WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:07.599 Anybody feeling what for the Clippers tonight we're talking about shots falling? Yeah, 2 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:11.320 yes, uh, They're gonna need some of that because there's a couple of 3 00:00:11.359 --> 00:00:16.679 guys on this Clippers team that have really struggled in this series. And that's 4 00:00:16.719 --> 00:00:20.600 being kind. I could point to sweet Lou Williams and Landry Shammitt. I 5 00:00:20.679 --> 00:00:23.640 told you guys before the season, I felt like Landry Shammitt would be the 6 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:28.719 X factor for the for the Clippers because young player, fearless player, hit 7 00:00:28.760 --> 00:00:31.559 the biggest shot, one of the biggest shots in franchise history. You could 8 00:00:31.559 --> 00:00:35.039 say if for the Clippers last season in that game two thirty one point comeback, 9 00:00:35.479 --> 00:00:40.799 he and Lou Williams have combined to go six for forty from three. 10 00:00:40.920 --> 00:00:45.759 In this series. They're shooting fifteen percent from distance. They can't hit open 11 00:00:45.840 --> 00:00:49.600 once. Right now, you would think the law of averages would be in 12 00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:52.920 their favor. But in the second half of these games and these collapses and 13 00:00:52.960 --> 00:00:57.679 why they've happened. Up sixteen Friday Night, up nineteen on Sunday, the 14 00:00:57.679 --> 00:01:02.240 Clippers offense has really fallen apart. They shot thirty four percent in the second 15 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:06.280 half of Game five. They shot twenty six percent in the second half of 16 00:01:06.359 --> 00:01:11.680 Game six. Offensively, they get into a rut quickly, and it starts 17 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:15.280 by not being able to defend without foulon the Denver Nuggets got back into that 18 00:01:15.319 --> 00:01:19.840 game at the free throw line. They attempted twelve free throws in that third 19 00:01:19.959 --> 00:01:25.519 quarter, and the pace slowed down. Remember these two teams play at completely 20 00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:29.000 different paces. The Clippers are top ten and pace all season long, Denver 21 00:01:29.159 --> 00:01:32.560 bottom ten, and they've been playing at their pace in the second half of 22 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:37.280 these games. And to their credit, they've been unbelievable seven of nine from 23 00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:41.480 three in the fourth quarter of the last two games to come back. And 24 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:45.280 they're hitting ridiculous shots. Nicola yokisit a shot at the end of the second 25 00:01:45.319 --> 00:01:48.879 quarter last game on Marcus Morris where it looked like he threw it up blind, 26 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:52.359 like he was already looking the other way. It goes in. Jamal 27 00:01:52.439 --> 00:01:55.480 Murray is starting to hit shots. He's banking in three pointers. Michael Porter 28 00:01:55.680 --> 00:01:59.319 Junior hit the biggest shot of Game five. He wanted the ball, he 29 00:01:59.480 --> 00:02:02.120 got it, he sunk it. He's got some of that a rational confidence 30 00:02:04.040 --> 00:02:07.359 where he hasn't done much in this league yet, but he already feels like 31 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:09.400 he's a champion out there when he's on the court. So the Clippers are 32 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:14.080 gonna have to deal with a Denver team that's riding high, and I think 33 00:02:14.120 --> 00:02:16.280 the Clippers are gonna have to weather the storm early in the first quarter of 34 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:20.879 Game seven because of that. Denver's playing loose, they're playing with house money, 35 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:23.360 they're playing free out there. They're not supposed to be here, and 36 00:02:23.400 --> 00:02:28.000 they have a chance to be the first team in NBA history to come back 37 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:32.199 down three one twice in the postseason. I told you guys beforehand, I'd 38 00:02:32.280 --> 00:02:37.560 much rather see the Utah Jazz than the Denver Nuggets because of Nikola yokich In, 39 00:02:37.719 --> 00:02:40.280 because this is a team that has shown that fight to come back down 40 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:46.960 three one. I believe they came became the thirteenth team in NBA history to 41 00:02:46.039 --> 00:02:51.840 come back down three one. So this has obviously turned into, you know, 42 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:53.680 a must win for the Clippers. Their season is on the brink, 43 00:02:53.879 --> 00:02:58.560 this is it. They have to perform tonight. But I'm still confident because 44 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:01.280 you've got Kawhi Leonard going in a Game seven. Yeah, if he has 45 00:03:01.400 --> 00:03:04.919 to score fifty, that's the way I feel. If he has to score 46 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:07.000 