Speaker 1: What's going on? Clippers fans.
Speaker 2: Welcome to.
Speaker 1: Clippers Nuggets Game six preview, coming on the heels of
what was not a very fun live stream last time,
Carl Tart and I lamenting the loss that the Clippers committed.
Is committed the right word? I don't know. The Clippers
played terribly yesterday. We really hope they don't play terribly
tomorrow because the season is now on the line for
a multitude of reasons. We're going to get into all
that in just a bit, but I welcome to the show.
If you're new to the show, I am Chuck Mockler.
Adam Olsen's probably going to be late, as is Will Updyke,
but we have a schedule to keep none the less.
Welcome to clips and Dip. If you want to listen
to our old episodes where we talked about how things
might go well or go wrong, check them out. Subscribe
YouTube dot complished at Clippers Podcast. We're gonna put this
out is audio later tonight as well. Max Skywalker saying
let's go that's the attitude we need. That was a
difficult day yesterday for Clippers fans. Well more of a
night I guess, pitiful effort just not not what any
of us wanted. And I don't think the postgame stuff
helped it all. It just it felt like the wheels
fell off last night a little bit. All Right, there
we go, we got the comeback. Clips are coming back.
Let's hope. So they need to Carlos Decido saying, it's
the next day. I need positivity, mister positive, Chuck Buckler.
I was down yesterday. I will admit that, but we
are here to try and bring a little bit of positivity.
There's been a lot of chatter so far today. First
of all, no injuries for the game tomorrow. I'm assuming
everyone knew that. Max Skywalker saying what's been going on
since last night? Any new insights? Not really, there hasn't
been a whole bunch of stuff to come out. There
hasn't been any. Uh. Derek Jones junior news, but he's
not on the injury report, so he is good to go. Yeah,
that's good. I guess William Updyke, what's up man? How
are you doing? I was just I don't know if
you caught the stream yesterday, but I was running hot.
I was very down.
Speaker 3: Uh.
Speaker 1: People are looking for some more positivity today. How are
you doing, man.
Speaker 4: A completely unrelated note. I don't know what's going on,
but there's several helicopters and I can hear police giving
instructions for someone to come out right now, like with
their hands up. Uh shit, man, maybe it is. I
kind of blacked out last week. I kind of blacked
out last night after that awful loss. So who knows,
who knows what I was capable of, but I you know,
it was tough. It was tough last night. It was
especially tough this morning. I've kind of settled in a
little bit more now. I mean it's not it's not
over yet. No, I mean it's not over yet by
any means. And I think I think, like what was
so disheartening about this one is, in the two losses,
we saw the Clippers be right there, you know, the
talent disparity, the like whatever was was what we you know,
was what we thought it was, which yeah, yeah, yeah,
which it just you know, coming into this series, we
knew it was gonna be evenly matched. I thought the
Clippers were a little bit better depth wise, obviously, but
watching this one, watching this one, it was just sort
of echoes of what we've seen of this team. In
the two and three era where it's like, okay, so
again you'd like forgotten whatever the identity is of this team,
of whatever it is that makes you successful, and you're
just kind of rolling over here. So it was. It
was a disheartening one and I'm sure we'll get into it.
But James Harden refuses to speak to the media yet again.
Also really really rubbed me the wrong way. Bug me.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I would like him to. I would love for
him to play well enough to speak to the media tomorrow.
Mikey Lap saying Clippers are big favorites tomorrow. The Clippers
are like a seven and a half point favorite, which
it's that into a boost. I'm gonna be honest, credit
to the Wall for that one. I think the Wall
is affecting some of these betting lines, which is pretty sick.
I like Joseph Ryward is attempting to join the stream,
but there seems to be some Internet issues. Renzo the
Old Head saying Kawhi shot over twenty shots one time
this series. We need him to shoot thirty shots in
an elimination game. So yeah, I was struggling with this too.
Speaker 4: I like, I was struggling with this because obviously, the
Clipper ceiling is so tied to you know, what Kawhi
Leonard could do to guys and through I mean through
five games. Is he even a top three player in
this series? Is he somewhere closer to five? Like, you know,
it's I don't know about that.
Speaker 1: May no, I don't know about that. It's just tough like.
But that's what makes it so frustrating is because he
should be the second.
Speaker 4: If he's not one or two, then that's really tough.
Speaker 1: Joseph hopefully speeding down the highway.
Speaker 4: I didn't realize the stream was getting cool with Hill.
Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, uh hey guys, Joseph here, first time, long
time Joseph on a mobile. I just wanted to call
in real quick. How you guys doing.
Speaker 4: I'm a little bit better, but not agree.
Speaker 1: It's annoying because we were just talking about how Kawhi
needs to take more shots because that, Yeah.
Speaker 2: I haven't decided if I want the team to blow
it up or that game five was the last gass
of a champion and the Clippers were winning in seven.
I'm I'm vacillating between those two points.
Speaker 4: Okay, wow, oh wow, tell us more about the ladder please,
just I want to hear more about this.
Speaker 1: I don't think we're blowing anything.
