Speaker 1: What is going on? Clippers fans? Welcome to season four,
episode fourteen of Clips in dipp weird week. Since we've
last talked to you, I have Chuck Blackler joined by
Adam Austin and William Updyke. I think we last came
at you on Tuesday before seemingly all hell broke loose
in Clippers. I asked if things could get worse, and
it seemed like management may have heard that. But we're
gonna talk about the back to back. We're gona talk
about the Chris Paul stuff. There's a game against a
team that has built pretty well to beat the Clippers
against Houston on Thursday. How are we doing? Guys? What
a interesting couple of days since we've last spoken. Will
how are you?
Speaker 2: I'm doing all right?
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: I had some time now to process the Chris Paul stuff.
I know it was a little it's a little raw
there for everybody, it seemed like and uh for a
little bit, but yeah, working through it. I think I
think I had texted that we would win one game
and then lose at least the next two, probably the
next However after that looks like it's on track to happen.
Speaker 1: Yeah, we got that post CP three boost against a
short handed I didn't even know who it was, Grizzly team.
I think, Adam, you've been in the trenches more with
all this stuff. How how are you?
Speaker 3: Uh? I'm okay.
Speaker 4: I tend to think it was more the benching that
happened with the starters in Miami for the reason they
won in Atlanta against a team that was missing some
really key guys. Should should have probably won the last
two games, and uh, they have forgotten how to win
out games, which is pretty frustrating.
Speaker 1: Yeah, we're gonna talk some second half stat stuff that
was on display. Uh in this back to back I
feel like the CP three stuff obviously, if you're listening
to this podcast, we're assuming you know what happened, or
if you're watching us at YouTube College Zack Clippers podcast,
it feels like it's breaking people's brains a bit. In
my it's just such a two ways. It's I'm confused
why management thought Chris Paul would be different than what
his normal self is.
Speaker 4: I think they thought they wouldn't be six and eighteen
so they wouldn't have to deal with right CP three
possibly showing his worst side.
Speaker 1: Yes, I like that you said worst side too, because
there obviously are good sides to Chris Paul, of course,
but it's like we got Paul Sheer calling him the
Chevy Chase of basketball. Chris Haynes is working very hard
to help Chris Paul all seem you know, I would
problematic as possible in this whole scenario.
Speaker 4: I would advise people to check out how Kendrick Perkins
first responded to it and then how he changed things
up after he was getting text messages and be like, oh,
he's undermining the coaching staff.
Speaker 3: That's that's what it was.
Speaker 4: Like Kendrick Perkins somehow saw the light on this, which is.
Speaker 2: Like what it had to be though, right, Like I
think to your point, Charles, I think this goes beyond
just Chris Paul being a competitor, Chris Paul getting on
guys' asses, like you expect all that, and I don't think, like,
I don't think that was stuff like that is any
sort of surprise. But when you have a team that's
struggling like the Clippers are, and you have a guy
who's it seems like or what I would assume the
situation is kind of thinks that maybe they could do
a better job or is kind of attempting to pull
some strings.
Speaker 1: Yeah, not wrong about like, yeah.
Speaker 2: It's like, you know, I I can see how that
would rapidly uh, how like the situation would rapidly decline.
Speaker 4: Yes, his style obviously wasn't being very productive or effective.
And if what happened at the end of the game
in Dallas a week or so agoing into it Dome
with Klay Thompson in the fourth quarter, and he's having
guys switch, and I think everybody at least needs to
try to get on the same page and not have
you know, different mixed messaging out there between the coaching
staff and a player at the age of forty.
Speaker 2: Well, it's already so disorganized, Like how can you have
another dissenting voice, like somebody else trying to coach the
team that's not even in line with the coaching staff,
and like the guys already aren't on the same page.
It's like it's not gonna work. And I like it
is a bummer as a as a fan, as a
fan of CPS, as a fan of the Clippers, that
this is the way this is all going down. I
think the way this is being talked about though, like
this is like I you know, like they're absolutely Look,
I think that there were conversations if they had eroded
to the point where Tyleru like was no longer willing
to be like taking meetings with Yeah, like with Chris Paul, Like,
I don't know what you do with that situation other
than austim.
Speaker 3: He was not blindsided.
Speaker 4: You know how We know that because the report from
Lou Williams about him already apologizing to the team for
doing some of this stuff. I think that's been double
sourced at this point. And I like, this.
Speaker 3: Wasn't a one time thing.
Speaker 4: This was something that had been bubbling for a while
and he had been warned about and then it kept
going and we all knew something was up by what
he put out on Instagram with Leeway, And now they're
trying to explain what that was about. Even even if
that is accurate what Chris Haynes said about it, does
him putting that out on social media help anything?
Speaker 1: Right? Like we're talking about a forty year old VET
who is known for his you know, competitiveness, professionality, for
lack of you know, like, dude, that's a PJ. Tucker
move right like that. It was surprising, and it's kind
of one of those things where you're just like, dude, like,
so you're posting like a wide receiver now, like or
what we're going on?
Speaker 4: What about the posts of just found out I got
let go of peace?
Speaker 3: It's like, okay, right.
Speaker 4: The full context of that was he had a three
hour conversation with Lawrence Franke. It wasn't they texted him, Hey,
you're out by That's I think there's been some interesting framing.
Speaker 3: I love CP three.
Speaker 4: We love him because he's a hard ass and a
self proclaimed ahole and all these things, because he only
knows one way and it's been effective throughout his career,
and he may go on to be a great head coach,
he may go on to have a great rest of
the season with some other team. Just wasn't a good
fit for this team at this time, apparently because I
don't think they also would have done this to all
the other players, like they wouldn't have checked the pulse
of the locker room to see how everybody else was
feeling about CP three at this time. This This wasn't
one thing, and it wasn't one person. It wasn't just
him and coach lou. I think it was much bigger
than that.
Speaker 1: And it is. Will you kind of mentioned it too.
It sucks. It's an ugly situation. We're not trying to
say that. It's like, what's the bfd.
Speaker 2: No, I mean, I just that's upset. Yeah, And I
feel like the way that it was kind of spun
initially is it was like it sounded like, you know.
