This is a Clippers first basketball The game is over if you're gonna get Clipper
down and one, but the time to react has just be got. I'm
still happy with Bomber doing. This is Clippers Talk with your host Adam Mosley
on air after every game here and on the iHeart Radio app. This is
what they have been building towards. All the other pieces were in place all
now to get in on the action and let your voice beat her. Now,
your host Adam osled the Claw, shows off his complete game and the
Clippers give their most complete defensive performance of the season and they win game four,
ninety six to eighty five over the Denver Nuggets. Welcome in to Clippers
Talk. I'm Atam Moslin eight seven seven five two zero eleven fifty eight seven
seven five two zero eleven fifty is the phone number or gets me at follow
Adam a on Twitter. We are streaming live on Periscope on the M five
seventy LA Sports app or at sign on Twitter as well. What a performance
by Kawhi Leonard, but what about the Clippers in that first quarter defensively in
particular setting the tone like we wanted to see. It was my key to
the game. It was last game too. It didn't work out, but
second times the charm I think that's what they say. The Clippers ended up
holding the Denver Nuggets to just twelve points in that first quarter. That is
the second lowest amount of points they've ever given up in a quarter in franchise
history in a playoff game, and they were on top of things defensively.
Now, Paul George got into foul trouble, but overall it didn't matter.
Everybody was flying around defensively. Vita Zubots really, I don't want to say
this was a redemption game because he's been good series long, but he fouled
out last game. After Nikola Yokich had thirty two points tonight twenty six on
eleven of twenty three, shooting just a couple of three pointers. I thought
Absa Zubots was great offensively. Eleven points, nine boards a plus twelve led
the Clippers well tied with Landry Shammitt in that category, who off the bench
was also a plus twelve, even though he was just one of seven.
Be careful of the plus minus category. Sometimes it's not always the most accurate
indicator of how good someone was in the game. But the Clippers were that
good defensively, because Denver's high in a quarter scoring wise was just twenty eight
points that happened in the second, twenty three points in the third, and
just twenty two points in the fourth quarter. Now that is what you want
to see. Eighty five points total scored by the Denver Nuggets. This is
not nineteen ninety five with that shortened three point line. This is a Denver
Nuggets team that was top five in the Bubble scoring wise, one of the
best offenses in the league. And it started with them missing three pointers,
just like they did last game in the fourth quarter where they were one of
nine, And then they came into this game and they started off one of
thirteen from three. And I tweeted this out and I don't know if this
is a jinx or it makes me bleeping brilliant, but I said, at
this time of the game, it was about two minutes into the second quarter,
they were two of twenty two. Going back the last two and a
half quarters of this series from three, the Denver Nuggets were and I said,
that's unlikely to last. They would hit their next five threes. I
felt like Ian Malcolm Jeff gold Bloom in Jurassic Park. Boy do I hate
being right all the time? Okay, I'm patting myself on the back too
much. But you knew the odds were in their favor that some of those
shots were going to fall, and they did, and the Clippers early sixteen
point lead, all of a sudden, it was down to just eight in
the third quarter going into the third quarter. At the half, Clippers were
at forty eight to forty and then they had to face some adversity. And
this is what you want to see because this helps build that championship DNA,
those traits, those moments in a game, those teaching learning moments that you
can rely upon and call upon and have in your back pocket or in the
back of your mind that you can go back to when you need them later
on in the playoffs. Because to start things off in the third quarter,
things were not going in the Clippers way. They were only up two three
minutes in after being up eight at the half, because they were in the
penalty, they were in foul trouble. Immediately, nothing was going right.
PG thirteen picked up his fourth foul. Patrick Beverley was getting called for fouls.
