Welcome to be Live. After the Clippers lose. They lost to the Grizzlies.
They are they have the same record as the Spurs. Things look a
little busted. I'm Chuck Mockler. Carl tartis here, Adam Auson, will
Updike, letting people come in on the Live and all that good stuff.
I'll go to our guest first, Carl, how are you feeling after that
Clippers display? All right? So today I was watching football, Yeah,
at a place I had to do some work and I was watching football.
But you know, I am a proud subscriber of Clipper Vision, so I
had that on my phone, and in attendance watching football was none other than
Keyshawn Johnson. And he was like, what you're looking at on your phone?
Man, very personable guy. And I told him what I was watching,
and he proceeded to roast the ship out of me. Of course,
uh as one does when a Laker fan meets a Clipper fan. And he's
an old school Laker fan too, you know, he's an l A guy.
But you know what, man, I was. I I had I
had to lecture some people. I had to lecture some people today on the
history and why we get treated the way we do. And I was talking
to a person who was from Indiana who was like, Oh, I'm a
I'm a Miami Heat fan because I watched my team lose to Miami, and
uh I decided to Yeah, I said, that's terrible. That's that's terrible.
That's so you you can't beat them, So you joined him. That
is your friend Kevin Durant or he was not. It was not Kevin Durant,
but it was another guy who was there, and and and we're talking
and they're and they're talking about us, and I give him a whole rundown
on why they feel they need to talk to you about us when their team
is just as as disappointing historically. And uh, listen, man, I
feel like this. This is my true, honest feelings. Of course,
it doesn't feel good to lose to the worst team in the West. Uh,
it doesn't feel good to lose. I mean, it was it was.
I'm not making an excuse, but it was. It was a morning
it was a Sunday morning game. We've historically been bad in those, sure,
But I also am change your bedtime. You don't think after, you
don't think in year five, you wouldn't change your bedtime or do whatever you
need to do to be awake at twelve thirty. I'll tell you like this,
I'm thirty four years old. Russ is a year older than me,
James the same age as me. Happy birthday, Happy birthday, russ Uh.
That's coming from the robot from Rocky five. Birthday, russ Uh.
And but I I don't want to lose my Saturday nights before I have to,
you know what I mean? Well, I get that, so I'm
gonna give them a little bit of grace. I don't want to lose my
Saturday night because I'm like, because everybody's like, man, it's gonna happen
to you where You're gonna be tired. You're gonna get tired on Saturday night.
You'll get tired. You're not gonna want to go out. No,
No, I'm always want to go out. And I give the grace to
my fellers. With that being said, man, it's my true, honest
feelings. Nobody wants to lose as much as we've been losing. Because I
know I'm gonna have to see the inevitable trolling Bleacher Report, which is a
Laker organization I'll have to see their post, you know, where they go
Clippers lose five in a row, and then when the Lakers lose, they
go Lakers fall shot. Competitive losses competitive. Not for the Clippers. They've
had one competitive loss the rest of ben essentially blowouts. Today was competitive.
Today was against the worst team, but you would hope it at least be
competitive, right, I thought, Hey, and in some positive on some
positive Chuck Mackler, I definitely feel like the comeback that happened. Shout out
to Norm, Norm, Hey, that was fun. Is it sustainable?
Is that how they're going to win ball games? Have Norm get twelve points
in the fourth quarter every time? Because they're down eleven heading into the fourth,
and that's a real way to I don't I just don't know if that's
great process. Like, I'm happy for Norm to get it going like that,
and it was fun, it was exciting, But to be down eleven
going into the fourth, oh yeah. And it's just that's not long term
how this team is going to get back to playing whatever brand of basketball,
whatever their identity is going to be. It's not just well, Norm's gonna
get hot here in the fourth quarter and have twelve points like that's not sustainable.
I don't think I think Tyler knows that. If there's if there's one
season where I've trusted him, it's been this one. And I'll tell you
why. I've been watching these guys play these games. Uh Now, at
the end of the that late stretch today, Kawhi was shooting some bullship.
He was pissed off. He was pissed off, was upset today with some
play taking a Midi fade away from BS. What what does that mean?
That's Kawhi. The shot selection has been garbage with hard like why did we
add a point guard? If there's gonna be possessions with no passes? No
passes, that's no ball movement. We got all these people who can shoot,
including people who are hot like Norman Powell, like James Harden. You
got all these people out here, and you're gonna drive into double coverage and
I still got football brain on, but it's the same thing like and you're
gonna you're gonna drive into that and then and shoot a short like mid I
know you're a Midi. I know you the king of the Midi. You
got the best Midian history. But Adam Rsley, what do you what do
you mean? And but what I know? You have the best midian history,
but don't take aim? Does that mean, Adam? So you would
you say? Would you characterize the shot selection from these from the Clippers in
the James Harden era as good? We're talking about today's game, right We're
talking about the whole thing. Baby, we're unpacking right now. You gotta
get the leeches on you. You gotta get the bad blood out, and
you gotta heal. We gotta sit in the ice bath. Adam getting the
ice bath with me. It's a big dum. You guys got to cry
on together. Come on, how do we heal? The problem with this
team is Kawhi taking a mid range jumper in a clutch situation. I don't
think you've been watching the last five games. I don't think you've been watching
the last four games. That's not the issue. They actually had twenty six
assists on their thirty seven makes in this one. Like the ball movement,
it obviously can be better. So how can it be better? Adam?
What's the thing we've talked about all summer? If they're gonna bring in James
Harden, that's the thing we talked about Adam put the gun away. I
say it that that was the problem. You said he was have some BS.
He was because the mid range shot from Kawhi is BS in that in
that situation and that game situation where we have a chance to win, which
we shouldn't be in a situation like this against that team. So don't give
it to Kawai and his chance to win. No, give it to Kawhi.
But Kawhi still has to make a good play like this from him is
a good play. I'm sorry, I don't know where. I don't know
where he'd under a double team. It really wasn't he faded away. He
had a great look. Kawhi makes that shot. We're talking about something totally
different. Oh that's Kawhi, of course, I feel like I mean Adam,
I definitely agree with you. I hear what you're saying on the mid
range shot. That is a shot that that Qui is comfortable with. But
I think Carl's larger point stands in that the ball has been pretty stagnant despite
adding yet another point guard. That's a completely different issue than Kawhi is thrown
up BS. Kawhi only took sixteen shots in that moment. That's the issue
about one play. I'm talking about two plays, actually talking about two plays
where Kawhi took two even though he's Kawhi still ill advised shots. Now,
I hate, I hate to bring this up right now, but I'm going
to because it always happens. What's the other shot? My favorite, my
favorite player in the league has always been Lebron James since since Shaquille O'Neil.
Lebron James always makes the right basketball play. That's what makes him. That's
a big portion of who he is. He Kawhi could have passed the ball
to somebody in that moment. I understand that we want, we do want
Kawhi taking that shot most of the time, but when it when he is
double team and he is forcing it. Because those were called forced shots,
those were forced They were not clear open looks. Chuck, can you play
the shot in here? You're saying the layup he took was the other bad
shot. He shouldn't take a layup fade away from the dotted but he said
too. You said two shots now, so the other was a layup.
Layup was a little tough as well. I have hold on real quick.