Speaker 1: Well he broke it, like Adams said, right, he put
the post out like I guess something. All yeah, but
I feel like someone with that vibe where you're like, okay, dude.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I feel like fans interpretations or something was it
was like he was calling guys out for you know,
like not playing hard or whatever, and the locker room
got mad some specific you know, Marquee players got mad
and one in them out, And I just I don't
think that that's the situation at all.
Speaker 1: After the about leeway with the Van Gundy thing where
it's like, oh, he told Kawhi that he needed to
switch assignments or something because he couldn't keep up with
Klay Thompson, first of all, I was like, all right,
that's making me think about Kawhi's defensive stuff. But that's
a different conversation. But then Ben Gunny saying, you don't
have the leeway to do that. Yeah, man, in the
middle of the game, you probably don't have leeway if
you're not playing to tell Kawi to do that.
Speaker 2: Let the coaches make that decision. For God's sakes, just
let them. Just let the coaches make that decision.
Speaker 4: And now people are showing a video of coach lou
when he was out, when he had those five straight
games where he was dnped, and they were like, what
do you want from Chris And he was like, I
want input, I want accountability and him helping people.
Speaker 3: People are like, well, that's what he was doing.
Speaker 4: It's like, input is not the same as directing guys
what to do out there on the floor like you're
an actual coach and making those decisions.
Speaker 3: You knowilaterally Uh.
Speaker 4: I think everybody has tendency to like because they're losing,
and because so many people are against coach lo and
Lawrence Frank right now, they would take anybody else's side,
and it's easy to say, well, he.
Speaker 3: Was the one holding them accountable. And that's what we
need with this group. We need some fire and brimstone.
We need some of that. If it's not productive though,
if it's not helping, which clearly it's not, yes, if
it's not received the right way, there is tact that
has to be used in knowing how to address guys
to get more on of them. And I love CP three,
but it's like it's it's an awkward situation because he
is the franchise goat. But then you see the social
media post ride afterwards with him and Blake laughing with DJ,
and it's like, hey, great, I wish we could have
had some of that during the Lob City days and
the locker room wasn't so dysfunctional then because guys then
didn't take well to some of the stuff that CP
three was doing when he was in his prime and
he was teaching young guys. Now he's well removed from
his prime and he's apparently using the same type of
tactics with an older veteran group that is losing consistently
right now, how is that going to work? Like?
Speaker 4: I hope they can mend the relationship just the way
apparently CP three and Blake and DJ have with the
Clippers organization. CP three at some point and hopefully time
heals all wounds. That's the goal here. It just right now.
It's been a difficult week, and I wish everybody wouldn't
just take one side or the other. I think there's
plenty of blame to go around. It's obviously not CP
three's fault. For the record they have had. Laurence Frank
made that clear as well. Things happen't turned around. They're
one and two sins him. They're a bad ball club
and this stuff may not have been helping them turn
a corner.
Speaker 3: We'll see if that ever happens here.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and the Blake CP three, DeAndre stuff. Blake had
that kind of like pretty eloquent. I think he was
kind of raw about what happened, like his explanation of
kind of how Balmber maybe you know, he said something
basically to the effect of he goes to the games,
he cheers, which is great, but they're obviously is Some
of ex players have kind of said like there feels
like a disconnect a little bit when your time is
no longer you know needed. With the Clippers, the way
that maybe Balmer doesn't reach out or do certain things
has rubbed those guys the wrong way. So hopefully something
can happen with that. I don't think it's going to
happen anytime soon because I think they're respectfully more worried
about how to not be six in whatever the hell
we are right now that Like, yeah, it's just messy
all around, Like the ORG needs to be a little
better with how they with how they do that, like,
respect these guys. The retirement thing is super weird from
the toe Mayer piece where he was like asking Chris
Paul if it really was his last And I'm not
saying Chris Paul is not going to retire, but that
those anecdotes where Chris Paul was like, oh yeah, uh
huh and like walking away and answering the question. And
I can just picture Tom Air being like what the
hell is going on with all that stuff? So that's
kind of weird too.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that was unclear.
Speaker 4: The post came about it came out about it being
his last game back in North Carolina taken on Charlotte,
so we all assume that means it's his last season,
but it wasn't exactly clear that those two things are
the same.
Speaker 3: I don't know how they couldn't be. I don't I
don't get it.
Speaker 4: Maybe we'll find out more, we'll get more clarity.
Speaker 2: On the ID. He can't go there anymore.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's the real ID.
Speaker 4: I just went straight for the passport and bypassed the
real ID. Now, yeah, I think you're good. But yeah,
I it's difficult, Like, can we can we like the
Clippers and CP three at the same time.
Speaker 3: I think that's possible to do. I think it. I
think it's possible.
Speaker 1: I also think the whole like I used to be
the Clippers ball boy, and I'm I'm denouncing my fandom
of the Clippers. It's like, you're nineteen years old. You
have seen nothing but for the most part, a well
run organization. So like, whatever, dude, defect to the other
team in the city, and I guess enjoy your life.
But like, what a weird Like how much CP three
did you even really watch? And remember as a nineteen
year old in twenty twenty five. Well, it's also a
bit on the team in a meaningful way.
Speaker 4: For a minute, dude, do you remember this summer it
was still a little bit divided with the fan base
on whether or not they should bring him back. There
were people that still had hard feelings towards him. Now
it's like, well, the enemy of my enemy is my
friend because they're mad at they're mad at Lawrence Frank
and they're mad at Coach Lou and I totally get
all that, but like, look, this is a collective failure
going on. It's not CB three, it's not just that,
it's not just Coach Lou, it's not just Lawrence Flank.
It's not just the players to everybody, it's all of them.
Like this is when you're six and eighteen and you
can't figure out how to win basketball games when you're
up by eighteen, or you can't score a point in
the last four minutes of a game in.
Speaker 3: Memphis, this is this is just brutal. There's blame to
go around everywhere.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I agree, And like there's just there's no right
like the situation alroading to the point, there's no right answer.
