Get your fall. It's time to react LA Clippers Basketball. This is Clippers
Talk all the chat, reaction and analysis hosted by Adam Aslay. You know
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Adam Moslan. Without the King on the court, the Clippers would rain threes
in the first half, and they would clamp down with defense in the second
half and hold on to win by twenty four over the Lakers. Here at
Staples Cents, They're welcome into Clippers Talk. I'm at a Maslin eight six
six nine eight seven two five seventy eight six six nine eight seven two five
seventy or gets me at follow Adam a. After the Clippers win one eighteen
to ninety four over the Los Angeles Lakers. Coming up here on the show,
we will have postgame audio from TLU. You'll also hear from the players
in far about Essen Shari, who's sitting about thirty feet to my left as
we are live from Staples Center. After the Clippers and we talked about this
postgame with Noah Egle. We were hoping, we were wanting to see this.
But that defense they played in the last three minutes last game Tuesday night
here against the Toronto Raptors, where they only gave up one point in the
last three minutes. It carried over into the first quarter tonight against the Los
Angeles Lakers, who granted are down. I mentioned no Lebron James, Anthony
Davis only played nine minutes, no Dennis Shrewder, no thht. We all
understand that. But is this not the type of victory you would expect given
those circumstances. Complete domination by the Clippers where they were up by twenty three
at a half, led by as many as twenty five, and win by
twenty four. But it was the first quarter that I thought was special.
They won it by nine. At one point they were up by thirteen.
In that first quarter, they only gave up twenty points to the Lakers,
And even while Anthony Davis was in the game, he wasn't that effective.
After coming off his best game since returning from the achilles injury against the Denver
Nuggets, he played nine minutes, went two of nine from the field,
had four points. He struggled and the Clippers were throwing bodies at him.
But the primary defender was Marcus Morris. He did a great job of just
being physical, of just getting into Anthony Davis's space. Paul George was on
him at one point, and then when he tried to get to the basket,
multiple guys swarmed in on him and made life difficult. And therefore the
Lakers life was difficult getting off to a good start in this one, even
though they got twenty five from Kyle Kuzma, who ended up going nine of
nineteen three of ten from the field. I thought he played really well,
had fifteen of those twenty five points in the first half. They didn't have
the firepower to keep with the Clippers team that hit eleven three pointers in the
first half alone. What I like even more, though, believe it or
not, is that they only hit two in the second half. They didn't
have to rely on it. They're finding different ways to beat you now we've
seen it post All Star Break tonight. They get to the free throw line
twenty six times, hit twenty three of them. Meanwhile, that is an
area of the Lakers struggle. Twenty nine attempts at the line and they made
just eighteen. Montrese Harold just six of ten, Mark kith Moore's zero of
two. They left some points out there. There was one blemish for the
Clippers in this game, and it's amazing the success they were able to have
even while turning the ball over twenty two times, leading to thirty points for
the Los Angeles Lakers. And while we have a moment, let's pause ten
seconds for station identification. Here on AM five seventy LA Sports, this is
LA Clippers Basketball fie KLAC Los Angeles kr HD to Los Angeles and iHeart radio
station. You thought I was going to forget. He thought I was slipping.
No, we got it in there, my man. But the Clippers
had an all around team victory tonight. Your leading score was Paul George.
He had twenty four points. They all came from the second quarter on he
was dishing. He was thrown out assists at first to a Visa Zoobots down
low in the first quarter. His first shot came off a pass from a
Gen Rondo in transition for an open three that you just knew was going to
fall immediately. But he ended up with twelve points in that second quarter.
Decauz had nine of his eleven points in the second quarter. DeMarcus Cousins was
huge. He's been making an impact since day one, since he came in
as a Clipper. He had a really nice bucket over Montrese Harold where they
were intent on getting it to him in that mismatch inside and he was pounding
it in the paint, got it up over him, had a hook shot
early in the second quarter over Montrese Harold from about five feet out. Had
another reverse lay up over two defenders because just because well he was on a
ten day contract at one point, teams were still doubling DeMarcus Cousins. He
laughed about it post game before saying, I gotta be the only guy in
NBA history on a ten day contract where I'm getting doubled. But he's been
that effective. He's a big body, he's a load in the paint,
and he's so skilled. Even with him lacking some of that, some of
the athleticism he had early on in his career in Sacramento and in New Orleans
before all the injuries mounted for him, he can still go out there and
hit a three pointer like he did in this game, and he got things
going also in that stretch where he basically took over the game and sam Za,
I don't know if you're busy right now, but I just love that
highlight package you put together of DeMarcus Cousins from the second quarter when the Clippers
really started to open things up, and it was Decus hitting a three pointer
and then getting a steal and turning that into a dunk. He's someone who
has a great hand for being a seven footer. And here was the call
from Noah Eagle. Cousin sets a screen, he's open for a left wing
three. He'll trigger it and knocks it down to Marcus Cousins off the bench,
has nine points in six minutes and the Clippers have a fifteen point lead
once again at forty seven thirty two, six fifty five to go. In
this first half, Caruso top of the key, guarded by George with a
bounce past right elbow. It is gasol against Cousins outside of the left wing.
