WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:03.960 Oh, we're joined by the salty a Adam Ausceland, host of the Clipper 2 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:08.359 Countdown, the post game show, and the Halftime Report. Happy Holidays, 3 00:00:08.679 --> 00:00:12.439 Adam, Happy holidays. Who can be salty this time of the year? 4 00:00:12.519 --> 00:00:17.000 Oh me, I can still do it? You question may be salty? 5 00:00:17.160 --> 00:00:20.440 Ain't the way them damn Clippers have been playing? Man has nothing to be 6 00:00:20.519 --> 00:00:24.039 salty about. Brother Well, I heard Fred was talking some s earlier in 7 00:00:24.039 --> 00:00:28.760 the show about Kawhi Leonard. It's spreading misinformation. Yeah, a little bit. 8 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:31.079 Get him, ad him, get him? Adam Crady, what the 9 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:34.880 hell did you say about Kawhi? Don't upset me like this? Already he 10 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:39.600 was the culprit of his load management and it was all him and taking himself 11 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:45.320 out of game, didn't That was no, That was a year in Toronto 12 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:48.479 when he was laboring and lifting the whole season. Fret said it was his 13 00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:51.840 choice to to not play. My point was, he said, and I 14 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:58.439 would agree he didn't play because he was hurt, not because he chose not 15 00:00:58.600 --> 00:01:00.640 to play. Well, it accused him of just I'm not going to play. 16 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:03.280 I'm gonna sit it out, and uh, you know, when I 17 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:10.040 get better, I'll get in there he never played because if he was hurt, 18 00:01:10.120 --> 00:01:12.200 he said not because he just took time off. That was my point. 19 00:01:12.239 --> 00:01:15.560 So I don't know how it got confused. Well, you confused yourself 20 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:22.000 with the way you were just trying to explain it because we've all been kind 21 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:26.079 of a listening. Really, I don't even you jumping in here. Do 22 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:29.560 you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth? Not right? 23 00:01:29.799 --> 00:01:33.359 My point was if he didn't play, he was hurt. It's not like 24 00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:37.519 he didn't play because he wanted to know. And I said, no, 25 00:01:37.640 --> 00:01:40.760 that's what I said, and people accused him of that. That's what I 26 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:44.200 said. So when I go back to the podcast and listen, you're gonna 27 00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:49.920 claim that was selective, creative editing going on by Ronnie Fossio, misconsuing your 28 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:55.239 words. Just don't put the first hour up. I know what I know 29 00:01:55.359 --> 00:01:57.480 when I said it, it was an hour of misinformation. My god, 30 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:02.319 no, it's it turned into a bit of a laborious conversation because then they 31 00:02:02.359 --> 00:02:05.519 pounced on me and that's not what I meant. But I know what I 32 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:07.759 meant. What can we talk about these Clippers today? Yeah, what Kawhi 33 00:02:07.879 --> 00:02:12.759 Leonard has been doing yeah, let's do it beating the hell out of everyone. 34 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:15.599 Now. I know tonight could be tough because they're in OKC. He's 35 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:19.560 questionable, he's got a bruised hip at the very end of the game when 36 00:02:19.599 --> 00:02:23.759 he had ten points in the span of three minutes against Dallas last night to 37 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:29.319 give them the nine point victory and make it nine straight victories for the Los 38 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:34.120 Angeles Clippers, not just that, fourteen of the last seventeen games now they 39 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:38.199 have won. And it really goes back this run by them to me, 40 00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:44.360 to Russell Westbrook coming off the bench, that has been the difference. I 41 00:02:44.520 --> 00:02:49.639 wasn't sure they'd be able to facilitate that or finesse that or smooth that over. 42 00:02:50.039 --> 00:02:53.280 But Russell Westbrook was the one who asked to sacrifice. And since then, 43 00:02:53.639 --> 00:02:58.639 it's empowered James Harden with the starters. The ball is in his hands, 44 00:02:58.759 --> 00:03:00.560 Terrence Man has been doing and all the little things next to him in 45 00:03:00.599 --> 00:03:06.800 the starting backcourd, and then Kawhi Leonard got comfy and he's been real comfortable 46 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:09.759 last eleven games. Freddy, are you listening. Sixty two percent from the 47 00:03:09.800 --> 00:03:15.080 field, fifty two percent from the outside. Nobody has been better than Kawhi. 