What is going on? Clippers Man. Welcome to season two, episode thirty
five of Clips and Dip, the Last Show twenty twenty three. We're doing
this on New Year's Eve, last show ever. Thank you to everyone who's
listened this year. It's been really fun year. You can find us on
Spotify. If you're watching us, you can find us on YouTube at Clippers
Podcast. I am Chuck Mockler, joined by Adam Oslin and Will Updyke.
We're talking the positive Kawhi injury update we got after people were really freaking out.
The Clippers play the Heat on New Year's Day when some of our listeners
will be buying a car, and then we're also going to be discussing the
Clippers twenty twenty four. What we're looking forward to that. But before we
get into the Clippers stuff, Adam, how is your end of twenty twenty
three going? How are you? I don't know. I try to take
a nap. Earlier, I woke up. I looked like shit. My
Panthers lost to the Jaguars, Like it's nineteen ninety six all over again,
and I don't feel great. So I'm glad this year's over. I think
that's a fair sense of it. Did you see the video of the Panthers
owner throwing a drink on the fan? Oh? No, I didn't see
that. Yeah, he throws a drink like out of the owner's whit,
like at the crowd, at some guy. Did he try to Jason Kidd
explain it away like it was an accident or I don't think there was that
much strategy behind it. He drink the cours. Yeah, it was a
it was an alcoholic drink. I believe that's a classy move. It's a
classic move, a cocktails of the face. Yeah, classy organization over there.
Will. How are you doing? You're in Montana for this New Year's
Eve. I'm sure Laurel Montana is a blaze with electric electric. Yeah,
I'm doing good. My weirdly my first cold smoke of the trip. Oh,
if you're listening is just it's a beer from Montana. It's somewhat of
a delicacy over here. Yeah, it's a Scotch jail, real heavy,
real heavy. So I'll only haven't one. Smart. I think I had
two of them on a live stream with Adam when I was in Missoula,
and you could definitely tell. Yeah. The comments were outrageous. Let's talk
this Kawhi injury update. People are excited now, think people were not excited
a couple of days ago when we found out that the injury actually happened.
Can we address that, because that was one of the more fun things that
we didn't get to talk about how apparently there was some discrepancy in the reporting
of of whether or not Kawhi was practicing. Oh yeah, that was weird.
Ty said he like didn't know if he was going to be ready to
practice a couple of days ago, yeah, or something like that. And
it was just it was just kind of more of the same where we get
some intentional vagueness, uh from from the organization, and then you're kind of
left to you know, the great beat writers who cover this team are kind
of left to read between the lines as far as what that means. And
yeah, so I feel like it was kind of a roundabout way that we
even found out that Kawhi Leonard hadn't even been practicing that had he hadn't even
been cleared for five on five contact. So that I like to have this
turnaround now just feels it feels really good, but it is a complete one.
Eighty from where we were a mere few days ago. That's yeah.
Nature of the beast with the Clippers team. I was fine from where I
was a few days ago. I predict that he was going to play in
the Miami Heat game, and it could still happen. He's questionable. He
practiced in full per tylu He said, we'll see on the possibility of him
playing for the Heat. We're recording this before the injury report comes out.
He's probably gonna be questionable. But I mean, I hey, if he's
ready to play, let's get him some run before this road trip. I'm
just glad he was able to practice. Pull him out either way, handicap
the team a little bit. They'll work through it. You want, you
want some some purpose, you want like almost a couple spot the Heat,
a couple buckets. Have Kawhi sit out. Let's see what these fellas can
do. Doesn't want more obstacles, more adversity. He wants them to earn
that victory. Like, don't play Kawhi, that's too easy of a win.
Then come on, my friends. Sharp. There was a great note
I think this was from law Murray. The Clippers won't have back to back
days off again until January seventeenth through the twentieth, so this was a huge
practice to get in. Well. Luckily the schedule is pretty easy from there
on out. Hey, Hey, I don't know. They said they were
trying to, Yeah, March de Breeze. They said they were trying to,
uh, don't even look at April. Don't even look at April.
Don't look at me. Man. They said they were trying to implement some
new offense lately over the last week, and it's been difficult because guys been
out. But it sounded like today was a day where they could do so
some of that is they just have more counters out there and kind of bring
James Harden along a little bit further in this process. Nice or wrinkles.
Hell, Yeah, I thought even in that game against the Grizzlies, which
was maybe a harder victory than it needed to be, his passing has come.
Like we've we've praised it multiple times already on the show. But I
feel like he's at this position now where everyone is getting the comfortability where he's
like he's like like it's like in the NFL where he's like throwing receivers open.
Yeah, Like he's like he's got like this half step where now guys
are more encouraged to move off the ball because they know they're gonna get found.
And he's like, I don't know, I don't know how else to
describe it, but I felt in that game with those what was it like
sixteen assists or whatever, Yeah, that that he was kind of throwing guys
open in a way that that I thought was really encouraging for some of that
off ball movement, especially when you don't have the gravity of not having Kawhi
out there. Him just being like that little half step ahead, I think
makes this offense already look really really pretty scary. Uh. And if this
isn't the final form yet, ho buddy, look out for those Powell Rangers.
