Speaker 1: What is going on? Clippers fans Welcome for Season three,
episode twenty three of Clips and Dip. The Clippers are
two and one. They look unstoppable after this opening three games.
We're gonna talk about all the great defense we saw
in the back to back wins. We're gonna talk about
what to expect from yet another back to back. Like
I said, I am Chuck Mockler, joined by Adam Osland
and Will Updyke Fellas. How are you doing after that
fantastic Clippers weekend that we had. Will, We'll start with you.
Speaker 2: You're asking now now you care again about how we're.
Speaker 1: Gonna Yeah, I was out after game one previously, Previously
you did not.
Speaker 2: Now, man, I'm feeling great.
Speaker 3: Like, look, you know what I've been saying, I've been
banging the drum. I've been banging the drum off season.
It's looking very real. It's looking like some green moves.
Speaker 1: There we go.
Speaker 2: Yeah, let's just extrapolate this over the restless season, follow.
Speaker 1: The multiply it by whatever. We're good. Also, is that
an og Jake Burns Clipper shirt? Hell? Yeah, that's what
Rondo was on the team. That's awesome. Adam, how are
you feeling after that weekend.
Speaker 4: Uh good, but I still have many concerns about this team.
Speaker 1: We'll talk about them.
Speaker 2: That's fair, Childish year.
Speaker 4: I mean, it could still be our year even with
these concerns.
Speaker 1: I mean sure, ceeding doesn't matter, as we were told,
So the initial eleventh you're still in. We're gonna talk
about some good and some bad that happened over the weekend.
To all the new watchers and listeners, Welcome to the pod.
You can find us on YouTube if you want to
watch the whole thing at YouTube dot com, slash at
Clippers podcast, you can find us anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Let's just get into it, I think, I mean the
biggest takeaway from this weekend for me personally was the
defense still feels real. We held both We held the
Warriors and the Nuggets to one hundred and four points,
which is pretty difficult in the modern NBA. And the
rebounding has been real. They're top ten and pretty much
every rebounding statistic except for offensive rebounds, where they're eleventh. Yeah,
what do we think, Adam will start with you, what
do we think that we saw happen in These back
to backs can carry over? To the rest of the season.
Speaker 4: I mean, the defensive effort is stellar, it's incredible. I
can't see them letting up with whatever they have in
the tank. I am worried about how much they will
have because it's draining to have to play this hard
defensively and it's only three games. I just want to
point out that it was the first back to back,
it was the third game of the season, and by
the the end of the fourth quarter, to get him
more rest, Derek Jones Junior was bringing the ball up
the floor instead of James Harden. He was on the court,
but he was playing off ball, which turnovers ensued. He
threw it into the back court out of a time out,
looking for a beach zubots like. That's how desperate they
were to try to figure out how to make sure
James Harden has enough left to finish this game. And
it's game three, so I'm not trying to sound alarm bells.
They're two and one, they can go three and one.
They're taken on Portland, they can go four.
Speaker 3: Did he have three twenty point double doubles like in
that stretch, I don't know, man, Like.
Speaker 4: I'm not talking about I'm talking about Derek Jones Junior
bringing the ball up the court instead of James Harden.
Speaker 2: I don't like it. Like James had three huge games too.
Speaker 4: He's shooting thirty eight percent. He shot like two of
twelve from three. It is obviously taking something out of him.
My man. Yeah, it's been tough.
Speaker 1: I mean you can tell at the end there's some
times where Harden is looking a little a little ghasted.
Will you brought it up? A Viza Zubots leading the
league in boards? Somehow people are just now, some people
are just realizing that this man can be very good offensively.
How hype do you feel about? I mean, Zoo had
a huge weekend. He went toe to toe with Yoki Jokic,
obviously scored forty two. Whatever it was, I was great.
But he came in and he kind of finished the
game against the Warriors.
Speaker 2: Yeah, one of those one of the actual.
Speaker 3: Good aggregate accounts on Twitter. I think it was like
NBA University. I didn't get sentel, I tellt you that much,
but they posted a bunch of the just pick just
all the pick and roll plays of Hard and Viza
zu Bots, and I could watch that all day.
Speaker 2: It's it's a thing of beauty. They've really got that
thing worked out.
