1 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,839 Hey, what's going on, Clippers fans? It is the updyke one third 2 00:00:15,919 --> 00:00:21,239 today, only one half of the hosting trio today duo over at Clips and 3 00:00:21,519 --> 00:00:25,359 Dip. Our friend Charles cannot make it, but I'm here with Adam Oslin. 4 00:00:25,559 --> 00:00:29,879 We're gonna be talking about James Harden's debut, but we liked what we 5 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:33,560 didn't like from that first game against the Knicks, which did result in an 6 00:00:33,719 --> 00:00:38,240 ugly road loss. We'll also talk about Mason Plumley and what his loss could 7 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:42,799 mean, and finally, we will preview the upcoming game against the Nets in 8 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:46,840 the Clippers New York double header. Adam, how's it going? How you 9 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:50,840 doing today? Man? I'm goodwill long time. I'm kidding. We talked 10 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:55,280 last night on Clips and Double Dip on Clippers talk as well, but more 11 00:00:55,359 --> 00:00:59,079 to dig into and get more in depth on from the first game with James 12 00:00:59,159 --> 00:01:03,599 Harden. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, So let's start right there if you 13 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:10,400 somehow missed it. The Clippers dropped a road game to the Knicks ninety seven 14 00:01:10,439 --> 00:01:15,159 to one eleven in that one. Let's start out with some things that we 15 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:19,920 did like from this one. I know this was a loss that it seems 16 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:23,560 like correct me if I'm wrong here. The fan base took pretty hard. 17 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:30,319 Yeah, there wasn't much overreaction on Clippers Talk, but on Twitter on x 18 00:01:30,599 --> 00:01:37,200 it got borderline toxic with somewhat of an overreaction and maybe confirmation bias for some 19 00:01:37,239 --> 00:01:40,840 of the people who just didn't want James Harden to begin with, so therefore 20 00:01:40,879 --> 00:01:42,519 they lose a ball game. See, I was right, I told you, 21 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:48,200 And let's have some perspective. They started zero to five with Russell Westbrook 22 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:53,959 last season, but overall, I think it's worked five hundred team with Russell 23 00:01:53,000 --> 00:02:00,120 Westbrook. Yeah, well, records are pretty devoid of context and not having 24 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:07,319 a I've heard I heard that sports cliche, and it is called a cliche 25 00:02:07,439 --> 00:02:10,120 for a reason. I think there's more to it than that. For instance, 26 00:02:10,199 --> 00:02:14,560 the teams they start off against not having a Beata Zoo boss with Russell 27 00:02:14,599 --> 00:02:20,159 Westbrook and having some really close losses where I don't think it was Russell Westbrook's 28 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,039 game. We're on Denver, We're somehow on RUSS. I brought up the 29 00:02:23,199 --> 00:02:27,319 I brought up some of the negative opinions here in Clipper Nation. Let's bring 30 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,759 it back to what we liked in this game. Clippers vers next, Sure, 31 00:02:31,039 --> 00:02:35,639 I take me down that road. Receipts Adam is coming. I know 32 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:43,520 you are, I know you are, and down the thunder focus. Okay, 33 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:46,879 so record be damned. The Clippers, yes, are oh and one 34 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:52,039 with James Harden. I think there's more to it than that, because James 35 00:02:52,039 --> 00:02:55,439 Harden actually played pretty darn well last night in his thirty one minutes. It 36 00:02:55,520 --> 00:03:00,439 was interesting to see that, you know he was gonna be on a minute 37 00:03:00,479 --> 00:03:05,000 restriction. It sounded like they were talking about postgame, James Harden mentioned this 38 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:08,319 whether he was gonna play twenty eight or thirty four. They somewhat landed in 39 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:13,039 the middle, of course, because the game got out of hand in that 40 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,960 fourth quarter. He wasn't asked to play longer, which according to James Harden 41 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:22,639 postgame, he likely would have. But I thought, for the most part, 42 00:03:22,759 --> 00:03:24,759 is out of sink. As they looked offensively for a guy who hadn't 43 00:03:24,759 --> 00:03:30,360 played since last May in a professional basketball game, he looked alright. The 44 00:03:30,479 --> 00:03:35,919 rhythm and timing, six assists, just two turnovers, Harden ball, the 45 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,039 system, whatever you want to call it, was working, and he didn't 46 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:43,520 take a shot in that first quarter, and I thought easing his way in 47 00:03:43,759 --> 00:03:46,759 trying to get others involved, a couple of nice passes to a beat to 48 00:03:46,879 --> 00:03:51,840 Zubots. He wasn't trying to do too much or play outside of himself and 49 00:03:51,879 --> 00:03:53,919 say hey, I'm here. He waited till the second quarter and then had 50 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:58,479 nine quick points and got to his spots, and there was good quickness there. 51 00:03:58,879 --> 00:04:02,319 I thought, hearing from him game criticized his own game and a couple 52 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:06,840 of defensive possessions where he didn't close out well on shooters. He called himself 53 00:04:06,879 --> 00:04:10,719 out for that. That was good to see because I thought he had some 54 00:04:10,759 --> 00:04:14,599 really good possessions on the defensive end. If you guys read Lom Murray of 55 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:19,920 The Athletic earlier today, he did point out and highlight all the different facets 56 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:25,040 of James Harden in game one, what he did offensively on off ball, 57 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:29,720 defensively, had some nice video breakdowns, and there was some good defense played. 58 00:04:29,759 --> 00:04:32,959 On that first possession he did up Jalen Brunson and forced him into a 59 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,920 tough step back jumper when it looked like he was lost at first, and 60 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:41,120 then recovered defensively. So I think there were some positives and maybe we were 61 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,199 overly optimistic. I think we all thought, Okay, they're gonna win this 62 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:46,360 game against the Knicks. I know, you and I specifically warned that, 63 00:04:46,439 --> 00:04:50,240 hey, this is a tough team and their style of play, the way 64 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:54,560 they muck up and muddy up the game because they're so good defensively and on 65 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:58,079 the glass, that could be a tough one to find a rhythm against with 66 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:00,639 James Harden in the first outing was it turned out to be that way, 67 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:04,399 but again it was tied going into the fourth quarter. So Will how'd you 68 00:05:04,439 --> 00:05:10,079 feel about it? You know, I felt good. I feel like, 69 00:05:10,399 --> 00:05:12,879 you know, we all kind of penciled in a win when we did our 70 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,959 game prediction on this, and I do feel like that was a little premature. 