And obviously TYLERU and Lawrence Frank are gonna be on
the hot seat from the fans because no matter what
they do, like unless we rattle off a ten game
win streak, that's where they're at. And you know, we've
heard I'm sure we'll talk about like we've heard some
different things about What's what's going to happen there with
that front office. I mean, it seems like the likeliness
of the scenarios is L Frank is probably gonna get extended.
But yeah, I don't know. I still think though, too,
like fans would have a less visceral experience if the
team was even five hundred, If the team was even
five hundred and these and these same reports for coming out,
they'd be like, man, this sucks, but like you got
to do it for you know, you got to do
it for the betterment of the ball club. But with
where they're at right now, it's just it's all bad.
There's no there's no right answer, there's no right there's
no winning situation.
Speaker 4: There are a couple of games away from being last
in the Western Conference.
Speaker 3: They're six and eighteen.
Speaker 4: The only team behind them is the New Orleans Pelicans
at three and twenty one. They also don't have their
first round pick this year, Yes, but they.
Speaker 1: Do have Derrick Queen. The extension talk, yeah, the sources
said he's probably gonna Lawrence Frank excuse me, said he's
probably going to get one, but nothing is imminent, and
it was kind of saying like it'd be premature to
assume that he's going to get one. Yeah, but Balmer
has said he values, you know, stability. You look at
orgs that have a lot of turnover, and you usually
look at an organization that's not doing very well. And
I think this season, people were excited about the season. Obviously,
being five hundred right now is maybe the worst that
people thought it would be a couple months ago before
the season started. If you were like, how bad do
you think it'll be first week of December for five hundred,
I think that would probably be worst case scenario is
when I think a lot of people felt.
Speaker 2: But now how much kaw I miss?
Speaker 1: Yeah exactly, but like any not no one would say
I think we'll probably be six and eighteen or something
like that. So the l Frank thing people freaked out.
Speaker 4: That looked like click hate bait in some ways. Yeah,
totally red meat for everybody that's already upset.
Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4: And the last line of it does say in quote premature,
I don't know.
Speaker 1: I mean as a fan of a team at a
different sport who kept a GM for a really long
time with zero success to it, I do think it
can be frustrating if you've had a guy in that position,
you haven't won a championship or something like that. But
I still agree with the Kawhi and PG trade. Obviously
the moves this year didn't work out like we wanted
him to. But like, I don't know, could he be
better with people? Sure? Probably every GM could would be
my guess. I just don't know who You're going out
there to replace Lawrence Frank for a team that's going
to have eight hundred million dollars in cap space in
two years, you know what I mean? Like, yeah, the
work again, I guess with the everyone was saying, you know,
Lawrence Frank had a great off season. We love these additions.
Sometimes shit doesn't work. Guys get hurt.
Speaker 3: Yeah, we were all wrong.
Speaker 4: I do wonder if it's rare. Do they want him
to see the vision through? Because as you mentioned, they're
going to have so much Capron coming up. Are you
going to bring in somebody else midway through the workings
of this next era that they have set up and
laid out over the past two years. We've known about
this for at least two years. What they're ultimate land
was that's hard.
Speaker 2: Well, Adam, you said you also on Twitter you were
saying that you predict that there could be some significant
roster shake up.
Speaker 4: I mean, I said, I wonder, yeah, because this week,
because they have four days off, if they were going
to make a move based upon what he said about
being really aggressive, if I think, I think the quote
is something to the effect of, if I'm wrong and
we're not here, it is quote if I'm wrong and
this roster isn't capable of doing more, as always, we'll
be aggressive and trying to fix it. We'll explore every
avenue to make this team better. And I said, based
off this comment from l Frank, I wonder if we
see the same roster in four days when the Clippers
play again.
Speaker 1: Yeah, because we got to wait until the fifteenth to
trade a couple guys, I think, but not anyone huge.
I will say, if we do something like trade for
Demart Rosen, I would be like, God damn it. I
don't like that move at all, because I so, I
don't know if the season's a lost cause yet they
are six and eighteen or something like. It's not going well.
So I guess I wonder what those moves look like. Yeah,
that's where things could go sideways if they make some
absurd like let's trade for Zach Levine like some people want.
Speaker 4: I'd imagine they're just trading expiring contracts that they have
for different types of inspiring contracts. That's not gonna hurt
their twenty six twenty seven plans. It could be lateral move,
but a move nonetheless just to try something different. I
don't know, or that maybe they stand pat maybe maybe
they feel like they're not gonna be able to get
enough anyways. Maybe they don't want to give okay See
a higher pick, but they don't want to do that
now and it's not exactly helping their standing.
Speaker 1: Well, I think I'm in the if you're gonna trade, Like,
if you're gonna trade everybody, I'm almost in the like,
let's just do everybody, Like let's just there's like a
fake report about Zoo commanding two first, which I was like,
I think this report is just fake.
Speaker 2: I mean, so Laurence frank is extension eligible, like his
he's his contract is up at the end of the year.
Speaker 1: Let me look it up.
Speaker 2: I mean, I like, if you're on the like, if
you're of the opinion that you think this team could
use a significant roster shakeup, which it could is that
the time to bring in a new GM.
Speaker 1: I think right, like it's like vision Like.
Speaker 2: I think that that is like a pretty that seems
like a knee jerk reaction that could compromise a future goal.
Speaker 4: Others will argue, though, do you let Laurence Frank clean
up the mess? Like if if you feel like he's
set the place on fire, you're gonna let him be
the one to put it out. Like I understand that
perspective to some degree.
Speaker 1: I see the flip side of saying, why are you
giving the guy holding the gas and the matches to
supplies to clean the house up?
Speaker 4: But I also don't know what he said this summer
he had the gas and the matches when he made
those moves, we were like, yeah, cook it all right,
But he's said he's not very the house down, He's
just cooking.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's weird again. Weird week. And then the Clippers
followed that up by losing both of their games in
a back to back, got outscored by thirteen in the
second half. First, the Grizzlies got outscored by seventeen in
the second half versus the Wolves. What is wrong with
the second half, the Clippers are minus eleven almost minus
twelve and net rating in the second half. They're the
second worst team in the league in the second half.