Now Maclamore pounce pass taken away by Cousins. He's got a hard one
in front to Marcus Cousin to the rim and he slams it with a right
We're in a bugey wonderland and Staples Center as Cousins has taken over with eleven
points off the bench. Caruso driving right, bounce past the only taken away
and it is but Toom knocked it away. Cousins scoops it off here he
comes right to left. Cousins into the front corner with a fresh drivele looks
to the outside, finds George straight away driving on Caruso, who his left.
He put him on the deck step back three on the way. Oh
yes, Paul George buries it and a time out called by the Lakers.
An acle breaker by George and PG thirteen with a rated R move. Paul
George was too good in this game not to get into that highlight package.
But Boogie Cousins there going on his own run created by himself through his defense.
Noah Eagle on the call, Sam Zeo with the highlights, and then
Paul George there, who was just filthy. The Lakers had to call time
out after that. He absolutely hot sauced Alex Carusoe sent him back pedaling six
feet to get an open three pointer. And that's just a mismatch. And
I know the Lakers are down a lot of ball handlers right now. They
don't have a true point guard. Without Shrewder, without Lebron James, they
don't have that type of playmaker. But the Clippers were hunting matchups and taking
advantage of the Lakers' weaknesses in this one. And I just like the fact
that their defense stayed from what happened last game. They have to be more
consistent there because they've gotten off to slow starts defensively over their last ten or
so games. Not tonight, though, they The Lakers are just twenty points
in the first quarter, just twenty three in the fourth quarter, and there
was another great play by the backups. Daniel Oturu was in there, first
time we've seen him in a bit, and he and Patrick Beverly were contesting,
Yes, the six foot one guard Patrick Beverly were contesting everything at the
rim in a twenty point game with a minute and a half left. They
had multiple blocks on Alphonso mckenny's layups attempts. And then there was also a
Visa zu Bots getting into it a little bit with Andre Drummond, who was
a little bit frustrated tonight. I felt like it carried over for it from
what happened to him against the Denver Nuggets earlier this week. Where he had
a game where he had more fouls personal fouls than points five to four.
He struggled just three to five with nine points, six rebounds, and a
Viza zu bots. He's a tough guy to move down Low finished with fourteen
and eight in twenty eight minute goes five of five from the field. So
the Clippers did what they needed to. I often call these a taking care
of business like game, but it's not easy. These guys are still professionals
even without their superstars. You still got our performance like that from Kyle Kuzma,
and you just never know who could step up. But the Clippers were
good enough to turn off the water faucet when they needed two at times,
because the Lakers had it down to seventeen with about six minutes left and then
something key happened instead of the Clippers settling for three pointers, and that's something
they do at a higher clip than anybody in NBA history, really when you're
talking about this three point line and not the shortened one for three years in
the nineties. But they weren't hitting them in the second half. They only
hit two of their thirteen in the second half, and instead of going to
that or jump shots. When they were up by seventeen with six minutes left,
they called a time out. The Lakers were on a run and the
next three buckets from the Clippers were all at the rim, and you could
see there was a little bit of frustration let out by Kawhi Leonard, who
is struggling for his standards. He only took nine shots and thirty minutes had
fifteen points, but he had one of those layups and they were back up
twenty plus. They go on to win by twenty four here at Staples Center
over the Lakers. We'll take a quick time out, we'll come back.
We'll get to your phone calls eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy
eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy. We'll update you on the
Western Conference standings where things stand and sit tonight. And I do have good
news on that front. Clippers improved to forty five and twenty two and we
got postgame sound from TLOO and that's next here on Clipper Stock one five seventy
LA Sports Nagger from Paul George. This is the official home of your LA
Clippers. Don't miss a moment of Clippers basketball. All season logs the Clippers
win one eighteen to ninety four here at Staples Center over the Los Angeles Lakers.