Everybody was the Denver Nuggets were at the free throw line immediately and it
was a two point game. But then thanks to the long ball and Kawhi
Leonard and his defensive brilliance, they turned the game back in their favor immediately
and they were back up twelve, and they were back up by sixteen,
and they were up by ten going into the fourth quarter. It was a
Marcus Moore's three pointer, who was really good from deep in this game,
after not making a three pointer for the first time in the playoffs as a
Clipper during this playoff run. Last game, Marcus Morris was three or five
from distance, hit some timely once two. Then Landry Shammon hit one.
Then it was Kawhi Leonard who hit one, and then he had the swipe
and steal for a layup. As Noah Egle would say, that's swipe and
steal from the claw who had four of them, scored thirty points, had
eleven boards, and was one assist. Shy of just his second triple double
in his career, would have been his first in the playoffs, though he
was right there. But thirty points and thirty nine minutes, so you look
at that. They had to overcome the foul trouble PG thirteen at three fouls
in the first half. He only played twenty seven minutes. He never got
into a rhythm offensively, didn't matter because the Clippers relied on their defense.
We wanted to see a more complete effort Defensively. They've been inconsistent on that
end. The offense has been there for the most part. They've been the
second best offense all season long, even though they've had thirty three different starting
lineups. Defense top five, but they can be better. This team's potential
is so much higher than where anyone else can get to. Their ceiling is
the roof whatever Michael Jordan said, it's above it. They can get to
basketball Nirvana and win a championship if they play forty eight minutes of defense the
way they did in this game, giving up just eighty five points to the
Denver Nuggets. Jamal Murray I almost feel bad for him. He's getting locked
up. He's shooting about thirty percent so far in this series, just six
of fifteen. And it wasn't just Paul George on him in this game.
But the Clippers come at you in waves defensively and offensively. But when you
have Patrick Beverley out there, who played a couple more minutes than he did
last game. Last game was a couple more minutes than he did the game
before that played twenty three minutes, was a plus seven and was that instigator
that pessed out there. I say that affectionately. You want Patrick Beverly on
your team. He makes such a big impact and in fact, he had
the Nuggets all stirred up thinking about him in that fourth quarter. You saw
that. I don't want to say it was a hard foul, it was
an intentional foul from Nikola Yokich in the fourth on Pat Beverly. And if
you remember what Patrick Beverly said postgame after Game three, that Nikola Yokis flails
about a little bit. He makes it a decision for referees to call a
foul every time down, similar to Luka Dontich. I'm paraphrasing there, but
that's basically what he said. He's not lying. But that's also what makes
Nikola yoki so great is because he can get those calls well, also because
he just has an ability to make a shot over anyone at any time.
He's one of the most skilled players out there. But they were looking at
that for a flagrant foul. Maybe based upon that history and the bad blood
or whatever you want to call it between he and Patrick Beverly. Mike Malone
had come out and said if it was Kawhi Leonard, saying that we'd be
okay with it. Not Patrick Beverly. Well, Pat Bev is starting to
make that huge impact, especially defensively, but he keeps everybody in line on
that end, as does Kawhi Leonard. But guys feed off the energy from
Patrick Beverley. I've said it a million times and I mean it every time.
But he is the constant reminder of how the Clippers have to play to
win a championship. His effort out there and when guys see it, they
get inspired. They start playing harder on the defensive end. And when the
Clippers are this good defensively, even though they go eight of twenty eight from
the three point line, it doesn't matter. They still win by eleven,
they were up by nineteen, and the fourth quarter they played one of their
most complete games. I said it, it's their most complete game defensively this
season, I think, especially given the stakes it has to be. And
I also want to point out how the guards continue to find the bigs for
easy baskets of visa zubots. His eleven points, I want to say they
were all assisted by sweet Loew Williams, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George.
He also had a putback dunk on his own, so okay, they weren't
all assisted. He was running the floor like a gazelle out there like young
David Robinson. And he's so good defensively. I'm telling you he has Marc
Gasol like tendencies when he was Defensive Player of the Year back in twenty twelve.