That's all I'm saying. No, no, no, definitely not the
final form. You got to combine the Dragon Zord with the Megazord, and
then you bring in Titanis, who's like the Bronosaurus, and then it's like
the super when does the what does the White Tiger come in? White Ranger
Power? That's uh, that's that's later in season two, I think,
right around the time of the Ninja Zords. Yeah, but it's a whole
saga where they don't know who's gonna play the White Ranger and then it's Jason
David Frank. It's a lot like Rita Rapulsa right now, It's all I'm
saying. So they're looking like the fucking Putty Patrol. I mean, they're
just getting clown just gold Ar and the whole bunch. If this is your
first episode, hey welcome. You can check us out over on YouTube.
That's a Clippers podcast. Anyway, Sorry, I thought this was the Powell
Pop. I thought this was another thing actually basketball related that I like.
What James Harden does is he rewards Zoo well, big man runs the floor,
big man makes the defensive play James Harden with Adam's left James Harden is
there to make Zoo, you know, feel a little more credit and whatnot
in the offense when he makes that defensive play, which is great, and
Zoo's looked the best he's looked ever since James Harden has been on the team.
I just think he's also just more encouraged to be more aggressive off ball,
to like really roll as hard as he can to the basket. To
not that he didn't have high effort before, But it's just different if you're
not involved in the flow of the offense. Yeah, I'm not saying that
he wasn't trying before or anything, but it just clearly wasn't a focus of
where they were going offensively, and so yeah, now it's a completely another
element of his game that he's very much adept at, and then the Clippers
can rely on, especially in situations where they're playing these smaller teams. So
yeah, so let's look at this Heat game. Do you think Kawhi plays
after the react Grave and whatnot. Will obviously wants him held out for as
many games as possible so the Clippers can get to his level and play.
I'm I'd like him to get this game, man, if he can go
before this road trip, I'd like him to get this game in. I
think we talked about it when I believe it was after the second game that
he sat out and was still still day to day. We didn't have a
whole lot of clearity on the situation. I said, I think like,
optimally we get to see him one last time before the end of the year.
That's clearly not going to happen, but coming back against the Heat would
be great. I just want him to make me look good because I picked
him as my player of the game a couple like three days. I a
beer pick turned out. It might turn out the meer pick would be good
too. But I mean, you call a guy who's been out for a
week and a half and he comes back for your game and is the player
of the game. I would just feel so good to start off twenty twenty
four. Now, if he's healthy, if he feels good coming out of
the practice, and that's what it comes down to. That's why they don't
have a definitive answer yet regarding Kawhi Leonard because they want to see how he
responds to actually playing or practicing fully. That's the difference. So if he
wakes up tomorrow and feels good, I think he'll end up playing. It's
at least overall, it's great news considering that people were really starting to panic
and hit the Code red wondering about Kawhi Leonard's status and the day to day
stuff and just how long he's going to be out. People are saying,
oh, no, this means he's out till February. No, I think
he will be back within the next few games. At least right. Yes,
I would agree with that for sure. So the Heat just lost to
Utah. Jimmy Butler played twenty two minutes. He's out after suffering a foot
irritation per the Heat injury report, girls foot stinky foot. Yeah, anyway,
he's out. Lowry is questionable after having missed the last game with the
head contusion. What is going on over in Miami? You got head Contusians,
you got irritated feet. They're head to foot, Adam, where are
you at on this matchup with no Jimmy Butler. I was looking at the
stats from the Heats last game and Tyler Hero really lets it fly when yea
others not there. What's your biggest concern maybe with this depleted for the most
part Ish Heat, I think maam Ont of bioh. He's been a beast.
He's having a really good year. He's been making teams pay on the
interior. And you know, Tyler Hero definitely isn't afraid to put him up
and he's going to do that. And I did look up. You know,
they're tied for number one when it comes to three point efficiency. They're
shooting thirty nine percent from the outside, just like the Indiana Pacers thirty nine
point zero on the dot. They don't take a lot, they take just
thirty three, even though they're that good from the outside. Kind of like
the Clippers, you know, they want the right type of three pointers,
those quality three point shots. That's what Eric Spolser's looking for. But in
a game where they could be down Kyle Lowry and they will be down Jimmy
Butler, they might put up a few more just to try to get their
points up against the Clippers, just to find a way to see if they're
hot. And so that perimeter defense for the Clippers is gonna have to be
big in this one. But it could be an inside out game with bam
Adebayo and Tyler here on the perimeter, with bam on the interior and Duncan
Robinson lets them fly to so him off the bench. It's gonna be interesting
how maybe Miami puts both of them out there and kind of forces you know,
Tyler's hand with the scrambled defense or something like that. But they have
a chance to put you guys out there who could combine for like fifteen threes
or something like that. So attempts not making God, I hope not.
But yeah, they were just iind of thirty one against the Utah Jazz,
so they had an all three point shooting game, which means maybe they'll be
doing against fantastic. Hey. They benefited though against the Charlotte Hornets when they
only hit six in that game. The next game against the Lakers, the
Hornets hit six in the first quarter alone. So it doesn't just happen to
the Clippers where they're on the wrong side of some weird outlier performance. It
happens to everybody. Well, where are you at on this heat matchup?