71 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:18,600 I feel like we were maybe playing to the next record a little bit 72 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:23,720 more than what we know this team is under Jalen Brunson and Tom Thibodeau as 73 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:25,839 we've seen it. You know, we did talk about how it could be 74 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:30,160 a tough matchup. Some of those front court sized difficulties reared their head a 75 00:05:30,199 --> 00:05:34,959 little bit more than I thought they were going to, and I, you 76 00:05:34,959 --> 00:05:39,639 know, I thought defensively, we really struggled to get stops in this one, 77 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:43,800 which you know, which is the classic Clippers thing of like slow offense 78 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:47,120 to start not getting stops, it's not really good. And then when you 79 00:05:47,199 --> 00:05:50,680 compound that with twenty two turnovers, there's just not really a way that you're 80 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:56,319 going to be able to pull out a road win in most NBA arenas that 81 00:05:56,360 --> 00:06:00,759 I can think of. However, I didn't think that. I mean, 82 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:05,160 obviously, Harden only had two turnovers, so he was responsible for less than 83 00:06:05,199 --> 00:06:10,480 ten percent of them, and I didn't think that his introduction into the lineup 84 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:15,399 really had much to do at all with that sort of disorganized or disaffected sort 85 00:06:15,439 --> 00:06:18,439 of approach from the Clippers. I don't know if it was their first it's 86 00:06:18,439 --> 00:06:21,560 because it was the first East Coast road trip. I don't really know what 87 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:29,560 contributed to that. Maybe there was just residual excitement or fallout of the team 88 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:33,560 changing in terms of how many guys are now out of the rotation, not 89 00:06:33,639 --> 00:06:36,879 even counting the injuries to Plumbley, who I think maybe this game looks a 90 00:06:36,879 --> 00:06:40,959 little bit different if we would have had him in that second half. Obviously 91 00:06:40,959 --> 00:06:44,720 not having Terrence Man, I'm glad that you brought up James Harden on the 92 00:06:44,759 --> 00:06:47,439 defensive end because I feel like that's gotten to be one of those really sort 93 00:06:47,439 --> 00:06:50,800 of cliched talking points about how he can't play defense, he can't do this, 94 00:06:50,879 --> 00:06:55,240 he can't do that. We know him to be very good at deflections, 95 00:06:55,279 --> 00:07:00,560 having active hands. He can be used as a post defender pretty effectively. 96 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:03,480 He is very stout. He can use that size and stability. I 97 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:10,040 think it's just gonna be a matter of tailoring to his strong suits in order 98 00:07:10,079 --> 00:07:14,240 to make that unit as good as it can be defensively, which we haven't 99 00:07:14,279 --> 00:07:17,480 talked about this in a minute, but since the addition of James Harden, 100 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:25,519 you expected the Clippers to finish top five defensively. Is that still attainable and 101 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:29,839 if so, what do you think is the path towards that. Well, 102 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:32,399 first we're gonna have to see what happens with Mason plumb Lee. We're hoping 103 00:07:32,439 --> 00:07:36,519 for the best. I think best case scenario, judging by this type of 104 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:41,120 injury is what he's only out three weeks. That would be good news. 105 00:07:41,279 --> 00:07:44,920 I would sign up for that today, oh, any day. It looked 106 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:46,680 a little bit more serious than that, is why you can't see us on 107 00:07:46,759 --> 00:07:50,040 the video. But I'm grimacing. I'm big time grimacing. It looked a 108 00:07:50,079 --> 00:07:54,920 little bit more serious than the three week injury. Yeah, as I'm saying, 109 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:59,199 best case scenario is just a sprain or a low level sprain. But 110 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,959 if he's out for an extended period of time, it's gonna be difficult for 111 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:07,600 this team because we saw them start off last season without a true backup big 112 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:13,160 and we talked about last night. One of the areas that would really help 113 00:08:13,199 --> 00:08:16,920 boost their defense and help them, help get them into being a top five 114 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:22,319 defense is a Visa Zubats. The way he started off last season, they 115 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:26,040 were a top five defense despite not being very good on the perimeter. He 116 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:28,360 was just making up for everybody else's mistakes out there. He may have a 117 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:33,240 big opportunity coming up for extended minutes, and he played thirty plus last night, 118 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:35,559 but I didn't think he had a good ballgame. I think he finished 119 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:39,120 eight and seven, but five turnovers for Vita Zubats he led them in that 120 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:45,240 department and twenty two turnovers leading a thirty five points for the New York Knicks. 121 00:08:45,279 --> 00:08:50,360 That's almost impossible to overcome. And the difficult thing with that too, 122 00:08:50,519 --> 00:08:54,360 is it's not like the Knicks were perfect with the ball. They had nineteen 123 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:58,000 turnovers of their own. We just, you know, we didn't capitalize in 124 00:08:58,039 --> 00:09:01,480 the same way at the same level that they were able to. No. 125 00:09:01,879 --> 00:09:05,320 Thirty five points off twenty two turnovers is elite. I mean, you typically 126 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:09,519 want to point per turnover, and that's pretty good. Thirty five on twenty 127 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:13,440 two is unreal, and it speaks to the Clippers not being good enough in 128 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:18,080 transition. I think at least thirteen of those were live ball turnovers, so 129 00:09:18,159 --> 00:09:20,840 not just the ball going out of bounds and then you can set your defense. 