Speaker 2: Up the ladder. I just I don't know, so I
have a lot of price. Yeah, like this was what
they had. I mean, Jokic looked really tired. I mean,
obviously he put up a triple double and like dominated
the game in a lot of other ways, but it
really felt like offensively, he was working really hard. And
if I mean, it's a big if if Jamal Murray
doesn't shoot better than he's ever shot in his whole life,
other than I guess when he played against the Jazz
and the Bubble and Russell Westbrook actually shoots better than
he's ever shot in his whole playoff life. I don't know,
man like it just it really feels like the things
the Clippers need to do are fixable, and we should
we should have the better team in these games, and
like we should be winning. The series should already be over,
and it's not, and it's it's frustrating that it's not.
But it really did kind of feel like they went
back home, they got this big pop from Jamal. I
don't know, like I feel like the Clippers could get
a big pop tomorrow from their stars and then when
a dogfight in Denver.
Speaker 1: Do you think a question from Dive Dapper shout out Dive,
I hope you're doing well. Do you think Murray and
Jokic go off together tomorrow? Because we haven't. Everyone's saying like, oh,
Yo didn't even go off, Murray took his place. They
are able to go off at the same time, which
is what is difficult. But the Clippers, if they are
really caring and worth their salt, will at least attempt
to make it so they both don't go off.
Speaker 2: I don't know, man, I was reading the script that
the NBA put out, you know that sets in to
the media about how the playoffs are gonna go, and
I didn't. I didn't see a double a double pop,
you know, for Yo Kitchen Murray and in game six
at into it don't.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I agree, I don't know.
Speaker 3: Not.
Speaker 4: I don't think it's gonna happen at don't.
Speaker 2: I don't.
Speaker 4: I don't think like both of them are gonna simultaneously
have their best game of the series. In uh in
game six.
Speaker 1: If one of them will have a good ass game, I'm.
Speaker 4: They're not facing elimination though, like it's it's just completely different,
Like the Clippers now have zero margins, and I think
that we've seen them perform a lot better in those situations,
which it's not great, like it's not a great position
to be in, but I will say that they're like,
it's two completely different drives. We're not gonna see the
same like people are not going to be lost on
defense the same way. Like I like Joseph about things
being fixable, because I had interpreted that as like this
team has lost their way, that they've completely separated from
this identity that they tried to build all year. But
maybe it was just like being tired. Maybe it was
just a screw up, and really these things are pretty addressable.
I'm gonna go ahead and choose to hop on the
optimistic bus with Joseph on that.
Speaker 1: On that point, I mean, they are, but we're also
like I'm not denying that, but I think I think
the the Nuggets want to get this series done. They
don't want to play a game Sevan at all. So
I think that they're going to be trying, obviously to
close the shit out like the Clipper should have been.
And I know that the problems are fixable. But from
the job. Last night we saw such a lack of
effort from James Harden, specifically on defense. Yeah, bodied us, Like, yeah,
it was the clips.
Speaker 4: Like watching the clips again today was dude, So.
Speaker 1: Like that is fixable if Harden wants to fix.
Speaker 2: It, Yeah, right, Like yeah, but I do. I okay,
So I'm with you on the effort in game five
was pathetic. Like there's no other word to describe how
the Clippers showed up in Game five. It was fucking pathetic.
And they have not only the team, Tylu has performed
better when his back is actually against the wall. And
I just I feel like if we're if we're all
going to be on the train of they're the better team,
they're their deeper team, they should win the series, then
we shouldn't be surprised if they win two games that
they're like that they have to win right now, The
issue is that it's the Clippers. I think I think
that's the big issue for all of us here right
is that it's the Clippers, and that means we can't
have nice things. So the the flip side of this
is they they do all the right things for Game six.
Everybody feels really optimistic going into game seven, and then
they all collectively shit the bett in game seven and
look like they don't care.
Speaker 1: So don't talk about these things. This was supposed to
be a more positive.
Speaker 4: I'm glad that you bring up ty Lu and how
he can operate with us back against the wall, because
I'm curious you're or I'm curious your thoughts on this.
Did he overadjust after that game? Like after the Game
four loss? Like we came out they were trying to
play a completely different type of offense, trying to play
way faster than we've normally seen them play, which I
would think, just in my head, is gonna benefit the
better offensive team being Denver.
Speaker 3: Uh?
Speaker 2: Like?
Speaker 4: Was that an over adjustment?
Speaker 3: Like?
Speaker 4: What the fuck was going on there?
Speaker 1: And then I have another question about another over adjustment there.
Speaker 2: We'll probably go ahead, please throw them both at me.
Speaker 1: No, So this is this? The alex Web comment is
a very There's a lot of people clamoring for the
starting lineup change, right because now you have to win
tomorrow night or an overachieving season ends in a very
underwhelming way, and people want Nico to be out there.
I don't think Norm gets benched, so it would be done,
and you would move everyone over. Where are you at?
Are you do you think we see Nick Batoum in
the starting lineup for any either Norm or done. We
don't have We'll get into that in a second.
Speaker 2: I'd actually, I'd actually go even farther and I would
start Bogie and Nico over Norm and Wow, and I
would play both of those guys thirty eight minutes in
game six.
Speaker 1: Both Wow. Man. I think we'd have to we'd have
to do too much defensive I get.
Speaker 2: I mean, I I think in that starting lineup, I
think I think he's got enough cover and he's played.
I mean, his problem is he's fouled too much, but
he's playing physical defense. Hold on one second, guys, I'm
I got takes, but I also have to pick up
my order.