Speaker 3: It's you know, we talked about a leading end of
the season, they're gonna have to lean into Zoo a
little bit more offensively, and so far, Uh, you know what,
it was a little I thought out the gate, he
struggled a little bit, but since then he's really hit
his stride. And another guy, you know, you talk about
James Harden needing to be off ball to get some rest. Adam,
who's been very skeptical of Zoo's cardio, called him, called
him beats the zoos off.
Speaker 2: I believe I.
Speaker 1: Don't know if that.
Speaker 4: Characterization.
Speaker 2: I don't know really tis Zoo.
Speaker 4: I believe you said, Uh, should I bring up coach
about the last season in his cardio?
Speaker 1: Yeah? That's yeah. Read the quote you really want me
to read. It's not a good question.
Speaker 2: Yeah, look in the mirror. Don't you have a tattent
on your classical?
Speaker 4: I mean, I know you have my receipts somewhere there,
Like it's not momento or anything.
Speaker 1: Uh, waking up as you trying to figure out where
you got back is very funny.
Speaker 4: I think it's fair to ask if it beats the
Zoo boss could keep up playing thirty seven and thirty
nine in back.
Speaker 2: To back games.
Speaker 1: It's a lot.
Speaker 4: It's an a question what we've seen the last couple
of seasons from him. Do I think he should be
playing over thirty minutes per game? Yes, I've been saying
it forever. Absolutely, thirty nine and thirty seven on a
back to back not sustainable probably, And sure I mentioned
in media day he looks young, lost ten pounds.
Speaker 1: I look.
Speaker 4: I think Zoo at seventy percent at the end of
a game is still way better than your backup center options,
So I would play him. I'm just saying it is
something worth watching right now with how much how many
minutes some of their two key guys are playing.
Speaker 1: Yeah, they're more than one and two right now for
getting Clippers buckets, so that that fatigue. And I think
this kind of was like this back to back. If
the Clippers are going to win most back to backs,
I think both Harden and Zoo are gonna have to
be over thirty ish minutes a game back to back,
right like if they're really going to sell out, which
is again the way this team is constructed, we're going
to talk about done who I think also showed Clippers
fans a lot of great stuff this weekend. He's got
some legs. But for offense, like Zoo and Harden, kai
Jones didn't get very much run in that game yesterday,
so it's it's gonna be interesting how they managed that
going forward.
Speaker 4: It was good they got two days off, that's for sure.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, Chris Dunn I think was a huge bright spot
over this weekend. I was looking up some lineup stuff.
Every two man lineup that Chris Dunn is a part
of is a plus except for him and Kai Jones,
which I'm not putting that on Chris Dunn's shoulders, but
I think that shows he's a plug and play guy
for a team that desperately needs a really defensively minded,
chunky statline getting plug and play guy. He was phenomenal
against the Warriors.
Speaker 4: He had some of the I mean, he baited Steph
into a turnover that I couldn't believe, where he hedged
over like he was going to double in case step.
Speaker 1: The tip.
Speaker 4: Yeah, he just completely baited him and then took the
ball away. That stuff is so rare. I knew when
they brought him in. That's that's your best probably specialist
point of attack defender, even better than Dereck Jones junior.
But you know, we can get to Terrence Mann a
little bit here.
Speaker 1: I just we can talk about Terrence now. It's kind
of a weird hot topic with Yeah, the first fans
after three games in which we're two and.
Speaker 4: One, it's awesome to see Chris Dunn. They'll be this
good immediately, and he hasn't been hesitating. He's gotten a
couple of fourth quarter buckets where he just had to
do it yourself. That's been big. The floater against Golden State,
backing down Sarach against Denver over the weekend on Saturday,
Like he has given them everything they could ask for
so far. Doctor Shapps guy has been bawling out.
Speaker 1: Yeah, let's talk about obviously, James Harden phenomenal. He's leading
the league in assists, he's leading the team and total minutes,
total points, total assists, total turnovers. We'll get to some
of that maybe previewing this this next back to back, well,
you were on Clippers talk kind of telling people rightfully
so to like give Darnce Man some time. After that
second game, it still feels like we just got to
keep giving him some time. It's just it's the shooting
that's not there. Everything else, the point of attack defense
has been good to the good. Plus like people are
clamoring for a starting lineup change that I don't. I
think we're just really excited that the team is two
and one. But like I think there's a move, Yeah,
is it? I think the movie, like, what's the move?