Should the Clippers just still be able to take care of business without Kawhi?
What's your worry? What's your concern? Not worry? You know what I
mean? Code red? I wish I had ad dude, now that you
said that, shit, I got diet dude, But it ain't code Red.
My concern level is low. But maybe that is a trap. I
don't want to say that every game is a must win, but things are
still really tight with the Clippers holding on to a top four spot, and
that is really really important. And you know, I've heard that there is
some difficulty coming up in the schedule. I can't remember when but I think
it's really impot stack to stack those sorts of wins, especially when you're at
home. I think this is a really good matchup for the Clippers. I
like our size, even being down Kawhi, this to me seems like a
very winnable game against a team that's going to be kind of well. They
have long term continuity together. Certainly, having like two major figures out of
the rotation is going to be an adjustment. And I don't they has great
role guys, some really great role guys, but I have trouble seeing them
offensively being able to create enough to overcome what the Clippers should be capable of.
Their minutes were super weird against the Jazz. They had two starters play
less than ten minutes. Highway played thirty five off the bench, Dacan Robinson
played thirty two off of bench. Hayward high Smith is also out for the
Heat. He played twenty six minutes off the bench against the Jazz. So
they're out, Like I mean, this is like a Kevin sets the stage
for like a Kevin Love game or something like that. But having having high
Smith out, it won't be definitely won't be hockey. According to Adam you
know, behind men, but so that that just throws off their stuff more
and Spolstra like he's gonna throw out what works I high Smith being out,
I think is a big issue to Haimi hok As and Kevin Love coming back
to SOCOW when they both played at UCLA could be problematic. Most of them
are gonna get up for this game, I'm sure. I just yeah,
it's hard to get a read on this Miami Heat team right now. You
look at their numbers overall the advanced stuff, and how they've been so far
this season. It's a kind of better defense than offense. But yeah,
they're not great at either. They've been recently. I think I was looking
at the last ten games now and offensively their fourteenth, defensively their eighth.
But how many of those games do they have to be? Butler guys have
been in and out of the lineup. It's just a really hard team to
measure yourself against because you don't know exactly what you're gonna get. I guess
what you're gonna get is a team that plays hard because a Heat culture.
Baby, I mean that we like these teams aren't that similar, like record
wise, I think you know, you just expect the Heat to leap to
be a little bit more dominant in the East. I think they're We're like
nineteen and twelve and they're nineteen and thirteen, so it's probably better than where
they were last year at this time. They had to sneak in through the
play in and make it all the way to the NBA Finals. You know
that Jimmy Butler doesn't take the regular season this seriously. Playoff Butler's are real
things. So I don't know, but they are talented. Yeah, the
Clippers, let's talk to the Clippers now. James Harden has been He's played
forty minutes in two games last week, something that the Clippers very much needed.
Twenty he's averaging twenty six and nine without Kawhi. I think he has
another chance to really make a huge difference in this game against the Heat if
he can maybe keep the scoring going throughout the whole game. I think that
just gives them something actually got to think about. In addition to is,
like Will said, passing people open. Yeah, that was a great point
too. I think that's really helped to beat to zubots. I can't remember
if it was the game against Charlotte, or right before that where he threw
that pass to a Vitza Zubots who's underneath the basket and the defender was just
kind of a step behind him and like you said, just threw him open.
It's a beautiful thing to watch. And I know we've been joking how
well it's really surprising that the best assist, the assist leader last season is
a really good passer, But I think it is still somewhat of a revelation
for something it's also new for us, like this is it, you know
what I mean. It's not new necessarily in terms of James Harden, but
for fans watching the Clippers in the two and three era, this is the
one type of point guard that I feel like we haven't really gotten the chance
to try, and namely because that name hasn't really been out there has been
attainable for the Clippers. But it's been a joy to watch now that it's
like now that you're working. Yeah, yeah, that's true. I mean
the closest thought. Yeah, I mean it's that's a really good point.
Actually, this is truly the best point guard bar none of the two one
three era. It just adds another element to this offense that, like you
know, has had its ebbs and flows, and I do think, you
know, prior to the James Harden arrival could get really gummed up, but
also could be pretty damn efficient. But to have like just such another look,
you know, the results are already pretty clear, but I just don't
know how it could be anything but positive for the Clippers on the offensive end.
There was this other thought during this two to three era that they don't
need that point guard because the ball is gonna be in Kawhi's hands and Paul
George's hands so often. I bought it. I bought it. Yeah,
sure, I'm right there with you. It's just now when you see it
a guy at this level and the statement of oh, he makes everyone around
him better, which a lot of people wouldn't even attribute to James Harden at
times because they thought he was just an ISO dribbler out there. But that
statement or that that little generic saying, it's not a throwaway. It's a
real thing when you see it out there on the court, and it affects
both ends of the basketball because they can conserve more energy on defense. Kawhi
is playing better defense this season because of that guarding the best player late and
fourth quarters, because he has said postgame he has less on his play offensively,
He's just more easily getting to his spots. And it helps when he
has made that adjustment. Ever since the game up in Sacktown, where he
started just moving much, he started moving quicker, he started making quicker decisions
out there. He wasn't waiting for the double team, and so he's playing
a little bit differently. He's playing some of his best basketball. But I
don't think it's a coincidence that is happening with James Harden. The fit was
perfect. He's unlocking the best version of two to one three, I think.