Speaker 1: So what did you get? Joseph's going to the drive
Adam was at the drive through the other day doing
a pod. Joseph's at the drive through. Now, yeah, okay,
I'm with this. I don't I don't know if Bogey
playing thirty eight minutes, I don't know about that.
Speaker 2: Here's here's the deal. Norm. Norm can't fucking dribble. The
problem is Norm dribbling any direction other than straight is
a problem, and straight is a fifty to fifty proposition
at this point. So I want someone on the floor
because because Kawi's got to play forty four minutes, he's
not going to because they're doing something. But Qui's got
to play forty four minutes. He just wants to get
to the off season healthy, guys. He just wants to
get to the off season healthy.
Speaker 1: He's eight minutes per game. Yokich is at forty one
for those of you, and three minutes. It might not
sound like a lot, it's a lot.
Speaker 2: And in the ways in which games you know, one,
two and three were close, and even four for that matter,
those minutes matter like it's a huge discrepancy when you
when you get to this point. But I do just
think that, like right now, in this current moment, those
are your five best guys. I know Don has played
good defense. I just the variance of the shooting. I
don't want to do it. And I think playing Bogie
and Nico together in that starting five gets you a
little bit bigger. Joseph, Yes, thank you so much. California
Chicken Cafe, Ladies and gentleman.
Speaker 1: Get off the stream, no Californy chick.
Speaker 2: But how I feel about it is it's just that's
our best, most balanced five, and I know they don't
have a lot of reps together. I don't think Ty
is actually going to change the starting lineup. He's he's
very much like I'm gonna ride the horses that got
me here kind of guy.
Speaker 1: And I think.
Speaker 4: That he could.
Speaker 2: I I agree, and I just I don't know.
Speaker 1: Man.
Speaker 2: I look, people are going to say Ruscott in his
head and all this. Sorry, there's a there's a BMW
turbo over here. It's very very cool. If you've got that, man,
just rev your engine. It's really cool. Everyone thinks you're
super cool. Everybody wants to hear it. It's awesome. You're
the coolest guy.
Speaker 1: This is one of our more immersive streams. If you're listening,
you like this content, check out you podcast. This is.
Speaker 2: You Got a Haul from Me from Gone and get it.
This is the quarter Chicken Dark anyway, So any I
just I think those are your five best guys, and
I'd like to see those guys play a lot of minutes.
Speaker 4: I like, I think that's interesting. I think maybe a
complete like changing two out of the starting five is
maybe more extreme than I'm willing to go. But I
do think making the rotator those rotations a little bit shorter,
like I did like bringing Bogged in a little bit earlier.
And another thing that sucks about that loss is like
Chris Dunn shooting was good enough last night that he
could actually stay on the floor. Yeah, which was such
a bummer that that, like the effort just wasn't there otherwise,
because that we haven't had that luxury so far in
this series where he can actually provide enough offense to
stay on the floor to play this great defense that
he's played all season.
Speaker 1: Right, all right, we got to bring Adam in. J
Bos wants to know if Joseph is driving a bus now,
Adam Osland, I used.
Speaker 2: To drive buses. Fun fact about me.
Speaker 1: We're learning a lot in this stream.
Speaker 3: We could use a few more bus drivers on the Clippers.
Speaker 2: Right now that we're.
Speaker 1: Talking starting lineup change, I wanted to bring up some
stats you tweeted out earlier. You said the lineup data
of Nico next to Harden, Don, Kawhi and Zoo in
the series is only two minutes. Clippers are plus six.
Nico with Harden, Powell Kawai Zoo. Clippers are plus four
in those six minutes. Do you do you think we
see the lineup change. Adam wants to change too, or
Joseph wants to change two spots in the starting lineup
and he has some support.
Speaker 3: In the chat DJ and but too.
Speaker 2: No Bogie and Batoom killer bees on the swarm.
Speaker 3: Bogie was good last game. But I don't know. My
thing is, yeah, I don't want of normal Bogie has
to have it going. I would just go batoum and
take Norman, put him on the bench and lean into
defense because they have to start faster and their defense
has been lacking to start at ball games. I don't
know where it is.
Speaker 1: Over the first five minutes of the first five games
of this series, the Nuggets have outscored the Clippers seventy
six to fifty three.
Speaker 2: Is that bad?
Speaker 1: Justin Russo? Uh? That is bad. Joseph is quite literally
in the driver's seat right now, Scott. Do we think
that happens? Adam? Is this the game where I mean
if Steward dies, right, this is the game where you
throw it at the wall, right.
Speaker 3: I think there's a good chance it happens He was
asked postgame about changes and said something to the effect of,
I don't know what changes we need to make. I
don't know if you would actually say that he was
going to start with tomb after the end of game five.
Speaker 1: I don't think he's said that. A day before for Adam.
Speaker 3: He brought Patuman first off the bench, and I thought
he would, And to me, that just says he's getting
a little bit closer to starting.
Speaker 2: If if he starts, though, do you think at halftime
he asks if Marcus Morris can start the second half
because he doesn't like being a starter, or is that
is that we got?
Speaker 1: Do you remember that we don't need right now? Joseph.
Speaker 2: That still pisses me off. I'm still mad about it.
I don't know if you could tell, but I'm still
mad about that.
