The game is over. Paul George money in the pain, but the postgame
reaction has just begun. Kawhi Leonard is so smooth in the mid range.
This is Clippers locker Room, a recap of today's game and a look ahead
on your hope for LA Clippers basketball. And now your host, You,
sir, are a bad man. Adam Oslin Clippers with their fifth straight loss.
They lose one twenty eight to one fifteen in Minnesota to the Timberwolves.
Welcome into your posts game show coming up. You'll hear from the head coach
and the players, and we'll get to your post game box score. But
first back out to Minnesota into your voice of the Clippers in Noah Eagle,
Noah, no Kauai, no Nicholas Batoum, no PG in this one.
But the story remained the same regardless. Their defense just once again was not
there. Yeah, no Kawai, no PG, no Batom, no defense.
I mean, look, I'm looking at this box score right now.
I'm looking at the plus minus category, which I know is can be flawed
and isn't always exactly what you expect to see. But Norn Powell and nearly
twenty five minutes was a plus five and a game that the Clippers lost by
thirteen. A mere Coffee who played nineteen minutes. Now, he did play
down the stretch and the Clippers outscored the Timberwolves in the fourth quarter of this
game and down the stretch and garbage time, so to speak. But he
was a plus fifteen. Moses Brown, who I thought was very good tonight,
twenty seven minutes, he was a plus thirteen fourteen points and eleven rebounds
as well. John Wall was even. Robert Covington played twenty four and a
half minutes and was a plus seven. So those guys were playing when this
game was still in the balance, and they all were very positive, and
they all were putting fourth in effort. I just think that there are lessons
to be learned. I think that this is midway through the season. This
is when you want to learn them. And what do we talk about all
the time? Boston Celtics last year were twenty one and twenty one, while
the Clippers were twenty one and twenty. Right now, the Boston Celtics,
who won fifty one and thirty one and got to the NBA Championship and were
two games away from winning it, I mean, there's so much rope left,
there's so much longer of this leash left, there's so much runway left
of this season. I understand why people feel like it's time to panic.
It's not time to panic quite yet. It's time to be strategic. It's
time for this team to lock in. But these wake up calls are important,
and I think that these two games to cap off what was a really
Honestly, I understand that people were frustrated with some of the losses. The
Philly loss was frustrating, no doubt about it. The Miami loss most recently,
but the Indiana loss and the Boston losses they were frustrating, but they
were the Clippers had moments where you said, oh, they're playing really well.
These last two games, they haven't really had those moments as much.
There were a couple stretches here tonight that you said, Okay, you know,
they had it decent, not bad, starting to get it together a
little bit. Couldn't sustain it. So I look at this five game homestand
I've said it with the utmost importance. It is paramount that this team sets
the right tone, and I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. I
think everybody should because we know what they're capable of when push comes to shove
and it's postseason mode and Kawhi Leonards and postseason mode and Paul George's and postseason
mode and Toron Lewis in postseason mode. We're not there yet, and that's
okay. We're not going to be there for quite some time. So you've
got to give it time, let it percolate a little bit, let this
team figure it out, work through their own issues. But it's gonna have
to happen somewhat sooner rather than later, as we're gonna head into the second
half of the season now starting Sunday, Yeah, very important homestand coming up
to say the least, starting Sunday night back in downtown Los Angeles. Tip
time for Clippers and Hawks is at six. We'll have Clippers countdown your pregame
show starting at five. No Ego, great call as always tonight say if
travels, We'll see you back in downtown La Sunday. Adam, you know
that it never ever changes, and it never ever will. That's just the
way it can wait. Coming up next, we'll get to your post game
box score Clippers lose eight one fifteen in Minnesota to the Timberwolves, and you're
listening to the Los Angeles Clippers radio. That was good day. If I
quit your beam, I still got my sadies full. WHOA, I'm really
Clippers, followed by thirteen in Minnesota. Final score Timberwolves once twenty eight.
You're in Los Angeles Clippers one fifteen. It is their fifth straight loss,
longest losing streak of the season. Welcome back into your post game show.
I'm atam Maslin coming up on a M five seventy. We'll have Clippers stock
for you eight sixty six nine eight seven two five seventy eight six sixty ninety
eight seven two five seventy. You can also tweet at me I follow Adam
A Clippers end up shooting, I'm more respectable forty four percent from the field,
go nine of twenty five from the outside when they had just three of
those three pointers in the first half. Really struggled there, but missed nine
free throws eighteen of twenty seven from the charity stripe That could have made a
difference in getting a little bit of momentum on their side, but self inflicted
wounds once again from this squad. Clippers were down too many players already.
Just your margin for air becomes so small. You just have to play a
near perfect game, especially on a night where Rudy Gobert has twenty five and
twenty one in three blocks, one of, if not his best games so
far in a Minnesota Timberwolves jersey. As for the Clippers, they were led
by Norman Powell. He finished nine of fourteen with twenty one points, had
twelve of those in the first quarter, didn't score another bucket till late in
the third, though Clippers continued to fight down the stretch. You gotta give
those guys that he Moses Brown, John wall a mere coffee. Those guys
played really well in the fourth quarter. We're trying to be scrappy, We're
trying to do whatever they could, but Clippers just couldn't make end roads and
couldn't really break it to within single digits. They had it to within thirteen
at one point late in the third quarter, but then an eight oh run
to end that third quarter had Minnesota back up by twenty one entering the fourth,
and they win one twenty eight to one. Fifteen. Coming up next.