Speaker 3: I mean, like I could see an argument for I
could see an argument for Don, but I think that
that completely screws over your second unit, like in a
way that I just don't really think is necessary. You
could just stagger more minutes with him in there versus
having him in the starting lineup, if that's the route
you want to go. And we are still one and yeah,
I look, I understand fans frustrations when we see Terrence
fall into the same things, pranalyzing stuff on the floor,
refusing to take shots like the offensive things that are
bad habits. Yes, it's frustrating, but we do also know
that he shoots a little bit slow to start, he
has last season, and you know his averages, his career
averages are still you know, there's still low forties, high thirties,
Like it's still there as a three point shooter, So
I yeah, I'm just not on board of immediately switching
a piece out. Like we talked about how many question
marks there are already with this team and this starting
lineup you know, was already coming in completely retooled. We
don't know what it's going to look like once Kawhi returns.
We have a pretty good idea. I mean, in that instance,
I could definitely see Terrence being the odd man out.
That makes a lot of sense. I yeah, agree, it
makes the most sense. But for right now, if it
ain't broke, don't fit like I guess, I just I don't.
I don't fully understand, like he's not losing US games
being a starter, Like would I mean, do you think
you could you honestly say that Terrence Man is losing
US games as a starter currently?
Speaker 1: Well, I like what you said. If it ain't broke,
too fix it. You gotta give it some time, right Like,
especially in terms of expectations, like look at who's coaching
this team, There's gonna be some time given to this
starting lineup with Kawhi out. And if you think that
Terrence Man's confidence isn't good now, I wonder what putting
him to the bench would do three games, Like, there's
other things you gotta kind of figure out. And also
he played eighteen minutes against the Warriors. Chris Dunn played
twenty eight, Tylu. It's not like Tyleru is like, oh,
you're starting, so I guess I have to play you
thirty minutes. Like Tyleru mitigated that very he coached those
rotations for the most part in that Golden State game,
great Tyleru game, I thought.
Speaker 4: I think he's been pretty special so far this season.
We talk about Fan Gundy and what he's done defensively,
but the rotations have been tight. The group, the second
unit to start second quarters in fourth quarters has been
killing it. And it's KPJ done a mer but toom
and Aviatsa Zubats both last two games, the fourth cores
start by them has been phenomenal. It's been unbelievable. And
to your guys' point, like, why are we so fixated
on who's starting? Sometimes when Chris Dunn played ten more
minutes at twenty eight to Terrence Man playing eighteen, right,
and it wasn't a problem, It didn't upend anything, it
didn't throw everything off, Guys, weren't We said afterwards, like,
what are we talking about?
Speaker 3: Well, and we've seen a mirror be in place in
the closing lineup, Like there there's clearly like it's it's
clearly a very fluid situation.
Speaker 1: Like I yeah, in the preseason, they're like, there's gonna
be a lot of different lineup, you know what I mean,
Like there's a there's a ten man rotation. There's inherently
gonna be a ton of shuffler around.
Speaker 4: And I agree with you, Chuck, if you think his
confidence is shot right now. If you take him out
of the starting lineup three games in after he got
that contract deal, he's probably gonna be feeling even more
pressure and more of the weight of the world on
his shoulders. I just would like to point out to
what Will was saying earlier. It's like, guys, we have
a pretty healthy sample size at this point. People always saying, well,
it's on how many shots per game with this three
point shooting where he's at thirty seven percent for his career. Okay,
why don't we look at over seven hundred takes in
his career from three and forget about how many per
game he's at thirty seven percent like he clearly the
issue for him is about attempts and being aggressive out there.
And if you're gonna have a problem, it should probably
be that like the worst, yeah, or just a bad
three point shooter. He's above league average. He needs to
get more up. They're clearly these confidence issues right now. Offensively,
we've seen it before. But you know, I'm old enough
to remember how the last fifty games of last season
he shot forty four percent from three and shot forty
five percent from three against Dallas and held Luca to
thirty eight percent shooting in the one on one matchup data, Like,
I'm not giving up on that guy three games in.
Speaker 3: I'm just not.