130 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:26,600 But the knicks were coming the other way very quickly, and the Clippers 131 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:30,480 I think it was also wrong place, wrong time. Julius Randall was due. 132 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:33,919 He was shooting just twenty seven percent coming into the ballgame, and he 133 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:37,200 scores twenty seven points against the Clippers. RJ. Barrett was very good. 134 00:09:37,279 --> 00:09:41,879 We didn't know if he was gonna play. He had twenty six points out 135 00:09:41,919 --> 00:09:43,679 there. But in going back to the defense and can they still be a 136 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:50,600 top five defense with James Harden, I think it's gonna make things more difficult, 137 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:54,080 But I like the effort I saw last night to where it's still not 138 00:09:54,519 --> 00:09:58,360 impossible, it's still attainable, but guys got to lock in, and I 139 00:09:58,399 --> 00:10:01,360 think the formula so the recipe for them to be a top five defense now 140 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:05,360 is, oh, there's less on the plate of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard 141 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:09,480 and on podcast p Paul George talked about it recently, just yesterday and the 142 00:10:09,519 --> 00:10:13,039 new episode, saying, I can show off other parts of my game, 143 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:18,360 I can expend energy elsewhere because there's less asked of me offensively. They're their 144 00:10:18,399 --> 00:10:22,480 two best defenders, Kawhi and Paul George. Still, I think that gets 145 00:10:22,519 --> 00:10:26,679 lost sometimes because you look at how good they are offensively and how well they 146 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:30,000 had been playing coming into that game last night, and just how much is 147 00:10:30,039 --> 00:10:33,600 asked there. Well, now, I think when you're missing three forwards that 148 00:10:33,639 --> 00:10:37,759 were in the rotation the last couple of seasons, those are your two guys 149 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:43,559 that have to take up the defensive responsibility there lost from batom Roco and Marcus 150 00:10:43,639 --> 00:10:46,840 Morris. Yeah. No, absolutely, and they're better than those guys defensively. 151 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:50,559 It just depends on how much they're able to focus in on that end. 152 00:10:50,879 --> 00:10:54,720 Yeah, more versatile, more athletic. So the big thing that I 153 00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:00,480 liked from this game is I do feel we got glimpses, even though we 154 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,840 didn't get a win, of how much easier Harden can make things for some 155 00:11:03,879 --> 00:11:09,519 of the other guys. And I thought one person who really benefited in this 156 00:11:09,639 --> 00:11:16,840 game was Norman Powell, who had quietly had a fourteen point game where he 157 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:20,559 was incredibly efficient seventy one percent from the floor, sixty seven percent from three, 158 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:26,720 and that is like the over like, that's like the overall thing that 159 00:11:26,799 --> 00:11:31,200 I think that I'm most excited for offensively with hardiness just is not just like 160 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:35,960 what he can do. He is an incredible three level scorer, which we 161 00:11:35,039 --> 00:11:39,759 still saw on displaying this game, but just how he can open things up 162 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:43,240 for everyone else. Yeah, Norm going five to seven and four of his 163 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:48,840 five makes being three pointers. That was good to see. I think Norm 164 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:52,080 just needs to be a quicker decision maker out there. Either put it up, 165 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:56,759 be a catch and shoot three pointer, because they're not asking you to 166 00:11:56,840 --> 00:12:00,000 create, they're asking you to get the ball and go put up a three, 167 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:01,960 or attack the basket. Just be an analytics guy, you know, 168 00:12:03,039 --> 00:12:05,799 because when he's going right, he's really tough to stop. He's a great 169 00:12:05,879 --> 00:12:11,480 finisher that way, and he's obviously a very good three point shooter and can 170 00:12:11,519 --> 00:12:16,080 be elite on that end. I just want to see him be better defensively. 171 00:12:16,159 --> 00:12:18,360 I think we've seen it at times. There were some possessions where he 172 00:12:18,399 --> 00:12:24,240 definitely got lost yesterday, and some of that could just be new rotations in 173 00:12:24,279 --> 00:12:26,039 there, guys playing next to one another. There was that stint in the 174 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:31,360 second quarter I think where James Harden was out there and none of the other 175 00:12:31,399 --> 00:12:35,600 Big four were. It was James Harden and the backups, And in listening 176 00:12:35,879 --> 00:12:39,600 to the postgame conversations going on, it may have been because James Harden on 177 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:43,759 Friday got to scrimmage with the backups and Coach lou thought, okay, there's 178 00:12:43,759 --> 00:12:48,440 some continuity there. He was working very well with Mason Plumbley. I still 179 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:52,519 find it a little bit curious so far this season through six games that we've 180 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:56,440 yet to see Kawhi Leonard and Paul George staggered to the point where one of 181 00:12:56,440 --> 00:13:01,519 them is always on the floor, and even just seeing James Harden alone out 182 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:05,120 there was a little bit surprising. I would have thought at least two of 183 00:13:05,159 --> 00:13:07,840 the Big four now you can have on the floor at all times. But 184 00:13:09,519 --> 00:13:13,240 Coach low took some of the blame postgame not putting guys in a position to 185 00:13:13,279 --> 00:13:18,159 succeed. But he's I know people are going after him and saying, oh, 186 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:20,960 a new ten game sample size, more tinkering from tie. Well, 187 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,679 some of that's just baked in. You bring in James Harden, of course 188 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:28,679 that's going to happen. It kind of shifts everything around when it comes to 189 00:13:28,759 --> 00:13:35,639 rotations and lineups. So I don't think they have a ton of time to 190 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:41,679 experiment too much. I think we've talked about this going back to last season. 