I'm looking at the shot shart just of Kawhi and the fourth uh zero for
three. This is just the exes. And there was a shot from the
right low block, the fade away that I believe Carl's talking about from right
underneath the nail, and then where he shoots like fifty things that are problems
instead of Kawhi Leonard taking a clutch shot, the one that he hits a
lot, Adam, it seems like chest I just can't believe that's what we're
talking about right now. There are actual issues, all right, pulled the
gun out, all right? Are we gonna get to the elephant in the
room, the starting backcourt? We're telling Yeah, said before the game he's
looking for ways to separate those two as much as possible. But they're also
in the starting backcourt, and they also got down seven in both halves,
and coach Luke came out and said, we have to start halves better.
It's just it seems like an obvious issue going on right now, which is
two guys that are dependent on having the basketball to start off ballgames and it's
clashing playing styles and it's not working. Whereas coach lou made a brilliant move
in that second quarter with bringing in Big Zoo instead of PJ. Tucker and
then have them having going extra small light they did against Dallas where there was
that thirty four to five run. So this game he pairs of Viza Zoo
bots with Paul George, with Russ, with Norm Powell with Terrence Man.
That worked. That was progress. That's a good thing to see. That
was great. They went on a quick eight to zero run. I just
don't know if Russ on the floor next to James Harden, and it seems
like the team knows because coach Luce said he's trying to separate them should be
starting. So that's what's so funny. Lucas Hahn was posting some usage stats
for Harden and the Clippers, like it's not like they're not using him.
Well, they're not using him. He has his lowest usage rate of sixteen
point eight percent since his second year in the league, and that his second
lowest is nineteen and a half percent. So like it's not even like like
he's getting lost in this starting lineup he had. There's no he's being too
differential like we saw when the team was in this game, when it was
like, oh, a big lineup with a couple shooters in there, like
then it was okay Harden out there with Norm when it was hardened Norm,
Kawhi, pg Zoo. Not saying that's a starting lineup, but some people
are maybe talking about it. The spacing was there, letting Harden away from
Russ. Maybe it's bench Harden, maybe it's bench Russ. I think it
works either way, if that makes sense. But I think that's probably I
mean to make that work is no, no, no, I'm saying four
games maybe better solution than playing both of them in the starting That's what I
think the solution. But it's better bringing in James Harden. Trying to make
him Clay Thompson on catching shoots doesn't make sense to me. Bringing in James
Harden. And they just talked about it yesterday. Coach lu said pregame today
they're going to play through Harden. They just talked about it in practice.
He let everybody know this, and that is the right move. Not because
he's your best player, that's Kawhi, that's Paul George. Because he's your
best playmaker. You have to play through that guy if you want what happened
with the Brooklyn Nets to happen here with the Clippers. James Harden's got to
have the ball in his hands and then give it up to Kyrie and Kad
in this case, Kawhi and Paul George. That's it. That's the idea
of bringing him in, and it hasn't worked at all yet because the ball
has not been in his hands nearly enough. I see people. I see
people saying like, James Harden's the problem. It's like, no using James
Harden, like this is the problem. Yeah, I agree with you.
Chuck. Chuck Sampson brought up a great comment in uh Sampson Chunk. Sorry
did I say Chuck? My bad, but he talked about Tyleru talking about
Harden playing too passive because he's on the floor with Russ and doesn't want to
step on his toes. He's advocating for no way Rush should start. I
think that this two guard situation is leading to passivity from everyone. It's it's
it's from Paul George. We heard him talking about how he's going to be
a glue guy or whatever. I really think it is that same thing.
And the Heat had the same problem at the beginning of their run, not
going to compare this version of the Clippers, but where they're at to that
Heatles team. But everybody was being a little bit too passive. Everybody doesn't
want to doesn't want to rock the boat or whatever. But I think I
think that, yeah, then you have to remove one. You have to
remove one of the ball dominant presences when everybody is on the floor or or
I don't know. The hard thing is the Clippers just they don't have a
lot of time. If this trade, if this trade, if they had
had a full training camp, and if this trade was made in the off
season, you know when we first heard about it, I think things would
be a little different. But you know, they've just dropped five straight and
this is the easy part of their schedule. They just don't have a lot
of leeway to figure things out. So I don't don't know why they're not
trying to make moves immediately. They traded rebounding and defense for more offense,
and the more offense hasn't showed up yet. They're barely scoring one hundred points.
Very true, my brother, Very true. And that's the point that
I wanted to get to kill it. He's right next to the camera.
This is gonna be Yeah, let's go for it. Let me tell you
something, Adam, pull out your pull out the gun. Pull the gun.
Adam pulled the gun out right now. I got on a vest for
this one. And let me tell y'all something. Data man ghost Uh,
everybody who's saying it? That man that y'all have been caping for for the
past seasons. Who I have who I've been saying if you remember on the
old pod, I've been saying it. And I took. I got death
threatsnation, I got death threats. Vest you were wearing back then, you're
wearing desk I'm wearing right now. Gotta go. But he's not the problem
right now. Oh god, he's gotta be better. I'm not gonna like.
You're not wrong. He's a little closer for what. Okay, wait,
let's entertain it. Wait wait, wait, wait wait, let's entertain
it. Let's entertain it. What's the move? Tell me, thank you
Bryant's and Jazz. What's the move we gotta get he's been not very good.
I will, but he hasn't been trash. He's been not very good.
What's the move? We're trading Zoo for what? Valanos that's not that's
possible. Dog. I don't know what's possible. Man, I don't know
what's possible, but we gotta do something. Ghost, thank Zoo for drumming.
Drummer can shoot the three. I don't like. I don't like that.
What did you like that? Fully? But but we need a stretch.
We need a stretches. Man is cooking himself live. He cannot shoot
the three. I don't want nerlis No, will I want something else?
You? Okay, wait, y'all gotta you don't want a backup? Is
fine? I don't like Drummond, but I feel like we need we need
one other big body. We need one other big body. Charles, what
are your thoughts on this? We need another big body. We can't sign
Daniel Tice, who's six eight. I don't think that makes any sense.
Andre Drummond should not be on this team. He can't shoot the three.
The rebounding, sure, that'd be good, but he also has rebound.
If Andre Drummond came to this team and started shooting threes, I wouldn't I
wouldn't like it. Listen, let me let me aout. I'm gonna tell
you what I'm talking about. Okay, fix your faces and to this guy
drunken public service, shut up. I don't even know who this guy is.
He I don't. I don't like the whole hoopers Hoopers not not basketball
players. Bullshit. That guy's right. Okay, wait, I agree with
the dogs. You're right on that. Who's been bad this year? I'm
not, but I just I don't think that that's fair. He's been He's
in y'all gonna ca for this man forever. Here's difference, Carl. When
he plays bad, we say he's playing bad. When he plays good,
we say he's playing good. And you never give him credit when he's playing
good, which is the majority of the time. Let's focus on the real
issues. How can the team be better? This is what's the issue of
the Clipper is it's tearing everyone apart. They've been so bad. Yeah,
this is the issue right now. We can't amongst friends? Who's friends?