Looking for postgame audio from the head coach and the players. Clippers coming
back home Sunday. They're taking on the Atlanta Hawks in downtown Los Angeles.
More on that as well as you're listening to your postgame show here on the
Los Angeles Clippers right young at one Clippers losing Minnesota one twenty eight to one
fifteen to the Timberwolves. Welcome back into your post game show. Clippers next
contest, well, they start a home standoff Sunday night against the Atlanta Hawks.
Tip time for that one is at six pm. I love your pregame
show starting at five. Coming up next on AM five seventy LA Sports,
we have Clippers Talk eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy eight six
six ninety seven two five seventy is the phone number. And I don't do
this very often, but if you at a call regarding strategy, philosophy,
shaking up this team in some way, fire up the trade machine. I'll
try to be somewhat open to it. It's gotta be on the realistic side.
But we can do that tonight if you want, because Clippers have certainly
bottom out a little bit here and we're midway through the season and it's their
longest losing streak of the year back. It's been brutal. Tonight was a
continuation basically of last night, and we're without stars, of course, but
for the most part, just weren't competitive out there and defensively at defensive ratings.
Falling off a cliff quickly. Clippers lose by thirteen final score one twenty
eight, one fifteen in favor of the Timberwolves again. Clippers coming back home
taking on the Atlanta Hawks Sunday night outside of Los Angeles. We are leaving
you until then at five, but coming up next year on a five seventy
l A S four City is Clipper style. Skin girl kid granted, Welcome
into Clipperstalk. There's a new sheriff in town. You won't be able to
deny it. We're going to go to the NBA Finals. I believe it
in my heart. This is the best team in the history of the franchise.
I am all about the Clipper Nation. This is Clippers talk. They're
trying to win the whole thing. A postgame look, it's your La Clippers,
recapping the game, the stars and looking ahead to what's next. To
hear episodes you've missed, Subscribe to Clippers Talk on iHeart Radio or wherever you
podcast. Now your host of Clippers Talk, Here's Adam Oslin and the hits
just keep on coming. And we're still waiting for the Clippers to hit back.
After they've lost five in a row, their longest losing streak of the
season. They lose one twenty eight to one fifteen in Minnesota to the Timberwolves.
Welcoming to Upper Stock. I'm out of Oslin to eight six six nine
eight seven two five seventy eight six six, nine eight seven two five seventy
is the phone number. You can also get to me at follow out of
May on Twitter. Coming up later in the show, we will have postgame
audio from Coach Low who's at the podium right now, and you'll hear from
Charles Mockler from Clips and Dip Fame. You know, we were hoping for
a bounce back performance from this team. That was a lot of the theme
thread throughout the pregame show. Clippers got to bounce back. Can't turn this
into a five game slide. They're in Minnesota. We knew an hour before
the game they weren't gonna have Paul George, they weren't going to have Kawhi
Leonard, we knew earlier in the day, no Nicholas Batoum. But we've
talked about their depth all season long, preseason during the summer, of how
it could carry them at times, and it has, but it just looks
like they're running out of gas. They don't have enough right now. They've
had to do too much, They've had to carry too much of the scoring
load, and now the defense is falling apart. And that's what concerns me
most because this team was getting by early in the season while having a bottom
three offense like they've been pretty much all year long because of their defense,
and they're getting shredded now. They were twenty eight defensively in their last seven
games coming into this one, where they had lost five of seven. Now
they have lost six of eight. And they just gave up one hundred and
twenty eight points to the Minnesota Timberwolves, an average offense at best. And
there was one quarter where the Clippers didn't give up thirty or more. It
was the fourth during inconsequential garbage time, and they still gave up twenty eight.
And I'm trying to pinpoint what it is, and I'm looking at the
reason I thought that their defense was holding up and playing at a top five
level for so long, and I think a lot of that was due to
the stellar play of their defensive anchor. In a Vizza Zoo Bots. He
doesn't look right. He hasn't looked right since. I think it was the
growing injury a few weeks back where he finally missed a game Mister Reliable the
iron Man, and I said pregame, watched Zoe Bots because he hadn't had
more than seven boards in his last three games. Tonight he had two and
got thoroughly dominated by Rudy Gobert when he was out there in just twenty one
minutes. Because he just was ineffective. Moses Brown played with more energy,
and I don't think it's an effort issue with Vizza Zoo Bots and that he
can't or doesn't want to play hard. It might just be that he's held
back still by this lingering injury and it could stem from there, these defensive
woes. Some of it could just be human nature. Once you start playing
better offensively like they did on that road trip, you slip on the other
end. Can't happen for a team that's trying to build championship habits to get
to a championship. But we've seen that stuff in the past. But I'm
zeroing in right now on Big Zoo and I'm not blaming him or saying it's
his fault. He just doesn't look right. He was at a position multiple
times I was watching him early on in that first quarter, gave up some
easy ones, picked up a tough foul, and the Clippers were in foul
trouble early. I think Minnesota had ten free throws on the first quarter.