191 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:43,840 You've got to have a sense of urgency. And I know James Harden's 192 00:13:43,879 --> 00:13:46,240 there and there are things to figure out, but you still have to win 193 00:13:46,279 --> 00:13:50,120 ball games along the way. And I was encouraged by the fact that they 194 00:13:50,159 --> 00:13:52,480 were tied heading into the fourth. As bad as they had played, they 195 00:13:52,519 --> 00:13:56,120 were tied heading into the fourth, as bad as they were in the first 196 00:13:56,159 --> 00:14:00,399 quarter, they still won it because they're just so talented. I just want 197 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:03,039 to see that turn into wins along the way, so you can get victories 198 00:14:03,039 --> 00:14:07,360 while also learning and developing and progressing as a team. Now with a big 199 00:14:07,399 --> 00:14:11,840 four, yeah yeah, And I mean that brings us into things that we 200 00:14:11,919 --> 00:14:16,279 didn't like at that fourth quarter. I can't even remember. It was two 201 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:20,879 minutes into the quarter, I think before they got their first bucket. Another 202 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:24,399 I think it was like the seven. It was like five minutes into the 203 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:30,000 second or the fourth quarter when they got their second bucket. They were not 204 00:14:30,279 --> 00:14:35,559 able to get things going offensively despite the heart In addition, and I guess 205 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:39,120 I got to disagree with you a little bit about the figuring out and sample 206 00:14:39,159 --> 00:14:43,159 sized thing. I do agree that they need to have urgency. I think 207 00:14:43,159 --> 00:14:48,840 that it is concerning that this team that what is the number one thing that 208 00:14:48,879 --> 00:14:52,200 we've been talking about, I mean every year since they made a Western Conference 209 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:56,679 final, is what is this team's identity? What are they? Who are 210 00:14:56,679 --> 00:14:58,840 they? What are they going to be? Where are they going? And 211 00:14:58,879 --> 00:15:03,960 I feel like once again and we're reaching that point, like we kind of 212 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:07,200 had a clue as to what it was going to be coming into the season. 213 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:07,759 You know, this is going to be a team that works a lot 214 00:15:07,799 --> 00:15:13,360 harder. This is gonna be a team that's trying to go out and dominate 215 00:15:13,399 --> 00:15:16,879 teams on a nightly basis, and hopefully be a team that doesn't even have 216 00:15:16,919 --> 00:15:20,639 to play starters heavy minutes in the fourth quarter. And I'm not saying that 217 00:15:20,639 --> 00:15:26,360 that still can't be the situation or that still can't be what they're aiming to 218 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:31,399 achieve, but it does bring some It does beg some questions about what this 219 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:33,679 team is gonna be, which I think brings me to one of my larger 220 00:15:33,759 --> 00:15:41,240 dislikes, which is I don't really see I feel like I come down pretty 221 00:15:41,279 --> 00:15:46,000 hard on Westbrook sometimes in this podcast that I know that I am interpreted as 222 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:50,840 a hater, and that is fine, but I'm not really seeing I'm just 223 00:15:50,879 --> 00:15:56,679 not really seeing the vision of having both Harden and Westbrook in the starting lineup. 224 00:15:56,399 --> 00:16:00,159 I could see it situationally, perhaps in a close lineup, I just 225 00:16:00,279 --> 00:16:07,360 don't really get. I don't think that that is optimizing either guy and getting 226 00:16:07,399 --> 00:16:12,759 the best out of your two best players and George and Kawhi. I don't 227 00:16:12,759 --> 00:16:15,399 see it. And that's something that I dislike. And if that's something that 228 00:16:15,399 --> 00:16:19,840 we're gonna stick with for multiple games when we're right now a five hundred ball 229 00:16:19,879 --> 00:16:22,759 club and have a lot of things to figure out, I think that that's 230 00:16:22,799 --> 00:16:29,480 putting yourself behind the eight ball in a way that in terms of seating it 231 00:16:29,559 --> 00:16:32,360 might be too late, it might it just might be too late. With 232 00:16:32,519 --> 00:16:37,039 how our schedule is structured, it might be too late. I don't disagree 233 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:38,759 with that. I mean we talked about it when they brought in James. 234 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:42,840 What's the starting lineup going to be? And can they really play him with 235 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:48,799 Russell Westbrook? I see it as somewhat problematic. There's gonna be nights where 236 00:16:48,799 --> 00:16:52,720 it doesn't matter. They're so good offensively they can run teams off the floor. 237 00:16:52,159 --> 00:16:56,840 But I don't know if that's a long term solution where you can start 238 00:16:56,879 --> 00:17:00,919 those guys and always get off to your start. When you talk about optimizing 239 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:07,359 lineups, well, is James Harden playing off the ball? The best version 240 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:10,920 of James Harden? Is that? Why you bring someone in like that? 241 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:12,880 That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I know things are out 242 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:15,880 of Russ. He needs to be on the ball, but if he's gonna 243 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:22,000 be out there next to James Harden, I would rather get James Harden going 244 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:26,519 and run the offense through him than Russell Westbrook. I just think he's a 245 00:17:26,559 --> 00:17:30,200 better passer, he's a better shooter, he's a better decision maker. Overall. 246 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:33,039 That's not a slight to Russ. But we're talking about I think one 247 00:17:33,079 --> 00:17:37,759 of the great playmakers of all time in James Harden, especially in the picking 248 00:17:38,319 --> 00:17:42,839 assist leader, the raining assist leader. Yeah, and you're on a dirt 249 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:45,640 team, like, not on a bad team, a team that was very 250 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:52,000 much a team that was I mean a blown lead over an Eastern Conference final. 251 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:56,519 Yeah. I think he had the second highest usage percentage last season, 252 00:17:56,559 --> 00:18:03,640 maybe to Luka Doncic, but James Harden. For him to be most effective 253 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:07,720 is to have the ball in his hands. Now, does there need to 254 00:18:07,759 --> 00:18:11,759 be some balancing act because now he's playing next to Kawhi and Paula George, 255 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:15,400 just like when he was playing next to Kyrie and KD. Of course it's 256 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:18,039 not going to be the same as it was for him in Houston or even 257 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:22,480 in Philly last year, but I've seen him thrive in that environment next to 258 00:18:22,519 --> 00:18:26,119 two other stars and get them to their spots. They were unbelievable. They 259 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:30,839 went thirteen to three in those sixteen games where he was next to KD and 260 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:34,559 Kyrie. So if you're wondering how long it should take for them to get 261 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:40,160 up to speed in Brooklyn, it was pretty instant. Instant chemistry. They 262 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:42,880 messed right away and this is a better fit in my opinion. Yes, 263 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:47,400 they're all older, they're not at the same athletic peak that they were at 264 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:52,079 the start of that Brooklyn run. This is a better fit around Harden than 265 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:56,920 having another guard Durant. I mean, you know, Durant obviously great fit, 266 00:18:56,119 --> 00:19:00,920 great fit on any NBA team, But I think these two eyes are 267 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:07,960 a better three overall than the Nets three in terms of fit well. And 268 00:19:07,039 --> 00:19:11,160 the other thing it does off the tip in games, if you want that 269 00:19:11,279 --> 00:19:17,440 backcourt with James and Russ, is it automatically moves up Paul George and Kawhi 270 00:19:17,519 --> 00:19:19,440 Leonards then play in the four. And against a team like the Knicks, 271 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:25,480 there are teams that are really going to punish the Clippers when they're playing smaller 272 00:19:25,599 --> 00:19:29,680 like that. I don't know starting lineup, is that what I'm hearing. 