little
you were a little not as optimistic in that previous What do you think is
gonna pa what's power the Clippers over this plucky Trailblazers team. I think they
said a statement. I think they said a statement. I'm ready for them
to be taking it seriously. I'm thinking a double digit win. I'm hoping,
like I said earlier, like I'm hoping that this is the kind of
game where everybody from the bench can get a little bit of run. Maybe
even Marcus won't get a d MP because it's like, yeah, yeah,
big dog head on out there, go go take your mid range jumper,
buddy. I'm gonna go Clippers win, but I think they lose. They
lose morally, they lose. No, I think the Clips are gonna win.
I think it's less than double digits. I don't think that's through fault
of preparation and being ready for this game. I think scoots a kind of
an unknown commodity. I think maybe there's been of an early barrage there.
I think Kawhi still has to work out a little bit of rust. Again,
this isn't knocks Like We're still gonna it's gonna be a comfort man like
eight point win, like a thing where it's like, oh it's eight points,
but it won really eight points, you know what I'm talking about.
Like maybe the shootings a little cold, but the defenses there like we like
the Clippers win like one, one, ten to like it's called it's called
a hundred, like one of those games. Okay, just not the most
efficient shooting night because the Clippers are an older team. And I feel like
there's no logic to this. To me, exactly what his name tag is
and there's no logic to this. Yes, I would love that that maybe
people would stop saying that I look like Logic, which I thought they said
that about Will. No, that's about why would that be about Will?
I know I thought someone said that, I don't know, did Logic dye
his hair? Oh? Logic? The new eminem horrible songs. We're also
all gonna be at the game on Wednesday. It's true, Adam, you'll
be there working professionally. Some say, hey, we would say you're more
professionally. Will and I will be. They're celebrating a Clippers podcast, great
bachelor party. There's gonna be a fun time. And what of you guys
is coming on with me postgame on Clippers Talk. Hell, it's your usual
postgame show and we'll take calls and I may get into it with some after
game one. Please do? I love Adam. Look, if you're calling
in the am five seventy, be prepared. Don't come with Adam with week
ship. Don't come with the week shit. Be prepared. Be logical.
That might be asking too much. I'm not asking you to be logical.
I'm just saying be prepared. The fact you got one guy emailing me.
I think it's Sean and Inglewood, who somehow got my email all off season,
saying how much he doesn't want Harden. Oh do they I say,
any Clippers hot takes send him here? You know, then it's your blot.
Yeah, yeah, that's pretty bad. All right, So we're feeling,
we're feeling good. This episode's coming out Monday night. Not gonna be
worried about thing on Tuesdays. No injury report yet. I'm feeling incredibly excited
and good about the Clipper season. I am too. I mean, they're
saying all the right things. They're trying to right the wrongs of last season.
It feels like in pretty much every single way, every complaint, everything's
been rectified that Clipper Nation has wanted to at least here verbally, Yeah,
we'll see on the court. Yeah, that's true. But if you're still
in on Harden, that was kind of a given that Mores isn't going to
be used in the trade yet. Do we should we ask for someone hard
pivot? By the way, Adam, great point. Should we ask for
someone if you have a big ass jar out there? We're doing a thing
where every quarter the Clippers win or lose a quarter. Which was it though?
Was it? I mean we said we're putting a quarter into the jar
every time the Clippers win a quarter, but it could be almost punishment if
they lose the quarter. I can see where you're going, because we're giving
the quarter, but then by the end of it, we buy ourselves something.
Where did these quarters come from? By the way, who is supplying
the quarters? Somebody's aunt of money. Look, I buy papers. They
take cash. That's where I get my quarters from. What do you mean
buy papers? Yeah? So I think we should give the quarter when we
lose, because we're giving the quarter. I think so because like a swear
jar, it's like a punishment. Sure, wren use the money for something
fun, well, or we donate it? Uh what sim gym Okay?
So if anyone listening, this is a plea maybe to nobody has a big
ass jar. Doesn't need to be too big. How about just of oz
of oz? What mean? Just a oz of oz could work too.
I know it's a vase. The pronunciation that threw me, see not,
I'll just make it if anyone that got me. If anyone has a receptacle
that you would like to donate to a Bulger's can a folder empty? Folder's
care? What Donnie's ashes are? We would love to put a quarter in
it. So let us know. If not, we'll figure something out.
But we do have to, Like we actually have a receptacles, let us
fill them with quarters. We actually, let's ask for someone to bring it
to the game. Bring us security. Yeah, you got it. You
can't bring a guy walking into Staples. No, I got an empty coffee
can. It's for Adam Oslin. They're like, they're it's for a mere
coffee. It's a prop. It's my sign. That's all it is.
Put some paper around it, say go a mirror, all right, copies
for closers, folder's soldier. Man, Oh, I see what everyone's back,
Carlow. It's his first year. The Clippers are back. This is
gonna be great. I'm excited now, I'm excited. Honestly, it's gonna
be a fun time. Yeah, this will be better than Game seven,
guys. Yeah, then the baseball game. Seventhing's happening. No, it
was Dodgers. We wouldn't even doing this right now. We would. I
would be going, I would look like this, the whole pot. See
I'm not looking at the camp. I'm just going. That would be me,
the whole pot. No, say a swear word. All right,
we're gonna be They would be losing. Yes, it would be a nightmare.
We're gonna be back Wednesday night, Adam and maybe Will or I,
we don't know. On the radio. It's gonna be a fun time.
You can get all those episodes also on our Spotify if you miss us on
the radio. If you're not in LA, they could listen to Adam be
on the radio and will be on the radio and me sometimes, which is
very fun. On Spotify on iTunes. You can find us on YouTube,
YouTube dot com slash at Clippers Podcast. Subscribe, like and subscribe I Am
not Logic. We will be back on Wednesday to recap a hopeful Clippers victory,
and then the whole crew is going to be back on Thursday to talk
about the weekend. Basketball is back. Our lives are forever changed. Adam,
you have anything positive if you want to say to people, or should
we just send them out. I'm just trying to read what my name says
show notes. I can't. I can't say it. I don't get it.
He doesn't get it, folks, he doesn't think it wasn't in the
show notes. You wouldn't have even seen it. Thank you everyone for listening.
Thank you to all the new listeners as well. This is a very
fun time. Uh yeah, and as always, see you next week and
let's go clips