Clippers didn't like it. They got into it with the refs. Three technicals
were called. It was Marcus and Terrence Man in the first half and then
John Wall in the third quarter. So frustration boiling over as things are just
unraveling right now and the Clippers can't have any semblance of consistency, and yeah,
this is a discouraging loss and really a carryover of what happened yesterday.
They're just not playing Denver. And they were better offensively, no doubt.
You couldn't be much worse than they were yesterday against the Nuggets. A lot
of averages would tell you that they were going to shoot it a little bit
better. They end up at forty four percent from the field, okay,
nine to twenty five from the outside. They were much worse in the first
half. But this team right now is searching for something, a spark,
a rhythm, continuity always and it just seems to evade them. I would
have guessed yesterday if you asked me, one of the two one three connection
duo would have played, but they couldn't go. When Kawhi Leonard playing eighteen
minutes yesterday, we thought there may be some hope. But you can't push
a guy coming off an ACL tear. It makes sense to me, and
another guy who has a hamstring issue that can flare up and those are really
difficult to manage, and he's had him for a while. They're airing on
the side of caution. But we have reached the midway point and it's starting
to get to that point where you say, when are they going to start
pushing things a little bit out there? This Clippers team, When are they
going to find some consistency in a sustainable winning streak where they rip off ten
of twelve or eight of ten, Because teams that win championships typically do,
and I know it starts with the injuries and there's not much you can do
about that. But we're heading into the second half of the season starting Sunday
night, and it's a big five game homestand after they just lost six of
eight, got demolished yesterday by the Denver Nuggets. And for the most part,
from the end of the second quarter where I think this game was really
lost, where Minnesota went on a fifteen to five run and they were leading
by fourteen after which is a four point game with five minutes left in the
second going into the half, I think that's where things pretty much ended.
They got it by nineteen early in the third quarter, Clippers made a run,
and then they got back up by twenty one after an eight run to
end the third quarter. So not closing quarters. Well, you're sensing that
pattern. That's a problem too. But this team, consistency is the operative
word. It's they're lacking it. They're consistently inconsistent, and it's understandable because
of all the different lineups. I'm just saying, at some point they have
to find it. They have to find a flow, they have to find
an identity. Seeing it in spurts and in quarters and in a few games
here in there, that stuff's encouraging, but the second half of the season,
you want to see it during complete games, during consecutive games, during
weeks a month of it. So that's where I'm coming from. Tonight,
after the worst loss in a couple of years last night to Denver, tonight,
you can you can throw it out a little bit because they just didn't
have the bodies and they're on a back to back and I did see this
from Lucas hand from two one three hoops. But the Clippers they played their
eighth game in eight different cities and fifteen nights. That takes its toll,
too. But tonight they had their moments. I thought there was a good
performance by John Wall, especially in the first half, end of the first
quarter into the second quarter. Norman Pell had those twelve points on the first
quarter, but he doesn't score again, so I think about the three minute
mark of the third Terrence Man had a little bit of an offensive burst to
start the third quarter, a lay up, a steal, and then a
layup. Rocco had a little stretch two. I thought he played well,
look good, hit a three pointer after not hitting one yesterday. He had
three steals, one on Gobert one on Kyla Anderson where he took it coast
to coast. If you're looking for positives, I'm just I'm trying here.
I'm trying to offer something up because I know right now Clipper nation is down
bad. Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy eight six six ninety
eight seven two five seventy is the phone number Clippers get to the halfway point
at twenty one in twenty I'm gonna go. Guess what I just said.
Here's the number. You're not gonna like. I'm sure how positive this is
the twenty eighteen twenty nineteen Lou Williams led Clippers at the halfway point, they
were twenty four and seventeen. These Clippers far more talented. Granted, Kwais
played just seventeen games. I think he and Paul George together played about fourteen.
This seems twenty one twenty work to be done. Yes, the Boston
Celtics started last season twenty one, twenty twenty one, twenty one. It
can be done. You can turn it around quickly. I think this homestand
is where it needs to start. And more bad news that right calf injury
from Luke Kenard that kept him out in the second half. It's been lingering
apparently. You can see it with the shooting percentages too. More Clippers stopped
coming up next looking for more positives in your phone calls at eight six six
ninety eight seven two five seventy eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy
day five seventy ol sports. You know what it was when he signed up.
You gotta run it up. Clippers dropped their fifth straight game. They
lose one twenty eight to one fifteen in Minnesota to the Timberwolves. They've lost
six of eight. Now, I told your pre game you know Minnesota had
beating some good teams recently Portland and oh, I don't know, the Denver
Nuggets. They beat them up too. Whose The Clippers just lost you yesterday
and there were only two and a half games back at the Clippers in that
eleventh spot. What does that tell you? Now they're a game and a
half back. The Clippers are a game and a half out of being out
of the play it so understand That's where I'm coming from tonight. There just
has to be a sense of urgency moving forward and then finding some type of
winning streak here. I didn't look next five at home, the timing could
line up. They certainly had the talent to put it all together. Getting
all that talent on the floor at the same time and point in the right
direction has been difficult, yes, but we know this team has a ton
of heart and toughness. They have proven it time and time again when their
backs were against the wall. I think they're up to the challenge, but
it starts Sunday night against the Atlanta Hawks, who are a mess right now
and are losing to a team that is just two and a half games back
of the Clippers in the Los Angeles Lakers now. So yeah, times are
hard, but I believe from the ownership down in this Clippers franchise, this
organization, the way they've set things up with Kawai and Paul George, when
they've been out there, they've somewhat been on like a sixty one win pace.