He's that good and when the Clippers are finding him, and also it
was the return of Monster Tress tonight. He had fifteen points. Okay,
it's not a huge game. It's still three points less than what he had
averaged all season long, but put it in context. Put it in perspective,
because this was just his eleventh game or tenth game inside the bubble,
all playoff games. But he's gotten closer and closer to returning to fourn He's
progressed incrementally with every playoff game. He's gotten a little bit better. Last
game, win seven of ten from the free throw line and hit some big
free throws down the stretch, and he was a little bit more physical and
played with more energy tonight, played with a lot of energy. Seven points
early in the second quarter and then eight points in the fourth quarter, and
had a huge throwdown dunk that I think was Kawhi Leonard's ninth assist, and
it was a beauty. Kawhi the playmaker. We've seen it all year long.
Maybe he was always this good and the Spurs just didn't need him to
make plays like this, but he's talked about it before. Without a true
playmaker out there for the Clippers, he has to do more passing, more
distributing, and he's been unbelievable. His game is advancing. He's only twenty
nine. People forget he's still getting better and he already has two rings and
two finals. MVPs eight seven seven five two zero eleven fifty eight seven seven
five two zero eleven fifty. We will take a quick break here, we'll
come back. You'll hear from Kawhi Leonard. We'll get to your phone calls.
Clippers win game four, ninety six to eighty five. There are up
three games to one in this best of seven second round series, and they
were dominant on the defensive end. They took that fourth quarter last game,
holding Denver to just nineteen points, and they spread it out for forty eight
minutes tonight. It's exactly what we wanted to see, all right. More
clipperstock coming up right here on the Patriot Am eleven fifty. Harris with a
drive to the left, step tip back on Leonard. Leonard stage with him
and gets the steal, steal number four for the claw. He goes right
to left, takes it all the way, he lays it in with the
right hand defense to offense. Kawhi Leonards got twenty eight and the Clippers knock
it out of bounds as they lead eighty eight sixty nine. Kawhi Leonard finished
with thirty points, two blocks, four steals, nine assists, and eleven
rebounds, and the Clippers would win by eleven in Game four over the Denver
Nuggets after they hold Denver to just eighty five points in the game, twelve
points on the first quarter. The Clippers brought the intensity early on. This
is how they have to play. This is the blueprint if you're gonna win
a championship. This is the level of effort you have to give defensively on
that end, shots are gonna come and go. It's a maker miss League,
I hear. But defensively you can hang your hat on that end,
especially because of how many good defenders they have on this team. Eight seven
seven five two zero eleven fifty eight seven seven five two zero eleven fifty is
the full number. And I do want to highlight the fact that Kawhi Leonard
in that second quarter one of his two blocks, and obviously he had the
middle finger block last game on Jamal Murray, but he had a block in
this game on Tory Craig in the second and it reminded me as we compare
he and Michael Jordan. I know it's crazy, but yes, his mid
range is that good, and he has Michael Jordan like tendencies. But he
had almost the Michael Jordan Wizard's block against the Bulls back when he was thirty
eight, thirty nine or forty, who knows where. He just took it
straight out of a guy's hands and pinned it against the backboard with two hands.
That's what it looked like with Kawhi Leonard almost in that second quarter on
that block on Tory Craig. Tagus in Walnut tagus. You're on clipper stock
with Adam Oslin. How are you good? Adam? A great win.
It was a masterfolk game by Kawai. Seemed like he carried carried a low
and seemed like PG was in fell trouble like for more than half the game,
and he really you know, control the game in that third quarter win
it was tied and got that fourth foul, it looked like, you know,
they were going to make a comeback, and they held on and then
increased the lead again, which was good. I had one observation question.