Speaker 1: I don't know. Adam, where are you at? Do you
feel better or worse than yes yesterday? Because we've kind
of gotten it, We've gotten everybody's uh feelings out. Are
you feeling better or worse?
Speaker 3: I feel better. I feel like they're gonna win Game six.
I do the way they lost that game yesterday. To me,
yesterday isn't the game you were gonna have a good
chance to win it. It's game one, I'm thinking about,
it's game four. I'm thinking about they let get away
yesterday's games like Okay, themal Murray shoots like that, they
all shoot like that outside the paint. You're probably losing
that game. It's the other two missed opportunities. I feel
like that those are the things that are going to
eat at me if they lose this series.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a good call. Is that last night won't
be as difficult as the horrors of the final quite
literal last seconds of game for Yeah, I'm how do
you feel about Harden on Jokich? That was an adjustment,
that was a new wrinkle. It seemed like to me
it's tired them out for the offensive side of the ball.
Speaker 3: How many of those were intentional and how many of
those were just switched off? Switching? I have to watch
the game again. I don't think I can do that.
Speaker 1: Do you have to do?
Speaker 4: You have to put him on yok because he's so
worthless off the ball as a defender. Maybe is gonna
have the ball in his hands, he might as well
put him there because otherwise he's completely gone.
Speaker 3: Yeah, he was very lacks of days coal with some
of those baseline cuts that happened against James Harden yesterday.
That was disappointing.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I hope, I hope he can actually give some
postgame media. So this is a thought from Comesso Harden
on Yoker open infinite space for Murray. But I called
him yokre Yeah, I called him yokre put a little soft.
Speaker 2: So we call them in the streets okay, and these
Clipper streets, we call them the Yoker.
Speaker 1: Joseph. Joseph kind of does look like an undercover cop
right now.
Speaker 3: Uh, because I tried to talk to Joseph about the
game last night and he wouldn't even talk to me.
Speaker 2: I did tell everyone it was okay. Look in my defense,
I was miserable, but also what are you now? It
was my last just generally unhappy. I have clinical depression, guys,
So I just I was. It was my last ditch
effort at like a reverse Jinks. I told everybody that
I like wasn't going to speak about them and it
was all going to be bad. And then they went
on a run, and then you know, I started thinking like,
oh shit, it's gonna work. And then it didn't work,
so I.
Speaker 3: Literally tried to coax him into it by just texting
him Hell yeah, I that would bring out the best
version of just Brian Ward I was looking for. No, no, man, No, we.
Speaker 1: Got a pretty good version of Carl Tart last night,
who was saying very mean and kind of unhinged things
about Nikola Jokic. Good time. Yeah, and I'm you know me,
I'm a host. I'll let you say whatever you want
on this podcast. For the most part, when it comes
to basketball, you can do whatever you want. Looking at
some lineup data, Harden Kawhi, Norm Christun and Zoo minus
seventeen this series so far.
Speaker 3: Yeah, Denver's like a plus eleven with their starters for
one hundred possessions. The Clippers are about a minus eleven
with their starters in this series. So there is reason
to believe. You've got in five games of this the
starting lineup hasn't been working. They're losing today. Verse, I
gotta think I had to lean one way. He's making
the move.
Speaker 2: T needs five more games of data, guys, just five
more games of this and he'll be able.
Speaker 1: To make a change. Will How are you gonna feel
when Nick Patoom is announced as possibly the starter. Possibly
they're gonna say they're gonna soft launch it. Yeah, they're
gonna say possible starters.
Speaker 4: When they say that the starters thing, tomorrow it'll say
it started.
Speaker 1: Maybe, yeah, maybe he'll be it'll be a photo of
four guys, and then Nick Patum holding a coffee in
the corner. Is that he's soft watching this?
Speaker 3: Tye?
Speaker 2: Tye absolutely is hitting reporters, But hey, what's the starting lineup?
Speaker 1: I forgot?
Speaker 4: Yeah, I know I'm gonna feel great about it, and
I think, like, I think it can work both ways.
Like Norm has had an up and down series, not
very good, but like maybe maybe going back to the
benches and move in a positive direction for him. I
don't know how those and it's kind of work out
with Bogie and him and how they work around that.
But yeah, I think I like the nicktomb adjustment. Do
we have a status update on DJJ? I've not seen anything.
Speaker 2: Clean wasn't on the entry report.
Speaker 1: They weren't holding them back. There's no way he wasn't
gonna play. Then we have seven guys.
Speaker 3: He gets banged up every game in return, so it
just so happens. This time it was so late in
the game he didn't get a chance to come back.
Speaker 1: But yeah, that's a good call. That's I like that call.
Speaker 4: Nice to have a young guys.
Speaker 3: You know, I'd like to say, as much as we're
talking about the starting lineup and everybody is talking themselves
into this is going to fix things, it's really not
unless Kawhi and James Harden show up and play much correct.
Speaker 1: Could not agree more.
Speaker 2: Or if the team just decides to give a shit.
It'd be nice if they did that.
Speaker 1: Too, Joseph that says give a shit, yes or no,
this is what we're going over today, guys.
Speaker 2: How many fucks do you have to give? But no,
I mean, I'm sorry, guys. They have acted as though
they're like entitled to this series win because they're the
better team, and it's really fucking annoying. It's really annoying.