Even though Paul George has been in a little bit of a slump lately
and picked it up in the second half against Memphis, Oh yes he did.
God, I hope that carries over. I just you can see the
ceiling being highs er higher, and the floor being higher in the regular season,
and those two things work together in tandem because if you're winning more games
with the regular season and your floor is higher there because they're four and two
now when they're missing either Paul George or Kawhi Leonard, so far. That
means you get a better seed, which raises your ceiling. It's not just
about what he can do for them in the regular season. What happens here
can affect your standing come the playoffs and hopefully even in a month like March
where it's gonna be brutal with seventeen games. James Harden and that effect of
him having the basketball in his hands making life easier on Kawhi and Paul George
means they'll be fresher throughout that month, you know. So there's just so
many different ways he affects this team. And by the way, he's shooting
over forty percent from the outside, he's putting up ridiculous to the efficient numbers.
The burst just seems to be better and better. That play on Desmond
Bane in the first half where he took him off the dribble, crossed him
over, got the an one, missed the free throw. But just guys
are having trouble saying in front of him. Now, shustiness is there,
the shifting, it's getting back and the other thing, Harden and Russ sharing
the floor together has gotten better over the last four games without Kawhi, Hardening,
Russ are averaging sixteen minutes per game together. They're plus two point one
three when when they're sharing the court together, which is coincidences, weird,
it's not, it's not lighting the world on fire, obviously, but any
two man lineup above them with a better plus minus in the sample size has
averaged less than ten minutes per game together. So like for an actual two
man lineup that's been out there, it's been better. I'm not saying it's
been great, but Tyleru has done a good job of picking when to play
those two guys together, and it's most likely because Harden has been better.
But I'm happy to see it not be as horrific as it was. Well,
yeah, are the Harden? Are the Harden? In Westbrook minutes?
Tylo's like Pepe, Sylvia if you if you remember the inside, it's always
sunny, absolutely fine, specific thing. I'm trying to figure it out.
That's yeah, that's like, that's Tylo's Westbrook hardened minutes. Yeah. I
was looking this up earlier because Justin Russeau asked coach today of practice, like
how you say one second? I love how you say Rousseau, I say
Russo, But Rousseau is so much so much more. That's classy as hell.
It's French, but I think it's like a talent or Sicilian. His
last name russo No used to always give me that it's Rousseau. Okay,
this is the Gray Pupon version of Justin Versutell. But he asked Coach Lou
specifically about the three guard lineup with Norm Russ and James Harden and so I
pulled uh the data since December first, what those three have done on the
court in one hundred and four minutes they played in eleven games that lineup has
been out there. The Clippers are shooting fifty three percent from the field,
thirty eight percent from three. They are a plus twenty six and there one
hundred and four minutes they have a plus fourteen net rating as well. So
good. When you typically think of three guard lineups, you think of Payne
Hell Clippers. Yeah, since December first, they kind of found something there
with those three, and Coach Lou credited Daniel Highest being out there with them
a lot and just having kind of a big who's a little bit more switchable
and Mason plumbliness. I was just gonna say, we haven't even talked about
that reminded me Mason Plumley's practicing. You play the game YouTube comment first,
wish you would open with the plumb Do not want him back either? Will
Man? Uh? Yeah, No, Mason Plumbley's practicing, which is great.
Can't imagine he's playing in this game against the heat, but it's awesome
to see. Do we think Terrence Man is gonna bounce back in this game?
He's four for his last twenty four shots shots not just three shots in
general, he's missed in a row. He's missed his last thirteenth threes.
Love parents Man that we're not laughing at Arran, but like it's just this
is it's almost comical how bad the slump has been. Yes, and we
know he's much better than this. Yes, the two that he made we're
worth it or the four whatever it was. No, he got in transitioned
some the end of half layup, he made off a great feed from so
Westbrook who was kind of just watching the clock melt down, and then at
the very end he gave it up to Terrence Man and he got it in
and then the transition bucket where it was I think a one on two in
the third quarter was impressive from Terrence Man. So some little things here and
there, but the three balls still not falling. I was watching him pregame.
I put the video up at follow out of May. He's in the
far side corner. One of the scouts are one of their trainers. He
was putting a hand in his face and Terrence Man knocked down, you know,
two in a row, and I put that up on Twitter. In
the first quarter, he had a couple of those shots from that very spot,
and Jarreon Jackson Junior completely sagged off of him. This was the first
time I really saw a team scheme for the fact that Terrence Man, we're
gonna see it against the heat's gonna sag off him too. But that same
exact shot, more wide open, didn't have anybody with a hand in his
face, and he missed it, and you could just see it's all in
his head right now. It's so plain and obvious, and it's just it's
just been brutal. Man. Give him one game, please, basketball guys,
where he just sees a couple go from the outside. I think that
might be all it takes. New Year, new Man, right, January
first, Troy twenty four, you just bought a new car. He's feeling
hyped up. He's gonna be he's gonna be shooting the dam of lights out.