Speaker 4: And look, I see the argument for Chris Nunn. I
made it this summer, Like you can say that he's
the Pat Bev next to James Harden like he had
back in Houston. But in three games you're gonna make
the move that quickly when it's not that big of
a deal to get him more minutes than Terrence Man. Anyways,
like we just saw last game, I don't see why
there needs to be this sense of urgency. People are
looking at the lineup data and seeing that the starters
have been outscored by twenty two points so far. But
when it's that small of a sample size right now,
I'm just not gonna put everything into it and let
things play out a little bit longer.
Speaker 1: Ten games sample size.
Speaker 4: Maybe, I mean, maybe less. It depends. Did two and
one give them a little bit longer of a leash
to figure stuff out, to do more stuff with Terrence Man,
to see what KPJ has. Does the Portland Trail Bleasures game,
if they can go up three and one, does that
give them more time to figure things out? Maybe? I
think it It is record dependent because I agree that
there have to be an onus on winning games and
staying in front of the Houston Rockets this season and
trying to keep your pick. That's a big deal.
Speaker 1: Absolutely. I like what you mentioned about that second most
played lineup, KPJ Done a mere Nico Zoo. They're plus ten.
Think how much better they'd be if KPJ was making shots.
I think that would be fantastic. Another fun lineup I like,
it's only nine minutes in, but it's plus ten, hardened
Norm Done, Derreck Jones Junior in zu Bots. That is
a lineup that I think we're going to see more
of possibly the new Power Rangers.
Speaker 4: But see, that was what everyone would say, that's why
you put Done in for Terrence Man in the starting lineup.
That's the starters plus Done instead of the right the
Doun Rangers. Yeah, well maybe somebody said this was interesting
there said Power Rangers turbo, Powell Rangers turbo, which was
another iteration later on, because they're playing a little bit
faster and having more outlet passes I guess, and more
high flying dunks. But yeah, I get the argument. I
just think as far too early, guys to give up
on Terrence Man. It's not going to help him.
Speaker 1: Well, what's the fun what's the updike fun check? After
three games? I've never done one this early, but it's
been a pretty fun couple of well, a great time.
Speaker 2: I mean, it's it's like we you know, talked about
in the preseason.
Speaker 3: It seems like the team is leaning into this defensive
identity they have and just an identity at all is
something that's very new for this team as a whole,
and then just just bringing in some youth and athleticism.
This is like a look in a brand of basketball
that I think has been very much missed by Clippers
fans as great as great as the highs of the
two and three earrow, where this is a this is
a fun brand of basketball, and like you know, I
talked about it. I think we've got it in every
game like postgame preview, but like this, this team is
gonna play it there. They're gonna be top ten and
clutch minutes all season long. Most of the games are
gonna come down to the wire. And if that doesn't
if that doesn't excite you, if that's not fun to you,
then I'm sorry. I don't know what to tell you.
Watch reruns of the of the of the Warriors with
KD back in their reign. You know who's gonna win,
Like if like, if you want to have some fun,
it's it's right here.
Speaker 2: It's it's right here.
Speaker 1: Shaky, spotty offense, committed defense equals close games, good time.
Speaker 4: They are leading the league currently in clutch time minutes
was seventeen. Clutch time minutes last five minutes of a
game within five points. I think we'll it's right like
top ten, they may end up top five. It's gonna
be a lot of cardiac clips we're going through this season.
Speaker 1: I guess and we love it. I'm I'm here for it.
Speaker 3: It is.
Speaker 1: It was incredibly exciting to watch.
Speaker 2: What was the Vegas prediction thirty three to thirty five
wins or whatever?
Speaker 1: Thirty eight I think it was. Thirty six was kind
of if you aggregated all of them, it was.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it was like around thirty six to thirty eight.
Speaker 4: Yeah, we'll see. I think there is a price time it's.
Speaker 2: Supposed to be here.
Speaker 1: There's a wall. There's a wall.
Speaker 2: I oh, there is.
Speaker 1: Without react, there are no pun intended. The wall is
coming at some point for this Clippers team.
Speaker 4: There is there is a fatigue tax when you play
defense to this level every night. And I just don't
know what would happen if they didn't have James Harden
running the offense. Maybe I do know it's Derek Jones
Junior bringing it up and it looks miserable at times.
I think they would. I don't know why they didn't
try done in those situations more. I just this is
why I think they're chasing KPJ to see if he
can do something, because if they don't have James Harden,
I just and for some reason, they've given up on
bones and maybe that's made us give up on them ever,
given Bones a real shot, but clearly KPJ is getting
the shot first. Yeah, find another ball handler in case,
you know, they really need a ramp down minutes quick
with James Harden.