I was gonna ask you what Shammon's been, you know, struggling and during
the playoffs and he's been injured. Do you think that Reggie Jackson should get
some of those minutes for because I know the knock on him is he's been
a little bit out of control, but when he is under control, he's
been shooting the ball really well. Do you think we'll see sometimes his minutes
shared with Shammon's with Reggie Jackson because seems like sham it's still been struggling and
I just wanted to get your thoughts on that. Tay, just thank you
for the phone call. Yeah, Landry Shammon just one of six. He's
been inconsistent with the shot for a lot of this season for different reasons,
a variety of them. He was injured early on, remember he missed I
think it was seventeen games early on the season, hurt his ankle. I
want to say it was against the Toronto Raptors. He's never gotten completely in
rhythm, but I still believe in Landry Shammon, especially late in the game.
Noah Eagle calls on the game breaker for a reason, and he did
hit a big three pointer when they needed it, of course, and he's
a better defender than Reggie Jackson. Yes, Reggie has been outstanding from distance
so far in the playoffs. He's been shooting about fifty percent from three,
but he's been given some up on the other end. I think Landry Shammon
is the guy you want to go with because he has the higher ceiling and
because what he showed last year as well, and he's also a pretty steady
playmaker out there. It's an area he's been trying to improve in, but
he's getting better post game though. I do want to hear from Doc Rivers
after the Clippers win by eleven by a final score of ninety six to eighty
five in Game four, and I thought it was their best defensive effort all
season long, certainly so far in the bubble and in the playoffs, considering
the opponents night and here was Doc Rivers post that first quarter. Uh,
Andrew asked about it before the game's kind of the defensive intensity two points only.
I think Yo Kitchen was the only guy who made a shot other than
the quarter with it was just great intensity, great. Uh. You know,
they really stuck to the game plan. We didn't do a lot of
individual thinking. But I just thought we were competitive. Now like we competed,
We played hard. You know, we made mistakes, but we covered
them up because we were playing hard. But more importantly than playing hard,
I thought we were very competitive. Let's move over to Andrew. Hey,
Doc, there were some times to night when you know they would you guys
would take a big lead and they would reel it back in stowly. But
surely would you make of your team's composure to respond by each time kind of
extending that lead once more? Yeah, you know, Andrew, like this
was a great example of a game the old saying that your offense. Your
defense will save you in your offense. At times we'll let you down.
We got great shots tonight, we just couldn't make shots. And I'm sure
they're probably feeling the same way. But instead of worrying about the shots we
wouldn't make it, we just kept playing defense that allowed us to win the
game. Okay, let's move over to your vine. Hey, Doc,
You've played with the bench rotation a little bit in the playoffs, but it
seems like the last couple of games you've settled on that group with Tres,
Jamichael lou PG and Pat. What have you liked about the two way balance
of that lineup because it's played really well together. Yeah, I think you
know in it we have two things. We have enough scoring, uh and
we have enough defense. So we need that balance. You know, we
can't have all offensive players on the floor if your offense is in that running
didn't get scored on. So I just like the balance of offense defense.
We're gonna move over to home and before we start, I want to say
that Landry is up on the secondary link right now, you guys, I'm
going on, Hey Doc, congrats, you guys are one game away from
reaching the Conference finals for the first time in franchise history. What was it
like in the locker room after the game? Nothing like, that's not our
goal. So I don't say no one cares to be honest, So it
was a zero reaction. What I would say, we haven't done anything yet.
There was Doc Rivers post game. They're going big game hunting, They're
going for the Larry O. B As. Doc Rivers just said, we
haven't done anything yet. They haven't reached their goal yet. I do want
to point out the fact that you can overcome an off shooting night when you
only turn the ball over nine times as well and have nine offensive rebounds and
points in the paint thirty eight compared to just twenty two for the Denver Nuggets.
All right, we'll take a quick break here, we'll come back.
We'll have Kawhi Leonard postgame audio for you. We'll get to your phone calls
eight seven seven zero eleven fifty eight seven seven five two zero eleven fifty.
I already see Jeff and Tarzan online. I wonder if he wants to talk
about Jokim Noah being activated for this game. We'll see Clippers win Game four.