So let's let's get in. Because I was gonna buy you guys cars,
but the way you've been slandering, we're gonna Your's Day's sale. Okay,
dealership, So we're gonna do it. Now, Let's talk players of
the game and then we do. We did do a poll on Twitter about
if people are gonna buy cars tomorrow. Well, who is your this?
Who is your player of the game pick for Clippers versus Heat New Year's Day
twenty twenty four. It's the same player that I gave last time, j
Tucker when we did this. We're gonna change him. It was James Harden.
Okay, I mean playing great because he's being hit this of the heat.
Oh yeah, that's a good call. I might change it. A
lot is happened to the culture system culture. Who did I pick? Oh
yeah, I picked a mirror because Kawhi won't play. If he doesn't play,
you shouldn't have picked him. Because I got Kawhi playing. I'm sticking
with it. I'm not backing off it. Now. My backup to a
mirror. I'm putting it down. I'm saying new Year, New man,
Tarrence Man will make one three pointer? Will he gets a backup? Maybe
even two? No, let's say man, let's take what we can get
bro one. He will make one three pointer? So Adam, We did
a poll on Twitter. We asked we prefaced it. I don't know if
you voted in this. I can't believe you didn't see it. We asked
for the real listeners, will you be buying a car on New Year's Day?
Surprisingly, ten percent said yes. Now that's up to twelve point two
percent. Now I would, which I would? Wow? Small sample side
fifties six percent said no. Thirty three percent said what excuse me? So
I don't know if it's gonna happen. So are you saying you myth busted?
I don't know if I myth busted you. I just I just I'm
exploring this topic because I don't know if people buy cars on New Year's Day.
I genuinely it seems like it maybe makes sense. Everything must go out
with the old models with the new. Don't you bringing in like the twenty
twenty four models in like November? Though? Listen, I only buy three
years out, so I don't even know what is really out, you know,
this year or the next year, the next year. So yeah,
you guys aren't gear heads like me buying a new car every new year,
new car every new year. All right, we should uh just buy it
and stare at and go. I got my car on New Year's Day.
Check it out. You've seen this car by the New Year's day. New
Year's Day is special. Always easy to tell when your car's birthday is if
you buy it on January first. All right, Coming up, we're talking
Clippers twenty twenty four predictions, schedule stuff. Who the Clippers MVP of twenty
twenty three was, who the bounce back player might be in twenty twenty four.
The ads have been allowed for some people. If that's been your case,
go ahead and turn it down. We have ads coming up, and
then twenty twenty four Clippers talk in three to one car ads. Welcome back
in to clips and Dip. We're talking twenty twenty four season predictions. We
already talked a little bit about the biggest injury news which we're looking forward to
in twenty twenty four, which is possible returns for Kawhi Leonard, as well
as Mason Plumbley Charles. Where are we at here in our twenty twenty four
predictions? What are you seeing on the horizon? So I was thinking about
wind streaks. Rights had a fantastic one. The Clippers have the seventh hardest
strength of schedule based on the winning percentage of the teams we have left.
Where are you at for that? Because I'm on take Athon it says ninth.
Oh really maybe it is. I mean it can shift over it happens
yesterday. I swea they were sixteenth a couple of days ago, and now
it's night. Yeah, okay, so it must have switched either way.
One of the things I noticed in this is that they put the Grizzlies in
the easiest opponents category, which I because it's based off winning percentage. Yeah,
that's not accurate to me. I would not put them in an easier
category. Maybe they suck stink. Let's say they get past the Heat,
they make it three wins in a row, then they go to Phoenix and
New Orleans and then at the Lakers. To me, this feels like their
best shot out of solid wins out a win streak in twenty twenty four the
schedule. This upcoming like four or three games, So four games, so
you got the heat and then Phoenix, New Orleans Lakers. You're saying this
is the best it's gonna get looking at their schedule. I think it's their
best shot at a winning streak, is what I'm saying. I don't think
they'll be playing their best, but I think it's winning streak wise, not
crazy. So you don't think seventeen and zero in March is a possibility.
I'll tell you what. I have my quite literally my life savings on them
going seventeen and oh in March, so I really hope it happens. But
invest in a new car tomorrow instead. Gate But like where we hey,
we can screen share the schedule. I know a lot of reviews have recently
said they missed that. We haven't done that in the last couple episodes.
But they just have a brutal road trip. We know about March, like
it's not the easiest road for the Clippers in twenty twenty four. I see
an opening, and it happens near the end of March. Let's talk about
it. I see Atlanta at home, I see two games in Portland,
but there's a day in between. I see Philly at home, I see
Indiana at home? Why don't you? Why aren't you screen sharing? You
too much? That at me? I can't visualize you. What are we
talking about here? Is that good? You think Philly at home? You
like the clips in Philly at Home? A little hard and revenge? Okay?
I like that idea because then we also then just go play the seventy
six or somehow early player of the game. That's when I'm calling it already.
Okay, I like it. Does Harden get a VID because of the
way things end to do not get a VID? Well, that is what's
interesting. They're very u two games later, Yeah, yeah, as they
the twenty seventh, after they take him on at home the twenty fourth.