Speaker 3: I think it's two things.
Speaker 1: Can I give you two stats real quickly? Yeah, you
got some.
Speaker 2: You got some pretty good indicators here.
Speaker 1: I have one stat. They're third in the second half.
They are third and assist a turnover ratio while being
twenty ninth in pace, which is a recipe for a
lot of free buckets for the other team in transition, Adam,
what do you think?
Speaker 3: I think.
Speaker 4: Part of their age shows in the second half. They
start to slow down. They're not moving, they're not cutting.
The hard things that they were doing earlier in the
game become much more difficult. Because they have been getting
off to better starts. They have looked like they've been
playing hard. The effort has been there. For people that say, oh,
they're quitting on coach Lou, I have not seen that.
You would not come out and playing that as hard
as they have the last few games.
Speaker 3: You would not get up by eighteen if you're trying to.
Speaker 1: Why I would play on the backs if you quit
on coach Lou.
Speaker 4: Right, I don't think that stuff has much evidence to it.
I just don't think they've been good enough in closing
out games because their two best players are on the
older side, and teams also are giving a maximum effort
in second halves that they aren't in first halves, Like
the Clippers make it the jump on them by playing
with great effort to start, but the rest the teams
are going up against were like, cool, we still got
more left in the tank. And when we play hard,
everything you're doing right now, that's working. When we play hard,
we're gonna be able to stop that and shut it down.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Will, where are you on the second half? Was
it is frustrating that it really is just like, well,
guys seem to run faster and harder than the old guy.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, and I think that's like, what's it
just seems like a very difficult issue to fix without
some sort of roster reshuffling.
Speaker 1: Chris Paul Yeah, yeah, because I was looking at their
shooting stats too in the second half, and they're not
like elite, but they're like fifteenth. You know, they're in
the middle of the road for a lot of I
don't know if normal stats is right, but you know
what I mean, like you're not like, oh, we're shooting
twenty two in the second half. That sucks your problem,
actually because those would probably go in, uh you.
Speaker 4: Said, twenty ninth and assist a turnover ratio in the
second half.
Speaker 1: Yeah, No, thirty nine, thirtieth and thirtieth racial twenty ninth
in pace. They averaged nine turnovers in the second half.
Speaker 4: So they're just losing out on a ton of possessions. Yes,
even though they're not shooting at that poorly, they're not
even getting shots up.
Speaker 1: It's a math problem. Like it's just and like, you know,
the faster pace of everyone else for the most part.
Speaker 4: Also, there still seems to be some fluky stuff them
going the last four minutes of the game against Memphis
gorrelss after they were tied at ninety eight, and then
Minnesota going six of eight from three, and some of
those were really well defended. Really was Zoo and drop coverage,
Like man, I just saw him out on the perimeter
guarding dos Reid and he had a step back three
in his face. That is a really difficult shot.
Speaker 3: That's not I they hit.
Speaker 4: Some crazy shots, but I do think teams gain confidence
is the game goes along against them. They know the
reputation and the Clippers are the worst clutch team in
the league, I think, or at least tied.
Speaker 1: The reputation is what gets me. That's what frustrates me
the most. I think of it, because teams are like,
all right, we're down to eight at half. We know
what to do, Like, we know what this team's gonna do.
We've got to run at them. It's just like we
don't foul a bunch even like we're just.
Speaker 3: Like they did against Minnesota yesterday in the second.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 3: That hurt them.
Speaker 1: Nasrit is also so good.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, it's just it's a pretty simple formula
to beat the Clippers right now. And when it's you know,
when it's that easy, is you know, just play a
little harder, you know, be a guard who.
Speaker 1: Can shoot threes and you'll be fine. Yeah. I don't know.
If we get a couple more thirty and two runs,
I think my tune might change on personnel changes. But
I don't know.
Speaker 3: The defense, whoe.
Speaker 4: The defense the last three games has been much better.
There's seventh defensively the last three games. Yeah, that that
matches the eye test. There's still twenty first offensively during
that time.
Speaker 1: And you look at uh, I think it was the
Timberwolves game. They shot horribly from the free throw line,
something they're the best at in the league. So even
if that was going well, you got that other thing
that comes up. It's just like, oh, well, now you're
gonna miss nine free throwsers. Not that that would have
been the whole difference, obviously, but just like another thing
that we can't have it all go right except for
one once every how many games we want once every
six games, we can like get this ship locked in.
But yeah, it's not consistent right now.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think the free throw points a good one.
Speaker 4: Zoom missed maybe five yesterday, but other guys were missing
uncharacteristically out there.
Speaker 3: And yes, if it's not one thing, it's another.
Speaker 4: And when your margin of error is that small where
you have to get all these boxes checked to win
the game, and just one of them unchecked, and it
comes back to haunt you, even with an eighteen point lead,
like missing free throws that could have made the difference.
Speaker 3: It's tough.
Speaker 4: It's hard to win your bad basketball team. That's the
bottom line.
Speaker 1: Because Adam Oslin said, so.
Speaker 2: Gotta gotta get a lawyer and start looking into invoking
some takebacks with the yes.
Speaker 1: We're taking back, we're taking back this uston, someone tweeted,
I can't remember what it was. I can't worret There's
been a lot of Clippers content recently where they were like,
people need to stop pretending that the Shade trade like
the context of it. Now they're like, just was it
Richard Jefferson who said no, it was Perk who said
that the Kawhi contract extension was the worst signing of
all time. And Richard Jefferson compared the Kawhi trade, the
Kai MPG trade to the Luca trade from the MAVs,
and it's like, we get it, we get it. Shit
on the Clippers all but like that is insane, Like
have legitimate criticisms, go for it. Don't sit here and
try and tell me that that trade was as bad
like that, Lawrence Frank is as bad of a GM
as Nico fucking Harrison.
Speaker 4: The Luca trade was dead on arrival. We all knew
it was a bad trade. There was one guy in
the universe that thought it was a good trade, and
he happened to be the GM for the Dallas Mavericks.
Where on the other end, everybody was saying it was
a good trade.