I'm sorry. I know it was funny because we blew
them out in game three, but Tylu walking the streets
of Beverly Hills telling strangers we're good is infuriating. With
the level of effort that they gave. He still said,
he still said we're good. He's still let the picture happen. Yeah,
post that ship. It's fine. Everyone can know that you
saw me five hours before tip just shopping, you know
what I mean? Like, we we look bad as a
unit right now, and I'm upset.
Speaker 1: About coach I would have. I don't know if I
agree with the first part of that, but I do
agree with as a unit the Clippers look a little
bad because the Kawhi Harden thing is incredibly frustrating. This
is the healthy postseason, right right, Adam, You and I
didn't get a chance to talk about the test day like,
this is the healthy postseason, right Like, this is what
we've all been wanting. I totally agree that it's not
going anywhere if the two guys who we've needed to
be healthy the whole time for this run aren't going
to be aggressive.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: No, that was a good point. I heard you mentioned
that last night. I don't I kind of wanted to
let's just see how things work out, and then if
I have to be that negative and be like this
was the healthy postseason where we were supposed to make
the run, I would get there eventually. You beat me
to a chuck. But You're not wrong. This is extremely
frustrating right now because I do think for the better team.
They are also going up against a team with championship
level and tangibles right now, and if you make any
mistakes and if you leave the door open a crack,
they're gonna kick it in and beat you. And that's
what's been happening.
Speaker 1: They also the Clippers left the door open at one
point because like the ones that they went away like
that they didn't chase I guess or something, you know
what I mean, the ones that they just let go.
And I'm counting game four in that too. A lot
of people are talking about the reffing, but.
Speaker 2: It's been lopsided.
Speaker 1: But it's also like will you were saying yesterday forget
about that shit if you're on the Clipper, Yeah, don't
look you know.
Speaker 4: I mean like again, and I feel like we've talked
about this before with this team too, Like you're not
going to get the call, like just get to the rim.
I Like, I don't know what to tell you, Like
I it sucks. It sucks that the game is officiated
one way for eighty two games and then like officiated
differently for the following how for many you last, But
that's just the nature. That's that's just the nature of it,
so you know you can't merchant. Just just get to
the rim.
Speaker 3: It would be a better argument to complain about the
rests if they didn't miss ten free throws yesterday while
taking more free throws than dead bird.
Speaker 1: They missed ten, Jos, if you have to get out
of here, I don't want that chicken to be cold,
I do.
Speaker 2: I know, I know, I gotta get it upstairs. But
bye everyone, Thanks for having me.
Speaker 4: Thanks you.
Speaker 2: Just give a ship. That's all they got it. If
they're watching, if you're watching, give a ship. That's all
you have to do. Yeah, I know, I know they
all sit dreams. I know they do it. Five. You
have this practice stuff.
Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, thank you? Yeah, by j Yeah. The
ref thing, I mean, the ref thing's annoying. But there's
other issue that's not We're not losing every single game
on a last second bad call.
Speaker 3: I think they've lost any game because of that.
Speaker 1: Yeah, we're losing it in the first quarter because we're
losing the first five minutes every single time we play.
Speaker 2: Is it weird?
Speaker 4: Just the miss call on Harden Game four? Go to
turn things?
Speaker 3: If they called the foul with him on Aaron Gordon
with them put back because he did foul Aaron Gordon
by the way, guys, and they just turned a blind eye.
Speaker 4: It wasn't what I was saying.
Speaker 1: I actually don't remember those eight seconds of my life.
I've blocked those eight seconds out. What were you gonna say, Adam?
Speaker 3: Why have they reverted back to the bad habit now
of getting off to slow stars?
Speaker 1: Do you think.
Speaker 4: Why did they try to play so fast yesterday? I'm
still like when Charles and I were watching that game,
I was losing my mind, like, well, why, like why
why such a stark change in the style of play.
I don't know in a tied series is the thing? Like,
it wasn't even they weren't at a deficit then, so like,
why make the hyper over adjustment to play a completely
different style of offense?
Speaker 3: The Street Fighter two Turbo just hits harder, man, I'm guessing.
Speaker 4: Because was that you playing faster give them more possessions.
Speaker 5: Inherently, I think they were trying to beat them with
execution before they could double and blitz as much and
get to their stuff faster.
Speaker 3: My guess is that I didn't see what the pace
ended up being compared to the rest of the games.
But they did end up Definitely, if I felt plunky,
I didn't like the shot selection early on, and Denver
was really hot and they were beating them. Honestly, if
their defense just showed up better to start that game,
even with that level of offense, I would have felt
better about it. Just don't get beat on easy backdoor
cuss to start every game.
Speaker 1: Like we could see, it's the easy buckets that you
can't give to a team that is unhealthier than you are,
not as deep as you are. And some of it,
obviously was last night, specifically Russell Westbrook having an absurd
shooting night.
Speaker 3: That second quarter, guys, is ridiculous. The Clippers went fourteen
of nineteen and only went plus four in the second quarter.
It went five to seven from three. That's Russ and
Jamal Murray. That was brutal, real quick.
Speaker 1: Taking a quick audio break just because we're going to
put some ads in.
Speaker 3: Hear me.