They sweep the regular season series. They go three and oz over the
Lake Show. Welcome back into Clippers Talk. I'm Adam Moslin eight six six
nine eight seven two five seventy eight six six nine eight seven two five seventies
the phone number, or gets me on Twitter at follow Adam a before we
get to your phone calls. I tweeted out during the second quarter that Rondo
is running this a little bit slang, a little bit of I'm too old
to tweet stuff like that, probably, but Rashon Ronto was so good in
that second quarter where he had the majority of his assists, but when the
Clippers started to open things up, he was completely in control of the offense.
Never mind the fact at one point he put Kuzma on skates. He
had a steal early on in the second quarter. He was directing everything out
there. He was looking for Boogie Cousins on that mismatch down low against the
undersized Montrase Harold. He found Nicholas Batum for an easy one. Then he
finds Luke Kennard for an open three pointer, and then Paul George for a
three pointer. His first bucket of the game came a few minutes into that
second quarter, and it was Rondo getting in transition, pushing the pace.
He had an underhand lay up on Marcus al It was We've been talking about
his burst ad nauseum, but the quickness, the athleticism. I didn't see
this earlier in the season with the Atlanta Hawks, but you knew you get
ra Gene Rondo in a situation like this back with a couple of Kentucky guys
on a team that's contending for a championship, and you bring the best out
of him, and he brings the best out of this team. It works
hand in hand. He's been that good of an orchestrator for them. He's
been a difference maker, and he adds an element they just didn't have before.
He can get superstars and everybody else easier looks, easier shots, and
he's a coach out there on the floor. I know it's cliche, but
Rajon Rondo literally is likely going to be a coach in the next ten years
in this league. Whenever he wants to step off the court and back onto
the sidelines, he's going to be there, just like Steve Nash is done.
Just like well, Chauncey Billups had an opportunity, apparently to go to
the Indiana Pacers. They were interested in him. The Clippers were able to
keep him in the family here though. They brought him from an analyst into
the coaching staff. But Jen Rondo has meant so much to this team,
and I want to highlight just some of what he did in this game,
as he ends up finishing off the bench in seventeen minutes with eleven points and
five assists and just one turnover on a night where the Clippers had twenty two
as a team, he had just one of them. Four of eight shooting
hit a three pointer. He's been doing that at a high clip for years
now, and he gets even better in the playoffs. This is a preview
of playoff Rondo. We've gotten that since he put on that Clippers uniform.
All right, I believe we have Jeff in Tarzana online. I mean,
I could just you know how good it is to beat the Lakers and push
them as far better, better than that's possible. That's like dating Shania Twain.
I wouldn't say it doesn't impress me much, because yes, there is
something impressive about dominating the Lakers tonight the way they did is the most beautiful
woman in the world. Yeah, I can get with that. Okay,
So you know, the Lakers are the champs, and I only think they
won because of the bubble last year. But the Clippers blew it. You
have to give the Lakers credit for that. But I don't think Lebron's gonna
be able to be healthy, and I don't think the Lakers are going to
get past the second round at the most. The Clippers, like I said
the other day, are the most viable team in the Western Conference, and
you know, the way Brooklyn plays defense, I really don't see anybody but
Philadelphia winning that Eastern Division crown. But what I really like what Ti is
doing is he's giving everybody the opportunity to play. And these guys like uh
Like Man and Luke Nard, they don't play all the time, and there's
still there's still into the game. And the only thing I'm worried about with
the Clippers are injuries and the possibility of turnovers. They still had a lot
of turnovers tonight, Adam. They still have to prove their game I mentioned
it, but on the season, they're top five when it comes to minimizing
turnovers. I believe the only average thirteen per game tonight was an outlier.
Okay, So Adam, let me let me ask you something. If you're
looking at what's gonna happen like I asked you the other night, and I
don't think Penis is going to fall out of two, or you know,
and I don't think Denver is gonna fall out of there. You think the
Clippers at four have a better chance, like I said, against Dallas,
Portland or the Lakers are another team if if the Clippers finished fourth, If
they finish fourth, and thank you for the phone call, Jeff, Jeff
and Tarzana the ultimate regular here on Clippers Talk. I've been calling in for
twenty five years. I hear if they finish fourth, they're most likely going
to be taking on the Dallas Mavericks because of how the Lakers schedule lines of
them, because of all the injuries going on right now. They got to
go to Portland tomorrow, and that Portland team is fighting to get out of
the seven spots so they don't have to be in the play in tournament like
they were last year. I do think you'd rather play Dallas or Portland.