seventy he will in to night's game. I mean, Kawi is one of 47 00:03:07.000 --> 00:03:12.439 those guys who he'll do whatever it takes and put the team on his back 48 00:03:12.439 --> 00:03:15.879 when he absolutely has to. I just wonder if it's going to be enough 49 00:03:15.919 --> 00:03:19.680 for the things that you just mentioned with because they are going to need something 50 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:23.280 out of Lou Williams and Landry Shammon. And we'll probably see, like we 51 00:03:23.319 --> 00:03:25.599 saw the other night, Reggie Jackson come in the game instead of Landry Late 52 00:03:27.879 --> 00:03:30.120 Paul George. We're gonna have to get, you know, a lot out 53 00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:35.000 of him. Adam. Do you do you think that the mentality that the 54 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:38.800 Clippers kind of had all season long. Fred always alluded to it, we 55 00:03:38.840 --> 00:03:42.360 can just turn it on, turn it off when we get we're built for 56 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:46.719 the bubble, We'll built for postseason. We're gonna we're gonna rest our guys 57 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:50.439 and make sure we're ready to go and we can turn it on. It's 58 00:03:50.520 --> 00:03:55.599 kind of catching up to them a little bit because we've seen them not, 59 00:03:55.840 --> 00:03:59.879 you know, turn it on, go up, and then when they have 60 00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:02.000 to turn it back on, they're not able to say, you know, 61 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:05.520 when they're up sixteen nineteen points, and then the team starts to coming back 62 00:04:05.719 --> 00:04:09.759 after they've taken their foot off the gas, they can't get it back on 63 00:04:09.840 --> 00:04:12.759 again. Yeah, they've lost their focus in the second half. Obviously, 64 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:15.639 the last two games they haven't brought the same intensity. And Marcus Morris said 65 00:04:15.639 --> 00:04:19.959 something very telling after they lost in Game five. He said to the media, 66 00:04:20.519 --> 00:04:26.240 sometimes we rely on our talent too much and we don't just keep playing 67 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:30.240 hard. I'm paraphrasing a little bit, but that says something that kind of 68 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:33.839 underscores what you're talking about a little bit there, Rodney. And when you're 69 00:04:33.879 --> 00:04:40.600 a team that doesn't have a very defined identity yet, because think about this, 70 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:44.480 Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. They've only played fifty games on the court 71 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:47.399 with one another this season, including the playoffs. They haven't had much on 72 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:53.079 court time. So this team was going through a transition where they're implementing last 73 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:57.000 year's team that was all about the grit and grind that would come back on 74 00:04:57.079 --> 00:05:00.800 everyone else. They came back eight times when they were down fifteen or more 75 00:05:00.920 --> 00:05:04.959 last season. You know what's happened this year. They've let teams come back 76 00:05:05.160 --> 00:05:10.000 seven times on them when they've been up by as many as fifteen. And 77 00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:12.720 I think the problem is, I've been thinking about this a lot. When 78 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:16.839 you don't have a defined identity, you don't have a foundation to fall back 79 00:05:16.920 --> 00:05:20.199 on, you don't have that structure when things aren't going right, and you 80 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:25.560 start developing bad habits. And that's what we've seen from them with letting leads 81 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:28.720 slip in the second half, especially in the playoffs. I mean three of 82 00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:30.759 the seven times where teams have come back on them have happened now in the 83 00:05:30.759 --> 00:05:35.160 playoffs, Game four against Dallas up twenty three, that game goes into overtime, 84 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:39.000 Luca dontch hits the shot to win it. They lose that one, 85 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:43.399 and now they've lost Game five in game six the same way. What is 86 00:05:43.399 --> 00:05:46.120 going on with k I mean, when he is on the court, he's 87 00:05:46.199 --> 00:05:51.240 baby well, he's just basically doing whatever he wants at this point. How 88 00:05:51.720 --> 00:05:56.399 in the WARLD No, I've heard of him, but I mean he really 89 00:05:56.519 --> 00:05:59.319 robbed me. It's just kind of having his run of the place. What 90 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:04.000 are the Clippers doing anything defensively or is he just simply that good, just 91 00:06:04.199 --> 00:06:09.399 like we saw Luca done to elevate his game in the playoffs. Nikola Yokis 92 00:06:09.480 --> 00:06:13.240 has done the same thing. These two young players could be the faces of 93 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:17.759 the league. These two European players going forward could be two of the best 94 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:21.879 most important players to the NBA because of how good they are, not just 95 00:06:21.959 --> 00:06:26.720 in the regular season, but in the playoffs. Now, Nikola Yokis is 96 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:30.040 shooting forty four percent from three in this series. He's getting twenty six, 97 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:34.000 twelve and six assists. I told you guys beforehand, he's a matchup problem. 