When they can get those guys together, we'll see. I hope they're
bad back Sunday night. Welcome back in the Clippers talk. I'm Adam Oslin
eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy eight six six nine eight seven
two five seventy or you can tweet at me at follow Adam A. Let's
start with Harold and North Hollywood. Harold, what's up? Let me ask
you a question, Adam. Yeah, who's looking up? Are you there?
Adam? I'm here, I'm here for you. Harold, I'm right
here. I'm sorry. Look, thank you for taking my call, and
have a happy New year. Sam, you're looking up? I mean the
Clippers aside, they got plenty of problems. Who knows if they'll ever have
their team on the floor at the same time, and Steve, Steve Bahmer
is not a dumb guy. He's looking back into the investment he has at
Leonard and he's definitely got getting his money's worth. But what I wanted to
talk about who's looking on for the fans interest? They go to these games
and the players don't even show up to play, Harold and they're playing to
Carol's crap. I understand, I understand the gripe. You've called in before
with this. We've talked about it this time. Maybe I did. I
don't remember. Yeah, I'm getting up there in age, but you're all
right, and we should talk about it. Go ahead, now, I
understand the frustration with that. It's not just what the Clippers though. It's
happening throughout the league in the NBA where you see superstars play less and less.
But let me let me ask you this. Let me ask you this
question. Do you think the NBA season is too long? I think it
is because okay, okay, okay. So if you think it's too long,
do you think that's lost on the players, Like if everybody else thinks
it's too long, it's eighty two games. I think the players are picking
up on that too, because they know they're always being judged and their legacies
are being judged on what they do in the playoffs. And it's a rings
culture now. And Jordan was six to Ozho and Lebron is four and six,
so he can never reach them. All that matters is whether or not
you win in the end. So look, it's unfortunate, but there's there's
two sides as a double edged or when you think about it that way.
The owners are not going to give up the money. Of course, they're
not ever gonna lose games like that. They're not going to give up players
are gonna make They're gonna lose money too because they're playing less games. They
would now whether or not. There's an argument to be made that there would
be more eyeballs on games when there's less of them because they're magnified. Now
we can make that another day. We're going too far down this tangent.
I appreciate the phone call, though, Harold eight six six ninety seven two
five seventy. Quickly, let's pause ten seconds for station identification. Here on
A five seventy l A Sports. This is LA Clippers Basketball, A five
seventy KLAC Los Angeles nine eight seven KYSR HD two Los Angeles and iHeart radio
station, Lanny and Inglewood. You're on Clippers stop without amazin? What's up?
Lenny? Lenny? You are on my friend just screen you'll Lenny?
How could you? Damien? And Los Angeles Damien? What's up? Hey,
Adam? How you doing? Man, mister reliable? Well, you
know, hey, you can always stand on me. I'm a drummer,
brother. I've gotten to be there, the rhythm, the percussionist. Hey,
yes, sir, Well you know it's funny man, if you do
want to talk about something like that, you know I can understand, especially
from the standpoint of you know, hey, games eight cities, the different
time zones because I travel a lot. I'm a you know, touring musician,
and I know what that's like. You know, I had a tour
where we literally would show up to town, do the sound check, you
know, go get something to eat, check into the hotel, go back
to the venue to play. You know what I'm saying. We're there till
like three am. We go back, you know, you get to sleep
until like you know, seven o'clock in the morning, and then we're out.
And we did that like eight or nine times in a row. Takes
its toll, adds up, right, it does add up a little bit.
But you know what, Adam, we never missed a beat on stage,
though I know you didn't. You're the heartbeat as the drummer. There's
you know, and and there's something to be said for being a professional entertainer,
and so you know, to your first fallers, you know, just
get it. Yeah, yeah, I understand that too. I was heartened
by the effort from the Clippers guys who were out there late that we're diving
on the floor and going after rebounds like Moses Brown, Norman Pal, John
Wall and Mirror Coffee. Those guys battled and they were down by twenty,
so I will give them a ton of credit out there. Yeah, I
like seeing Roco out there, you know. I think you're right about Zo.
I think, you know, I just want to see these guys get
right, you know. And so if they need to go ahead and start
the young guys, let's just go ahead and do that. I would I
would understand, and I think Nation would probably understand and be a little bit
more tolerant of the process. You know. I hate to call it that,
but you know, for lack of a better phrase, but you know,
just what for what the what the guys are going through right now,
But they need to be concerned with the product that they're putting out there on
the floor. And I just want to see them, you know, attack.
If you're a wounded dog, you need to attack, don't wait for
somebody to bring the fight to you. I don't know what you think.
Yeah, but if you're a three legged dog, you're a disadvantage. They're
they're worn down right now. There. There is something to that because the
backups look the bench tonight, a lot of those guys don't play normally.