Speaker 1: Put this up on the podcast later if you want
to watch this because you're only listening to a lout
and you missed it. Us out at YouTube dot com,
slush at Clipper's podcast, and then we're back. Yeah, the
defensive thing, it's annoying and maybe putting between them in
the starting lineup tomorrow night lights the fire under their ass.
Speaker 3: What do you think happens as a norm that or
is he gonna be all right?
Speaker 4: I think it could be good for him. I think
it could be good for him. I think, you know,
he understands the grind. I feel like this could be
another motivation, although you don't really want him reaching with
the way that he's been playing so far this series,
so I could see it going either way. But the
guy's are pro and I think he would get it
in a you know, it's an elimination game, and like truly,
anything that you think could give you a minor advantage,
I feel fairly confident. Yeah, And I feel fairly confident
that this team would be on board from that from
what we've you know, from what we've heard throughout this season.
Speaker 3: Well, the thing is, when we talked about early your
the starting lineup net rating, the offensive net rating isn't great,
but the defensive net rating with the starters, it's like
one twenty two, right, So that's what's really killing them.
It is about the defensive deficiencies right now, So can
you sell them on that, please? It's it is a
must win game. Like you said, you can't even worry
about feelings at this point. You find a way to
win one game, do whatever it takes.
Speaker 1: Do you think it's the double change. I think it's
just one change, you guys, feels crazy.
Speaker 3: Bogi's had one. Really you had a good gaming game five.
But I don't know if that's enough to put them
into the starting lineup after one game. I mean, he look,
Patoombs won for his last eight from three and but
we're all asking for the same thing. We all want
them in there. We just want to go with the
guys that give you the best chance. If you're gonna
ride and die with guys, I won't persue out there.
Speaker 1: He's a tone center, so has Chris Him and Chris
Dune together. That is an incredibly difficult if Kawhi, because
then we can, maybe if Harden has another defensive performance
like he had last night, which was atrocious, having Batuma
out there mitigate some of that instead of norm Right,
there's just less. There's just better defenders around James Harden
so he can do things like take more than two threes.
Speaker 3: I need Latum because Aaron Gordon has specifically been killing
this team in this series. Aaron Gordon has been like
the third best player in this series, maybe second. I
don't know he's been.
Speaker 4: So I was gonna say when we started this stream,
I was like, is Kawhi, Like, is he the third best?
Has he been so far?
Speaker 3: Like maybe the.
Speaker 4: Third best player in this series?
Speaker 3: Mm hmm, all right, it's hard because there's more responsibility
on him.
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, it's.
Speaker 3: I mean it's three two, they are down. Aaron Gordon's
team is up.
Speaker 4: I think as a game winner. Why does not?
Speaker 1: That's what That's what we're going by.
Speaker 3: Jump over.
Speaker 1: Yeah, So, I mean we need because tomorrow. Dime was
in here asking if we think that Murray and Jokic
will go off tomorrow, both of them together. I think
the likelihood of that is low. One of them will
go off. I don't think k is gonna shoot three
for eleven again or whatever it was, So I'm assuming
he's going to have because this is this isn't an
elimination game for them, obviously, but there is no doubt
in my mind they're going to be playing to rip
our heads off tomorrow, as they should, as the Clipper
should have in a couple of these other games, like
especially no go Ahead.
Speaker 3: So last year in Game six in the second round,
after taking a three to two series lead, they went
to Minnesota and lost by forty five. So they kept
getting questions from the media last night about is it
going to be different this time Denver because they went
on to lose that series, So they're well aware of
being in this position and letting go of the rope
for a game and losing this series that way.
Speaker 1: They mentioned, Yeah, do you think should we stop doubling
Yokic as Mike is suggesting.
Speaker 3: I don't know about stop you want him to be
a little bit off ballast, You could do it less.
Speaker 1: The timing is huge. I thought Bogie weirdly enough timed
a double well yesterday. But if Jamal Murray's also doing
what he can do and what he did yesterday, and
you're doubling Jokics, you're putting yourself in a tough spot. Uh.
Speaker 3: Yeah, with this, many guys started to heat up for Denver.
You know, Christian Brown. The last couple of games has
been better. Obviously, Aaron Gordon just had twenty three. Michael
Porter Junior I think he only had fourteen, but he
had some really critical shots. It feels like everybody else
has caught a rhythm now and you have to be
concerned about that and staying home. On the others, Yeah.
Speaker 1: I mean, Jokic is the only guy who didn't shoot
at least fifty percent last night for the Nuggets and
of people who took more than two shots, because Peyton
Watson went won for two. Of the people who took
more than two shots, Yeah, Michael Porter Junior was the
worst at fifty other than jok he took ten.
Speaker 3: Damn. I'd like them to feed Viza Zoo bots more.
On the other end, what was with Sue's rebounds yesterday?
Speaker 4: That if they want to speed up the offense, I
think getting I think getting to Zoo early and quickly
is like their best bet if they want to like
punch early on that end of the floor. You know,
I don't know why. Sometimes it's like three four possessions
before Zoo was getting his first touch.
Speaker 1: And if Harden's tired, right, doesn't that make his job
a little easier. Yeah?
Speaker 3: And maybe just if he and Zuke can have that
connection and they've been throwing this zone out there a lot,
which he does stifle the pick and roll. But if
he and Zuke could have a connection, maybe that would
make Harden be a little bit more confident out there
if he's not for some reason with his offense. Uh,
just getting back in that pick and roll rhythm with
the Viza Zobos could be good. Get back to basics.