48 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:20.199 He's playing like a damn regular season MVP now. It has been special 49 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:23.599 to watch and those injuries and now in his second season off the ACL, 50 00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:29.080 he looks as healthy as he did in twenty twenty one before tearing it, 51 00:03:29.120 --> 00:03:31.840 when he was on a tear in the playoffs and was playing like the best 52 00:03:31.879 --> 00:03:37.199 player in the league before that unfortunate step where he got a little shoulder shove 53 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:40.840 from from Joe Ingles of the Utah Jazz. This is the best version of 54 00:03:40.919 --> 00:03:46.159 Kawhi since tearing the ACL, and it may be the best regular season stretch 55 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:49.479 of his entire career. And that is saying something. He's a top seventy 56 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:52.319 five player of all time and right now at the age of thirty two, 57 00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:55.159 we're getting the best version of him. Who is the cat that within the 58 00:03:55.199 --> 00:04:00.439 Golden State that he stepped on? Was it him? What? Oh with 59 00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:04.360 that Zaza Pachulia back in twenty seventeen. Yeah, Zaza undercut them and they 60 00:04:04.439 --> 00:04:08.199 changed the rule because of that. And you got to give guys their landing 61 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:11.400 space. I mean, it's things like that that has happened to Kawhi that 62 00:04:11.479 --> 00:04:14.879 Fred didn't want to give him credit for that. It was legitimate injuries. 63 00:04:14.919 --> 00:04:16.399 That was keeping him out. You know what I'm saying. And if you 64 00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:19.920 doubt that, Freddy, I got something for you, Kevin. I think 65 00:04:19.959 --> 00:04:26.199 the argument could be made that during the periods of time, let's saying Toronto, 66 00:04:26.759 --> 00:04:32.319 even San Antonio, Uh, he'd sit out because it wasn't one hundred 67 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:40.279 percent. Buddy could have played wow wowie wow wow. Now, fred was 68 00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:44.279 that was that your voice? Or was that AI? Was that the ghost 69 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:46.399 of Freddy's past? What was that? No? That was me. But 70 00:04:46.519 --> 00:04:49.480 the point is this, I was saying that other people were saying that. 71 00:04:49.920 --> 00:04:54.480 Oh, so you're pinning it on others, but you were the one bringing 72 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:57.879 it up. Yeah. Interesting, But that's how I prefaced the whole thing. 73 00:04:58.920 --> 00:05:00.240 Is that not how it was your Rooney? Really, because I think 74 00:05:00.279 --> 00:05:03.000 the first thing you said was I think the argument could be made. I 75 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:06.600 think the argument could be made. No, what would I say prior to 76 00:05:06.680 --> 00:05:12.160 that when we came on the air. So you're saying that, So I'm 77 00:05:12.199 --> 00:05:15.240 goin to say, this is what you said? This is me saying this. 78 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:17.439 Oh No, I didn't say that. No, No, I didn't 79 00:05:17.480 --> 00:05:21.560 say that. I think you guys should start a segment because who did that 80 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:28.519 song I'm Too Sexy? Was it right? Said Fred? Fred we do 81 00:05:28.600 --> 00:05:33.839 a segment called wrong, said Fred. Let's start that off in twenty twenty 82 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:38.000 four. Huh, Chuck, and we can do that wrong, said Fred. 83 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:42.720 Hey, yeah, that's actually Adam nine game run. And when you 84 00:05:42.759 --> 00:05:45.920 look at this team now, and it does feel like James Harden is really 85 00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:47.759 settling in with the starters. And you're right about Russ. I mean, 86 00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:51.879 nobody talked about that enough because he was the one that sacrificed and everybody would 87 00:05:51.879 --> 00:05:56.000 say, you know, Russ is a selfish guy. He's a selfish player, 88 00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:59.680 you know, and for him to do that, which nobody expected him 89 00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:01.000 to do, I don't think he gets enough credit for us. So I'm 90 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:04.279 glad you brought that up as well. But when you look at this team 91 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:12.680 now, where do you see the flaw or anything that could hurt them going 92 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:15.439 into the playoffs. If this team is as it is constructed right now, 93 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:19.959 well they've gotten back to that point where it feels like only injuries can stop 94 00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:23.920 them. So that's a good thing. But they still get to build up 95 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:28.480 more chemistry. I mean, James Harden has only played I think twenty two 96 00:06:28.600 --> 00:06:31.360 games with them, so far, and it's really been with this new starting 97 00:06:31.399 --> 00:06:35.000 lineup where they've been thriving with him next to Terrence Man. They still don't 98 00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:39.959 have Mason Plumbley back. They're going to have to reintegrate him into what's been 99 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:44.480 happening right now. It should be a smooth transition because he's very good in 100 00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:46.800 the pick and roll. That should work very well with James Harden, But 101 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:50.759 you still have to build up that chemistry and continuity. No championship outside of 102 00:06:50.759 --> 00:06:56.360 the n season tournament is one in December. That's how it works in this 103 00:06:56.480 --> 00:07:00.519 league. So as how does they are right now, it's about