273 00:19:30,799 --> 00:19:33,519 We did wonder if he could start just the game against the Knicks at least 274 00:19:33,559 --> 00:19:38,119 as they're still figuring things out, but he ended up playing I think eleven 275 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:42,559 minutes. I just don't know if it's sustainable long term, If this is 276 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:47,440 really a long term solution with James and Russ out there on the court, 277 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:51,640 and that starting lineup got outscored by thirteen points and I think nineteen minutes last 278 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:56,680 night. And I know it's just one game, but I think it's fundamentally 279 00:19:57,759 --> 00:20:03,640 possibly flawed by how many games can you give it? How many games can 280 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:08,960 you get out scored by thirteen points in nineteen minutes and expected to keep going, 281 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:11,519 especially, you know whatever. I know that we harp on it a 282 00:20:11,559 --> 00:20:15,519 lot, but like Clipper, scheduling is very much hell, it's a very 283 00:20:15,519 --> 00:20:18,960 real thing. It's a very real part of this franchise. And you know, 284 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:22,200 this early slate of games, it's kind of the best looking stretch of 285 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:26,920 the schedule. And to only be five hundred ain't great. Look, I 286 00:20:27,039 --> 00:20:30,079 said, I think they needed to be nine to four at worse than their 287 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:33,920 first thirteen games if they could end up starting the season off fifteen to five. 288 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,119 Now, I didn't know they were getting James now, and that changes 289 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:41,599 things, and maybe it's one step back to take two or three steps forward. 290 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:44,519 So some of those games weren't counting on them winning. Later in the 291 00:20:44,559 --> 00:20:48,039 season, during the gauntlet of their schedule, they have a better chance of 292 00:20:48,079 --> 00:20:51,799 winning because more high in talent. With James Harden, it could work out 293 00:20:51,839 --> 00:20:55,079 like that. I didn't expect it all to come together at once, But 294 00:20:55,559 --> 00:20:59,119 I do want to emphasize I agree with you to your point of there has 295 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:02,400 to be a sense of urgent see regardless of all these moves going on. 296 00:21:02,519 --> 00:21:06,319 Because Denver seven and one, Dallas is six and one, Golden State six 297 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:08,640 and two, the Timberwolves just got a big victory over Denver. They're four 298 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:11,720 and two. There are a lot of good teams in this league that have 299 00:21:11,799 --> 00:21:15,039 hit the ground running, including the Mavericks, who they're gonna see on Friday, 300 00:21:15,319 --> 00:21:18,319 and by the way in between there we'll get into in the next segment, 301 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:22,039 but the Brooklyn Nets are more talented than the record, just like the 302 00:21:22,039 --> 00:21:26,839 New York Knicks were. Absolutely. Absolutely, that's a great wow. What 303 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:30,599 are you a pro or something? That's a great transition. We're gonna go 304 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:36,079 we're gonna talk about that preview coming up against the Nets in just a minute. 305 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:37,920 First, we're gonna do a couple of ads. If they've been too 306 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:42,960 loud for you, please contact two and three Hoops. They will cut you 307 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:45,960 a check. Talk to your injury attorney anyway. Ads coming up in three 308 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:52,359 two one, Welcome back into season two of Clips and Dip I'm Adam Oslin. 309 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:55,839 We've got Will Updyke as we're gonna do a little bit of a preview 310 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:59,119 of games to come this week. If you missed the last segment, we 311 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:03,640 talked about James and his opener and his debut with the Clippers. No chuck 312 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:07,799 in this one. He'll be returning those shortly. We'll have the triumphant tripod. 313 00:22:07,839 --> 00:22:11,440 What is it time for the trio? The Trio. The Trio will 314 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:14,839 be back together. Don't worry about that in full effect. But the Clippers 315 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:19,079 have a foursome, a fearsome forsome if they can figure it all out, 316 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:23,039 and they need too soon, because I know it's early in the season, 317 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:27,799 but this is a team that I just feel like they got to figure it 318 00:22:27,799 --> 00:22:30,559 out because they have too much talent. The one thing we talked about against 319 00:22:30,559 --> 00:22:34,519 the Knicks going into it was we knew that they would junk up the game. 320 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:37,920 There would be moments that would be tough stretches for the Clippers, they 321 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:42,079 would turn the ball over, but you would just hope talent would overwhelm the 322 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:45,079 Knicks in the end, even if it wasn't a pretty victory, the Clippers 323 00:22:45,079 --> 00:22:48,640 could figure it out all right, so they lose that one talent needs to 324 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:52,799 overcome the Brooklyn Nets, who, by the way, they're playing pretty darn 325 00:22:52,839 --> 00:22:56,440 good basketball their last two losses. I know they're three and four, but 326 00:22:56,519 --> 00:23:00,880 we're to the Bucks in a game they were in, and to the Boston 327 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:06,039 Celtics, the two best teams in the Eastern Conference, and in games where 328 00:23:06,319 --> 00:23:10,319 Spencer did when he