OFFICIAL LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 2023-2024 SEASON THREAD

[lawdog1]

There's something to be said about being able to win 55+ games every season for a 4,5 season stretch amd giving yourself a real chance to win it all. Especially when the franchise was god awful for so long.

I fully agree, but there are number of factors at play that prevent the Clippers from getting the credit they deserve for what they've done in the Blake/CP era. First, they're playing in an era where the prevailing mentality among a lot of fans and media types is that anything other than a championship is a failure. It wasn't always that way and still not everyone thinks like that, but a lot of people do. Second, they play in the same city and building as a team with 16 championships, so they always have that handing over their heads. Third, they've been in control or potentially in control of second round series twice and come up short, which leads to the perception that, despite their success, they've underachieved.

The last thing is the most ironic to me because there are so many people who say that the Clippers stars and Doc are wildly overrated, but then want to fault them for not getting further in the playoffs. If the they're not really that good, maybe they've just lost in the playoffs when they should've.

Its whatever though. All I can say is that, for the first time since maybe the first week of the season, I actually feel excited about the season. My expectations still aren't that high, but I at least am enjoying watching all the games lately.

 

[HIM]

I got in anargument in the offseason because people had the clippers finishing 4th but then sayingthey would choke in tbe playoffs. How do you pick three teams ahead of them but then fault them for not making it to the finals?


Gotta beat the last two mvps and the best coach in the history of the league just to make it to the finals. It's brutal

 

[shoeking2102]

I got in anargument in the offseason because people had the clippers finishing 4th but then sayingthey would choke in tbe playoffs. How do you pick three teams ahead of them but then fault them for not making it to the finals?


Gotta beat the last two mvps and the best coach in the history of the league just to make it to the finals. It's brutal

Because ppl love the cute romanticized version of things

Like its easier to say cp and co. Choked or whatever instead of acknowledging what it actually is.


Good win today. Showed some nice resilence on the road after being down 19. Not really here for the "oh its the sixers " comments. Winning in the NBA is hard

 

[HIM]

Im so hot man.

Had to run some errands after work so I avoided espn app and twitter so I wouldn't see the score of the game. Just got home and turn the game on. Get my phone out and open up IG, first post on my timeline is the Clipper account with a pic with the final score


At least we won.

 

[shoeking2102]

Solid suspension for Blake

 

[lawdog1]

Solid suspension for Blake

Can definitely live with 4 games.

 

[HIM]

Solid suspension for Blake

If I'm being onjective it is a pretty short suspension. I think the league factored in that he lost another 6 weeks and will likely only be back for 5-10 games to end the season. If this happened in novemeber I guarantee it would have been 10 games minimum.


I'll take it doe.

 

[lawdog1]

If I'm being onjective it is a pretty short suspension. I think the league factored in that he lost another 6 weeks and will likely only be back for 5-10 games to end the season. If this happened in novemeber I guarantee it would have been 10 games minimum.

I agree completely. I think they basically figured him injuring himself and missing games because of that is already "punishment" for what he did.

 

[shoeking2102]

Will be another tough game tonight. 

Boston is a fantastic defensive team and plays at one of the fastest paces in the league. Plus they're rolling right now, winners of 8 of their last 10. 

Zeke has been awesome for them during that stretch. They are however, on the 2nd night of a back to back tonight

 

[shoeking2102]

Also, would have to check if this is true or not,

but LAC is 6th in offensive rtg and 5th in defensive rtg right now. That should be the highest mark they've achieved under Doc as far as defensive rtg goes. Supports the eye test too, because they really are defending very well right now.

 

[HIM]

Got us losing tonight.


Please prove me wrong.

 

[lawdog1]

Got us losing tonight.


Please prove me wrong.

Feel the same way. Will be very impressed if we pull this one out. Last game of the trip, right before the break and against a red-hot team. A lot of factors that are not in our favor. But this team has been proving me wrong all season, so we'll see...

 

[lawdog1]

Its hard to be mad at this game, but I kind of am. We really blew it.

 

[shoeking2102]

That was a fun loss lol

 

[HIM]

I really want to say I'm not mad given the circumstances but the 3 missed FTs in OT (jj, jamal, CP3) and the 3 consecutive offensive rebounds Boston had at the end of regulation are inexcusable. Amazing that we were able to cut double digit leads twice and take the lead with less than a minute left but not happy with the way we lost.


A much needed break for the guys. They've been ballin and working their ***** off. Well-earned.