building championship 104 00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:03.720 habits. It's about they went from a team that you didn't know who would 105 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:08.519 show up each and every night. They were consistently inconsistent. That was their 106 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:13.839 identity to a team now that's not just taking games off anymore. Here and 107 00:07:13.879 --> 00:07:16.720 there where they're playing down so their competition, they're not taking quarters off, 108 00:07:16.759 --> 00:07:21.720 they're not taking possessions off anymore. That's how locked in and focused they have 109 00:07:21.879 --> 00:07:28.120 looked over this run. This is the best regular season run in the two 110 00:07:28.120 --> 00:07:31.360 pin to three era since Kawhi and Paul George have come over. And it's 111 00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:36.399 happened just with James Harden in the starting lineup, making everyone's life so much 112 00:07:36.439 --> 00:07:41.120 easier. Guys, I thought he'd be the perfect fit next to Kawhi and 113 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:45.079 Paul George. I said he would unlock the best version of them. It's 114 00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:47.360 been happening, but it has to continue now. And they got a tough 115 00:07:47.399 --> 00:07:50.519 game tonight and guys could be missing and there might be no Kawhi, no 116 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:54.959 Paul George. But then look, if you lose against Oka, see there's 117 00:07:54.959 --> 00:07:58.399 no shame in that. They're playing great basketball, and if you're without both 118 00:07:58.439 --> 00:08:01.800 your stars, that's fine. But Saturday, back home, after the three 119 00:08:01.800 --> 00:08:05.120 game road trip, they're taking on the Boston Celtics. That's going to be 120 00:08:05.319 --> 00:08:09.959 a measuring stick type of contest. That is when people are gonna say, 121 00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:15.240 if the Clippers win that game, oh they're not just contenders, as some 122 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:18.000 have already flipped with what they were saying a month ago about them and are 123 00:08:18.040 --> 00:08:22.639 saying they are the biggest threat to the Denver Nuggets. Everybody is going to 124 00:08:22.680 --> 00:08:26.120 be put on notice if they take down the Boston Celtics right before Christmas. 125 00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:31.039 All right, let's switch to the Lakers. Why why we got to talk 126 00:08:31.080 --> 00:08:33.519 about the Lakers too. I mean, we know how good the Clippers have 127 00:08:33.519 --> 00:08:37.240 been playing, Lakers have been going the opposite way after that end season tournament. 128 00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:41.480 Is there anything? I'd say, there's no letdown, There's no nothing. 129 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:45.360 This is just basketball in the NBA. You don't think there's a letdown 130 00:08:45.480 --> 00:08:48.039 happening right now from this squad. Lebron James would disagree with you. Yeah, 131 00:08:48.039 --> 00:08:52.759 but I'm talking about the season tournament. It doesn't know if this is 132 00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:54.039 the NBA. The Clippers are won nine in a row tonight, they could 133 00:08:54.039 --> 00:08:56.480 win ten. Okay, cut around and lose four in a row two. 134 00:08:56.600 --> 00:09:00.399 Yeah, but it's the NBA. What you're seeing right now out from the 135 00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:07.639 Lakers is an emotional energy dump. That is an adrenaline dump. And Lebron 136 00:09:07.720 --> 00:09:11.039 James said it last night after they lost to Chicago when they were back to 137 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:16.159 full health, that it's not just what's been happening physically to them, it's 138 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:20.879 an emotional fatigue that has taken place with this team. They got up, 139 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:26.879 they sprayed champagne in the locker room after winning the n season championship, they 140 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:30.559 raised the banner. They lose that game too, and they have lost to 141 00:09:30.639 --> 00:09:33.320 some really bad teams. Chicago was eleven and seventeen. They didn't have zach 142 00:09:33.399 --> 00:09:39.240 Lavine last night. They lose that Friday night game to the San Antonio Spurs 143 00:09:39.320 --> 00:09:43.080 last week. I don't care who was available. The Spurs had lost eighteen 144 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:46.480 straight. How is this stuff happening? And if you look, losers of 145 00:09:46.600 --> 00:09:50.200 four of their last five since the N Season Tournament, and they're basically bottom 146 00:09:50.200 --> 00:09:54.679 ten offensively since then, bottom ten defensively since then, where they were top 147 00:09:54.720 --> 00:10:00.279 ten throughout most of the year. Something has changed, and I think they 148 00:10:00.279 --> 00:10:03.519 may have taken it a little too seriously and now they're paying the price. 