went one for four and Dorian Finney Smith went three for 329 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:15,039 twelve. They still just lost by four to Milwaukee. So they're in a 330 00:23:15,039 --> 00:23:18,519 similar position I think where the Knicks were. They had just lost to the 331 00:23:18,559 --> 00:23:21,400 Bucks, they had lost to the Boston Celtics, where they're desperate for a 332 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:25,079 victory at home and they want to show some of their potential to their fan 333 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:27,279 base. So it's not going to be an easy game tomorrow either. And 334 00:23:27,319 --> 00:23:30,119 by the way, James Harden, a former Brooklyn Net, if he didn't 335 00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:33,279 know, I don't know if he's gonna get boozed. I don't know if 336 00:23:33,319 --> 00:23:38,039 he'll get a tribute video or what. But it's going to be a emotionally 337 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:42,480 charged ballgame. I think two out there, absolutely absolutely, And you look 338 00:23:42,519 --> 00:23:47,079 at two things for the Nets. To me, that spelled trouble for the 339 00:23:47,079 --> 00:23:55,400 Clippers. They're second, I believe in the league. In their second in 340 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:57,200 fast break points per game. I think they're averaging like twenty one points per 341 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:02,759 game. That spells trouble for the Clippers. They also score a high percentage 342 00:24:02,799 --> 00:24:06,400 of their total points off the threes. So those hot those you know, 343 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:10,279 you get a team that gets that hot shooting start at home against a road 344 00:24:10,319 --> 00:24:12,480 team coming off of a bad loss, maybe you know on their laurels a 345 00:24:12,519 --> 00:24:17,000 little bit, that's a bad that that's a bad start. And then you 346 00:24:17,039 --> 00:24:19,079 combine that with a team that's really able to capitalize on the fast breaks, 347 00:24:19,079 --> 00:24:23,000 something the Clippers have struggled to defend are going to continue to struggle to defend 348 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:27,039 because I think the defensive, the defensive side of the ball, and the 349 00:24:27,079 --> 00:24:33,599 James harden Fitt is going to be the larger issue I think overall, depending 350 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:36,839 on what they do matchup wise. But this is a this is not and 351 00:24:37,039 --> 00:24:40,920 this is not an easy game. And you also have those who have You 352 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:44,480 also have Bekale Bridges and the Nets, a guy who has seen the Clippers 353 00:24:44,519 --> 00:24:48,839 time and time again in playoff runs in big games, who's going to be 354 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:52,799 able to dissect this defense? A little bit. He is one of the 355 00:24:52,799 --> 00:24:56,440 better, more underrated players in this league. That is kind of having a 356 00:24:56,519 --> 00:25:00,359 James Harden like moment, Like when Harden left OKAC and had a big role, 357 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:03,640 all of a sudden with Houston, people realized how good he could be. 358 00:25:03,079 --> 00:25:07,960 Same thing has been happening with Mikhale Bridges after leaving Phoenix. And he's 359 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:11,559 also a really good defender. So they have some guys on this team. 360 00:25:11,599 --> 00:25:15,119 I believe Royce O'Neil is now in Brooklyn that they can throw at PG, 361 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:18,119 at Paul George, at James Harden. He's coming off a game Bridges where 362 00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:23,000 he just had thirty one Cam Thomas just had was it forty four, forty 363 00:25:23,039 --> 00:25:26,519 five against the Milwaukee Bucks And by the way, last season had a forty 364 00:25:26,559 --> 00:25:32,519 seven point outing against the Clippers where he absolutely torched them. And if they 365 00:25:32,559 --> 00:25:34,960 don't slow him down from the beginning, if they don't get back to and 366 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,920 we really haven't seen it yet in a true road game where the Clippers at 367 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:44,640 home have established themselves defensively in the first quarter so far this season, but 368 00:25:44,759 --> 00:25:48,319 on the road that hasn't been there, that energy hasn't been there. They've 369 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:52,960 let teams get comfortable early and then it's just hard to stop them later in 370 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:56,079 the ball game. I know the Knicks I think only scored nineteen points and 371 00:25:56,079 --> 00:25:59,599 shot twenty nine percent in that first quarter, but the Clippers weren't much better 372 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:06,200 from the field and both dirt dirt. I want to see the Clippers defense 373 00:26:06,839 --> 00:26:11,000 lead to offense like we've seen at times. But it was against Portland, 374 00:26:11,079 --> 00:26:15,079 it was against the San Antonio Spurs. I think the Magic are actually likely 375 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:18,559 a play playing team. That was a solid win for the Clippers. But 376 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:22,319 this Brooklyn team has a lot of firepower and Cam Thomas is scary, like 377 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:27,160 he just goes unconscious out there at times, like prime Gilbert Arenas or something 378 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:32,200 like that. I think he hit seven threes against the Clippers during that forty 379 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:37,880 seven point performance last year. Yeah, unreal, unreal, And yeah, 380 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:42,960 I don't know. This is another one that I'm I'm very apprehensive about. 381 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:51,519 There's really no learning curve or some long runway. There's no preseason training camp 382 00:26:51,599 --> 00:26:56,839 here to ramp up and get James Harden assimilated quickly to this Clippers team. 383 00:26:56,880 --> 00:26:59,559 You have to figure it out as the live bullets are flying out there. 