So the second string guys we're injected into the starting lineup where you have Terrence
Man and Luke Kennard in there, and Reggie Jackson, by the way,
had a rough night. He's looked beat up for a while. Now continues
to play, but start at oh of eight. Uh finished one of nine
with two points. But I think the toll of the season because they've missed
the two guys with the highest usage rating in Kauai and Paul George running the
show so much and they make things easier on everybody else that now it's affecting
the legs on the rest of the team and the role players, and asking
role players to have to step up night in and night out and play like
stars is not a recipe for success. You can see it here and there.
In a few games, it'll happen. Somebody will pop. If each
of zubots has thirty one and twenty nine, Norman pal has a twenty two
point fourth quarter, Luke Kenard has a twenty plus point game, hits five
three pointers. But you're not going to consistently get that from role players and
contributors. That's why they are in those roles. So it's just I think
a war of attrition a little bit with this Clippers team, right Now you
mentioned the cities and all the travel they've been through, but they've also been
doing it for a lot of this time without their two main guys, and
that's a problem. Not a lot you can do about it. Unfortunately,
the Clippers two on three connection has been injury frone. Gotta be honest about
that. Mick, Mike the Clip and thousand Oaks make what's up? You're
on? Clippers, stop with Adam Oszin. Just chill, chill, chill.
We're gonna be there right at the end. That's all we need to
do. Just keep staying right where we're at. We just had five days
of ring. We never have rain. Clippers gonna be there. Everyone just
relaxed. We got two of the greatest players that are out there right now.
It's like Shack Shack. He's always take it off during the regular turn
it on during the playoffs. That's what Kawai does. This is wait.
We got a coach and knows what he's doing. He knows how to handle
this. You know, we got some great bench. We're gonna be there.
Mick. I appreciate the optimism, but look, they've lost five in
a row, so staying where they're at isn't the solution either. Something does
five in a row. Just before before they lost five, they won five
five. Well, you don't want to end up a five hundred team.
Nah, they'll they'll be in there, they'll be they'll be up past that.
I mean they I'm with you as as long as they're healthy, you
know, the top team. It's more than that. It's more than that.
They're much closer to being the eleventh team right now, Mick, I
appreciate the phone call than they are being the number one seed the Clippers.
That separation as games go on and the bigger sample size happens, is happening
in the Western Conference. Clippers are now six games back of the number one
overall seed. A week ago, it might have been two and a half
games. They are closer, just a game and a half up of the
eleventh seat. So I'm not trying to be an alarmist. Those are just
the numbers. That's where it is right now, That's where they stack up.
Gotta be honest about it, Arthur. In Los Angeles, you're on
Clipper stock with Thatt Amassin. Hey, Hey, Arthur, what's up?
Not too much? I don't know, I'm not I can understand Harold from
North Hollywood script frustration, but we've seen a lot of basketball in our lives
too, so I don't want to mention that. Tim. I remember when
the Clippers were in San Diego and as a little boy, and I'm just
sure I hope they don't lose too many games. Will they'd be completely out
of the playoff picture. So are you putting this in perspective? Was saying
the Clippers being a contender right now is still so much different than where this
team has been the majority of the of the years of this franchise. Yeah,
I got you, and that's true. But the championship expectations are here
as well. And this is year four of the two on three connection with
Kawai and Paul George. And how many games are they from missing from being
out completely out of the playoffs? Thank you said about last night about only
two and a half or three games or something. It was two and a
half last night. But now they lost to the team that was in the
eleven spot, so it's one and a half. They are a game and
a half up on the eleven seed that is outside of the play it.
Arthur, I appreciate the phone call my friend. Hope to hear from you
again, maybe Sunday night, a little bit better of a phone. After
the Clippers take on the Atlanta Hawks, let's hear from the head coach Toronto
Loo post game some words of wisdom. I always, you know, take
solace in his strategy and knowing that he is a playoff mad scientist and finds
ways to get this team victories when things look at their worst, when they're
in their Marcus to our coach Lou has pushed all the right buttons and made
the right moves down oh two and back to back series. Everybody counting them
out. Clippers won both of them and the second one. They want it
without Kawhi Leonard in the last couple of games. So here was Coach lu
post game after the Clippers fall fifth straight loss. They lose a Minnesota one
twenty eight to one fifteen. Pretty feel this game was lost tonight. We
on they had I think ten points in transition, you know, in the
first half. But I just thought it was the ability to get into the
paint. You know, I really heard us. We was closing out all
night. Guys are driving by us and that's allowed Rudy get offensive rebounds and
dunks because we couldn't control the ball and keep the ball in front of us.
So we had a tough night tonight. Guting the point of a point
of attack. You know, I really hurt us cause they got into paint
a lot. Is there a level of frustration for the way that the games
have been played the last few I mean, I wouldn't. I wouldn't say
that. I mean, you know, it's tough, like I said,
when you shortheaded the way we were tonight. You know, I thought our
guys competed in scrapped and we were just you know, overmatched at times.
And so you know that happens. But you know, all you can do
is just ask the guys got and compete and play hard. And I thought
they did that, you know, And so it was a tough game for
us, like I said, But just you know, we just gotta continue
to keep getting better defensively. You know, we can't keep allowing teams to
have a hundred points at the end of the third quarter, you know,
so we gotta be better with that. But you know, I can't father
with trying to play the right way, you know, offensively and just defensively.