98 00:06:34.040 --> 00:06:40.360 He's a nightmare for anyone. But the Clippers really don't have anyone close 99 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:44.360 to perfect to guarding him. And when Iviza zubots is off the floor, 100 00:06:45.079 --> 00:06:50.879 Denver has been destroying the Clippers and their defense, and Monsta trez has He's 101 00:06:50.920 --> 00:06:56.560 been the one that's been tasked with guarding Yokich when Aviza Zubots is not out 102 00:06:56.600 --> 00:07:00.399 there, and he's really struggled defensively. He's not right yet. This only 103 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:02.319 he's only played twelve games in the bubble so far, and you can tell 104 00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:06.680 this is someone who's played twelve games in the last five months total. He's 105 00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:11.240 not right. He's not playing like the six man of the Year. And 106 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:15.480 defensively, Denver has been taking advantage of that matchup over and over again. 107 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:18.560 All the analytics point to that being the biggest difference so far in this series. 108 00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:23.319 Whenever Denver goes on a huge run, it's with Yokis out there and 109 00:07:23.399 --> 00:07:26.800 Monste Trez on the other side trying to stop him. Basically, the numbers 110 00:07:26.839 --> 00:07:30.240 say this, when a Visa Zubots is out there, Yokich is only shooting 111 00:07:30.279 --> 00:07:34.959 fifty percent. That tells you how great he is. When a Visa Zubots 112 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:39.319 is not out there, defensively for the Clippers, he's shooting sixty percent. 113 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:44.360 That's how much he has met defensively for the Clippers against Yokis. But he's 114 00:07:44.399 --> 00:07:46.800 going off and he's taking advantage, and they're playing loose. Like I said, 115 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:50.399 this is a team that had nothing to lose, and they probably feel 116 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:55.399 like a team of destiny right now. The Denver Nuggets, right they're not 117 00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:59.399 exactly a Cinderella team. They were the three seed. But to come back 118 00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:03.480 now again and force another game seven after you're down three games to one, 119 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:07.040 and Yo could set it after game six, the Clippers have all the pressure 120 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:09.360 on them. We don't have to worry about that. We're just going to 121 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:13.439 go play and that's what it's looked like the last couple of games. Yeah, 122 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:20.279 And speaking of that, because the Denver Nuggets don't have anything to lose, 123 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:22.480 they play loose and they go out and like I said, I mean, 124 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:26.600 Jamal Murray is starting to make some shots in the last game or two, 125 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:30.279 but he hasn't gone off like he did against in the Utah series, 126 00:08:30.279 --> 00:08:33.679 and they've done a good job on him. But they've got guys that are 127 00:08:33.799 --> 00:08:39.600 playing with so much confidence. As this game goes and it's close in the 128 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:43.200 fourth quarter, how do you think the mentality of the Clippers change? Because 129 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:48.000 Denver believes they can win no matter what, even if they're down fifteen nineteen 130 00:08:48.039 --> 00:08:50.720 point, they believe they can win. If this game is closed with seven 131 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:54.559 minutes to go, then you start to really get on the edge your seat 132 00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:56.559 if you're the Clippers. I mean, the truth is to win a championship, 133 00:08:56.679 --> 00:08:58.879 at some point in the playoffs, you were going to have to go 134 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:03.440 