384 00:26:59,599 --> 00:27:03,640 And about it last night, too, how fast the game felt and how 385 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:07,960 tired he got after his first stint. There's just no way to replicate actual 386 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:11,920 in game, regular season basketball. There's no way to prepare for this other 387 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:17,039 than getting those reps out there. So it's a Clippers team that I felt 388 00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:22,640 like they could get ambushed if they don't come out and start quickly against the 389 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,960 Brooklyn Nets. And you just don't want to get down big and be in 390 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,960 that uphill battle against a team that's a top ten offense. Granted they're about 391 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:33,519 a bottom five defense, but still it's going to be a good test for 392 00:27:33,559 --> 00:27:37,240 this Clippers team that is still trying to figure a lot of things out. 393 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:42,920 I think that, I mean the Nets issues defending could be sort of a 394 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:48,720 godsend for this Clippers offense that's very much trying to figure out what it's going 395 00:27:48,799 --> 00:27:52,359 to be. It gives you an opportunity. While they still do have some 396 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:57,119 great individual defenders, it does still give you an opportunity to try things out. 397 00:27:57,599 --> 00:28:03,519 Hopefully we don't see twenty two turnovers in this one, given the Nets' 398 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:08,400 physicality and presence on defense. So this is this is a chance to end 399 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:12,200 game like at game speed, try and work through a few things that we 400 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:15,400 struggled with in that game against the Knicks, which, as I said the 401 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:19,359 last segment, to me, we're not really hard independent, but this is 402 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:25,720 your opportunity to sort of in a lower stakes defensive environment figure out what that 403 00:28:25,839 --> 00:28:27,519 identity is going to be on that side of the floor. And I think 404 00:28:27,559 --> 00:28:32,519 to that point, the reason there's trepidation after just one game and you don't 405 00:28:32,519 --> 00:28:36,559 want to overreact too much. It's just a little bit of PTSD from last 406 00:28:36,559 --> 00:28:40,119 season where all the top was wait till we get it together by December, 407 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:45,160 and it never came that stretch where the Clippers locked in and looked like a 408 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:49,720 dominant championship team in the regular season. Outside of those fourteen games with Terrence 409 00:28:49,799 --> 00:28:55,079 Man starting that I think have been overblown a little bit. They never really 410 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:57,240 clicked in and looked like the team we thought they were going to be. 411 00:28:57,319 --> 00:29:00,839 So we don't want to see him kick the can down the road and say 412 00:29:00,119 --> 00:29:04,279 just wait, just wait. You want to at least see more glimpses of 413 00:29:04,519 --> 00:29:11,039 dominance out there with James Harden, where you can just at Brooklyn Nets team, 414 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:15,160 the way they were playing offensively and even though it was sometimes your turn, 415 00:29:15,279 --> 00:29:18,400 my turn. It worked with him, Kyrie and KD. We saw 416 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:22,680 it against the Clippers, and this is a your turn, mind turn kind 417 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:26,279 of team like like like it or not, And at times I think it's 418 00:29:26,319 --> 00:29:30,799 incredibly frustrating, But it is also the same offense that minus James Harden was 419 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:36,119 you know, the best half court offense three years ago, which granted is 420 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:37,880 a long time. You know, it is a long time, but it's 421 00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:42,119 also the last the last time that we had our two stars healthy for sustained 422 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:47,759 scratch. So I think that he can. It kind of works both ways 423 00:29:47,799 --> 00:29:49,799 for me. For Harden, right like, he's very he's still a very 424 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:53,519 adept one on one score. He's still a guy that can you can give 425 00:29:53,519 --> 00:29:56,720 the ball and get a bucket at a high level. I know, we 426 00:29:56,759 --> 00:29:59,079 say that about a lot of guys, We say that about backup guys, 427 00:29:59,079 --> 00:30:04,759 we say that about norm There are a few guys especially that there's few guys 428 00:30:04,759 --> 00:30:07,839 in the league that can do it like Harden does and has and will continue 429 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:12,599 to do. And there's none that can do it at that level that the 430 00:30:12,599 --> 00:30:17,359 Clipper. That was a realistic get for the Clippers. So I think both 431 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:21,319 ways in terms of him, you know, using his his his facilitating and 432 00:30:21,359 --> 00:30:26,240 playmaking, and the Clippers utilizing more movement and more ways to get everybody involved. 433 00:30:26,319 --> 00:30:27,799 I think, obviously that's great. That's the peak, that's the pinnacle, 434 00:30:27,839 --> 00:30:32,920 that's what we're hoping for. But even in sort of this intermediary phase 435 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:36,400 where it can be kind of a more hey, let's just feed the ball 436 00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:37,839 to James. Hey, let's just feed the ball to Kwi. Let's kind 437 00:30:37,839 --> 00:30:41,359 of see what happens. Let's kind of see how we can make this work. 438 00:30:41,559 --> 00:30:44,720 I think that you do have a guy who's very adept in that sort 439 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:48,400 of system, and three to I guess four players if you're including Russ, 440 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:52,720 who are willing to make that kind of a thing work, which hopefully, 441 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:56,960 you know, you can still put away ball games while playing that sort of 442 00:30:56,079 --> 00:31:00,440 less coherent offense. Yeah. I don't normally say this, but I would 443 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:04,759 be okay with some bad process victories right now as they still figure it out 444 00:31:04,759 --> 00:31:08,799 and eventually become a more well oiled machine out there. And I think part 445 00:31:08,839 --> 00:31:14,559 of the PTSD and Clippers fans being apprehensive right now are a little bit unsure 446 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:17,720 after just one game. Of course, you don't want to overreact too much, 447 00:31:17,759 --> 00:31:21,720 but the loss of Mason Plumbley, we don't know how long it's going 448 00:31:21,759 --> 00:31:23,400 to be. That's going to be massive. It's going to be huge, 449 00:31:23,519 --> 00:31:29,160 I am. We didn't talk about it last segment, but to end the 450 00:31:29,319 --> 00:31:33,599 half, Bason Plumbley had just a great sequence on both ends of the floor. 451 00:31:33,799 --> 00:31:37,759 He hit a tough bucket over Mitchell Robinson when the Clippers needed a bucket. 