Now, be careful what you wish for. Those teams both have superstars and
some of the most clutch players. We've seen it over and over again in
two first round series in the last five years against your Los Angeles Clippers,
but Luca don Chi's most recently last season, he was great. That went
six, Clippers still won, and obviously they had a bunch of injuries back
in twenty sixteen against the Portland Trail Blazers where they would lose in six without
CP three or Blade Griffin. I still think the Lakers are the most dangerous
team that you would have to play in the first round, and it could
take a lot out of you to beat them because even with their injuries with
Ad and Lebron over the last month and a d going back further than that,
but they have maintained the number one spot defensively all season long. That's
their identity, that's what they do. They're physical and they do play with
a lot of energy out there, and I thought they played hard tonight.
They just got out executed. They didn't they got out talented, they didn't
necessarily get out worked. The Clippers had twenty two turnovers. They gave them
a lot of opportunities too. But the Lakers, with a D and Lebron
in whatever condition they would be in for the first round, I still think
would be the toughest opponent, and everybody would admit that. I'm sure,
because they are the defending champs. I've said this before, but it would
remind me of that twenty fifteen first round series between the Clippers and the San
Antonio Spurs. The Spurs were the defending champs. They won in twenty fourteen,
they dropped to the sixth seed. I think the last day of the
regular season. The Clippers get them in the first round. It's a three
six matchup, felt more like a Western Conference finals. Clippers pulled out in
seven thanks to some magic from CP three, but it took a lot out
of them. And that's what you worry about. Path of least resistance is
what you want to find in the playoffs because it is such a grind and
when you're just taking on a team in a seven game series and the game
planning and the matchups and all your flaws being exploited and being taken advantage of,
you know, a series gets lengthened out in the first round like that,
and it can have a long term effect throughout the playoffs even if you
get out of it. And I think the Clippers are the better team,
but you cannot underestimate Lebron James. You cannot underestimate the Los Angeles Lakers.
As for the Phoenix Suns, are they for real? A lot of people
have been asking that we'll find out. But I have an inkling that Devin
Booker is going to perform very well in the playoffs. Maybe it's because of
some big shots he has hit. Won against the Clippers in the seeding games
last season, but they win eight. No when they're back was against the
wall, and that was without CP three. I think they'd be really tough
because they have multiple ways to beat you. Utah, they're banged up.
Donovan Mitchell right now is out, but Quinn Snyder could win Coach of the
Years. Still they end up being the number one seed. They also play
tough defense, and they have some really good three point shooters. They get
hot against you, they can take you out. But right now the Clippers
are in the three seed. They're a half game up on the Denver Nuggets.
Nuggets do have the tiebreaker, though they won the season series against the
Clippers. The Nuggets also have a tougher schedule remaining than your Los Angeles Clippers.
But I am going to keep an eye on that game tomorrow night up
in Portland when they're taking on the Lakers, because if the Trailblazers win that
game, they would send the Lakers to the seventh spot. I told you
about a week or so ago, a week and a half ago, that
the Clippers and the Portland Trailblazers can partner up and send the Lakers to that
seventh spot if they take them out this week and then Phoenix plays the Lakers
on Sunday, So there is a possibility the Lakers have to go into the
play and tournament because of all their injuries going on. But even then,
if you got Lebron in a d at eighty five percent, that's still better
than most guys. Lakers loose tonight, though, to your Los Angeles Clippers,
with the final score of one eighteen to ninety four. Tagus in Walnut
tagis you're on Clippers South without a moston how are you hey, Adam?
Before I ask you my question, I agree with you. I mean,
we would want the Lakers at seven at the seventh spot, but if that
didn't happen, I think if Portland ended up in that seventh seed and and
if they played a Phoenix in the first round, I think that that series
would be fire. Like with Damon CJ versp CP and Booker, I think
that would be an awesome first round. Don't you think. I don't see
a matchup that wouldn't be fire in the first round in the Western Conference,
to be honest, stages, that's true. What's the question? The question
is is you know when we traded for Lou, I thought that, you
know, Reggie would be kind of like the six man coming out of the
bench with the scoring. And then now he's playing so well with the starters
and he's still continuing to start. Do you envision that he's going to keep
starting? And the only concern I had was with the bench right now,
especially when you play the better teams, do you see that there's enough scoring
with that second unit on the floor. I think there's a little bit of
lack of scoring with that second unit, But I also think Tylu will either
keep PG or Kawhi on the floor with that second unit day. Just appreciate
you. Man is always thank you for the phone call. That would be
the plan from TLU, because that's what he has done the majority of this
season. When guys aren't on a minute restriction. Typically he takes out Paul
George earlier in the first quarter, Kawhi Leonard plays the entire first quarter,
and then PG thirteen starts the second with the second unit. And he's talked
about this recently. That's the way he likes to do it. That is
optimally how you would want to do it with this Clipper's roster. So I
think that alone creates plenty of scoring just by having one of your superstars out
there at all times. And we've seen it the majority of this season,
he has staggered them. I'm not concerned one bit with t lose rotations.