Game five is coming up on Friday. Mark Clipper stock next right here
on the Patriot A, I'm eleven fifty clamp City looks so pretty. In
Game four for the Clippers, they hold Denver to just eighty five points in
the contest, just twelve points on the first quarter. The Clippers put it
together on the defensive end the way we've been waiting for them to do so.
Before we get to Kawhi Leonard, Tad Daley got to me on Twitter
at follow Adam ay and we are periscoping at follow Adam ay or at am
five seventy l A Sports asking me why I always compared to Kawhi Leonard to
not just Michael Jordan, but ninety six MJ. The reason is this ninety
six MJ second three peat. MJ not nearly as athletic as three p m
J, who nobody could really touch. Kawhi Leonard isn't as athletic as the
guy who won in ninety one, ninety two, and ninety three. And
his mid range game, Michael Jordan's was much more refined in those later years,
and that is one of Kawhi Leonard's best weapons. And here he was
post game after he gets thirty on ten of twenty two shooting hit a couple
of three pointers. That has been one area of concern for him in the
playoffs, if you want to nitpick, I guess there's no areas of concern.
But here he was after his thirty, eleven and nine assist performance.
What was the difference that allowed you guys to have that jolt tonight? Oh
guess we just focused on it. You know, came out knowing the game,
playing, you know, gave our energy in those first five minutes and
it just carried over from there. You've been surgical and precise in this series
and again tonight. How would you describe your impact that you had on this
game. I'm just trying to have my team winning. I'm not I mean,
if it's rebounding, making shots, playing good defense, I'm making players
for him. How you know? That's all I'm trying to do. Now
you're up three one in this series. You're sixteen and eight in close out
situations in your career. What's going to be the key to ending this series
on Friday? The same thing? Just be consistent, play defense, share
the ball. You know, everybody just had a mindset of playing every possession
Thank you so much, Kawhi. Congratulations There was Kawhi post game after the
Clippers win. We'll take a quick break here and through ten playoff games so
far, kawhi' is averaging twenty nine points, ten boards, six assists,
and shooting fifty two percent from the field. Even with that four for seventeen
games, he's been the best player in the game in the playoffs. He's
carried over everything he did last year with Toronto and he's doing it now with
your Clippers. More Clippers stock coming up next on the Patriot Am eleven fifty
Williams in the front court with a bounce pass right wing, Kawhi Leonard crossing
over down the middle of the lene. Leonard gets to the cup. A
lot of blue jerseys around the forty feet Oh, mon Tres Ferrell, get
upstairs, young man man Tres with a statement slam. The Clippers are up
three games to one, and Monsta Tres is just getting back in rhythm his
timing. Look back in this game, he had fifteen points. He was
taking bigs off the dribble. You saw him take Nicola Yokitch and Mason Plumly
out towards the three point line. And then he attacked as he loves to
do. This is Clippers talk here on the Patriot Am eleven fifty, Eddie,
you got thirty seconds. We're up against a hard clock, Eddie.
You're on all right. Hey, I'm really excited about this win, and
specifically the defense. I mean the fact that even Lou Williams is contributing.
I saw a interview with PG. They we're asking about his contributions. That's
exciting because it's wearing off of that guy too. Eddie, thank you for
the phone call. It's a good point. We've been talking about sweet Low
Williams in the bubble defensive special Sweet Lou Williams. That is. I noticed
it against Gary Trent Jr. Of the Portland Trailblazers in a bubble seating game.
He had a couple of blocks on him. The effort has been different.
Sweet Lou Williams wants a ring. The Clippers franchise wants to win their
first ring, and that's the type of defense they're gonna have to play.
All right, Before we get out of here, I do want to thank
the Clippers organization, Noah Eagle, Brian Seaman, Ralph Lawler, and back
here in the bank, Zach attack and my radio pot and Kevin figures and
social media map for hooking up the periscope until Friday is starting at two thirty
am five seventy LA Sports and the Clippers Radio Network where we will have your
pregame show for Game five. I'm at a Moslin. We will talk to you then