Speaker 3: It was a good move by the Clippers.
Speaker 4: How do I know that because I got the video
pinned on end and it's five minutes long at follow
out of May, and everybody said how great it was,
and most didn't even bring up Sga, didn't even know
who he was, didn't care.
Speaker 3: Like.
Speaker 4: What they talked about was, yeah, it's a lot of picks.
Speaker 3: Nobody was even mentioning.
Speaker 4: SGA pack right, he averaged ten points a game.
Speaker 3: He can team rookie.
Speaker 4: It's just, yeah, it's a hindsight bias with that trade.
Where Lucas was that was the first guess.
Speaker 1: This is the dumbest shit I've ever seen in my life.
Speaker 4: There's no comparison. One was good process, it didn't work out.
The other was awful process and result.
Speaker 1: Yes, right, anything else on this saga before we get
into previewing the game against the Rockets on Thursday.
Speaker 2: No, there's nothing more to say.
Speaker 1: There's nothing, hopefully god Yeah, anyway, we need Carl toard
On here to talk about it because we know for
a fact he has some fiery takes about Chris Paul.
All right, coming up, Oh, Joseph I award. Also maybe
we waited a couple of months to bring him because
he was fire he was five years Yeah, shout out Joseph.
Coming up, we're talking the game against the Rockets on Thursday.
Clipt a lot of rest. It's for me an ad break.
If you're listening to us on audio. If you're watching
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Speaker 2: Two one, All right, welcome back in talk to Chris
Paul Saga. The ship storm that has been the season.
We luckily get a bit of a reprieve here, a
little four day break before taking on a very difficult
opponent in the Rockets. But I don't even know what
to say about this one. It's a bad matchup. It's
a bad matchup for the Clippers.
Speaker 1: They get a bunch of rest too, which sucks. They
played yesterday and then they don't play again until they
play us, which let's get where's the lawyer, but where's
the take backsis lawyer? Does he do rest stuff too?
I know, I know his specialty is take back sies,
but surely he does some judges on the NBA scheduling
disputes too. Last year, we had issues with their youth,
their defensive chops, and their bench Adam haggle, No haggle.
Not a single thing has changed except they've now added
Kevin Durant to that equation of things to be worried about.
Speaker 4: You know, their average age went up a little bit,
but their overall talent also went up quite a bit.
Speaker 3: So they're a problem.
Speaker 4: They're one of the best teams in the West. It's them,
okay see on top and Denver and the Lakers somewhere
in there for being the top four teams. And they
play a brand of basketball that has been problematic for
the Clippers even when they were good. Yeah, because of
their size, because of their rebounding out there. Last season,
the joke was a possession doesn't start for the Rockets
offensively until they missed the shot. Like, that's when the
possession starts. Getting the offensive rebound, that's when it gets real.
Because their offense was not very good. But when you
get multiple opportunities. Yeah, and I just looked up the
last three games, so post CP three trade, I'm not
making about CP three but I would actually say it's
post the starters being bench was the big difference post
what happened in Miami.
Speaker 1: The benching.
Speaker 3: The last three games, where.
Speaker 4: We talk about the tail of two halves, they are
fifth in net rating and first halves last three games
and twenty seventh and second halves, and I mean it
looks like that they look like one of the best
teams in the league in first halves the last three
games and then the worst down the stretch of those games.
One of those was a win, by the way, one
of those was a win, and still twenty seven and
second halves net rating.
Speaker 1: I would kill if our win percentage went up to
point three three three. We're point two to five right now.
Speaker 4: We went from at best now probably a sixth seed
at best. At best I have to be like eighth
or ninth at best, tenth just getting the plan.
Speaker 3: Is that what we're talking about? I think?
Speaker 1: So, yeah, the winning season is also probably not happening.
They're not winning. They're gonna win forty two, they're gonna
win thirty six more games.
Speaker 3: Well, what was the end?
Speaker 4: What was the tenth seed last year in terms of record?
You know, did they have a winning record I would
imagine they know it was down. I guess would be
Dallas thirty nine and forty three, so close. That's that's
pretty bad. And Sacramento in front of them was forty
and forty two.
Speaker 3: So the ninth and ten seeds were under five hundred.
Speaker 4: So yeah, you're you're not wrong, Shock, that's very realistic.
Speaker 1: I will say the Rockets play at a slower pace
than the Clippers, So put those running shoes on James.
Speaker 3: That's why when people.
Speaker 1: We need you to make it happen.
Speaker 4: But I think people put too much into pace. That's
indicative of what type of team you are. It's like,
not really, guys, because you know, the Utah Jazz played
a fast pace, the Washington Whizzards, the Sacramento Kings.
Speaker 3: There's a lot of bad teams the top playing fast.
Speaker 4: There's a lot of good teams at the bottom playing slow,
like Houston, like the Knicks, like the Lakers. Phoenix Suns
have been good so far this season. The Boston Celtics
play at the slowest pace and they're fifteen to nine.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's your style exactly. The Rockets do have some
good stats though, third and offensive rating, fourth and defensive
ratings second in that fifth, in points per game second
and opponents points per games.
Speaker 3: Allowed first, and rebounding percentage.
Speaker 1: That's I was the Clippers of drops. Dude. The rebounding
is so bad. It feels like this year Collins can't
grab boards. So the starting five, obviously Kawhi and Harden
have to combine for what is the Kawhian hardened line?
Do we think for the Clippers to be competitive in games?
Do they need to combine for at least fifty sixteen
and twelve for the Clippers to be in the convo
of the game.
Speaker 2: I think how many times the zoo geame?
Speaker 1: I don't know, not enough? How about that?
Speaker 4: Did you guys see the stat There was something about
James Harden in games that he scored thirty points in
this season, they've lost three or four already where he
scored for thirty or more. Yeah, and in his time
previously with the Clippers it happened like once where he
scored thirty and they lost the game.
Speaker 1: What was the score when he put up fifty? Wasn't
that one? Like we needed the fifty five?
Speaker 3: That was the Charlotte game.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't know, I'm we need the same offensive
output from Kwhi and Harden. John Collins is going to
get put into the ringer against the Rockets. On the
defensive side of the.