Okay? Where are you at, Carl? Are we benching russ or to
bring in Norm? What do you where? What do you what's your move
forward? I'm not lost on Norm is starting. I know it might be
crazy, but I'm thinking about it. Alan Alan also wants to know,
is this like, Carl, I'm curious to your thoughts. Is this stubbornness
from Tylo or is it one of these two guys. They don't want to
make the move to the bench, and it's like a diplomatic thing where they
don't want to rock the like they don't want to rock the locker room.
We're five, we're five games in. I think we're five games in.
Ty wants to give it ten, you know he does. He likes a
ten game sample size. I agree with that it ain't working after five.
I do think there's gonna be a big change, maybe before our next game,
which is against the Nuggets, which I prayed that they don't fucking stump
a mud holeing I asses. We're gonna talk about that in a second and
thirty. Let me ask you, guys, this is it. Give it
more time. They need more time because it's only been four games and that's
the issue, or it's fundamentally flawed and you can give as much time as
you want. The Sea isn't gonna be there for winning a championship playing this
way, regardless that they have some stretch where they win five of their next
seven or something, which I do think they will I I told people at
the bar to day, they're gonna go five and on the next one.
You told Johnson that. I told Keihan Johnson that I love that. Uh.
They played Denver next, right, Yeah, and I think we can
stell them. Uh well, that would be like five wins if they could
somehow beat Denver in their time of need against a team they never beat.
Uh. I agree with with him, he says, I like zoo,
I'm only trading him for a plink capella Jared Allen type big. I mean
sure, I don't think you're Yeah, do y'all know, because I don't.
I will, I will, I will go watch what happened to Jared
Allen against the Knicks in the first round. Before you say that, maybe
contract stuff, huh, you said, Carl, you're asking for contract stuff,
contract stuff, and just who's available, who makes eleven million dollars a
year? Very favorable? Team friendly is if you will exactly, it's a
very team friendly contract, which is where we get into this logjam. People
were talking, but talk about this rotation now. People were talking about maybe
trading norm at some point, but now Bones is out of the rotation for
eight more games, while Tye can look at this current iteration of what we
saw in this game with Tucker and Musa, and we haven't heard from Adam.
I'm curious your thoughts on this as the man who once said the Clippers
ceiling is tied to Bones Highland, which wasn't wrong at the time. Where
are we at? Where are we at with this development that Bones is possibly
it seems like not a part of the rotation moving forward. According to taylu
Well, if you were on the last show, I did point out that
that point that I made about Bones could be could become completely irrelevant, And
it looks like it is now because he's out of the rotation. And I
understand why you can't keep going small three or four guards out there. It's
the right move, but it's also unfortunate for Bones in his development, and
he and Norman Power are just too similar. Their strengths and their weaknesses line
up next to one another. I think Bones is a better facilitator than Norm.
I don't think that's fair completely agree. I think I think to pass
to anybody, you don't even need to defend anybody else on the floor.
If Bones or if Norm has the ball in his hands, else. I
completely agree. I think Bones in his ceiling, which he's most definitely tied
to his individual ceiling, I think is pretty high. I think is tantalizingly
high. And that's why I got excited and even said at one point,
maybe they don't need to bring in James or somebody else because the Bones makes
that big leap this season, that might be enough right there. Obviously,
it's a new situation now, and it's disappointing that he's going to be totally
out of the rotation. We'll see maybe coach Louse mix this thing up,
mixes things up at some point here. I don't know here, you guys
want to you guys want a little treat because you've been getting a little heated.
What's the treat? I guess Okay, a nice vintage Sharks too.
I can't believe you're willing to donate that to one of our live listeners right
now. I can't believe that the giveaway on this show now. So our
friends, our friend l O l w TF, Eric, who designs everything
that you see if you're watching this on the live stream, is wondering if
the team is actively uh and deliberately and deliberately trying to drive him into madness.
I just want to float this theory out there. I was talking talking
about this with Charles during the game. Is this a reverse Major League in
which the Clippers are trying to lose every game and somehow not end up in
the into it don't but end up moved somewhere else. Have you thought about
this? Have you seen this? Have you heard about this? I don't
think that's what's happening. For the record, say why would he do that?
I don't think I don't. I don't understand why he would do that.
I want to believe it. I want to believe something. I want
something to hold on to, Like Maroll five said, gives me, give
me something to believe in because I don't believe in you anymore anymore. Or
that's a perfect way to suck because I'm not mad at that. That's a
great It's the point I agree with the most so far. This episode is
the Maroon five lyric. It's tough right now. I think they can turn
it around, but it's tough. Can they turn it around without making a
change to the starting five? As of five twenty seven pm on November five,
absolutely cannot question. I cannot turn it around with they cannot continue to
run the same experiment and accept and like expect a different result. Are we
also? I liked, what will will you put forshizzle bedizzles thing back on
there? What's are we? Just? Are we gonna wait it out for
Mason and not sign a big? I think I would be if if conversations
haven't already been happening behind the scenes, it's malpractice. It's it's you know
what I mean, it's I feel like they're willing to throw the season away
at that point if there's not already conversations. I understand that it hasn't resulted
or netted a deal yet, but you need you need someone, preferably a
traditional big and also a vet like who's a vet? I think? To
back this up? And you know, understanding that they probably won't be a
heavy rotation piece, but you need a stop gap. You need something.
Adam, you're making a face you disagree with me? No, no,
no, no, I completely agree. I was just gonna throw this out
there. Just had a nice little brain hatch. Uh. As much as
they talked about yesterday playing through James Harden, is it just too difficult to
say that, even in front of the whole team and make that adjustment the
very next day, after the style of play that they got ready to get
into this season with playing faster with Russ and then all of a sudden to
switch things up and play slower and play through James Harden. Is it just
impossible to make that one eight, even though they know the message is there,
even though all the guys that's kind of giving you some idea of a
pecking order were playing through Harden, but it didn't result in that today.
And it's just gonna take more time because Ty talked about it in the post
game. He talked about how the team needed to play faster in today's post
game, and it's like it's Harden is just not the guy for that,
which is and that's the problem because run the styles by you two playmakers.
Yesus is doing what Ty wants, which is play faster, and it's not.
Also like they weren't exactly playing lightning fast before Harden came here. We
talked about that a little bit too, of like, all right, just
maybe see him pick up the pace a little bit more. But Carl Adam,
y'all are right, It's like, I want James to start, but
he's not gonna play the basketball that we've been told that's going to be happening
all off season. Carl go ahead, Yeah, Like I don't know.
It's difficult. Miles Turner, I don't think it's possible. It don't.
We no longer, We no longer have the assets to make it happen.