Speaker 1: Yeah that's a good call. I mean, like, yeah, it was.
We saw the wall rise up a little bit at
the end of that that that turnover out of the
inbounds pass. I was like, oh this, oh shit, like
this this doesn't feel very good. But they pulled it
out because Box was the closer.
Speaker 4: As fun as this has been, and they easily could
have won Game one, they also easily could have lost
the game to Denver and the game to the Golden
State Warriors, where I think both came down to them
being up by about one point at some point in
the fourth quarter. It got really dicey. But it is
fun when they pull through and show some poise down
the stretch. It's a lot of fun, especially when they
do it on the road against two teams that you know,
or trying to get off to a quick start at
home and to get their season going. I think that
it was really impressive weekend. Honestly, guys, those two wins
they had won in Denver in almost four years. Yeah,
I want to be too much of a down or
I'm just looking ahead a little bit and saying like, Okay,
this is all great. You need to bank these ones
right now because March's coming, tax could.
Speaker 1: Come, March is coming.
Speaker 4: March too.
Speaker 1: The Clippers have yet another back to back coming up
against the Blazers and the Suns at starting a winsor
we're going to talk about that in just a couple
of seconds. If you're watching us, thank you for hanging
out at YouTube dot com slash At Clippers Podcast. If
you're listening and you don't want to deal with these
audio breaks, check us out on YouTube. But if you
are listener's going to be a quick audio break and
then the back to back preview coming up in three
two one.
Speaker 3: All right, welcome back into Clips and Dip, your favorite
podcast that's about the Clippers. Uh William Mufdyke, joined as
always by Chuck Mockler and Adam Osland. We talked a
little bit about how the season's going as far, but
it keeps on going, as you know. The profits of
smash Mouth once said that the years start coming and
they don't stop coming. So the Clippers are taking on
the Clippers are taking on the Suns again after they
get through the Portland Trail?
Speaker 4: Are they walking on the Suns this time?
Speaker 1: That's the first That was the best UH intro to
in reference we've ever had on this show, and the
first time we've referenced smash Mouth. I think that was
just it was seamless. We're in mid season four. It's
a baby.
Speaker 2: It's here all year long.
Speaker 1: So the Blazers are weird. They have two losses and
a huge win over the Peals, which is classic early
season like bad team behavior. They're an okay rebounding team,
they can't really shoot that well. They get a bunch
of field goal attempts up.
Speaker 4: What do we.
Speaker 1: This is where the fatigue maybe can get the Clippers
in trouble against a young team like this. Adam, would
you agree?
Speaker 4: I it could have the makings of a trap game.
But two days off, God, I hope they don't have
fatigue after two days off play to two days off again.
I just it was a little bit alarming to see
James Harden look that tired at the end of that
game against Golden State three games into the season. But
this is a handle your business type of game because
you know the Sons are coming the very next night,
and that's the one you're chasing to get back. Chasing
the Suns to get a win back that they lost
opening night and into a dome when they were up
by nine with three fifty two left and easily could
have had that game. So I hope they're focused. We're
gonna find something out about this team. I think against
Portland basically like.
Speaker 2: Will there be to after birth?
Speaker 4: Perhaps something born? Someone said in the chat.
Speaker 2: The other night. He's in there, he's delivering this thing.
Speaker 4: Someone said the Clippers Talk chat the other night. My
wife just told me we're having a girl. It was like,
was something born out of this Clippers Talk episode?
Speaker 1: What a day for that Clippers fan. Congratulations to the
Clippers fan.
Speaker 4: Yeah. Good, But a big game I think against Portland
to see where their focus is at, to not have
that let down after a big weekend.
Speaker 1: I think, yeah. I mean if they split, I'll be happy.
You know, the Suns are a good team.
Speaker 3: Well, and I think how they start this Blazers game
is gonna say, like you know, it's it's really going
to determine if that energy and that and that whole
sort of thing is there because we've seen them set
the tone in you know what I would call mid
day energy against some of these teams and some of
these matchups and really get into trouble, so.
Speaker 2: That this would be this would would have to be
a different look for this Clippers team.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm I wonder what punting on a game looks
like for this Clippers team. Because so the bench is good,
you know what I mean, Like it's just oh, play
the bench bar, but the bench doesn't quit Like It's
not like the bench is full of like streaky scorers.