Speaker 4: What's going on with SU's rebounding last night?
Speaker 1: That's what I'm saying, Man, What the hell was that?
That was weird?
Speaker 3: I feel like it's a box score thing and I'd
have to wash it again to actually see if he
was that bad.
Speaker 2: Or if he was on the perimeter so much more
because you mentioned hard and switching.
Speaker 3: And Abasa Zoo box being on smaller guys. There was
the one rebound of the second half, end of the
third quarter where he just tried to tip it and
it went to Russ three and he could have grabbed
it with both hands. That was just yeah, Yeah.
Speaker 1: They're almost like they're playing tight. Like after the blowout win,
which we kind of talked about was like a throwaway game.
Any playoff game where you're the underdog in the four
or five matchup and you win by thirty, I almost
it's a throwaway game, Like I don't mean that disrespectfully.
They obviously had to kick their ass to win by thirty,
but you don't learn anything from that game. I don't
think everyone got hot. We shot forty whatever percent from three, Like,
it just feels like they're playing tight, Like, yeah, are
there overthink I don't know if Harden's overthinking. I guess
I shouldn't say that on defense, but it's just and
we've seen this from Harden before in other years, like
I just want hit. Yeah, we need like you, like
you said earlier, Adam, we need Kawhi and Harden to
be the best guys. We can't have anyone else leading
the half at scoring other than Harden and Kawhi.
Speaker 3: And you really can't afford to have three players for
the Denver Nuggets outscore Harden and Kawhi like we saw yesterday.
That's insane. Russ outscoring Hardened Kawhi is nuts.
Speaker 1: Do we just gotta hope they lock in? Like the
only big adjustments we can really see, I think as
a fan base and as a pod is changing the
starting lineup and leaning into the defense.
Speaker 4: Is do we worry too about Hardened being too far
and gone like he's been in this situation multiple times.
It seems like he gets in his head, he's refusing
to talk to the media, he's refusing to acknowledge, seemingly
that there's a problem. It doesn't give me a lot
of hope that he that he's going to be able
to turn it around. Like if you can't even say
you know, like clearly something's wrong, I don't know how
you can begin to sort of work on it or
fix it.
Speaker 3: Say you have to admit you have a problem.
Speaker 4: Isn't that step one?
Speaker 1: Isn't that step one? Doctor the media? I think is
step one? Yeah, it doesn't feel good. I've tried not
to think about that would be my counterpoint, because.
Speaker 4: He's had a good time, you know, Like I liked
a lot of the messages and stuff from Hard and
he's definitely changed my opinion of him. Like I was
already high on him, but even higher from this season
in the way that he helped his team and change
role and he is one of the guys who got
us here. But this kind of happens in late series
like again and again and again, and it's at some
point it's like like every time it's gonna happen every time.
Speaker 3: Just when the series gets really close. Oh no, Now,
I like he has a long track record of this.
He also has had amazing games in big moments. It's
just it's mixed. It's a mixed bag. I think that's that.
Maybe that's being kind, but I think it's also being
accurate to some degree. He's had some really big games
in the playoffs. Go look at his playoff career averages
during his prime ten years. He's like getting twenty eight
points per game. And the efficiency is there a lot
of time too. So does he need to see Kawhi
be Superman to kind of make him more comfortable and
take some of the pressure off. Is Kawhi your max
player need to go out there and say I'm the
number one option, give me the ball, everybody else falling line?
Speaker 1: Well, actually he's not a max player.
Speaker 3: He didn't get he's making fifty million.
Speaker 1: I know. I just asked, maybe he does, Like I
would love that, because that would I mean, is playing
well out of the duo, right, Like, if one of
them plays well at this point, I'll take that. And
by play well, I mean that attack mode that Tyler
talked about after game one the Kawai got into game.
Speaker 3: This is when they were down two games to none
going back to Dallas in twenty twenty one, and they
were down nineteen in the first quarter and it looked
like everything was over. Kawhi said, you know, I'm the terminator.
Come with me if you want to live, or come
with me if you want to win, and he put
him on his back, and then everybody else came along
and got in rhythm too. But it started with Kawhi.
Speaker 1: That's a good call. And a lot of the time
in Kawi's tenure, we've accused the team of kind of
being like, well, I guess we'll just get out of
Kawai's way and let him do his thing. If you
like that or not, maybe tomorrow is the night for
that to happen.
Speaker 4: Well. And the thing I feel like we've said throughout
his tenure with the Clippers right is like he's not
known for being a vocal leader. He sets like you know,
he's a leader by example. Come out and set the
fucking example. Man, I think you got to go out
and set the example. Do we have a setting for
an example for you to possibly set?
Speaker 1: I certainly hope so. I know the wall is going
to be there. The wall is going to be fired
up the Clippers. Also, Adam, I know you're not a
betting person. The Clippers have a or they're like eight
point favorites tomorrow, which what Yeah, it's like seven and
a half, which feels a little crazy to me, But
that many possessions in a playoff game. It's an interesting line.
I guess that's all I'm gonna says.
Speaker 3: People are expecting them to bounce back. They're gonna lose
three in a row. They're not gonna lose a get
it into a dome. They're gonna extend the series, and
maybe they'll actually get some calls.