We would have to send too much out. In context, were placers destroying
right now? They're like, they're like phenomenal. How is getting rid of
Aviatza Zubos changing the pace? Changing the problem in the backcourt? This is
these are not the droids you're looking for. That's not the issue here,
Bro. I just want I just want zoo going just to control you,
all right. I respect the pettiness. I look, if there's one thing
I respect, pettiness, I can't I can't pretend that that's in regards to
the in regards to the pace, La said, Harden looks out of shape
to be honest, to be fair, right, we because I do feel
like we are losing the context of there was never a training camp. He
didn't participate in any training camp. He had not played a game, and
I'm willing. I'm willing to see that, especially for the people who are
the hardened haters. Charles, just go ahead and cut me off. I'm
raising my hand. Well, but but all I was gonna say is like,
I do think that that changed changes the math of how many games until
you figure something out? Of course, but I still think it's it's apparent
enough that the starting lineup isn't working. Go to your point, we were
sold that he had some secluded training camp. I don't doubt that he was
training, it's just different. Those are two different things. I know it's
different, but we're already at the physicality, like it's already gone so bad
that we're already at this this point. It's not that I don't think he
was working out in Colorado, and I very much believe he was, but
we're already at this point of like, well, game speeds a little different,
and he's like, yeah, I'm so working. I know. But
because it's gone so is, because it's gone so poorly, I feel not
as sympathetic to that, I guess because it's looked so shitty. But we've
all kind of acknowledged that Harden is not specifically the problem I know, I
mean, that's true, but the lineups are like that. I agree that
the lineups are the problem. Harden is not the problem. Russ is not
the problem. The lineups are the problem. Rebounding a defense is a problem.
Yeah, is a problem. Talk about that. You have to be
honest with that. Will. I'm not saying I know we can't do anything.
I know we can't do anything, but let's control what we can control.
Then if we can't not about that, let's talk about things that are
within the realm of being changed. And I understand both of your guys's points
there. It's frustrating on one end, but it's also it is baked in
that he wasn't going to be completely up to speed because we all know there's
no way to simulate right game. And we talked about this, we said,
hey, Clippers want to do this, why would you not do it
in the off season? But they still got I mean, like it was
still the same deal that we thought it was going to be. It was
two first and filler like that's it was. There was never any conversation beyond
that. To me, though, the issue still isn't hardened and whether or
not he's in perfect game shape, like they aren't maximizing the place he is
at right now, and he is good enough. When you watch that first
quarter against Dallas where he and Kawhi Leonard are playing a two man game and
absolutely cooking, and it's like, oh, we got something here. Clippers
are up by twelve and those two are playing beautifully off one another. That
outside of that, there hasn't been much to take away that's been positive.
But the point there was Harden had the ball in his hands and he and
Kawhi were in control. I want to see Harden next to Kawhi and Paul
George with the Vitza Zubats and Terrence Man and see what that looks like for
a good section of time. But if they're going to cater to egos and
guys being more concerned about starting, and I don't know who that is,
but I'm guessing, Look, Harden and Russell Westbrook both want to start totally,
somebody's gonna have their heart broken. Well, and Wangs had split up
the four Stars to to start too off the bench like the lou Montrez second
unit to extend the lead. The issue, I feel like the issue has
been We've seen some really good chemistry with Kawhi with Harden. It has not
looked the same with Russ and PG, and it did today. Yeah,
it did. They have The quarter was beautiful. They're down thirteen. They
start off the second with zoo Man, Powell, Russ and PG and they
go on an Edo run and Paul George is the focal point and being aggressive.
That worked that lineup. Better be here to stay because that was really
smart. That was a perfect adjustment from what we saw in the second quarter
of Friday Night. Have y' all talked about that yet? Daniel says,
don't worry, guys, World Cup winner Daniel Tye will save This is Daniel
tyson possibility. Have you all had conversations about this, because I've heard his
name populup. We talked about it, Adam and I talked about a little
bit. I'm not really I don't know what we trade for Daniel Tye.
He makes like nine million a year or something, and I just think he's
six eight. Mason Plum he's a real seven footer. Yeah, I think
we should have this team used to playing with the size and personnel that they're
gonna be playing when Mason comes back. If he comes back, but we
also need wins. I'm not the biggest Tys fan. I'm not the like
I don't hate the guy. I just think we should get someone quite literally
taller who's going to play maybe a more traditional center role. Again, they
still have pieces that are there now that can be better optimized, and I
do I also give coach Lou credit for playing Musa. He said he was
going to play bigger and he played a young guy in his second season,
and I thought Musa actually played really well and actually even against Dallas Friday night,
and I know the game was over, but he had multiple possessions against
Luka Dauntics where I was like, damn, that's good defense. Doesn't matter,
but still it was good defense. Musa has impressed more than I thought
he would with the minutes he's gotten the last two days, for the last
two games, and he goes out he gets hit in the face in the
second half on freg Ja. Yeah, but I so it's not like Coach
Lou hasn't made any adjustments already within these four games. He has that second
unit to start the second quarter today, Musa being out there him saying he
can't keep playing small. So no, bones with Norman Powell. Stuff is
happening. I thought there was low key progress today. The problem is the
main issue that I think is going on with why their offense looks bogged down
is pecking order and two playmakers starting next to one another. That just throws
things off. And what about the defense and rebounding which has looked much worse.
Let's talk about that a little bit. I mean, obviously sending out
three wings and getting in return PJ Tucker, I feel like is an issue.
That that's an issue, Charles, where are you at the Tucker thing?
The Tucker thing is hard right because he Marcus Morris did not rebound the
ball and PJ. Tucker does his damn just to try and rebound the ball.
He took two shots today, which is incredible because he usually doesn't take
shots. He made a three, which is great, But there's still he
can't be out there with another non plus shooter. He just can't. Like,
if we have PJ out there with a guy who's not a real reat
to shoot the ball, then that's it's some tough defense we watched today.
When to open this game, the Grizzlies started Jaron Jackson, Junior defending Russ
and basically just sagging off him and playing free safety in the paint, which
is like, sure, with one guy on the court, who that's gonna
happen. That's fine. We got PG and Kawhi and all the stuff that
should work. But with Tucker out there, he can't be out there with
Zoo because then the defense is just like, yeah, okay, well coming
to the paint, let's try it like you have to. Who aren't going
to stretch the floor at all? So I don't think, no, we
lost you. Oh no, I'm back. I'm back. I'm back.
I don't think you've put in the best position. But the Mason Plumber injury
is the worst thing to happen to PJ. Tucker because it really sucks because
he's put in a position that on this team with learning all the new stuff,
it's tough right now. He shouldn't be half to playing this much.
He didn't even really play like a bunch in this game. He played thirteen
minutes, but he was plus four something to it. But it's just a
little tough. It sucks that we have to figure out how to use him
so much, I guess, which is not his fault. Person says first
unit, Russ, PG Kawhi, coffee and zoo. I mean a mere
should maybe get some bread. I would like that. I to your point
of spacing, and you can't have PJ. Tucker out there with another non
shooter, well, coach Lew said postgame spacing. It sounded like he was
specifically talking about the starting unit has been the problem. That's why they're only
scoring one hundred points per game. And you have Russ out there then shooter.
Yeah, with the beats of zoobots. Yeah, they know spacing is
a problem, but they're keeping two non shooters in the starting lineup. If
Man is there instead of Russ, or if Norm Pale is there instead of
Russ, I think it might look differently. I don't know. I'd look.
I'd be interested to see it, but I don't know if they're interested
in making that move right now. It sounds like he you know, Russ
does bring energy in a locked in focus to start games typically, but it's
best asset question Mark Well, I don't know if that can overcome the bad
fit though right now with him and James Harden because, like I said,
seven zero runs to start both has by the Memphis Grizzlies, like you're just
putting yourself in a hole. If Jared Jackson Junior is just sagging off of
Russell Westbrook and it's putting another defender in space against Kawhi, Paul George and
James Harden, that's that doesn't work. That's not optimizing lineups. Real quick,
we got to put in a quick ad break because you're gonna make this
a podcast. Ads coming up, but then we're gonna maybe talk the Nuggets.