I don't think he needs any advice for me or anybody else. I think
he has been brilliant all season long in his first year as the head coach
with these Clippers when it comes to pushing the right buttons and finding energy and
finding a spark and then leaving guys in there and letting them run. Clippers
win tonight one eighteen to ninety four over the Los Angeles Lakers. We'll take
a quick break, we'll come back. We have postgame audio from Paul George
and if Far bought us and Shari will come on. As I yelled at
him inside Staples Center because he's about thirty feet to my left. Far bought
Ess and Shari from SI now and from the Bleacher Report, he'll be here.
Clippers win one eighteen to ninety four over the Lakers eight sixty six to
nine, eight seven two five seventy eight six six nine eight seven two five
seventy. Marvin, we'll get to you two. This is Clippers stock here
on AM five seventy l A Sports. Don't miss a moment of Clippers basketball
all season log. Clippers win one eighteen to ninety four over the Los Angeles
Lakers here live at Staples Center. I'm atam Oslin get to me at follow
Adam A coming up. We'll get your phone calls. Eight six six nine
eight seven two five seventy eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is
the phone number. But right now joining the show in person for the first
time, and I don't know a year and a half, something like that,
and maybe I'll even give you a twenty dollars handshake for coming on with
me tonight. Far not for anything else. Farbot Essen Shari from SI now
is with me here at Staples Center after your Clippers win by twenty four over
the Lakers. Far about. I often refer to these type of victories,
given who was out for the Los Angeles Lakers, as taking care of business
type of wins, but they don't always turn out that way. Kyle Kuzmo
is very good in this game. But I felt like outside of the turnovers,
the Clippers defense showed up the way it did in the final three minutes
of the fourth quarter Tuesday night. In the first quarter tonight, even with
Anthony Davis when he was in the game, the Clippers played really well against
him. He was just two of nine. Yeah, I mean, it
didn't look like the Lakers are gonna win. Even when Anthony Davis was playing.
The defense really showed up. Tyler was mad about the turnovers, but
I mean it's twenty turnovers. It's not a little amount. Twenty two.
Yeah, but they won by twenty four, so I mean it's it's not
too big of a deal, but it's somebody had to go off for the
Lakers, like some they weren't just gonna roll over and lose by forty,
you know, with the with the defense they have him being the defending champions,
so I mean you kind of expected Kuzma to go off. It was
either him or Ben McLamore hidden like five or six threes. And so the
Clippers went off in that second quarter or they won it thirty six to twenty
two, and it was a lot of DeMarcus Cousins, Paul George and I
thought ra Gen Rondo was just running the show beautifully out there tonight especially,
and he's been especially good so far as a Clipper, But in that second
quarter he was completely in control. I mean, Rondo was really running the
show. And he was very vocal today every time when when Boogie had the
ball on Trezz, he was he was young, he's a baby mouse in
the house. Well he's a baby, so he was. I mean,
he was really letting it be known. But I mean those two have a
really good connection. I like seeing Rondo and Boogie on the floor at the
same time. I think it works together really well. They still need to
figure out how they integrate. Pat Bev. Tyler mentioned that Boogie and Rondo
are both gonna stay coming off the bench moving forward. Okay, so the
starting point guard will either be Reggie Jackson or Patrick Beverley. It's not going
to be Rondo. Since we had a question about that earlier that I don't
think I ever got to. I'm just going to pass it over to you
to take the hard question. Is it gonna be Reggie Jackson as their starting
point guard the majority of the time moving forward as he has been the de
facto starter all season just because Pat Bev has been out so much. Yeah,
he hasn't. He hasn't clarified that yet. I mean, I think
Pat's conditioning still isn't one hundred percent there yet. But it wouldn't shock me
if they switch it around based on matchups, Like you've seen that with Tyler
quite a bit now. He plays the matchups a good amount. So I
mean, I think, as of right now, it'll be Reggie. But
if I don't think he has a problem you know, taking the two mount
from Marcus Morris or taking Surge out or whatever he needs to do. So
if at some point and he feels, you know, he needs to start
Pat over Reggie. I don't think he'll have any problems doing it. On
the negative side, because we cover everything here. You can learn from wins