Speaker 1: Yeah, the calls would be nice. The thing I'm thinking
about the starting lineup change and the thing because the
whistle has been annoying. We haven't had an incredibly annoying
whistle undone or batoom yet, and I guess that would
worry me if the lineup change happens. And I know
you can't coach based on this being a one concern, Right,
the lineup change happens, Nico gets two early fouls, Done
gets two early fouls or something like that. Rotations are
walky as hell at that point, as waalkee as they
can be with an a guy rotation. And we've seen
what happens to this Clippers team in this postseason when
rotations get walky, right, like with that long zoo shift
in Game four? Was that when there was just like
no stoppages, like it threw everything off? Oh? I think
I was nervous in general. Man, I'm like, we know
what they can do, but it feels like they have
to be reminded of it for some reason.
Speaker 3: It is somewhat comforting that I fully believe, and this
is why it's been so disappointing so far that if
the Clippers play to their potential, if both teams play
to their potential, the Clippers had the advantage. It's just
Denver has been closer to maxing out their potential than
the Clippers have so far in this series.
Speaker 1: Yeah, there was one game where the Clippers maximize their potential.
They were thirty.
Speaker 3: They showed us how it could be, not what it is, but.
Speaker 1: How it could be. All Right, I would like to
fast forward in time to tip off tomorrow. I would
like that game to start right now. Since we are
all three here, do we have any final thoughts on
Game six before we pick our players? Of the game
is that the Al Davis just win. Baby.
Speaker 3: I need to see them create some turnovers on Denver.
I'm talking sixteen plus that's what I need.
Speaker 1: That means the defense is there. That means the defense
is locked in. Could not agree more, William, your final
thoughts before we pick Player of the Game.
Speaker 4: I mean, yeah, we covered it all, Like let's let's
just get back to the identita of what this team
was all year, Like, let's let's get just the averages
that we're used to, Like, well, I'm not even asking
for fifteen to twenty percent over, Like, can we just
get like the baseline of what we saw this team for,
you know, the the end stretch of this series, like
this season with Kawhi, Like, can we just get those guys?
Speaker 1: I love it, both great takes. Okay, player of the game.
Everyone's on the table because it's a must win. But
you have to give you have to give a detailed
answer if you pick one of the Big.
Speaker 3: Four Christmas Morning Crazy.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, day before Gay Elimination game, Adam, you go.
Speaker 6: First, Well, well, then everyone at my disposal, you can
say we're to go with I'm going with Big Zoo.
Speaker 3: Gimme Big Zoo. Give me big Zoo with twenty five
and twelve in this game. That's what I need, you
know what. I'm sorry, twenty five and fourteen is.
Speaker 2: What I need.
Speaker 1: A couple of rebounds in there.
Speaker 3: Yeah, after what happened last game, he's gonna make up
for it now. Okay, I'm feeling it. Zoo domination. That's
what I need to see tomorrow. Don't make it so
hard on yourself.
Speaker 1: Beats.
Speaker 3: The Zoo bots has been good, finds him early and often,
and if he's rolling, it probably means the pick and
roll is working well with James Harden. So I just
think Zoo is a good indicator of how things could
be going.
Speaker 4: Okay, William Updyke, I'm gonna go Harden. I'm gonna go
Redemption time. It's time to turn it around. Looking for
a double double in this one with three or less turnovers.
Speaker 1: Three or less turnovers, Damn, we're smoking him if that's
the case. But Kawhi might have seven. So I'm picking
two people because we have so many options. Kawhi Leonard, No,
I'm going I we know that Kawhi has to be good.
I was gonna say Kawhi, but we know he has
to be good. I'm going Nick Patum because I think
we're all kind of assuming that he might be starting.
If he is starting, if he's not starting, I'm going
Nick Patoum. Hopefully I'm on the start Nico train. I
want to lean into this defense. He's a great tone setter.
He hits a couple of those no dip threes things.
You know, it trickles down. I'm going Niko.
Speaker 4: I mean, I love he was the difference maker in
the blowout. The twelve straight like Nico Batum minutes, regardless
of what happens in this series, was just, I mean,
one of my favorite Clippers roleplayer moments ever.
Speaker 1: Adam, you looked like you had wanted to say something.
Speaker 3: No troubles are over, dude, We're good.
Speaker 1: It's easy, breezy man. We win this to in game seven?
All right, Adam Will. Where can people find this podcast
if they'd like to rate our podcast?
Speaker 4: Yeah, you can check this out wherever you get your podcasts.
If you have to listen to overro on Apple Podcasts
or Spotify, go ahead, leave a little rating and review.
It helps us out. You can sleep comments over on Spotify.
But the best way to check out The show is
over on YouTube dot com. That's at Clippers Podcast. We uh,
this was a stream you could you could have on
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hit the little bell for notifications and you'll know when
that's going down.
Speaker 1: You very much, will and Adam the most important part
of the season right here. Give these fans one positive
thing before we had the game six.
Speaker 3: Clippers have only lost one game and into a dome
of the playoffs. Ever, I don't see it again.
Speaker 1: Let's go. That's all we need. Thank you for hanging
out everybody. Thanks for Joseph I Ward for taking us
on that journey to him buying chicken. We will talk
to y'all no matter what happens after the game tomorrow night.
As always, let's go Clips