through adversity like this. It's happening to the Clippers earlier than we expect it. 135 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:07.559 Maybe this would have happened in the Western Conference finals or in the NBA 136 00:09:07.639 --> 00:09:09.159 Finals and you would have said, Okay, this is what it takes to 137 00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:15.080 win a championship. So they're getting those lessons in that experience early on. 138 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:18.679 Hopefully they can apply it if they can win in Game seven. But to 139 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:20.559 do that down the stretch, to your point, Rodney, is they just 140 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:24.080 got to run the offense through Kawhi Leonard. Yeah, because he's been here 141 00:09:24.120 --> 00:09:28.799 before. He's the two times finals MVP. He's the best player in the 142 00:09:28.840 --> 00:09:31.759 game, and the mid range he's the master of and those are the shots 143 00:09:31.799 --> 00:09:35.639 that you get in games like this. It may look sloppy at times, 144 00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:39.200 it may look slowed down. All the games sevens, there's been three so 145 00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:43.279 far in the playoffs, they've been played at a slower pace that favors the 146 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:46.960 Denver Nuggets. But they've been lower scoring games, so I'd expect that. 147 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:50.240 But the Clippers just have to find a way to execute. And I think 148 00:09:50.279 --> 00:09:52.720 when you get away from going through Kawhi Leonard, look, I always say, 149 00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:56.759 when in doubt, let Kawhi Leonard bail you out. When the offense 150 00:09:56.840 --> 00:10:00.320 is in a rut, when the ball is sticking, I'd rather have it 151 00:10:00.440 --> 00:10:03.960 stick to the claw's hands and let him go to work and play off of 152 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:07.399 him because he's such a good passer. Now, even if he gets doubled 153 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:11.759 or triple team, he'll find the open man. The key is some of 154 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:13.759 these other guys got to hit shots. There have been four consistent players in 155 00:10:13.799 --> 00:10:18.679 this series for the Clippers shooting wise, Kauhi Paul George has been very good, 156 00:10:18.919 --> 00:10:22.440 Aviza Zoo Bots has been good, mostly defensively, and Marcus Morris. 157 00:10:22.440 --> 00:10:26.080 Outside of that, we were talking about all season long, what's the Clippers 158 00:10:26.120 --> 00:10:31.759 biggest advantage? Red they're death best bench in NBA history, scoring forty eight 159 00:10:31.799 --> 00:10:35.399 points per game. Two six men on this team. Now when Montrez Harold 160 00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:39.480 the most recently crowned six men of the year, they have gone from scoring 161 00:10:39.559 --> 00:10:43.399 forty eight points per game to in this series off the bench, the bench 162 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:46.440 mob, whatever you want to call him, just twenty eight. So they're 163 00:10:46.440 --> 00:10:50.960 missing twenty points off the bench now, and it's not an efficient twenty eight 164 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:56.440 either. They're taking more shots to get there, they're missing a lot of 165 00:10:56.440 --> 00:11:00.360 them. So I mean that being said, and I agree with you with 166 00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:03.200 Kawhi Leonard. Just let him, let him go to work because he will 167 00:11:03.240 --> 00:11:05.720 always bail you out. And that being sad. We talked about this earlier. 168 00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:09.840 I don't think you know, if there is a loss tonight, it 169 00:11:09.879 --> 00:11:15.320 doesn't affect Kawhi Leonard one way or another, but it will affect Paul George, 170 00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:18.639 it will affect Doc Rivers. Who do you think it affects more if 171 00:11:18.679 --> 00:11:22.919 they don't get at least to the Western Conference Finals. I think it hurts 172 00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:26.360 Doc the most because he's been up three one twice before in series. And 173 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:30.120 I've been getting a lot of calls about this on Clippers stock. Believe me, 174 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:31.840 we couldn't even put a guy on the other night. He was swearing 175 00:11:31.960 --> 00:11:39.360 before while Kevin was screening the phone call for me, but three one when 176 00:11:39.399 --> 00:11:41.120 he was with the Orlando Magic, they were up three games to one in 177 00:11:41.159 --> 00:11:45.039 two thousand and three, yell on the Detroit Pistons. And then of course 178 00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:46.960 in twenty fifteen with the Clippers, they were up three one against the Houston 179 