The bench is full of guys who like to be
dickheads on defense. I say that lovingly.
Speaker 2: Are they scoring points?
Speaker 1: Right? I mean that's the only other issue, the other
essential part of the yeah points the Blazers game. I'm
so kind. I'm just like, I'm interested to see what
they look like like. I wonder if we're gonna see
some different lineup combinations. You know who I hope gets
some run in this Blazers game. Kai Jones give Zoo
should not have to play thirty four to thirty six
minutes against this Blazers team. I know they have Jander Eyton,
who I believe is healthy. He shouldn't Zoo should not
need be needed for thirty six minutes in this game.
Speaker 4: Well, and Kai Jones has a game winning oop against
the Blazers in the preseason, like this is his team,
this is not their number.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I hope and again same with Harden, right like
I think all Clippers fans are hoping Harden Zoo get
a little bit.
Speaker 2: Of rest in this first game. It should be a team.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it'll still be a close game. I'm not going
to pretend that, but they need the rest. Maybe they
dropped the one to the Blazers because they're resting guys
Like you mentioned a little more for the Blazers or
for the Suns game.
Speaker 4: I mean it was basically Anthony Simons and Jeremy Grant
went off and combined for over fifty points efficiently against
the Pelicans, which I guess was a home and home
or no, it was a two game mini series where
Portland was hosting the Pelicans. They lost the first game
by two, they won the second game one twenty five
to one oh three, or they just feasted on them.
So I don't know, it's hard to you know, we
don't expect them to be good, but you also do
not want to take a team lightly. Yeah, it's early
in the season, and not only are all NBA teams talented,
they may have youth and inexperience that works against them,
but they also have hope. This time of the year,
you know, everybody feels like, hey, we could be a
playing team. The playing team opened up a lot of hope.
I think, you know, once you got ten teams that
can quote unquote make the playoffs to play in I
don't know, they may. That's probably what they're aiming for
this year, to be tenth.
Speaker 1: I'm interested to see too, because Jeremy Grant is a
guy that a lot of Clippers fans want the Clippers
to try and trade for. He's been rumored, but like,
I mean, that's not happening. His contract, dude, I don't
was like, could be though, could be the move? Will
they take PJ. Tucker and Bones? I mean sure, that's
thirty million dollars right, Yeah, that's that money that covers
it extra at fifteen mil. Every year.
Speaker 2: This is a cash kicker every year from Balmer.
Speaker 1: The Sun's game is on Thursday. The Suns are thirtieth
in field goal attempts per game, which surprised me. I
just didn't think they would be dead last. I know
they're very efficient, but and it's early. I do we
think the Clippers will look better or worse than Opening Night?
And will they make more than eight threes this time?
I think that I expect them to look better.
Speaker 3: I mean I thought the turnovers were a huge issue
and they just kind of looked not as coordinated on
an offensive end. But then again, like you do have
the fatigue. I just I still really like the way
this team matches up against the Suns. Like if that
was gonna be a playoff series, I obviously be very,
very tough.
Speaker 2: But I like the way these teams match up to
the clip.
Speaker 1: Okay, yeah, Adam.
Speaker 4: So they're last in attempts and it makes me think, Okay,
where are they in pace? They're only eighteenth. I mean
it's not fast, but I would have thought they'd be
like twenty eight through thirtyth there in pace. So are
they taking a ton? Are they taking a ton of
free throws? Are they just the worst rebounding team?
Speaker 2: They're trying to take a lot of free throws?
Speaker 4: They did against the Clippers, right, So there's six and
three throw attempts. They're at twenty nine. I think they
had thirty five or thirty six against the Clippers in
that game that went to overtime. Yeah, so that's part
of it.
Speaker 1: And rebounding their twenty ninth and offensive rebound sixth in
defense of rebounds percentage wise offensive Yeah, tenth in defensive
rebounding percentage, twenty ninth in offense. So like kind of
middle of like if you're not like being bad offensive
rebounds is one thing, but they're not horrible with defensive rebounds.
Speaker 4: Well, they're turning it over seventeen times a game that
that plays into it. That's about twentieth, I guess. But regardless,
I like the matchup two. They should have beat them
opening night, O Greed, take care of business against Portland,
get ready for revenge game against the Phoenix Suns, and
Phoenix could shoot better in that game. Sometimes they have
the jump shooters and the talent that there's not a
lot you can do if guys are on and they're
really hot, just like that shot late with kd over
a double team. Sometimes they make those and it's their night.