I think we're gonna do an updike fun check AD's coming up in three
two one. All right, welcome back in to clips and dip. We
are alive. If you're not catching those, you can catch those over on
Twitter. That's at Clippers Pod. You can catch those over on YouTube,
that's at Clippers Podcast. We usually tell your day off, give you a
little time so you know what's going on. Thank you so much to everybody
who is tuning in live. But right now we're we've talked about the losing
streak with James Harden. We're gonna look ahead a little bit to what the
Clippers can expect versus the Nuggets. Where do we even start with this?
I mean, I think that MAVs game. Who the MAVs have been very,
very good to start, so it's understandable that the Clippers not been as
good to start, would would take a beating, maybe not to that extent
take a beating. But where are you at? Who? Uh? Car?
Carl? Carl? What do you think it's gonna happen? What do
you want to see when the Clippers take on the Nuggets? I want to
see some big changes that Tyler. I do feel like it's putting in place
right now. If I believe in him as a coach and believe in who
he is, I think he's putting in some big changes right now. I
also think that we will win this game. I don't believe. I noticed
that we're still trying to run the same type of strategy against Luca and what's
the guys name Jokic in where we let them score all the points and try
to stop everybody else, make sure we stop everybody else. I don't think
that works anymore because we don't have We lost a lot of our defense,
and our middle is soft like a twinkie, and so we with cream in
the middle Adam and yet Adam put the gun away. It's back in the
start you finished. I think we're gonna win this game, though, I
think this will be the game that we uh make a change where people will
think about it. I think like think about it in the way of like,
oh it like they did it. They I can't believe it, like
they got something. Somebody's gonna come off the bench and it's I think offensively
we match up pretty well. Defensively is pretty tough. But uh, if
these guys can get into a goddamn rhythm, then we can we can go
on a run. I don't think this is gonna be as bad as yes,
well yes, technically yeah, I know it sounds crazy. Can't beat
the Gris, but can beat the Nuggets? Yeah, because the Nuggets have
lost to some bad teams, two of them, I was gonna says,
I don't know. I mean they've been down, I mean a significant person
like they've been down a signifgnificant piece of their rotation, and we gotta we
gotta take we gotta take take that into account and we have to take advantage
of it. Guys, Can I just point out that, Yeah, I
don't think the defense is anything to write home about. But in three of
these four games with James Harden one hundred and eleven points. They've given up
one hundred points. They've given up one hundred and five points. They've given
up Like, I'm not saying the defense is perfect, but the offense is
the real issue here going on, which I don't think any of us would
have expected when they brought in James. We were all talking about, hey,
offense, roll the ball out there. They'll have one hundred and twenty
points. Defensively is where we have concerns. It's actually for the most part,
but the other way around, which is wild and it's a little more
glaring and alarming. This reminds me of when I can't remember what I think
it was maybe two seasons ago, when we were everyone was healthy or ish,
and we were like, oh, they're gonna they're gonna start a little
slow, you know, defensively, it's gonna be fair. It was kind
of the same thing like this is. And this taps into the biggest issue
with the Clippers is we don't know what this team is good at. We
know what they should be good at, Yeah, for sure, we don't,
and it keeps changing, so we keep having to adjust what we think
they should be good at and when they figure it out, I think it's
gonna be great. I hope it's great for those seventeen games in March,
but right now, like, oh, they're good at defense. That's surprising,
but we'll take it. Oh on the offense is bad, Like we
don't we don't know where their hat is hung really with this with this team
yet. It has only been a handful of games with Harden, but it's
trial by fire against this Nuggets team. I very much hope Carl is right.
I gotta give Will a ton of credit for even though I'm not saying
I agree with it, but the epic rant he went on after the Clippers
lost against Dallas on Friday night, and all I could say afterwards was,
uh, you know, they've had They've had a lot of setbacks and restarts,
and that's what it continues to be. I had a caller tonight who's
like, well, just move James Harden to the bench for now, and
then when he gets up to speed, we'll put him back into the starting
lineup. It's like, so you're going to adjust twice. Then, yeah,
you're gonna see how he looks with the bench unit. And then eventually
put him back with the starters, and they readjust to having him. But
it continues, will you want to take it from here? You had the
epic rant, and I think you point out something that there's truth to it.
I mean not for me. Look, I just we've been doing this.
We've been this is the fifth year that we're doing this. I feel
like, you know it. There's always excuses, there's always a reason why
this team hasn't like figured out who they are and what they are. In
the first year, we didn't have Paul George to start, still didn't know
who we were, and the bubble fell apart in what was probably their best
run, their best chance at a title. Understand it, whatever, bubble,
sure, next year, injury whatever, sure, But we still went
through periods, including a shellacking, and it was like, what is this
team? Who are they? Sure they're the team that gets injured in the
postseason. We weren't gonna have quiet the next season. It's like, who
is this team? Okay, they're scrappy guys who will come up and get
the win. That was actually one of the more enjoyable seasons to watch as
a Clippers fan in this two to three era. Last year, it was
like, Okay, we're back. This bench is, we know what it
is. Somehow they don't have the will to win games. And now I
honestly feel like this team doesn't hate losing enough like they. I just don't
get how you're at this level. How you make forty five million dollars a
year. You've made it to literally the highest level of your craft. There
is no higher level. There's nothing further you could do. And it doesn't
like it just feels like it doesn't hurt you to lose, or it doesn't
hurt you enough. You're like just perfectly willing to lose games. It's bullshit.
It's bullshit, man, I like most people do. And no,
I don't want to suck at my job. I don't want to be a
piece of shit at my job. And I just don't get why that that
doesn't apply to other like to people at like a job that's pretty fun.
I don't know if it would be fun. It seems like a nightmare being
Paul Georgian and choir right now. I just tell me, right now,
if you could wake up tomorrow and you're a professional basketball player, that's too
hard of a job. If you those two guys were concertainible amount of pressure
on them. So if I'm Jeveeale McGee, sign me up. I'm not
built to be Kawhi Paul up the best guy in Elite. Yeah. I
don't mind the losses when they're against a very good opponent or you're playing the
right Just come up to st perfect example and they're back to back like that.
We all were just like man, that was an entertaining game. That
was a crazy game. That was one of the best battles for Los Angeles.
They lost to the Nets with Harden, and it was like, damn,
they played great, but the Nets were a shot better than them,
and they got Katie Kyrie and James Harden. What I don't like is the
bad process stuff where like early in the third quarter tonight, Russ has taken
three shots in the first two minutes and Kawhi, Paul, George and Harden
have combined to take two, And I just stuff like that, because even
if it works, even if Russ hits all those shots, it's not sustainable.
It's not how you're going to win a championship playing that way. Just
like Norm having to have twelve points twelve of his twenty and the fourth.