00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:52.039 Rockets. So he has a track record, and I'm not saying he's gonna 180 00:11:52.039 --> 00:11:54.759 lose his job, And I would never call for anyone's job, And I 181 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:58.960 love Doc Rivers as a coach and as a man, and guy's got to 182 00:11:58.039 --> 00:12:01.919 execute. You look and watch these games again, and what's happened in the 183 00:12:01.960 --> 00:12:05.519 second half, they stopped playing the same way they were in the first half. 184 00:12:05.639 --> 00:12:09.440 Is that on Doc Rivers? I don't think so. The game plan 185 00:12:09.559 --> 00:12:13.679 was right, but guys stopped attacking. They had twenty eight points in the 186 00:12:13.679 --> 00:12:16.559 paint in Game six in the first half, ten in the second half. 187 00:12:16.600 --> 00:12:20.600 They stopped being aggressive. Players got to play, Coaches got a coach. 188 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:24.840 There's a lot of fingers to point, and there's gonna be a lot of 189 00:12:24.840 --> 00:12:28.679 fingers pointed at a few different people if they lose in this game. But 190 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:31.320 again, I'm still confident. When you've got Kawhi Leonard, who's coming off 191 00:12:31.320 --> 00:12:35.039 a forty one point Game seven with the game winner against the Philadelphia seventy six 192 00:12:35.080 --> 00:12:37.799 ers last season, I think you got the right guy in a situation like 193 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:41.639 this, when your backs are against the wall. Well, the thing is 194 00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:43.679 this, Yeah, they could lose, but really, at the end of 195 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:48.039 this, they can't lose. I mean, this would be, and I've 196 00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:54.039 said it, an epic disaster if they cannot get to the Western Conference Finals. 197 00:12:54.039 --> 00:12:56.240 I mean, just for what it means for the franchise in the city 198 00:12:56.320 --> 00:13:01.039 that has worked so hard to increase their foot print. If they lose here, 199 00:13:01.879 --> 00:13:07.080 this is as devastating as anything that has ever happened to them. It 200 00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:11.159 would be the most disappointing season in the history of the franchise because the expectations 201 00:13:11.159 --> 00:13:16.480 have never been so high, the promise, the hope that was brought to 202 00:13:16.519 --> 00:13:20.000 this franchise when you got Kawhi Leonard, when you traded for Paul George. 203 00:13:20.360 --> 00:13:24.120 I was at that press conference. I talked to you guys that day, 204 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:28.080 we were doing the show, and we all felt like, and I do 205 00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:31.159 feel like, when this team plays at their best, they're the best team 206 00:13:31.159 --> 00:13:37.600 in the NBA. The problem has been consistency. Consistency happens through chemistry, 207 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:41.679 through continuity. They haven't had enough of that. But they have to come 208 00:13:41.720 --> 00:13:46.360 together right now. And there's one other situation that parallels this, and it's 209 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:48.600 what happened with the Boston Celtics back in two thousand and eight, the team 210 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:52.919 that would go on to win the championship, that was coached by Doc Rivers. 211 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:56.720 They went seven games in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks. That 212 00:13:56.840 --> 00:14:00.799 was the one eight matchup. They went seven games in the second round against 213 00:14:00.879 --> 00:14:05.919 Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, and eventually that experience of going through and 214 00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:09.600 being forged by fire worked out as they would win the NBA Championship. That's 215 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:13.799 my hope. All right, Clipper Talk or Clipper Countdown, will that I'm 216 00:14:13.799 --> 00:14:18.279 Auslin. That's first five. Yep, he's not at five on the Patriot 217 00:14:18.279 --> 00:14:22.840 Am eleven fifty. We'll have to call this game at six, and then 218 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:28.720 Adam will be along with the postgame show to either celebrate or drown in tears. 219 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:31.879 Either way, we're having Ralph Laller on post game, either to preview 220 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:37.039 the Battle for Los Angeles or well to help reason through what happened this season 221 00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:45.200 with the Clippers and Roy La Sport, La Sport, La Sport. Thanks 222 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:46.840 for hanging Adam, all right, love you guys. Okay, Petro, 223 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:48.799 some money are getting ready to go at the top of the hour.