I just thought, you know, it was it was a tough matchup
for us tonight at the halfway point of the season. You know, I
knew it in the past weeks. Did you bring things down by ten games
at a time? Is there something you know from a coaching mindset that when
you get to the halfway point of the season you wanta have had full strength?
You guys will need full strength for four games? Like how what is
it prevented you from being able to do? You know? And it is
the fact that we're at the halfway at the point alarming it anyway, where
do you feel like there's a lot of time and left? Not a lot
of time left? You know, I think, you know, a lot
of people talk about continuity and stuff like that, but yeah, we've been
together for you know, three years, so the continuity is there. It's
just the the plans not there. And so we just got to get healthy
and you know, just figure it out from there. But you know,
I have no doubt once you know, once we get healthy and I understand
our rotations and how we need to play, we're gonna be fine. But
you know, it's just been a tough year for us. Getting everybody healthy
and playing at the same time. You know, so it is what it
is. Were not the only team experience in that, you know, it's
league wide. But I was worried about our team and we just gotta,
you know, just try to get healthy and you know, string as many
games together as we can. You know, what our whole what our whole
roster, and so that hasn't been a lot this year, and so you
know, there's nothing you can really do about it. You know, that's
a great point he makes. People talk about continuity, But the core of
this team has been together for three years now. The time on the court
together at times has been sporadic. It's been up and down with just seeing
the same lineups and rotations together. But over three years they've built up something.
They're not starting from scratch or anything like that. That's why you see
a victory over the Boston Celtics where they beat them by twenty all of a
sudden, like it just clicks in for this team because they've been around each
other for a while, they have played a significant amount of games. There
are some new pieces, but overall, the core, the nucleus of this
team remains, so something to be encouraged about there from coach Lu no doubt.
Clippers though they've lost five straight. They lose one twenty eight to one
fifteen Minnesota to the Timberwolves. Coming up next, we'll get back to your
phone calls. Lenny, it's back on Morris Jose hold on for me,
Coming up next. Charles Mochler, though from Clips and Dip, will be
here eight six six nine eight seven two seventy eight six six to nine eight
seven two five seventies the phone number here on AMPI seventy LA Sports. It
on see I'm kat smoking on cheese and you know me. I two threes
and ache last times on my neck. Clippers losers of six of their last
eight towns. They fall one twenty eight to one fifteen to the Timberwolves in
Minnesota. Listen to Clippers Talk. I'm atam Oslin here on AM five seventy
LA Sports eight six six ninety seven two five seventy eight six six ninety seven
two five seventy of the phone number. We're getting back to your calls in
just a bit here, but first we are joined by another member of the
Clips and Dip Pod Clips and Double Dip tonight here on Clippers Talk as Charles
Mockler is with us. Charles, let me pose this question to you because
this is kind of where I started tonight, and this is maybe the most
concerning thing to me because throughout this season, really no matter who has been
available for the Clippers, you know, their defense has been there, and
I know strength of schedule plays a role, but this is a middle of
the pack offense they faced tonight in the Minnesota Timberwolves, a team they held
to eighty eight points. I know they had Kauai, they had Paul George
for that one, but they still played up to competition when maybe they were
at a talent disadvantage on the defensive end, and that's not happening right now.
They were twenty eight defensively in their last seven games coming into this one,
and they give up one hundred and twenty eight points. And the only
one thing I can point to is it just looks like a Visa Zoo boss
doesn't have the same level of intensity out there when you're talking about having that
energy on the defensive end. Maybe he's just a little bit worn down and
he's still coming off that injury. I don't know, what do you think.
I think that's a good idea. You know, I think Zoo part
of me wonders if he's kind of tired of the one who's been having to
be this pillar for so long. Right, Like all of last season it
was Zoo being a large part of why the defense was still I think it
was still top ten even last year without Paul George for most of the season,
without Kawai for all of it. I just think guys are tired.
You know this, A team like the Clippers is currently constructed, can't rely
on the role guys this much for the second year in a row without something
breaking, be it something mentally where maybe Zoo is thinking, I've put him
so much work and I just physically can't anymore with the people that are around
him, when you know Paul George and Kauai and Nick Batum are out,
and part of it is, you know, Morris and Reggie in terms of
starters, have been kind of rough all the defensive end this year, and
that compounds everything when your two stars are out. But it's just been brutal.
I think you tweeted this out during the game. The Clippers defense has
been something like twenty eight in the last seven games or so. And it
makes it really hard to get things started on the other end too, So
I think part of it is Zoo, But I honestly don't blame Zoo a
whole bunch. He's been He's been working really hard, and guys have just
been out and lame him. I'm just seeing this drastic drop off and because
he was so good and anchoring it and I think cleaning up a lot of
mistakes and that's not able to happen right now. Maybe because he's just not
moving the same way that that's what I'm pointing to is the biggest reason.
Yeah, he wasn't moving super well. We've seen the explosiveness kind of go
down. I think the first fifteen games or so, it felt like he
was putting someone on a poster every other game on the offensive end, and
we just haven't seen that ferocity, so he might be flowing down. I
think that's a very good column something to watch out for kind of going forward.