Speaker 4: Ball, Collins has been rough on defense. He could not
handle Julius Randall. Nobody could. But before before the season started,
most would have said, this is why you get John
Collins for a matchup like this, and.
Speaker 3: He had nothing for him?
Speaker 1: Certainly, why you get a guy like Derek Jones who
is coming back at some point which you really need. Well,
have you felt about the John Collins experience. I think
Robert flam tweeted he's one of the most frustrating Clippers
ever already, and I think I might be on that track.
Speaker 2: I think, yeah, I mean, hopefully some of the shooting
stuff is an anomaly. You know, we knew defensively he
would be a liability, but.
Speaker 3: Not that bad.
Speaker 2: Not that I did not think it would be this bad,
but that can I mean, you know, if if you
were gonna blame uh L Frank for something, I mean,
that would be that would be one to look at.
It's another trade, I mean, like the norm, like the
norm trade isn't is another one that, like everybody was
pretty on board with it when it happened.
Speaker 3: John Collins for years.
Speaker 2: Myself and myself included like, sure it was a great deal.
Obviously you can't predict the Bradley Beal thing. Well I
could have, uh, but the the Collins miss step. I mean,
I don't know, is this like should we just don't.
Speaker 1: Think the defense is gonna be that bad because the
defense is like surprisingly bad while we are seeing Kawhi
lose a step on the defensive end, which makes things
harder for Collins, right, because the whole thing was like, well,
if Collins is in the starting lineup and he's next
to guys like Zoo and Kawhi, life should be easier.
But the point of attack defense has been rough. He's
I don't know if regressed is the word, if he's
always been this much of a sieve on defense. But
it's just like it's a perfect storm for every guy's
flaws to be on display.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, I mean that's another thing like if you're
looking at if you're looking at trades and rebuilding this roster,
I mean you have bottomed out the value of like
some of these pieces.
Speaker 4: I will say though the last three games, the defense
has not been the reason they have lost.
Speaker 3: They've been good in four minutes yea, even.
Speaker 4: With John Collins out there, I think his defense has
been better. They've been seventh over all the last three games,
and they easily could be fifth. It's like fractions of
a point away. The offense struggling that bad when they
need to get points against the other team's defense. Who
seems like when they ramp up and they're playing harder,
the Clippers just cannot match them.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm worried about the bench in this game. The
Rocket's best three point shooters are on the bench. Tarry
Easton is shooting fifty five three point attempts a year.
I think Reed Shepherd is shooting like mid or high
forties on like eight a game, like he's and he is,
he is such a goddamn good shooter. And he's a guard.
And this team has let guards enjoy their time behind
the three point line. So I'm like, Bogie, you just
gotta try and Matt just keep up with them a
little bit with three point percentage in this game if
we're gonna have any chance. In addition to Kawhi and
Harden putting up sixty to forty five and one hundred
or what I said.
Speaker 2: Was the Miami flight so delayed because they were trying
to do a TAKESI backsies with pat Riley.
Speaker 1: Yeah, oh that added a whole that added such a
weird ranch to the timing of the whole thing too. No,
you're fine, because before I heard that, before we knew
about the plane things, before we knew about the plane issue,
it was like, wait, why did this happen at two
in the morning, And it was like, oh, there was
a horrible plane delay. All right, that's a pretty good excuse,
billble hours.
Speaker 2: So it takes you.
Speaker 1: Back to the attorney.
Speaker 3: I just would again.
Speaker 1: He gets paid in Goosebucks.
Speaker 4: Well, I don't like seeing CP three go and like
that either. I am pretty sure the Clippers were aware
of the blowback the pr hit and they still felt
like they had to do it, And that should tell
you something about how bad things could have been behind
the scenes.
Speaker 2: But in a season where like they can't buy any goodwill,
like you know, like that, like public perception of the
Clippers could not be lower, and they still opted to
do it.
Speaker 1: Really could not be like.
Speaker 4: They hold my beer aspiration investigation, like we got these
other problems, we're bad and now CB three's gone to that.
That's one way to distract from the aspiration stuff. It's
like it's just been it's just been a disasters for
four months or so now.
Speaker 1: But hey, turn around with the win against the Rockets, right, Oh,
I'd be seeing in a very different tune.
Speaker 2: If we beat the.
Speaker 1: Rockets, you're getting the championship year tune.
Speaker 2: I'm getting to play in.
Speaker 1: What what tangible things can the Clippers do to keep
this one close?
Speaker 4: They want they better hit shots because they're not going
to be able to get many rebounds. They need a
hot shooting night badly.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and Dune was out their last game, but he
was sick, so I think he'll probably be better by Thursday.
Steven Adams was out because of an ankle. He's day
to day, but again four days off, so I think
he'll probably play.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 2: I expect that, like the the possession battle to be
so lopsided in this one that I in way efficient
efficiency is like their only way out.
Speaker 1: I guess, well, the two stars have been efficient, so
that's good.
Speaker 4: I think the analysis of hit shots, I mean, it's
tough to beat.
Speaker 3: Make shots.
Speaker 1: Even when you're winning. It's good advice, Right, all right,
do we because they're to.
Speaker 2: Be optimistically, like, optimistically, how many more possessions than clickers
in this one?
Speaker 3: Optimistically?
Speaker 1: Yeah, let me see what they're averaging.
Speaker 4: What's the lowest amount of possessions they'll win by?
Speaker 3: Yes, oh, I would say.
Speaker 1: So they're averaging they're averaging ninety point five field goal
attempts per game, and the Clippers are averaging that's good
for seventh. The Clippers are averaging eighty four and a half,
which is twenty ninth. So we're already we're looking at man.
Speaker 3: I think they're the best offensive rebounding team. They're the
best rebounding team.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and their percentages are crazy good too. Yeah, clips
by three.
Speaker 3: Could be their year.
Speaker 2: Fuck you guys, too many cookies, play too much cod
or whatever kids play whatever?
Speaker 1: You know, Maybe it's too much cod.
Speaker 4: First game back, over confident at home against the Clippers.