just like you can learn from failure as well. But Kawhi Leonard has taken
just twenty seven shots his last three games. Since he has returned, he's
looked a little bit more passive. Some of it was because he only took
six shots Tuesday night as he was being blitzed by the Toronto Raptors that were
just content with getting the ball out of his hands. But what are you
seeing from Kawhi Leonard? Is there anything concerning on that front? I mean,
he just does seem a little passive. He's only averaged nine shots a
game the last three games. I mean I've tried asking him twice now if
something is bothering him or how that He was the one that mentioned to me
about getting bliss, So I asked him again today, like you know,
Tyler said, he him with questions with monotone responses. Tyler had mentioned the
Kawai can't play full quarters right now, so he won't play a full twelve
minutes like he usually does. So I asked him, you know, maybe
you know how are you feeling that you know you're not playing a full twelve
minutes And the only response he ever gives me is he's feeling great. There's
nothing you could get out of Kawai and he had a couple of good throwdowns
last game. Actually that's how That's how they've all been starting. I think
every game has started with him like dunking or looking spry, and you're like,
okay, he's back, and then spry seems to be the optimum word
that we see on Twitter all the time for Kawhi Leonard, which is a
word nobody uses it. He is far broad Essen Shari. He's my guest
here on Clippers Talk after they win by twenty four over the Lakers. Follow
him at Farbot underscore E on Twitter. So I was talking about the Western
Conference standings a little bit earlier because I was I was blitzed with a question
about them and what would be the best matchup for the Clippers in the first
round. My thinking is, even Lebron in a D and whatever condition they
are, they're still the most dangerous team to play in the first round.
That would be the Los Angeles Lakers. Do you feel the same way that
you'd rather see Portland or the Dallas Mavericks. I would two hundred percent rather
see Portland or the Dallas Mavericks. At the end of the day, nobody
wants to face the Lebron James team in the playoffs. I've seen his teams
do bad in the regular season like at least seven times, and then the
playoffs start and you're like, oh, Okay, they just beat everybody.
So it's a little different this time with the seatings and the standings and you
can tell they're hurt and they're not sandbagging. But like, I would not
want to go against that. Between Dallas. Between Dallas and Portland is interesting.
I think the Clippers have the matchup factor against Portland. The only thing
that I could and this is you know, the Murphy's law thinking of being
around the Slippers. Yeah, the only thing I could see potentially going wrong
against Portland is Dame is just like extra motivated against Pat and he just really
wants that win against Pat. I thought they squashed it. I thought it
was now with Pat and then with Dallas, and with Dallas, Luca's just
a monster against the Clippers. I've never seen a game where it felt like
they handled Luca in the last I don't know, like year and a half.
What are he having? Games six last year in the first round in
the playoffs, I felt like, but they were like down like fifty or
something. That was Game five, I think, no game games. I
don't remember. Game four was the Luca game where he went for forty and
hit the game When the playoffs didn't happen last year, it never existed,
So I don't you know, that's a good point. I don't remember any
of that, remember any of that. But to your point, I do
not want the Lakers in the first round. It just feels like that's a
twenty fifteen San Antonio type of thing. It's gonna wear you out. Even
if you win, it's going to be a brutal type of series. Now,
I mentioned ri gen Rondo earlier, and you talked about Patrick Beverley and
whether or not he's coming off the bench. But what does he give this
Clippers team? Because he was asked this the other day and I thought his
answer was pretty interesting and honest. What does he add to this Clippers team
that could help them get that get to that extra level right now, because
for the first time this season, they got over not having Patrick Beverley on
the court, where for so long, if he wasn't out there, they
weren't locked in. They figured that out finally. But now Pat beb is
back, so can he give them an even extra jolt? I mean,
I think he could give him an next It never hurts to have two Pat
Bev's, you know, with him and Rondo, two guys that could give
that extra jolt. I think he just hustles for so many rebounds that nobody
else does besides Rondo, that you're they're only winning plays for the most part,
and it never hurts to have a guy that only does winning plays.