I don't think he's getting a VID. He's getting avid. What if it
just trolls him? What if it's a mean VID? Brotherly love, guys.
Nobody's nicer than the city of Philadelphia. So I like that. I
like that. I that schedule idea. I think he might be right there.
That would be great to close out that month with some wins in a
row. Wish I knew what you guys were talking about. Can't visualize it,
so I gave a link in the breakdown to the schedule that's not working
for you. It's not on the screen vis a brand new Ford tempo.
So there was a cool quote from Tylo. La Murray asked him about where
he grew the most this year and he said being patient was a big thing
and learning how to keep joy amongst the team. Shockingly, he said the
joy comes from winning, so that that was a nice surprise. But I
thought the patient word was a good call because it was a rough start to
the year for the Clippers. We didn't know if we're gonna get James Harden.
There's a couple of lineup changes, Like he's had to have been very
patient and he's been pulling the strings well lately. Yeah, man, he
blew an opportunity to say, like the funniest thing an impressor ever? What
and insert whatever you want? Man? All right, Adam, how did
you get your own? What does that even mean? Adam? How'd you
feel about ty in twenty twenty three? Obviously, the first three months of
twenty twenty three was a lot of Marcus Morris and that was an interesting situation
going on. Still wasn't playing Roco Terrence Man got in the starting lineup and
then was demoted right after they were ten and four. But I've argued before
that that record was a little bit inflated. You look into the details of
some of those games they almost blew and the Nick Batum game where he beat
the team with his namesake in the Knicks with that three pointer. The joke
was from will in all times he had to hit that shot. He was
playing the Knicks, Nick Batoum. I think overall it was positive because in
the playoffs they still looked very competitive. I know they lost in five games,
but they played hard without Paul George, without Kawhi Leonard. Those last
three game five, they're down by twenty plus they made a run at the
end to come back. I still think he's the guy that can kind of
put the formula together with this roster and make it all work and give them
a chance to reach their highest ceiling and win in the playoffs at the highest
level in a seven game series. I feel very comfortable with coach Lou pushing
the buttons in a seven game series. So he's proven it multiple times.
So whatever you want to say about the regular season, and it's been different
so far this year. Yeah, certainly, sure, Yeah, I roll
with coach Lou. I have confidence. Will a resounding vote of quite literal
vote of confidence from Adam. How do you feel about coach Lou? Were
you you were never on the fire coach Lee train or were you? No?
No? I mean like I I could never be fully on the fire
coach Lou train, just because what's the alternative? Like, I'm just I
don't see, like, I don't see a better option out there. So
I think that there were Look, I think any team with especially that makes
a big trade and gives up a first rounder and already has so much money
invested into this team, goes on a losing streak, I think that there
should probably be some pressure or at least some questions internally. But no,
TYLERU is the best option out there. I think that he has really figured
things out this season, and I think that he's been able to sort of
get out of his own way. I think that maybe he does still remain
dedicated to some some questionable principles, but if it's working, I can't really
question it. That's fair. You want you want the questionable principles to stay
in twenty twenty three, is what you're saying. Yeah, all right,
I think that's fair. How do you go with questionable principles for the fact?
All right, So who was the Clippers MVP in twenty twenty three?
I think this is pretty obvious, Adam, who's your pick other than because
it's Kawhi? Right, it's just one hundred percent? Uh yeah, wise
if we just take his numbers from twenty twenty three, because it was from
January seventh on into the first two games of the playoffs against the Phoenix Suns
where he was at fifty three forty seven ninety splits, and then last eleven
games we've seen him this season, he's been at sixty two percent from the
field, fifty two percent from the outside. If you just take his numbers
from twenty twenty three, in the fifty five games or whatever it's been that
he has played, you're looking at an all time year, an all time
run, one of the best ever. So yeah, hard to argue with
that. I'm not even gonna joke about Morgas Moores or PJ. Toker say
something like that, because it's insulting. It feels pointed at will Well,
who would you pick other than Kawi Lennon or is Kawhi Leonard not your pick?
I mean, we we've already kind of talked about him. But I
do think that James Harden it does bring saying something really really interesting to this
team. And I you know, I'm not I'm not saying that he has
the ceiling of either one of Kawhi Leonard or Paul George. Certainly, their
two way ability and their size gives them a huge advantage, I think,
especially in the playoffs. But this new look, I think really has the
potential to just like just raise the offensive ceiling to higher than I guess I
thought that it could be. You know, I kind of thought that we
had seen the apex really of like what this offense was and what it could
do. And seeing a new look, to me, it's just really shaking
things up. I do think that, you know, obviously we have to
have the like the if healthy caveat, but like if we continue, like
let's say they didn't improve at all from where they are right now, If
this team didn't improve at all from where they are December thirty first, twenty
twenty three, and the playoffs started tomorrow, I would feel pret he damn
good to be you'd get a skip march in those seventeen games. Fucking hey,
yeah, sign me up, dude, Like you know, so if
even if we didn't see any further progress, I would feel pretty damn good
about where the Clippers are. And I couldn't say that coming into the season.