452 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:44,160 He then got a block which Russ was able to grab the ball off 453 00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:48,559 the tip, ended up in a take foul, and then a couple of 454 00:31:48,559 --> 00:31:53,039 possessions later make some Plumbley drew a charge and had the Clippers at what was 455 00:31:53,079 --> 00:31:56,200 it, Adam, I believe it was a seven point lead at the half. 456 00:31:56,039 --> 00:32:00,880 He really helped them pile it on a little bit there in those minutes 457 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:04,400 when when they needed it. Yeah, and before he went down in the 458 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:07,920 third, he had that nice dish to Kawhi Leonard for a big dunk, 459 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:12,359 I believe, And I wonder how much that played into just the Clippers looking 460 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:15,440 deflated in that fourth quarter seeing a big like that go down the way he 461 00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:21,920 did a scary looking injury. Julius Randall is flying for the basketball and runs 462 00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:24,680 into his knee and then having to carry him off. It's not easy to 463 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:29,880 get up after that and still to maintain that same level of energy you have, 464 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:34,160 especially when your team is the patron saying of freak injuries. Yeah, 465 00:32:34,279 --> 00:32:38,119 it's it feels like Groundhog's Day again. I'm sure. So what are we 466 00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:42,240 thinking if Mason Plumbley is out for a while. We don't expect him to 467 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:46,519 play this week at least. Uh. Musa Diabate got some run last night. 468 00:32:46,559 --> 00:32:51,119 We mentioned PJ Tucker getting some run. I Vitcha Zubots is going to 469 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:55,039 have to be more consistent, something we talked about postgame last night. He 470 00:32:55,079 --> 00:33:00,160 can't be the one leading them in turnovers when they're trying to give him touch 471 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:05,000 and give him looks. Uh. They they may have to sign somebody like 472 00:33:05,039 --> 00:33:07,119 when when in Gabriel back with the Clippers who they had before in a ten 473 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:10,799 day contract. Just somebody to fill the void right now, because I don't 474 00:33:10,799 --> 00:33:15,640 know how ready Mussa Diabate is or how much the coaching staff trusts him. 475 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:21,000 Yeah. Absolutely, Yeah, absolutely, that's something to worry about. I 476 00:33:21,039 --> 00:33:23,599 think that's a good note to close on. And we got to consider h 477 00:33:24,279 --> 00:33:29,839 we got to consider Mason. Our hopes is that he is able to make 478 00:33:29,839 --> 00:33:32,279 a speed of recovery. Hopefully things aren't as bad as it looked in the 479 00:33:32,359 --> 00:33:36,599 video. As you know, it's so hard to tell with those with those 480 00:33:36,599 --> 00:33:39,680 injuries, the amount of actual structural damage or anything. Things can sometimes look 481 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:45,279 a lot worse uh than they actually are, and sometimes things can look not 482 00:33:45,319 --> 00:33:50,960 so bad and then they're Yeah, like Charles George, you thought that was 483 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:52,559 like, oh, he's gonna be out the next season when he got hurt. 484 00:33:52,799 --> 00:33:57,519 Yeah, So you never know. You never want to speculate too much. 485 00:33:57,559 --> 00:34:01,359 But like you said, we're hoping for recovery and we're hoping the Clippers 486 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:07,119 can somehow hold the fort down on the interior without him for a little bit 487 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:09,880 as they're likely going to be all right, final predictions before we get on 488 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:15,039 out of here. What are you thinking on this one, Adam? I 489 00:34:15,079 --> 00:34:20,599 think what you brought up with the Brooklyn Nets defensively being twenty fifth on defense, 490 00:34:20,719 --> 00:34:25,679 it gives the Clippers an opportunity to have a nice bounce back offensive performance 491 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:30,000 seeing a team like the Knicks going to the opposite spectrum against a team like 492 00:34:30,039 --> 00:34:36,239 the Nets that focuses on offense and their defense is where they struggle. I 493 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:39,920 think this Clippers team, we're gonna see him clicking in some spurts and they're 494 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:45,719 gonna show flashes of brilliance on offense, and it will be a high scoring 495 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:47,880 game. Maybe it'll be in the one twenties. But the Clippers will figure 496 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:52,320 out a way to win this one. Yeah, I don't think it's I 497 00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:54,920 once again don't think it's going to be an easy win. But this is 498 00:34:54,960 --> 00:35:00,400 one for me that is imperative. You have to at least split this. 499 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:05,800 This like New York doubleheader. So I'm predicting a win. Like I said, 500 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:09,039 not easy, but that is going to do it. For today's episode, 501 00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:12,880 thank you so much. It's just the two of us. We will 502 00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:15,960 have Charles back. I think he's back on Saturday, so we'll get together 503 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:20,679 sometime after that. You will hear him on Clippers Talk tomorrow post game. 504 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:23,039 That's over at AM five seventy. Uh listen, you can listen to Adam 505 00:35:23,039 --> 00:35:29,039 there for all your for all your posts, pre and postgame Clipper Clipper game 506 00:35:29,199 --> 00:35:32,440 needs. He's doing the heavy lifting over there. But yeah, we're Clips 507 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:36,840 and Dip. You can check us out over on YouTube. That's at Clippers 508 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:39,920 Podcast. You can listen to us wherever you get your podcasts, Spotify, 509 00:35:40,199 --> 00:35:45,239 iTunes, I don't know, Amazon Music, Stitcher, Deezer. Anywhere you 510 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:49,679 listen to podcasts, you're gonna listen to the show. We're over on Twitter 511 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:52,960 or x or whatever the heck you want to call it. That's at Clippers 512 00:35:52,119 --> 00:35:55,360 Pod. We'd love to chop it up with you anytime, Adam. Before 513 00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:59,800 we get out of here, leave the fans with something positive. I know 514 00:36:00,039 --> 00:36:04,039 we've gone over things in a granular level here in just one game with James 515 00:36:04,039 --> 00:36:07,920 Harden, but it is, in fact just one game. And if there's 516 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:12,079 anybody that can make this thing mess, just like he did with Russell Westbrook, 517 00:36:12,119 --> 00:36:15,000 in my opinion, it's coach Lou. He can figure this out. 518 00:36:15,079 --> 00:36:17,480 And it sounds like the guys do want to buy in. I know it's 519 00:36:17,599 --> 00:36:22,199 early. I know it could just be player talk, but I think there 520 00:36:22,320 --> 00:36:27,119 is something to be being back in southern California and trying to do something special 521 00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:30,079 for a city they grew up in. So I expect them to sacrifice, 522 00:36:30,119 --> 00:36:34,920 which is gonna be the operative word all season long, and if they do 523 00:36:35,039 --> 00:36:37,840 that, they have a great chance to get rolling here sooner than later. 524 00:36:38,800 --> 00:36:43,039 All right, that'll do it for today's episode, and, as Charles always 525 00:36:43,039 --> 00:36:44,880 says, let's go clips.