That's all great, and if they had pulled off the win, it's like,
Okay, it wasn't always great process, but they got the w we
move forward. That would have been cool too. But I'm looking for things
that are sustainable at a championship elite level that makes them a contender, and
that's about Kawhi and Paul George and getting easier shots next to James Harden now
and making the game easier for them instead of them getting off to this great
start the first five games where they look unbelievable and now they've regressed next to
James Harden. We thought, if anything, maybe it could have been the
other way around, if you had told me coming into the season how things
were gonna lay out schedule wise, And when you bring up James Harden,
it's just alarming that the offense has been this difficult to get unlocked. Well,
it's it's hard to because this you know, they want us be things
up, they want to run. In twenty twenty to twenty twenty one,
this was the best half court offense. And I think that that's great and
that is a playoff ready offense. But at the same time, if you're
relying on just the efficiency of Kawhi and Paul George, and that's like what's
really driving that with some occasional ball movement and looks to other guys. I
just don't think that's sustainable. And I don't even mind. I don't blame
Russ for putting up those shots to start the third quarter. It's like,
if everyone else is gonna be apprehensive and tiptoe around, I know Russ isn't
gonna operate like that. Yeah, you're gonna try to take things into always
gone at Russ. Well, Like I would like Kawhi to just say twenty
nineteen Eastern Conference Final style when they couldn't do anything against Giannis. They're down,
Oh two, he's playing for Toronto. What's gonna change. Oh,
I'm gonna guard Giannis. That's what's gonna change. I wouldn't mind Kawhi to
go playoff Kawhi right now and say get the damn ball. I guess that's
more Keyshan So I mean, Carl pater King said, so far, it
seems like the starters don't know how to get shots for anyone but Russ,
which is exactly what the other teams want. I don't agree with this wholeheartedly,
but I will say they have been creating some shots for Russ that are
outside of what his shot profile should be. Yeah, they're trying to keep
him confident, and that's that's where you get tough, because he starts shooting
up that bullshit, I mean his So I talked about that usage stat that
Lucas Han put up and how like you know, Harden's usage is the lowest
it's been since he's been in the league except for a second year. Russ's
usage has gone up, and Kawhi and Pg's has gone down since the hardened
trade Fred Who's saying like, oh, well, you're always going at rust
again. Not a Russ issue, just how other teams are defending this lineup
right now. If you were to play I don't care how much you love
Russell west Brook, if you were to play Russ, Kawhi, PG,
Harden and Zoo, you want Russ taking the most shots from the furthest distance
out very simple if you're the other team. And that's what teams are doing
right now, and this is it. I also think we're talking about,
like maybe we should bench Russ or something. Adam, You've brought this up
too. We did the live stream. Everyone's talked about sacrifice and if we're
all in this shit together, coming off the bench for a team that wins
the championship as a guy who's on you know whatever, hometown, discount whatever.
People were talking about, like, let's get it, let's do it
like people of all people. Marcus Morris at one point and his Clippers tenure,
people might forget this when he was still good. Actually, when he
was still good, reportedly said Batom should keep starting because he's been better while
I'm out. We don't know if that's totally true. The fact that it's
put out there is something. But like if if push, I hope push
doesn't come to shove, because Russ off the bench would be phenomenal. If
you love Russ, you should maybe want this to happen because he would shine
off this bench with this Clippers team and not be a part of what's happening
right now to start in five. I do like the pace he pushes though,
so but I think the benches maybe again, I guess I'm thinking of
the bench fully healthy, but like it is, the pace thing is a
very good point because I'm also I could be convinced either way to put James
or Russ on the bench. Weirdly, I like how broken things have been.
We talked about this earlier, Chuck, and we agreed on it,
wanting James to start in eerie, I do, but what we've learned with
this team, considering what we've lost with our bench, with the old with
the old guys like Russ continuing to start and keeping that pace up and we
getting off to a quick offensive start and building a lead, and then James
coming in and running that second unit and just going nuts or you know,
or staying on the court with with and like that would be that would be
kind of crazy, Like I feel like that would that would really get us
out to quick leads, which we always need. Like that's something I don't
like to I don't like to work in historics when it comes to professional sports
really, but damn we always start off losing for the past few years and
then like have to come back, right, Can I answer this plus minus
question we're getting from Diallo to too. We got a Russ, We got
a Russ fan, and I don't know why we're giving them press. I'm
a rough fan too, by the way, yeah, we're not. It's
easy to know we're not. We're saying, how do you configure this team
best to win a championship, not just to win eight out of ten in
the regular season. We're looking big, big picture, because that is the
ultimate goal, and that's why you bring in James Harden. But it's it's
as simple as this, y'allo. He was on the floor when PG cooked
to start the second quarter. He was on the floor when Norman Powell had
twelve points in the fourth quarter and was a flame throw. Plus minus is
not a perfect measurement, but it should be very much dependent on who's playing
well next to you, or who's playing well against you, or vice versa.
And he wasn't with James Harden, which plays to our point. This
is what we were just talking about, Diallo, you should want this split
to happen. He played great, That's what's so crazy, which is a
bigger conversation about how people view themselves as fans of certain teams or something like
that. But I thought La on the chat brings up a good point about
He said Russ gives effort defensively and rebounds, which is why I like starting
him in Saidenharden. That's also a good point. If the Clippers are gonna
go off this rhetoric we heard all season of run more da da da da.
He maybe should be off the bench, but we there's still I just
don't keep going back to this, this same thing. I'm so sorry.
We're talking about a guy who is the reigning assists leader, a guy who
had a hand in winning the in winning in beat an MVP. It's asinine
to think that that Howarden as a point guard isn't part of the reason that
he won an MVP. I don't know why you put that guy on the
bench. I'm so sorry. I love that they want to play with a
faster place. I love that they try to reinvent the wheel all the time,
very unsuccessfully. Might I add, but maybe just use a player at
what they're good at. And I hate these I hate these postgame pressers where
the coach is like, oh, we need to let X be more like
X, and it's like, yeah, maybe the players should play the way
that they've been the best, and that makes the most sense. And I
can understand if you want to play fast. And the Clippers were three and
one and they look dominant against the Spurs and against the Portland Trailblazers in Orlando
Magic. And if you look at those plus minuses with the three guard or
with Russ next to two on three, it looks great. I brought them
up myself. But guys, we're talking about what's going to win a championship.
Look what happened against the Utah Jazz. Look what happened against the late
in the fourth Russ had three turnovers. Like I love the pace too,
but you got to know when to hold him and fold him with Russell Westbrook,
which is why coach Leu took him out with two minutes left in the
fourth quarter. James comes in, it's gonna be at a slower pace.
It's gonna be more methodical out there, knock down a big three pointer to
tie the ball game, By the way, which gets overlooked now, also
benefits Kawhi and And what's the most important thing, getting the best out of
Kawhi and Paul George. And I think in a playoff setting, James Harden's
just the better player for that. And he's a better player at this point
than Russell Westbrook like he is, so I would say start him. However,
if they bring him off the bench, it's still gonna be a lot
better than it is now because you're still separating him and Russ do. We
think the guy with it and it sucks, But like, part of being
a coach is managing personalities in the locker room and the guy who feels like
he's been mismanaged by almost every team that he's been on, like, which
is not true, but that's the feeling. I don't know why you try
to move that guy to the bench when he's the guy that you need to
lift the ceiling of this team here. That's also a good point. The
second highest usage rating in the league last season. He's always had the highest
usage rating over the past ten years, and now you want him to play
off ball. And we didn't bring this up on the last YouTube because I
hadn't listened to all the postgame stuff. But I don't think we did.