 

[lawdog1]

I really want to say I'm not mad given the circumstances but the 3 missed FTs in OT (jj, jamal, CP3) and the 3 consecutive offensive rebounds Boston had at the end of regulation are inexcusable. Amazing that we were able to cut double digit leads twice and take the lead with less than a minute left but not happy with the way we lost.


A much needed break for the guys. They've been ballin and working their ***** off. Well-earned.

Yeah, I was more mad at the rebounding failures than the missed FTs. Really could have put the game away with just a couple of extra boards. I also didn't like how the team never found a fix for the PnRs that got DJ switched on to Thomas. Credit to Thomas for cooking in those situations, but was just so stupid that we kept switching.

Finally, I always love when Doc brings in Luc to be in our defensive stopper and he promptly gets roasted. One of the guys who helped Evan ******* Turner look like prime Kobe in overtime last night.

 

[rfx45]

in those last free throws by Boston at the end of regulation, I don't think Doc should have taken out DJ, I think it was more vital to secure those rebounds than the Celtics fouling him especially since he was actually making his free throws last night.

 

[shoeking2102]

View media item 1911370

 

[shoeking2102]

Since Austin has been out, CP has been averaging 38.5 minutes per.

Thats not a recipe for success at all. Like all bench players, Austin has his faults but he was one of our only wings who drove to the basket, and is probably our best wing defender. Him being out definitely hurts us and if CP is burnt out by playoffs, then this will be a major reason why.

 

[shoeking2102]

Been calling the channing frye thing for weeks tbh

 

[HIM]

Been calling the channing frye thing for weeks tbh

After Tobias got traded I was hoping we could somehow land Frye. If it only costs us Lance then I'm all for it. Doc clearly doesn't like Lance and Frye gives us a legit stretch 4. Im all for it.


-edit-

Welp, looks like it's gonna cost us more than just lance. Doc was NEVER gonna play Wilcox so i don't mind that. I just hate that Doc refuses to keep any picks. Goddamn, bruh.

 

[shoeking2102]

After Tobias got traded I was hoping we could somehow land Frye. If it only costs us Lance then I'm all for it. Doc clearly doesn't like Lance and Frye gives us a legit stretch 4. Im all for it.


-edit-

Welp, looks like it's gonna cost us more than just lance. Doc was NEVER gonna play Wilcox so i don't mind that. I just hate that Doc refuses to keep any picks. Goddamn, bruh.

The Channing Frye deal has lowkey been on the table for the past two weeks. It's the Clippers who've been holding up on the deal. 

In theory, Channing Frye is an asset, it's why so many teams are vying for his services at the deadline. He's a career 40% shooter from deep at 6'11, 7 feet. It's a plus I think for the 2nd unit.

However,

Doc's got to play him. I'm assuming right now the 2nd unit goes

Pablo

Jamal

Wes

Channing

Cole

I'll allow it. Once blake gets back there will be some adjustments to be made (PP goes back to small ball four which leaves channing...?) but I can live with channing right now. 

And as far as Doc not keeping any picks, I don't like it...but I understand it. We're in win now mode and when we don't really have any assets worth for trade, picks kind of have to be thrown in to sweeten the pot. Plus all our picks would fall towards the end of the 1st and 2nd round anyway and on a team that's constructed the way it is, young guys won't be playing. Kind of screws up our future, but it is what it is.

CJ

 

[shoeking2102]

Lance was very good for us this season, and was coming around again after finally getting out of Doc's doghouse.

With Austin hurt right now, it sucks that we're giving him up but whatever.

 

[xtianp]

I think my biggest issue is that we're in a win now mentality but all of these trades aren't going to push us over the top. I feel the way we're constructed now is pretty good and it's shown to be effective now that everyone's coming around. I just don't feel like any of these small deals is really gonna shake it up for us in the right way.

 

[shoeking2102]

I think my biggest issue is that we're in a win now mentality but all of these trades aren't going to push us over the top. I feel the way we're constructed now is pretty good and it's shown to be effective now that everyone's coming around. I just don't feel like any of these small deals is really gonna shake it up for us in the right way.

Well that's the thing,

There is no trade out there short of Blake for KD straight up that will move the needle enough for us to beat GSW 4 out of 7. (Not saying we can't, but there's no move out there that would make us favorites, or anything close to that)

It is what it is. We're stuck with what we have which is actually not bad, just have to hit the playoffs and see what happens.