Yeah, to your point, I'm looking at blocks per game, and
Okay, he starts off the month of October. Granted it's only I think
seven games at three blocks per game drops to one point three, but that's
still a very good number and a sustainable number for him in the month of
November. Now it's at point eight in December and point five in three games
so far in the new year in twenty twenty three. So I just think
there's something to it. He just hasn't looked quite right and they need him
badly. And for everyone who has been against the Beats, the Zubas for
some reason or another, there is a group of Clippers fans that aren't big
fans of him. Well, now you're seeing what happens when he's not there,
patrolling the pain and not able to play to the best of his abilities.
But hopefully they can turn that around soon. I did think they're you
know, overall, it's tough to find a lot of positives after the last
two games, but they did fight down the stretch. I thought Moses Brown
and he takes a lot of heat too, But in twenty seven minutes fourteen
eleven, you can say it was inconsequential, but the effort was there.
There was a group on the floor, literally on the floor and going after
rebounds in a game they're down by sixteen eighteen twenty three points at one point
where they were still fighting and battling and meaningful. That's a team that hasn't
quit. Yeah, I mean, Terence Moses was great. I've been a
critic of Moses over on our podcast, but tonight he was. You know,
this was peaque Moses Brown right, like he got the social media promo
for the clips. He had ten offensive rebounds. Some of those might have
been his misses, but who knows, but he was phenomenal. Terrence Man
one of the I mean, maybe the only starter who really looked like he
was giving it one hundred ten percent, I guess, but even he only
ended up with ten points. Norman john Wall were great tonight too. I
thought Tyler actually kind of took john Wall and Norm Powell out a little bit
early. I think it was six minutes left. I know we were down
seventeen, and I'm not saying that we would have won the game if Norman
john Wall stayed in, but it's two guys who I mean, that's just
one of their better combined games of the year, if not the best combined
game of the year. So there were four guys or so that they really
tried hard tonight and really looked like it. And yeah, I mean Moses
shout out Moses Brown. I'm bummed that we wasted this Moses Brown performance.
Maybe he just got the news that Luke Kennard, you know, strained that
right calf once again, and all of a sudden, it's like, oh,
we better save some of our guards because here we go again with some
of these injuries. And hopefully it's not bad because last time he was out
for about three weeks, and an injury like that is something worth monitoring.
Of course, in that area of the body, everybody starts to think about
the achilles and things like that. And I thought he was okay. He
didn't take a three point in the first half, but he had an early
jumper, was looking for the mid range and eventually hit a three pointer and
had eleven points. But hoping he can come back sooner than later. Roco
though, maybe the biggest thing from the last two games is just seeing Robert
Covington back out there, regardless of the score, just seeing Rocco as a
sight for sore eyes. And I thought he looked even better tonight than he
did yesterday. Yeah, it's gonna be rough with him to get consisted performances
when you get these kind of random dnps and stuff like that. But you
know, you look at the game against the Nuggets, Robert Covington plus one
in twenty three minutes, a game the Clippers loss by a whole hell of
a lot. So he was fantastic tonight. You know, twelve points,
six boards. This was kind of peak Robert Covington. I think he wasn't
really accurate from the three point line, but he was so effective bothering the
Timberwolves when he could. And again, it just goes to show you give
Robert Covington consistent run and good things happen usually on both ends of the floor.
And when we're missing three wings in this game, I thought he maybe
should have played little bit more. But hopefully he plays more when we're fully
healthy or whatever the Clippers version of fully healthy is going forward. And I
don't think we can overstate not just the loss of Kawai and Paul George,
but not having Nick Batum out there. Someone called yesterday and said, you
know who's the heart and soul of this team, the guy that's going to
get them re energized out there and somebody you can feed off of. It
used to be Patrick Beverley. I would say, now that guy is Nicholas
Patum. He has all the intangibles and not having him as a huge blow.
Yeah, he sets the tone. He does things like he'll just he'll
do something I kill us, deflect the path and then clap it up or
something like that. Maybe the Clippers don't even get possession off of that,
but he really does kind of get this mindset kind of permeating through the whole
rest of the team with just how he does the little things on the defensive
end. Another guy who Roco, if he was getting consistent play, I
think would be similar to patun like that. But but man, no,
Nick Patum continues to be kind of low key, the second or third most
important Clipper when it comes to kind of vibes if we want the team to
lock in and reset. So, where are you at at the midway point?
I'm not going to ask you for a grade, but maybe just how
concerned are you with where they're at after their longest losing streets so far the
season. They've lost five in a row, they've lost six of eight,
and they're twenty one and twenty halfway through the season. I mean, it's
it's hard not to be a little bit worried, right. I think we're
a half game away from the nine seed right now, which no one wants
to be in the plan at all. I'm disappointed we haven't seen more of
Kaway and Paul George together. That's not a knock on either of those guys.
It's just something that we kind of have to consistently deal with as Clippers
fans. But you know, there's been some good for sure, Norm had
a nice little run there. This last game from John Wall was good zoo.