James Harden straight up said it's weird to me, quote unquote on catch and
shoot threes. He may have shot forty one percent on them last season on
one point eight takes per game on catch and shoot threes, and he needs
to shoot more than that. Though, to be fair, he needs to
shoot, he does me, but it's not what he's most comfortable with and
just acting like and I'm guilty of this too. Well, just lean into
that more, James, Just do more of that. He went on to
talk about how it's one thing to practice it, which he has been,
it's another to be comfortable doing that in the game. It's been a much
bigger adjustment than I think anyone would have understood going into this. But it
kind of makes sense, like he hasn't done that throughout his career. You
can't just ask a guy to do something completely different, play a different role,
find his own little niche in this offense. That's not where you're bringing
James Harden. You're asking to shave the beard next, you know, Carls
Harden to shave the beard. What do you think is gonna happen? He's
gonna put on the fat suit and be honest. Uh, he's out of
there. He's out of there. Uh. This this this whole uh mentality,
the changing of the mentality. Uh, we don't we will never know
what these guys mentality are. Like. We're not in the locker room,
we're not in in their minds. Uh. We only know what they tell
us, so we can never go off of that. Like Russ. Russ
knows that he's not who he used to be. He knows that. Trust
me, every every athlete knows when they're not doing what they used to even
if it no matter how bad they want to be doing it, they know
what their capabilities are. Also, Paul George says quite often how he doesn't
mind playing second fit. Don't. We can't have that. That's the last
thing you need. And coach lou nipped it in the bud earlier today.
Paul George is not a glue guy. He's a bad mother effort. Yeah,
he knows that's what they have to have to win it all. Yeah,
I agree with you. I agree with that. I don't think he
meant what he's I think that was him trying to be diplomatic and he who
messed up Paul George, Oh no, I think he really was trying to
help by saying, all right, I'll get more boards, I'll play more
defense. But it's like, no, you're not the guy who needs a
sacrifice. Kawhy is not the guy who needs a sacrifice. It's somebody in
the backcourt. Both of them really are going to have to. That's the
formula for them winning at all, getting more out of two pine three and
getting back to where they were right before Kawhi towards ACL. Yeah. I
agree. And what's crazy is I have I've been so every every news publication,
sports thing has been talking about how bad the fit is. And they
you know, they love to crap on us, like it's just it's in
their contracts. But at least one time you have to you have to say
even if that like we go and eighty two and they're gonna be like,
m just don't believe it, fake O and eighty two two and I would
love, they would love, they would love and eighty two eighty two and
oh and but I I am now being like, damn, how is this
ship gonna keep working? Because I feel that that trepidation the same where it's
like I guess, I hope, but but but we know a pathway to
making this work something they really haven't tried yet, Like that the biggest issue
may be the thing they haven't tried, which is either bringing or Russ off
the bench. And then who do you want to start that simple let's go
around the horn? Who do you want in starting lineup. Let's say one
of one of James or Russ is out of the starting lineup. Who do
you want to see in their place? Let's start with Charles. Okay,
that feels unfair, but I'm gonna go Kobe Brown up the one get the
ball in his hands, winning basketball. Uh No, I'm gonna go.
There's what I want and what I think the team wants to try and run.
I want to see. I want to hear your I hear what you
want. I want to see Harden. I'm gonna say Norm strictly for the
spacing Kawhi pg zoo. I could be talked into Terrence instead of Norm,
but what we saw for the flashes of it in this game hardened Norm.
Kawhi PG is some nice spacing you can hide Norms defense. I understand the
defense isn't super with those two there, but I think the offense functions a
little better. Whoever is going next, go, let's go, Carl,
who do you? What do you want for your starting five? What I
want for my starting five? Anything as crazy as you want. Current roster.
Current roster doesn't have to be in a stay five. I don't have
to be in the starting five. If you don't want that, it's my
starting five, it's mine, it's your shot. You're Frank and Tyler,
You're going for eighty two. Yeah, it's gonna sound crazy, but I
want rust Man, that's not crazy. I love that, and I want
that unit. I want the second unit. I just I like the pace
pushing. I know you don't. I know you don't think pace pushing is
is is necessary? Will I do think it is in today's in today's game,
I mean I think easy buckets definitely. I mean I hear, I
hear you there. I just think it. You know, you have to
choose one or the other. You have to choose a probing, methodical half
court offense, or you have to choose to be fast, and that like
that affects what your starting lineup is because it can't be both. You know
what I want to know and if anybody in the chat can get this,
what was the pace in those sixteen games in Brooklyn with with Harden, with
Kyrie and with KD. I want to know what that pace was because honestly,
we were to play at a faster People realize, weren't they not all
playing together At the start of Harden's thing. But I'm saying in the sixteen
games that they had together, yeah, a three. So Adam, who's
your starting five? I just I want man in and I guess for Uss
because that's what I said in June. If they're going to bring in Harden,
you move into you make Russ the focal point of the bench unit,
because that's when he's at his best. So how do you get the best
out of both these guys. Harden starts, he gets featured more, Russ
gets featured more with the second unit. I know it's it's sacrifice, and
Russ has made up a lot of them already for this team. I think
it's not easy, but I think if you want this team and win a
championship, that is eventually what has to be done. Well, the issue
here is shark in the box. James is ten times better than Russ and
it's not even close. The issue with this is it's the rest of the
team. It's fit. It's not about one. It's not one on one.
Yeah, I would, yes, Russ is not the offensive player that
James is. However, Russ does a lot of the other ship that the
Clippers don't do. Yeah, that the Clippers themselves don't do. It's always
about the other parts of the team and what we think can work more often
than that. That's why we keep That's why a lot of us say Russ
over James. James is fucking dope. I'm so happy to have him in
a Clippers jersey. I truly am. And PJ Tucker, Yeah, and
PJ Tucker that's the that's the Clips jersey I'm getting. Carl Tart I love.
Before we get to Will's pick for the starting lineup, Carl all Tarts
Clippers jersey lineup is gonna be is gonna be something something? All right,
Well, you're starting five. I'm going I'm gonna go a little nuclear here
on this. Uh. I want to see James Harden starting point guard.
I want to see I guess depend on how you split the positions, Paul
George at the two, Terrence Man as the three, Kawhi Leonard at the
four, PJ. Tucker at the five. And let me just say,
I know that you're giving up on some size. I think the defense is
overall better, and I just also think it's while you only have the fours
that you currently have and you're down a center, this is the only way
that you can hide all of PJ. Tucker's negatives and still and still try
to use him when he can to pair up defensively with the other team's best
score, which he can do instints. That's the thing. He can still
be in flashes good defensively. I just think it's the best way to use
him. You can't have him playing heavy minutes with the second unit that already
sucks at defense. It just doesn't make any damn sense. Zoo can cover
a lot of positions. Him being on that second unit makes sense if you
have Russ as the guard on the second unit, having Zoo as a lot
of threat. I do acknowledge that his hands aren't perfect, but marks I
think, to me, that makes a lot of sense. It makes a
lot of sense. And there is a reason why I'm not a coach in
the NBA. But this is just what I think. That is patently absurd.