I couldn't say that, you know, through through a lot of different
points. So I you know, Kawhi is the obvious answer. But if
you can't say Kawhi, I think that James Harden is really interesting and does
bring such an interesting facet to this team that I didn't even think was necessarily
something that they needed, but clearly they did, and clearly they are all
the better for it. Yeah, it feels like, in my opinion right
now, he is saving this era James Harden the two He's been that good,
that important, and that perfect of a fit. I mean, I
if it happens like it's constructed, it's total I think it makes total sense
to consider this as James Harden saving the It doesn't there's not a lot of
years left in it. It's not a bad thing, but it doesn't mean
they're going to win it at all. You have to have luck. There's
a lot of stuff outside of your control, but you have to feel like
the entire error is a little bit rejuvenated now, Like there's just this shot
in the arm. What Will's talking about with their offense and they haven't peaked
yet and you will already feel good about it. That's special. That's something.
When they were zero to five to start things off with James Harden,
I'm sure nobody could foresee happening, and the turnarounds pretty quick, sixty to
five their last twenty one games. Is anybody better than that over the last
twenty one games? If they are, it's maybe Philly, Boston, Maybe
Boston, Boston. They haven't lost at home still, so maybe the Detroit
Yeah maybe possibly? So who will the Clippers MVP of twenty twenty four me?
Do you think Will? Who's your pick? Is it still Harden?
Is this going to repeat? Uh? No, It'll be Quhi right,
that's all. Yeah, this one's easy. Let's talk M I P.
And it's Big Zoo, Baby, Big Zoo twenty twenty three, twenty twenty
four most improved. I think that's totally fair. I think'ccurate. Adam Carl
Tart we got to talk about something. Bring in Carl Tart right now.
I want him patch a man. No, Zoo has been better because James
Harden has been so great, and I think Zoo deserves more credit. He's
also good. He's got to be the most improved player, though, Like
Zoo is actually hitting the level that I feel like for the last three we've
been like, this guy has the potential. He's got the potential. Double
guy, double guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know who the
least improved is, which is a shame. It's Terrence Man. PJ.
Tuckery, Well sure, but it's Terrence Man. Terrence Man needs to be
Terrence Man needs to be the comeback player of the Year for the Clippers next
year. Literally, like this kid notot I don't think keep happening. Is
Terrence Man washed? No, he's Not's not what I'm saying at all.
But he's not looking good right now, which is shitty for him. Here's
the good news. I don't want this to happen. And I have pushed
back against people on Twitter about this just a week and a half two weeks
ago, saying, hey, you could just start a mire coffee. Now.
I don't think that's going to help Terrence Man pull himself out. Yeah,
tailspin confidence wise, going to the bench may hurt him, or you
never know, maybe he feels more comfortable there, he rebuilds his confidence,
there's less pressure. I don't know. It doesn't seem like it seems counterintuitive
to bring a guy off the bench after he earned the starting job and finally
got it and now he is playing or shooting at least the worst he has
in his career over this long of a stint. But if you have to,
if he doesn't fix this in the next couple of weeks, and maybe
not even that long, because the games get tougher right now. I think
they got Phoenix twice coming up, they got the Lakers, they got the
Pelicans. A mere coffee break glass in case of emergency, He's gonna fill
in admirably and just blend in easily with this team. He's done it,
He's been doing it. I did not say bench Tarrors. I think I
got the gist. Yeah, that's what every every comment on YouTube. I
got the gist on Thursday. Yeah, I think a mere potential breakout of
the twenty twenty four for the clips. I also because the easy answer would
be why not just start Powell. Well, he doesn't provide the defense that
Terrence Man does to take it off the George A mirror checks a lot of
those boxes of stuff that Terrence Man does. Yeah, very true, that
is true. Any shooting is that going to fly? I don't know what
award. I didn't know what award to give this player, but I thought
Russ has been great. Russ has been good in his role off the bench.
He's been hyping the team up. He's very excited when James Harden was
having that fourth quarter I think it was third quarter. But you're in for
twenty four, not MIAMIP for twenty four. I would say he is the
twenty twenty four Achievement Award, whatever award you give to someone for being a
great teammate and being there, but not an actual like am IP or anything
like that. He's been great and is off the Benchroll thinks should being a
good guy award. What the fun? He's been playing good too, that
fourth quarter against Memphis, those three turnovers. But here's here's what I like
about part of the whole shitty experience with Russ, partially because he's been the
good has been good. He's erratic, there's good and bad, but overall,
coming off the bench, he's been good. It makes sense for the
type of player he has been for a while, with the energy he brings.