You know, other than these past couple of games, has looked better
than last season. But man, at this point, I'm hoping for health
and we only have you know, forty one more games to show that this
team can be a contender. We've gotten, you know, the game against
the Celtics was a snapshot of how good this Clippers team can be, but
we've really only seen one game of it. We've seen shifts here and there
in some losing efforts which have been encouraging. But until we see it really
put together, and until we kind of put some distance between us and the
play in teams, it's hard to not be a little bit, you know,
worried as a Clippers fan. I think it's fair with the position they
sit in right now at a game and a half up on the eleventh seat,
which is the Minnesota Timberwolves. Clippers lose one twenty eight to one fifteen
in Minnesota. Charles Mockler is his name? Does it for the Clips and
Dip podcast with myself and William Updyke. Charles, I'm guessing maybe we'll be
doing something this weekend or Monday or I don't know when, but it's gonna
happen soon. We'll have the tripod back in order. Thanks for doing this
tonight though a little Clips and Double Dip here on Clippers Talk. Absolutely.
Here's then coming on for a win next time, Yes, sir, coming
up next Phone calls eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy eight six
six ninety eight seven two five seventy. We'll get to you. I promise
we'll close things out here at Clippers Stalk on Amp five seventy always only nobody
know me. Oh well, it's hard to complain from this five star,
right Tel. I'm always the da video. Clippers lose one eight one fifteen
to the Simmerwolves in Minnesota, longest losing streak of the season now up to
five games. They're looking to turn that around with a five game homestands starting
Sunday night back in downtown Los Angeles. I guess the Atlanta Hawks tip time
for that one is at six. Let's go to Morris and Long Beach Morris
here on, Clippers stop without Austin. Hey, my brother, the curse
word was thrown out there. Yes, the curse word talking about trade.
These are my suggestions. If we can't trade for the Joker or at a
Combo or Luca Dodges, maybe Joel Lumbiad or Kevin Durant, let's go for
a trade. But if we can't get one of those guys, let's just
stick with what we got to the first round. All right, things don't
go well in the first round, arguably we'll bready to do some terms of
trades. But we're married right now. Like you said, everybody's going through
this stuff is ugly. You've got a bad taste in the mouth. But
I got freeped in these guys. They're kind of deep. It's a long
season, so you know, I don't have no excuse thiss one. We
had all of them guys last night and got whooped so, but it's like
that in the NBA. So I know we're putting all of our ducks,
all of our age in the basket of the playoffs, and I don't know
if that's a good thing because that puts us from the road in every series.
But I've got faith in these days that I'm not ready to give up
on it yet. I know I'm crazy, but maybe I just am.
I've talked to you, lady, No. I think you're right to have
faith because body will work with coach Low and what he's been able to do
over the years. He's a strategist, he is somebody that typically is a
step ahead. If that doesn't happen this season, then maybe I changed my
mind on that. If they don't look the same in the playoffs, if
he isn't making all the right moves. But so far as a head coach,
I think he has always maximized his talent. Cleveland, coming back down
three one, Clippers taken Phoenix to six games in the Western Conference Finals without
Kawhi Leonard and those other Calves teams. I know they had Brown, but
not much else when Kyrie Irving left, and they still made it to the
NBA Finals. With him as the head coach, I think he does enough
to optimize lineups when it matters most. Jose and Southgate close things out tonight
here on Clippers Stalk. Hey, I don't know, I understand what you're
saying about Zooberg, but I also understand that out of everybody, he's the
only one who doesn't really have a backup. I know we have Brown,
but I was going to say that, and then hearing Morris, that's why
I feel we can't get a yo kid or MBI. We're married, Let's
do this. You know, he could call us crazy, but I'm a
Clipper fan. And that being said at him, it looks like our boys
will be some home cooking. We're coming home on Sunday and me my boy
going to the game. Let's go clear up pars all right, bring that
energy, bring that noise Sunday night and down to Los Angeles. Jose good
way to close out the show. And it's a great point. They haven't
had a true backup center. Moses Brown is a young player in this league
without a ton of it experience, and I have appreciated his effort when he's
been out there on the court, and tonight certainly in twenty seven minutes,
fourteen and eleven. But one of the talking points all season long has been
when you lose Isaiah Hartenstein and you don't replace him with anyone and they try
to go small and it hasn't been working. In Rocco hasn't even been playing
that much. Is that the move that this team makes, we'll see.
I don't think it has to be anything drastic, If they make anything at
all, I'm not talking about Yokis or Denna Kopo, just trying to point
out that they could shore up some of their weaknesses with the move. It
could happen. It wouldn't shock me with this front office, because you just
never know when they work in stealth like they do. Clippers lose one twenty
eight to one fifteen to the Timberwolves. Their next game, they start a
home campaign Sunday night against the Atlanta Hawks. Tip time at six and Downtown
LA. We'll have Clippers Count and your pregame show then at five before we
get out of here. I do want to thank the Clippers organization. Noah
Eagle, Brian Seaman, Ralph Lawlor, Big Brother, Jake Warner, Producer,
Katie Newton, callers, the listeners check out Clippers Talk. I think
it might even be on Spotify and iTunes now so soon. If it is,
I'll post the link, but get to me at follow Adam, You'll
see it there for sure. If that's the case. Until Sunday at five
with their pregame show, Clippers Taken on the Hawks, I'm Adams and we'll
talk to you then. This has been Clippers Talk, a postgame conversation about
your LA Clippers with Adam Oslay. If you like the show, subscribe to
Clippers Talk on the iHeart Radio, wapp or wherever you podcast have the best
fame. This team has those championship ingredients. They have some of that DNA.
You can see it. This is Clippers Basketball. Join us next time
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