But I mean that's how when you talk about the
Clippers and what it looks like when they have a
punt game. I assume the effort's still gonna be pretty good.
It's just gonna be a team knocking down everything.
Speaker 1: You know.
Speaker 4: Yeah, that's what if that's your only worry. I mean,
you're a pretty decent spot defensively. Is there's nobody that
can do anything about some of the hot shooting in
today's league once it gets going.
Speaker 1: That's true. I'm speaking of hot shooting. Devin Booker hasn't
started the season exactly on fire shooting wise. He's at
like forty three from the field. A little worried that
might come into play here for the Clippers. I love
that it's a home and home back to back, right
at least it's the first back to back into it.
That's got to make things easier, right, right, anybody? I
think it does. But it's gonna be Yeah, it's gonna
be difficult. Do you think they're splitting or do you
think we're going to and no?
Speaker 4: I want to be helpful and say too and oh,
because I really want them to beat the Suns. But
if they lose to the Blazers, because they're thinking like
I am right now, and overlooking them to get to
the Suns. That's a problem. I mean, it's most like.
Speaker 1: I hope not.
Speaker 4: I thought there was a chance they could start zero
and three. After they lost to the Suns, it was like,
oh crap, this weekend's gonna be rough. They pulled it
out late game, situational basketball. They have to execute, just
like they did the last two games. They figured it out,
they absorbed some adversity, and they punched back. So I
really love the fact the way they won those two games,
even the way they played against Phoenix, like there's something
you can at least learn from that. Losing a game
like that opening night. These are all really good learning
experiences early in the season to figure out what you're
made of and to have that reservoir of confidence to
draw from because you've been there and the team has
come back and you still you know, they they probably
we talked about it, I think last night, Chuck, but
they withstood I think three runs quality runs by the
whole State Warriors, second quarter, third quarter, fourth quarter. Every
time they were able to get that you know, answer
in and I'm excited about that for this team. But
they probably will be tested point in the next couple
of games in that way again.
Speaker 1: All right, now the most important part of the episode.
Who is our pick? We've had to extend the name
of this award because of how the Clippers are.
Speaker 2: I think it's only natural.
Speaker 1: Who is our pick for the Kawhi Leonard James Harden
of Vizzi Zobots Player of the Game. Not yet, then
I'm going Norm Powell say we can't add Nordony yet,
because then we can. Then we're all picking Chris done basically,
So it's Norm Powell fantastic. Hope he's shooting a little
better from three. We hope we get a consistent Norm
maybe in these two games. What money, Adam? Who is
your pick for the Kawhi Leonard of vitz Zu Bots
James Harden Player of the Game Clippers Basketball twenty four
to twenty five season, back to back.
Speaker 4: First, I post some highlights of this guy earlier today
to uh defend his honor with the way he's been
defending even though his SHOT's not falling and he's just
not taking enough. I'm gonna go with Terrence Man and
go out on a limb and just say I'm hoping
Terrence Man turns things around at into it dome he needs.
He's the type of guy that it can be one
game or one instance, because it literally flipped when the
calendar did for him last season and Paul George said,
twenty twenty four, we shooting the shit out.
Speaker 1: Of the ball.
Speaker 4: Terrence Man was like, oh, light bulb went on and
it just last fifty games forty four three. So I
don't want to wait that long. I want him to
get it together right now in game four or five.
He needs to have that outbreak. He needs to have
that performance that gives him confidence because he is a
guy that just ridses the wave of confidence. It seems like.
Speaker 1: Rides the wave, no pun intended. So we got Norm
Powell Terrence Man. That's two starters. I was gonna say
Derek Jones Junior, because if you look at the shooting stats,
they have been very good percentage wise. His defense has
been good. But I want to give some love to
the bench. I think I have to go a guy
who's been pretty quiet. I think we're gonna get multiple
three pointers in each game from Niko Batoum in this
back to back and talk about a guy who maybe
doesn't need a bunch of minutes on his legs. But
if you're gonna have games, we got a lot of
bench units playing and trying to get some guys some rest.
The guy who can make things easier is Nicobatu. So
I think it's gonna be Nico.