The only difference between him and Reggie is offensively. You know, Reggie seems
to be much more versatile than Pat, But then Pat has all those other
intangibles, so it's like it's a good problem to have. But like you
look at Pat and you could you really can't tell me a single time where
it's like, oh, that was a losing play, he shouldn't have done
that. Almost everything he does contributes to winning in some way shape or for
him. Yeah, Patcher Beverly five points, just five points on one of
five shooting, But he's still rounding back into shape. Just played seventeen minutes
in a second game back coming off the injury. Have you heard anything about
Sarge Ibaka speaking nothing. I asked a lot of a lot of people months
ago, and it was we don't know when he's coming back, but you
know, he was doing core workouts and progressing. And then now he's playing
five on five and four on four and he's progressing. H It's it's gonna
be a weird situation even when he comes back because he don't have missed so
much time. It almost kind of reminds me of what happened with Tres last
season, where he missed the entire bubble and when he came back he wasn't
in the shape or condition he needed to be in. But it was different
with Tres. He didn't practice at all or anything. He didn't even get
to do anything well in his absence. To Marcus Cousins and that pickup have
proven to be striking gold because he has looked as good as he has basically
since he went down this spiral, with all these injuries, starting with the
achilles, I haven't seen him play this well and looked this comfortable, really
since that. Yeah, the only the only thing with that is there's certain
matchups you could tell the Clippers really need Surge, Like against the Denver Nuggets,
you can really tell they needed surge. Probably use them against the Lakers
against Anthony Davis during an entire seven game series. Yeah, so, I
mean, it's it's weird with Surge. It's like nobody seems to have an
answer, and it's been that way for two months now. Well, that's
where the real reporters right to the cream of this. That's that's where you
make a name for yourself all over again. He is far bought essence,
Shari. He already broke the news before regarding James Harden. Go into the
Brooklyn Nets. We'll break some more news in like two weeks. Just watch.
Okay, we got the teaser out there at Farboard Underscore E on Twitter
is where you find him. He does it for the Bleacher Report. He
also covers the Clippers for SI. Now, he's a friend, he's a
good man, and it was good to see you in person tonight, far
Board. I'll disappear until the playoffs. And now all right, just into
the smoke Ninja vanished. Well, I mean, go to Hawaii. Later
peace, We're gonna disappear for this segment. Coming back, though, we'll
get to your phone calls eight sixty six ninety eight seven two five seventy eight
six six nine eight seven two five seventy. Clippers win by twenty four over
the Lakers. Coming up next, back to your phone calls, and I
believe we have audio from Paul George. You're listening to Clippers stock here already
have five to seventy LA sports nagger from Paul George. This is the official
home of your LA Clippers. Don't miss a moment of Clippers basketball all season
log Clippers win one eighteens to ninety four over the Los Angeles Lakers. Oh
the things I just heard from far about Ess and Shari. Wouldn't you like
to be a fly on the wall here Staples Center and you can be.
Fans are being let back in. There was a nice crowd filling up the
place tonight. It was good to see a lot of Clipper nation in here.
You heard some MVP chants for Paul George, for Kawhi Leonard. Clippers
win by twenty four over the Lakers. Let's get to Marvin in downtown Los
Angeles, Marvin, you are on Clipper stock with Adam Mosslin. How are
you hi? Adam Njolin? Fine and a big shot out to you.
And it was a great to see a win for the Clippers versus the Lakers.
I also like the addition of Cousins, and I like to see him
to continue to get more minutes off the bench. Cousins, for me,
it's like a pinch hitter. You always have that picture that has your number,
but then you have Cousin as a pinch hitter that will put through in
the clutch somehow. I just think that Joe Kick has the Joker has Zubak's
number, no matter what zoo Bak does. It's more it's more like like
Joe Kick has him psyched up or something. I think he has the league's
number right now. Though, wouldn't you say, Marvin, he's going to
be the MVP most likely understood. But if you signed the game and when
Day started Cousins, it made a difference because Cousin draws double teams and he
stretches the floor and he made joke. It's works defensively versus Zoo Box.
That's not to water down Zoo back he's a great player, he's developing,
he's young, and he's gonna get great. But adding Cousin, he just
brings that that toughness, mentality and offensively and also with with with the with
the team. So yeah, I'd like to see I'd like to see Cousins.