To have a guy like that coming off the bench to get this jolt
of energy out there. I think it works and fits his game. It's
been good to see and he's taking He's taking a lot personally when he's out
there, like he knows he has to be that leader. But defensively he's
been really good. He wanted everyone to know that recently about a week and
a half ago, saying I don't think his first team All defense, but
hey, if that motivates him, I'm all for it. Well, guys,
I haven't checked the recent percentages, but when he said that, players
were shooting just forty percent against him on the year, so that was a
pretty decent sample size. That was like twenty five maybe even thirty percent of
the way through the season. When he said it, Uh, he got
nothing. It's not nothing. I'm not saying he's been bad defensively, but
I just don't think he's first team All defense. No, you're right,
Zoo, he's not getting enough minutes to be considered that guy. Either that's
gonna go to the starters, you will not be another center's already kind of
got it locked up. Zoo Oh wait, one thing I want to talk
about. Here's who I hope has a bounce back here in twenty twenty four,
but I don't think it will happen. Clippers marketing. Did anyone have
any idea that it was Croatian night the other night? We have a starting
Croatian on our team who's having the best basketball of his nothing the sick T
shirt design, I'm knocking things over. Well, t shirt design is really
good, though they got that right. I liked it. I liked the
design quite a bit. Did the crowats out there? It'll be fun like,
Hey, actually, why don't we give one of those T shirts away
to the best comment in the YouTube section for this episode because I do not
have one. I have one? Oh, what's eze? It's like an
XCEL. I think that's what they gave away. I'm dimsing the T shirt.
Let me see if I can find it. No, you don't get
it, Yeah, let's do a Well, Adam's gonna go look through his
house. I've actually never seen Adam's house. So these brick walls, there
could be anything behind that camera. It could he could be outside right now,
yeah, flip that flip that thing around on? All right, what
do we got? What do we we get? We're saying best comment gets
this T shirt. That's such a sick T shirt. That's what I'm saying.
Promote this design is great. I think the design. If you want
to Okay, if you want to see the design, check out Clippers YouTube
dot com slash at Clippers Podcast. We're gonna be giving this T shirt to
the best comment. Adam. You see there's these blocks here because he broke
the paint. He broke it. Yeah, good stuff. He ripped the
net looks a little ripped too. Yeah, it's nasty. It's got a
silhouette in the background. Don't get your don't put your face all over it
too much. We do have to give this to a fan. It's worth
even more. Now give it a little kiss. Yeah, don't give a
best comment in the YouTube section for this episode at Clippers podcast. There we
go. We love that. Why is he? Who do you have so
many zippers? I don't know blades? I didn't. I bought it online
and I didn't see what it was really working with. Here is supposed to
be some type of fashion statement, but actually they're fake ass. It's like
it ripped Abercarmie, pre ripped Abercarmie and Fitch hat nothing. You can't even
put anything. There's no pocket. That's like zipper put on women's pants.
This is horrible. Yeah, all right, let's maybe best comment. Also
gets to buy Adam a shirt with pockets. Twenty twenty four. Adam gets
a shirt with pockets. Let me tell you, I do not have deep
pockets. They're right here, guys, and their surface levels. That about
wraps everything up. Next episode Tuesday or Thursday, depending what you know,
everyone's feeling the Clippers play. We are gonna have some double dips though,
But you know what I realized, guys, some people who are new to
the show might not know what a double dip is. Adam, what is
the double dip? If you don't know what a double dip is, that
makes you a dip? Okay, it's I do a Clippers postgame show after
every game on the radio for a five seventy and these guys come on and
join me pretty consistently. Chuck's been on a little too much lately, but
they've been Oh okay, I've heard. I just Will said it was in
his contract that he only comes on after wins, and the Clippers have won
two straight and he hasn't been on the post game show. So when they
come on, we call it a Clips and double Dip segment. We play
our intro song for Clips and Dip, the Nipsey Hustle Last time of that
check song. So it's a lot of fun. It's a lot of fun.
Apparently we'res it on the YouTube to copyright things. Sure of course,
yeah, we apologize for that. We're apparently doing end of your reviews,
so we got to get to those. We're gonna let you find people.
Go Will, where can these people find this podcast visually or auditorially? So
you can check out the audio from this podcast anywhere you get your podcasts if
you feel so inclined it, if you could leave us a review over on
Apple Podcasts or now on Spotify, you can rate and review over there.
It really help us out. If you want to get the full essence the
Jada viv of this show, the Tar, you really should be watching it
over on YouTube. That's YouTube dot com. Slash at Clippers Podcast. If
you haven't already, please subscribe, leave the comment, let us know you're
there. It'd really help us out. And you can chop it us up
with us anytime over on Twitter. That's at Clippers Pod. I believe Adam,
you look like you have something you want to say. No, I
just wondering if you're gonna come to me or not. I would say,
where's the pot. Let's get a little positivity to close the year. You
started off a little solemn to start the episode, but let's get some positive
words and this this you're right the bronze foot was on the line, guys
that No, we're not all right. Guys, here's the real thing.
Tomorrow meet me at the Hyundai on thirty eighth. Sure up Glendale. Uh
kawhi. Leonard could be back tomorrow. If he's not back tomorrow, I
expect him back on this road. You know. I have no inside information
on that, but just giving the fact he was practicing fully today, that
has to be big for this team. He wants to get back out there.
He played twenty seven straight then missed the last four and they went to
and two. So James Harden effect. That does not happen without him.
Things are coming together for this ball club, so a lot of things to
be positive about hanging into twenty twenty four with this Clippers team. There we
go. He's feeling good. Will's feeling good. I'm feeling great. We're
gonna be back. We're gonna be back with y'all early or maybe late in
the week, but we'll have some double dips for you. We hope your
twenty twenty three is great. We hope your twenty twenty four is wonderful.
And as always, let's go clips.