Speaker 1: Sounds like a trap game for the old Rockets.
Speaker 2: Where are we going to be the draft? Like? When
can we be the trap team?
Speaker 1: Now? It's literally on Thursday is when it starts. Dude.
If you lose to the Clippers now at this point,
is it's it's a trap it's like, okay, yeah, well
we I did something fucked up in the past life.
We lost to the Clippers.
Speaker 4: That's what that could be why they were up by
eighteen on Minnesota.
Speaker 1: We haven't had dude wacky outings. I'm telling you, We're
still scraping the bottom of the barrel of wacky outings
that this team needs to do to come together. Have
they been to golf and stuff? We don't know. That's
where Lawrence Frank needs to work on more ball pits,
you know, more like goofy shit.
Speaker 3: Do you guys think there could be a move before Thursday?
Do you do? You also wonder, like me, if there
could be a move.
Speaker 1: I do, and I think this sounds weird. I think
it would maybe try and be for a backup center
because our current backup senter situation is despite again a
preseason guy who every commentator in their uncle was saying
was somehow the most impressive guy in camp, which I'm like,
was this just to be nice to Robin Lopez and
he's like getting yammed on like Kobe's Sanders or something
like that. But like, we needed backup five that can
play every night. Small ball doesn't really work with this
old team in long stretches because it can't. So like,
we do the sexiest thing in the world and trade
away an old Lopez for a weird backup five because
ONI's not ready.
Speaker 4: I don't think is he on a player option for
next year or is he expiring this year?
Speaker 3: I guess just a one year deal. I couldn't remember that.
Speaker 4: Look two years a little less appealing.
Speaker 1: Then, huh club option?
Speaker 2: Okay, I was gonna saying, isn't it a club option?
Speaker 1: Great?
Speaker 3: Yeah, so that's basically an expiring Oh.
Speaker 1: I do like here's been a good example of Google
AI really pulling its weight for me. Disregard by spelling.
That's Brook Lopez, right, do you have a B Yeah?
And I think it's a Samoan linebackers.
Speaker 4: It's not even Robin, It's it's a.
Speaker 1: Football player, got it. Yeah? That being said, though, a
good lesson. If you search Lipez contract you'll get Brock
Lopez contract. Good job on Google for making that correction.
I guess, Okay, you think.
Speaker 3: That's the biggest need or just the easiest.
Speaker 1: I do. I do not think that's the biggest need.
Speaker 3: What's biggest need?
Speaker 1: Forty year old point guard who plays twelve minutes a
game and yells the coaches no, uh, this sounds shitty,
but I'm in the headspace where the biggest need is picks.
I think we're not dude, we just talked about how
we might not go five hundred. I don't think there's
a I don't think there's a player movement's big enough
that gets us to.
Speaker 4: That.
Speaker 1: Yeah, playing competent basketball is the biggest need, and we
need to have a guy who can play back up
five minutes.
Speaker 4: I mean, I'm fully open to a full sell off.
I have been for weeks.
Speaker 3: I think there's something too.
Speaker 4: Worrying about okay See getting a higher pick could be
cutting off your nose to spice your face a little bit.
Speaker 3: Worry about ourselves.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, they don't care about okay Sees. But I
mean that not like they don't. If they don't, they
made a move. But yeah, yeah, you think Lawrence Franks
getting clowned on now if he said what everyone else
has already been setting saying, of like, we just did this,
so we want to make sure that okay See doesn't
get a good draft pick, people would crucify him, even
though they all agree with it. That would be an
insane thing to hear a GM say, has a coach
ever said anything like that or like anything in any
sport of like, well, we just want to win these
games to prevent our pick that we gave this other
guy from being good. Like that would be taken in
the wrong way, would be my guess. It's also yeah,
not how it works. Will Do you think it trades made? No?
Speaker 4: Not?
Speaker 2: The next word is but I mean I think they're
I think they're on the phone. I think they're exploring.
Speaker 1: After the fifteenth, I think something maybe happens.
Speaker 4: Yeah, before the end of this calendar year, something is
going to happen.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, that is what I say every year on
New Year's Eve, I say, guys, something before the end
of this year, something's gonna happen. And then this happened
and the Clippers suck. So yeah, I think I think
a trade is is probably likely. Do you think they
get anybody? Because it feels like it's either small trade
or big trade because the small trade does.
Speaker 2: Could happen in the next four it is.
Speaker 3: That's true, all trade, big trade one, not both.
Speaker 1: Yeah, sure, that'd be cool. Oh, we didn't pick a
player of the game for the Houston game. So you
guys think's gonna you guys think is gonna catch fire
for the clips.
Speaker 3: Like everyone's available for this player of the game.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I'm going uh Kobe. I think Kobe Sanders
is gonna have a great game. He's been kind of
fun to watch. Yes, he's a rookie and there's some
bad stuff, but hey, if you wanted youth to play
watch Kobe, you put up some good tape earlier.
Speaker 2: In the week going big Zoo the only chance at
saving our season trading him for two first But if
we have a losing season but Zoo rows his hair out,
Oh oh, I'm okay with that.
Speaker 4: You know what, So you're saying not a losing season,
Yeah yeah.
Speaker 1: Those are.
Speaker 2: Zoom. Until we break off a win streak of ten games,
you can't cut your hair, dude.
Speaker 4: Maybe it is that I'm open to Visa Zoo bots
being traded and I hate saying that statement. Oh yeah,
if that happens, I mean, that's such an admission of
a failed season. If you have to trade a Visa
Zoo bots, that's just.
Speaker 2: I mean, or you just really get the right price,
you know, if if something is looking like a McCall
esque deal.
Speaker 1: Who's looking for I love Zoo, but what contender is
because it's someone with a bunch of picks, right like.
Speaker 4: The you don't but it's not a rental and he's
on a good contract, and it does make sense for Boston.
I I think I think that's just reading tea leaves.
I've been talking about Anthony Simon's for a while. Oh
that's who they're getting back by.
Speaker 1: That will You're an Anthony Simons one of them. Yeah,
some picks and Anthony Simon.
Speaker 3: Sure, it's not trading Zoo, is I I understood it.