149 00:10:03.840 --> 00:10:07.200 It's just what it is. Look, we've never seen this N Season Tournament 150 00:10:07.240 --> 00:10:09.879 before. We didn't know what effects it would have. You know what it 151 00:10:09.879 --> 00:10:13.960 feels like right now, Guy goes into the home run derby and rex his 152 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:18.000 swing. That's what it feels like for this Lakers team, Like they got 153 00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:22.679 up a little bit too high, They rode the emotional roller coaster a little 154 00:10:22.679 --> 00:10:24.879 bit too high early in the season, and now they don't know how to 155 00:10:24.919 --> 00:10:28.120 get up for games again. And they got Minnesota tonight. They got them 156 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:31.960 twice the next couple of weeks. They gotta face. Okay, see, 157 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:35.399 they have tough opponents coming up, and four of their next sixer on the 158 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:39.200 road. It's not gonna get any easier. And I'll say something else. 159 00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:43.840 When you're this reliant on someone as inconsistent as D'Angelo Russell, it makes things 160 00:10:43.879 --> 00:10:48.559 difficult. You shouldn't come and go or wins and losses shouldn't be as dependent 161 00:10:50.039 --> 00:10:54.639 on whether or not D'Angelo Russell is having a good night. But it's been 162 00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:58.120 like that going back to last season, going back to the playoffs, with 163 00:10:58.279 --> 00:11:01.840 him having that stinker against the Den or Nuggets. They don't get swept if 164 00:11:01.879 --> 00:11:05.600 he is just decent against them. They were in all those games in the 165 00:11:05.639 --> 00:11:09.159 fourth quarter. But he's unreliable. And this team has a lot of flaws 166 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:13.399 going on because they don't have enough two way players, meaning they have a 167 00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:16.919 lot of specialists who are good on one end of the court, like Torrian 168 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:20.360 Prince was with his three point shooting, but then he gets torched on the 169 00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:24.080 other end by DeMar DeRozan last night who had twenty seven or whatever it was. 170 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:28.440 They have too many guys that are one dimensional out there and their flaws 171 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:33.120 are getting exposed. That's what it looks like to me with the Lakers. 172 00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:35.840 Hey, so we were talking about this earlier. Earlier, Adam, do 173 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:39.759 you go ahead, you try to go and make that Zach Levine trade. 174 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:43.720 I'll say this, I don't think he cures all of what ails them, 175 00:11:45.159 --> 00:11:48.039 But if they're able to get Alex Caruso back in that deal, now you're 176 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:54.000 talking if you can have Alex Caruso back on this Lakers team giving up Austin 177 00:11:54.039 --> 00:11:56.039 Reeves in it. I don't think they'll have to give up Austin Reeves. 178 00:11:56.120 --> 00:12:01.399 I think it'll be Ruy, Hachimora, Deans Russell, maybe a future pick, 179 00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:05.720 maybe Gave Vinson who just came back, although I don't think he's eligible 180 00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:09.759 yet to be traded, but I don't They're not going to give up Boston 181 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:13.240 Reeves. They're not going to make a lateral move to bring in Alex Cruz. 182 00:12:13.240 --> 00:12:16.879 So if they do so, I think Hahimora has to be included in 183 00:12:16.960 --> 00:12:20.799 that trade. And right now, with them being fully healthy, it also 184 00:12:20.919 --> 00:12:24.360 makes things difficult in some ways. It's a blessing and a curse. How 185 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:26.559 do you figure out rotations right now? You have too many guys that have 186 00:12:26.679 --> 00:12:31.159 earned minutes Cam Reddish has been really good for them. But he's really good 187 00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:33.799 on the defensive end, and he struggles offensively. Last night, I think 188 00:12:33.799 --> 00:12:37.799 he had thirteen points, but it took him twelve shots to get there. 189 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:41.799 So some of these guys that were in rhythm, that were feeling good about 190 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:45.399 themselves, all of a sudden, their minutes are gonna get undercut. There's 191 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:48.519 a minutes crunch. There's a numbers crunch going on with this Lakers team. 192 00:12:48.600 --> 00:12:52.320 Once they get healthy, that brings new problems. You know, they were 193 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:56.600 just starting to figure things out with guys missing when they won I think twelve 194 00:12:56.600 --> 00:13:00.840 of sixteen throughout that time where they won the n season turn. And now 195 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:03.639 some of these guys are back and they got to figure things out. And 196 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:07.480 it's not going to be easy moving forward, going through a stretch like this 197 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:11.960 against top level competition while there's so much uncertainty roster wise, lineup wise, 198 00:13:13.080 --> 00:13:16.919 rotation wise, that's problematic for Darvin Ham and this Lakers team. All right, 199 00:13:18.679 --> 00:13:22.320 well, Adam, all right, holidays. I love you guys, 200 00:13:22.360 --> 00:13:26.519 and I do want to say thanks for always making me feel special coming on 201 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:30.440 here. I love you guys. I appreciate you very much. And what's 202 00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:35.360 the old dad joke? See you next year? Right on, Adam, 203 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:37.799 all right, that cop pregame show tonight. And four the tip at five 204 00:13:37.879 --> 00:13:41.759 against Oka. See Adam will be in the saddle.