And I know you brought up the two fifteen playoffs when they beat the
Furs and last reminiscence they play the Lakers. But keep in mind when they
met the Houston Rockets, they got gassed out because they had they only had
they only had Jordan as a center. But now with Cousins and and Ibaka
and Zoobach, now won't have that issue during the playoffs. So a big
shout out to you, big shout out to Jimmu's pro and big shout out
to everybody for getting through the pandemic and supporting the Clippers. And thanks to
you, Adam Marvin. It's good to hear from you. Hopefully we'll do
it again on Sunday. There was Marvin in downtown Los Angeles. It's a
good point that Clippers team did not have close to the death back in twenty
fifteen, that this twenty twenty one Clippers team does have and the Marcus essence.
Do not get me wrong. He was very physical against Nicola Yok.
He frustrated him. He did some of what Dwight Howard did for the Lakers
against him last season and in the playoffs. I love what we've seen from
Tamarcus Cousins. And it's not just because I'm from Sacramento. Let's go to
Joe and North Hills to close things out to night on Clippers stock Hi Joe.
Now, I believe that's what I was saying about Boogie back when he
was when he had more more turnovers than points on on his first ten day
contract. He's going to be important against Yoki if only to play on the
low block and to get and to get two to three fouls on Yoki down
there, because then it makes Yoki ineffective the rest of the game. So
I'm tickled to see how Boogie has progressed over time. But I really want
to talk about playoff seedings. I don't think Portland can get out of the
seven no matter what happens tomorrow, because they've got their last three games against
Denver, Brooklyn and somebody else who's a first or second seed. They have
Phoenix still in Utah one more time, Okay, so it must be Utah.
It must be Utah Phoenix in Denver. Here it is Joe. Here's
their last six games here. Lakers game tomorrow night in Portland, then they
got the Spurs at home, then the Rockets at home, then they're at
Utah at Phoenix, and then they host the Denver Nuggets the final game of
the season. So I think they end up in seven, Lakers six and
Mavericks five. If we're in four, I like that matchup. If we're
in three, I don't hate that matchup because I think I think the earlier
you get to the Lakers this year, the better. They don't know themselves
yet. I know they've got Lebron okay, and but they still they don't
know each other as a team. They haven't worked in drumming yet. Lebron's
a miracle worker. But that's why I think the sooner you see him in
the playoffs, the better, because every playoff round they're gonna be tougher and
tougher and tougher. And let's not forget how good Utah is without Donovan Mitchell.
They haven't they haven't missed a beat because nobody plays hero ball on that
team. The ball's always moving, moving, moving, and they shoot and
rhythm. Joe, thank you for the phone call way to close things out
tonight here on Clippers Talk. And yes, if it happens to be the
Hallway Series in the first round, so be it. The Clippers do look
to be in a better position right now chemistry wise. There have been so
many moving parts going on with the Los Angeles Lakers. Now Anthony Davis,
who was injured early on in this game. Apparently it was a lower back
injury. Initially it looked like he turned his ankle, but he's talking as
if he's going to play tomorrow based off the way he feels currently. That's
what he said. Quote the back locked up pretty bad was also what he
said. But it sounds like he's gonna give it a go against the Portland
Trail Blazers and they are going to need him. Meanwhile, the Blazers tomorrow
night. Since we're talking outside of Clippers basketball, Norman Powell missed their last
game with knee soreness. It didn't matter in Cleveland they won by thirty five
anyways, but it's gonna be an interesting game I'm doing some scoreboard watching out
there, and as fans, that's what something we can do. We don't
have to always be locked in. But I know this Clippers team is.
They're focused on themselves at all times and trying to be the best version of
the twenty twenty twenty twenty one Los Angeles Clippers look like it at times.
Tonight when any by twenty four with the final score one eighteen to ninety four.
But there is a lot of work to do before we get out of
here. I do want to think the Clippers organization. Noah Eagle, Brian
Semen, It's good to see bes Keys over here. Ralph Lawler back here
in Staples Censor, our head engineer was a big Brother Jake Warner Big Brother
Jake podcast on the podcast one network, back in Burbank, the Fantastic sam
Zia Until Sunday when the Clippers are taking on the New York Knicks with your
pregame show starting at eleven thirty eight am. I'm at a Moslin. We
will talk to you then, Placers. This has been Clippers Tom on the
Clippers recap of all the Clippers action on their official home dynasty say He'll miss
a single show every day, religiously hear anything you missed. I mean,
I heart radio what it is amazing man, I'm happy to be part of
it. Joined us. Next game, I'm your home for LA Clippers basketball.
Okay, great, See you later by