Speaker 4: Trading Zoo is an admission of a failed season. That's
an admission of a failed era. If you are trading
a beatsa Zuper.
Speaker 2: Well yeah, I mean, or like I said though, or
just the really right price.
Speaker 3: No, but it's even with the right price.
Speaker 4: It's like this era is over to the point where
the only way we can get picks back was trading
our best asset that is going to be good, that
may win with somebody else.
Speaker 3: It's just it's hard. It's hard to think about our longest.
Speaker 4: Tenured clipper, the guy who understands the fan base the most,
that really relates.
Speaker 3: I would hate that.
Speaker 1: If we trade Zoo for a good haul, I would
be sad, but I would understand why. Sure, if we
trade Zoo for a good haul and he grows his
hair out on his new team, I will genuinely feel scorned. Yes,
I'd burned my Zoo wig. It's a bald cap with
a number one. All right, do we have anything else
we want to add about this Clippers team. We're talking
about bald caps, which senses that things might be going
off the rails, not as far as they could go. Oh,
when do we bring dips back? We said five and twenty,
which that's not happening. Sorry, fellas, We're not going to Applebee's.
But six and twenty eight, six and twenty four. If
we're at thirty losses before we get to ten wins,
oh oh god, damn man, I was looking their stephal two.
We might.
Speaker 2: If we get to thirty losses, rememb where we get
to ten wins. This might become a Dips and Movies show.
Speaker 1: Dude, we're gonna talk about dips. We're gonna talk about movies.
We're gonna talk about all.
Speaker 2: The Patreon content you've ever wanted to be available.
Speaker 1: On the main free they go, Rockets on the eleventh,
Grizzlies on the fifteenth, Thunder on the seventeenth, Lakers on
the twentieth, Rockets again on the twenty third, Blazers on
the twenty six, Pistons on the twenty eighth, Kings on
the thirtieth.
Speaker 2: Fellas jacq Lavine could be a Clipper by then, Oh.
Speaker 3: My revenge game for zach Lavine.
Speaker 1: Wow, what if you.
Speaker 2: Don't give up draft capital and you get zach Lavine
and just keep him as a rental, Like you don't.
Speaker 1: Know, But I would say that we're there, We're the
Los Angeles Kings. I would say that is a Sacramento
Kings ass move because we're also matching salary, aren't we
sort of like trading James Harden or Kwai No, it's
John Collins and a bunch of Olier stuff.
Speaker 3: I would say, the Los Angeles I like that.
Speaker 1: We're talking like we're Lakers fans with these trades. No,
I know, I know, I know, I'm being yeah, yeah,
what were we saying at him?
Speaker 4: They're like, because the Kings were the new Chicago Bulls
on the West coast, so you're like the La Kings.
Speaker 3: Bulls or Chicago La Chicago Kings.
Speaker 4: Like it's something that's an amalgamation of things that probably
wouldn't make people.
Speaker 1: Let's go baby, let's do a rebrand. What if they
did a rebrand before Thursday? Do you think that would
get people to forget about the season going poorly?
Speaker 2: Uh?
Speaker 1: We become the Cabby Euros. All right.
Speaker 2: Paul George appearing in the rebranded jerseys for the promotional
stuff and never playing in one is one of my favorite.
Speaker 4: I got a question, who do Clippers fans root for
more tonight or root against more tonight? I should say,
do you harder against Paul George or harder against the Lakers?
When Philly's taking on the Lakers.
Speaker 1: I think you root harder against the Lakers. Yeah.
Speaker 2: I don't want Paul George, but I want Paul George
to suck in the world.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I want him to remain healthy, but be bad.
Him getting hurt so much makes it hard to kind
of hate watch because I'm like, he just might get
hurt while I'm watching this, and I don't want to
put the energy out. All right, Well, I think it's Lakers.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it definitely is for me.
Speaker 1: Hope they flip their bike and nuck their two front
teeth out a traditional arrival so you can never see
them one. Yeah, wait, are we are we mathematically eliminated
from winning the division? We need a big meter behind
will that says X amount of games until we're mathematically
all right. We're gonna maybe Happy Hour stream on Friday
to talk the Rockets game and whatever new insane bullshit
will be happening. Episode out for next week on Sunday,
most likely. Will I think we do a better job
with this podcast than the Clippers are maybe doing playing
basketball right now? Where could people share similar or differing
thoughts as to that? Yeah, give us your praise, we
need it right now, we all need it. You can
do that.
Speaker 2: You can shower with praise over on Apple Podcasts or Spotify,
and of course listen wherever you get your podcast. The
best way to shower us with praise is over on
YouTube dot com at Clippers Podcast, where you can watch
this show. You can tune in for those Friday live streams.
Comment you know, but however, you listen wherever you watch. Hey,
I hope we're making it more enjoyable than the Clipper seasons.
Speaker 1: Bet we hope we can be a small beacon of
light in these choppy waters. That is the oceans of hell.
Speaker 2: The egg in these trying times, Yes.
Speaker 1: Man, eggs for days. Adam continues to be this is
the hardest part of every episode. We need you to
say something positive for Clippers fans to get us ready
for this for Rockets week.
Speaker 4: You know, I saw.
Speaker 3: I think it was a lot of murray that put
it up.
Speaker 4: Clippers winds loss is depending on how many days off
they've had before that game, and I don't think we
know yet their win loss record before having four days
off and how that next game goes. So I mean,
I'm taking that as a positive. It could it could
definitely be a victory.
Speaker 3: There's no trend.
Speaker 4: There's no bad trend that says that they lose or
they're zero to three every time they have four days
off before a game.
Speaker 3: That's what I'm going with.
Speaker 1: They can put up two undred points. We don't know.
Speaker 3: This is on turn of territory.
Speaker 1: Shit, let's do it. Let's put up two hundred all right,
Let's hope. Let's just hope there's a good process. We'll
be back with y'all if something weird happens between now
and the game, we'll have some content for you. If
they re signed Chris Paul just to cut them again,
we'll go live. We'll make sure to get all that
on there. Thank you for hanging out as always, let's
go clips