It's just what I think. No, hey, when they do that
Tuesday and beat Denver, But in my brain, it makes sense. You
can rationalize. I look, I can see the rationality. Uh. That's
what makes me so sad about this team right now is that PJ. Tucker
is so bad that we have to be like we might as well starting with
our But I don't think he is. He has some I'm not saying that.
I think he has a real utility. Offensively, he's a zero.
I'm sorry. He shouldn't need him for much offense if he can hang out
and that I just mentioned. But if you have any other non shooters around
him, it's a nightmare. Put him in the like, put him in
the lineup with the most shooting. All right, we should move. I
mean that was the lineup in the fourth when they made that run. They
had shooting around him. Somebody, did we get, Adam? I think
I missed your start? Was it all? It's actually Ubas has a brother.
I'm putting in there too, Like, No, you put his mom
in that lineup? She could play the four his mom. All all right,
we gotta wrap this up. Thank you everyone hanging out the live Carl.
Yeah, can we get some positive We haven't talked to the curse.
I don't know if we should talk to the curse. It's not the time,
is it not? That I don't I don't want to hear from the
curse anymore. Right now I'm watching it on the court every damn day.
The curse starting over Zoo right now? He is, he is, he
absolutely is. Well, we don't know if it's a heat they are they
are starting on Zoo. It's the Big Four and then the curse, because
curses are of course, you know, we don't know what's going over there.
We're gonna do an updyke fun check. This is something we used to
do on lockdown Clippers or we're checking everyone's fun level. We're gonna start with
Will who this is named after him? And who Carl and Adam than me?
How are we feeling, Will? What is your updyke fun check level?
Heading into the NBA Mid Season Cup Tournament Fiesta against the Denver Nuggets,
there was that carnival ride. If you grew up in a rural area where
there's like a bunch of circles and you are inside of it and you flip
upside down, basically you're inside of a wheel, essentially the zip and I
threw up in one and I was scared that it was gonna come back and
and come and follow me, so I started screaming for the ride to stop.
That's That's where I'm at right now. I think that's totally fair.
Heading I'm worried that my own throw up from watching this is gonna fall on
me. Okay, Carl, what is your fund check before this matchup?
I said at the beginning of the season that this is gonna be my uh,
this is gonna be my like New York Jets style fan base season where
it's like I'm just getting drunk. Man, I'm having a good time.
I ain't going nowhere and like I'm not gonna be a fan of the team
no more. Oh absolutely, it's me and Keishawn Johnson arguing and that was
a great day, had a great day, and uh, I'm listen,
it sucks right now, but I I have there is no doubt in my
mind that we will have these four guys on the on the court and they
will not provide us some very fun basketball to watch eventually. Yes, there's
no doubt in my mind about it. There is a Yeah, there is
a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm not at all saying that.
I'm just saying right now, Yeah, I mean it is the dregs
of the dregs. Yeah, I hope the light isn't a train coming our
way. As Mike D'Antoni once said that the Lakers now I'm I'm having fun.
I'm always having fun. Carlo Amenez has been great. We referenced the
flip play from Derek Jeter to get the Oakland A's out back in two thousand
and one, two thousand and two, when Marcus Smart was on the floor
and somehow got the basketball to that dude that got the layup late in the
fourth quarter. I don't know, I'm having fun, and I do think
there was progress today. I know a lot of people aren't going to see
it because they lost to the Memphis Grizzlies, but that second quarter lineup's meaningful.
What they said pregames meaningful talking to the entire team running it through James
Harden. That is what has to happen. If the best version of this
Clippers team is eventually going to happen, the only way that's fair. I
totally agree. I think my level of updyke fun checkness is I think I'm
at the same carnival will as that I'm not at the same ride. I
just bought my third corn dog dropped it disappointed, but I know that there's
another one coming, So I think I'm feeling. I hope, like Daniel
said on the stream, I hope that this is the worst of it because
I'm here. I'm here. We have to talk about this team and watch
them no matter what, because this is who we are fans of. Yeah,
I'm not pulling out receipts. I I we we entrust all of our
receipts holding to someone else on this Adam has all the receipts. But I
just we Like what Karl was saying, what else are we gonna do?
I'm not hoping for their downfall, tell you that much, but can I
I didn't get a I didn't get a Carnival reference, so I'm at the
carnival too. My phones did Oh I can't do I can't use Apple pay.
But luckily I was just in Vegas this past weekend and hit on the
crab table for like a thousand. So I just have randomly one thousand dollars
cash on me, and you're king of the Carnival. Uh. Yeah,
I just have one thousands of which I didn't mean to bring. And some
guys are staring at me and they look unsavory. Sure, but I and
and and they feel I feel like they saw me pull a wide out to
buy a funnel cake number four. Yeah. Uh, but I enjoyed that
funnel cake. And a girl just walked up to me and she is like
flirting with me. Could be a setup from those guys. Oh yeah,
and she's she's Carnival bad. She's Carnival bad. Like she's Carnival bad.
So Harley Quinn, Yeah, like a Harley Quinn type just walked up to
me and she's hitting on me, and I got her funnel but that's when
I pulled out the water cash. Yeah. So she's holding a big wrench
and she's gonna beat me over the head with it. But I ain't gonna
leave a carnival because I loved my phones dead. I don't know what riodtes
y'all three year own. All right, Adam, do you want a Carnifer
cars? Do you want a Carnival thing? Before we send this out,
uh, Daniel said. Also, I want to point out one of my
favorite bits from this episode is Adam having a gun, which is now what
we're saying, I have a pellet gun. I don't know, I'm not
not that not that dude, but uh yeah, I don't want to talk
about it like as a circus. Right now, I'm going to try to
step away from that, but I understand yes, and yeah, come on,
man, Okay, we're on the bumper cars and it's rough, and
you thought it was gonna look good. From the outside. It looks really
fun when you're watching the bumper cars. That's so fun until you're getting freaking
t bone left and right and put in the grinder. Then it's not fun.
Then you're like, I'm paying to have possible whiplash symptoms the rest of
my life. Like, but the Carnival nine is in the bumper car with
you. Oh damn. Oh, well, you can feel the steering wheel,
there's a there's a screwler something. The Carnival line was running my Carnival
ride and she was like, you know what, seems like you're having a
rough time, buddy. Why don't you Why don't we take a little breather.
She leaves the ride running with an unattended Anyways, I think we're getting
way off the rails here. We should probably wrap this up. Adam or
whoever who wants to end this with some closing words. I will say before
we get out of here. This is clips and dip Clippers Podcast. You
can check us out wherever you listen to your podcast. Where over on iTunes,
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Who's gonna wrap this thing up? Carl? All right, he's to
wrap it up, baby, to wrap it up. I'm not wrapping it
up. If y'all see me at the Clipper game, say what's up?
Dap me up? Chunk the deuce? Uh yeah, probably see me with
the Carnival six at the game. I mean, I'll be wilder with my
second. But that's the best. That's the best night of their lives.
Yeah, it was a sixth to everyone watching, but she was a nine
to for some reason when I was watching her hometown hornets. All right,
we have to get out of here. Thank you everyone for hanging out.
We'll be back with a double dip on Tuesday, probably after whatever happens Tripod
on Wednesday or Thursday. Carl tart Is always thank you for being on the
show. Shark in the Box, Edge shining on the stream, he said,
it's only up from here, right, That's what we're choosing to believe,
and as always, let's go clips