Speaker 2: He is an ax to grind against Portland. I can
see that.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, he does a French axe. It's shaped oddly.
Speaker 4: It's very dull. Now, yeah, the velvet axe. I he's
been getting a tough whistle, right yeah, like going back
to the Phoenix game, and I felt like over the
weekend he also has gotten a tough whistle. I hope
there's no reputation thing happening right now with officials. He's
a dude not letting him.
Speaker 3: Play international basketball or something where he's just like shutting
guys down. He's like high he's just more high profile.
Speaker 4: I almost feel like he's playing the same way he
did in the Olympics and he just hasn't adjusted back
to NBA ball. I don't know. But also he's just
gotten some bad calls on him just I don't know.
The Phoenix game was especially weird wonky day.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that'll leave it out. He's gonna be the best
player on the floor for both of these games. Other than.
Speaker 2: James Hardener, the Triumviran, the Triumphant.
Speaker 1: One last thing before we get out of here, Kobe
Brown got his third year option exercised by the Clippers.
Makes sense, Let's hope he can just that he should
take I mean, yeah, you got to pick it.
Speaker 2: Up, Okay, just like what.
Speaker 1: They've invested so much. Yeah, you would. They gotta give
him some run, right like I mean you would hope.
Speaker 2: Is he gonna be able to grow three inches?
Speaker 4: Well, he has a younger player that they.
Speaker 1: Drafted, right, Is he twenty five?
Speaker 4: I've turned twenty five, yeah, b at the end of
this year.
Speaker 1: Well, he's turned in twenty five at the beginning of
next year, because his birthday is January first.
Speaker 4: By the end of this season.
Speaker 1: Is well, I thought you meant literally year. I only
said that because his birthday right literally the first. Yeah,
we'll see what happens with that. Also, we haven't mentioned him.
Jordan Miller might get some running one of these games.
Speaker 4: Who knows, that'd be great, right, I'd just love to
see it blow out Portland. Get Jordan Miller some minutes,
that would be cool.
Speaker 2: Don't want to.
Speaker 4: Look past them, but obviously one of the lesser teams
in the West, and if the Clippers play like they
have the first three games of the season, they have
an advantage.
Speaker 1: Entirely true. Okay, I am on a hard stop. I
have to leave. You guys can keep doing the episode
if you want, or we can end it. Let's get
out of here. We have some double dips coming your way,
maybe this weekend or maybe this week on Clippers Talk
if you're not familiar, that's when we get to go
on the postgame with Adam and chop it up. We're
also he's also streaming all of those on the Clippers
Talk YouTube. We're gonna have a full episode probably on
Friday for y'all. Reviews, help, subscriptions, help will Where can
these people review our podcast to help us out?
Speaker 3: Yeah, you can now review this podcast over on Apple
Podcasts or Spotify. You can now comment, I believe, on
every episode on Spotify, and you can for sure comment
on every episode over at YouTube dot com slash at
Clippers podcast. Subscribe over there if you hit the little
bell thing, you'll get notified when we have a new
stuff coming out, which is I mean now that the
seasons and swing a few times a week.
Speaker 2: So uh yeah. However, you however you can see the show,
just know we appreciate you.
Speaker 1: We absolutely do. We're almost a two thousand subscribers on YouTube,
which is pretty cool. Adam, Before we get out of here,
one positive thing for these Clippers faithful to go into
the rest of their work week.
Speaker 4: With Clippers have faced three solid to very good teams
and two and one and they outdueled Jokich. And I
know Steph Curry left the game around the seven minute
mark of the fourth, but I want to say they
were up by almost double digits to that point. I
think they were gonna win that game anyways, with the
job they were doing on him. The Clippers defense is
third right now in the league three games in. But
more importantly, it just matches. You know. The eye test
tells you the level of effort is. It's otherworldly. And
they have the defensive personnel. We talked about it as
soon as they brought in Derreck Jones Junior. Oh, they're
pivoting to defense. They're going all in, bring back the Toom,
bring in Chris Dunn. Here we go, and it's played
out like that so far. So even though they're twenty
third on offense. They are two and one against some
good competition.
Speaker 1: And third in defensive rating in the league. We absolutely
love to see it. I've been Chuck Bockler, Adam Os
and William Updyke as well. We'll see you Friday and
as always, let's go Clips.