OFFICIAL LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 2023-2024 SEASON THREAD

[Nipsey3000]

when has blake proved that he can consistently dominate on the block to be able to play thru him?

he doesnt display a consistent high post iQ to face up bigger slower players and back down smaller players (and score efficiently enough to command a double team)

blake is a dynamic talent and he's been on a great hot streak. but a low post, play thru me player? he's just not

IMO

oan
i dont see this core breaking up. blake has already expressed interest in re-signing with LAC. where can CP3 go next season, start, and have a better shot at a title? only place i can see that happening is in san antonio if they part ways with tony parker. but even if that happens, everyone is still behind gsw in the west.

i think changes have to be made and its not on the court with the players...we have a better team 1-12 than the spurs IMO, the only reason they are a better team and consistently 1 or 2 in the west is because they have a scheme and direction.

i think a coaching change is needed and its obvious...vinny del negro was fired in 2013. LAC hasnt done anything in the next 4 years under doc that wasnt done under vinny.

yeah yeah yeah...injuries, off court issues etc etc. but the monumental collapse last year weighs heavier IMO. especially seeing the way the team is playing now.


even with all that said, if there is no better replacement available, what can you do?

 

[HIM]

We literally peaked two weeks into the season

Hey, maybe they get their **** together at the right time.

 

[jumpmanpro97]

I think really does get the most out of his personal assets. But he's not big for his position, not athletic and not super skilled outside of shooting. So, there's kind of a low ceiling for how good he can actually be.

If he was 6'6' instead of 6'4"

 

[jumpmanpro97]

they've had a tough schedule coming out of the all star break tho GSW, SA, HOU, I hope they can beat the Bulls. Is CP3's thumb ok? I saw the replay last night and it looked liked he tweaked it again

 

[jumpmanpro97]

because all Doc knows to draw up are pick and rolls

lol you must have forgotten the Del Negro era

 

[P C H]

We literally peaked two weeks into the season

Hey, maybe they get their **** together at the right time.

[emoji]128591[/emoji][emoji]127998[/emoji][emoji]128591[/emoji][emoji]127998[/emoji][emoji]128591[/emoji][emoji]127998[/emoji]

 

[lawdog1]

Didn't realize tonight was the ABC prime time game. That probably doesn't bode well for us. Just going off of memory, I think we've been pretty bad in most of our national TV games this season.

 

[lawdog1]

they've had a tough schedule coming out of the all star break tho GSW, SA, HOU, I hope they can beat the Bulls. Is CP3's thumb ok? I saw the replay last night and it looked liked he tweaked it again

Last thing I saw was Chris quoted after the game saying he was "fine." Haven't seen anything about it today. Fingers crossed though.

 

[HIM]

Crawford won this game for us. That's where we're at right now.

Take em however we can get em.

 

[lawdog1]

^^^ Yeah. Happy we won, of course, but game doesn't do much to alleviate my concerns. A game against a team that really can't shoot is just what we needed.

 

[P C H]

Was out with the lady so didn't get to see any of the game but at least we won lol hopefully this can start to ignite the team and get them to get on a little roll here heading into the playoffs.

You gotta believe that at some point here before or in the playoffs, we'll get back to how we've played this year when we were at our peak. We'll see.

 

[P C H]

Also, for years i've mentioned ad nauseam how important JJ Redick is to LAC. And...here I go again lol

It's still no different. If he plays well, we'll look great and have a great chance to win. When he doesn't, we borderline get smacked.

So, it's no surprise that we're struggling since AS break because JJ Redick's splits since the AS break are 44/33(!!)/80 and he's been at under 34% from 3 since February, coinciding with our struggles. (along w/injury)

You wanna know a HUGE reason why we can't come close to beating GSW? It's JJ Redick. The size, switching and athletic ability completely takes him out of the game, and takes us out of the game as a result.

Like i've said before, the weight that his game has for LAC is way too grand, w/respect to his ability. He's not good enough for us to be so dependent on him in my opinion. It's too late for this now, but they should have kind of weaned themselves off of JJ over the course of his tenure w/LA but it's the opposite, they've just become more and more dependent on his off ball movement, DHO, and overall excellence (and at times he's really good) and it's now a crutch. We've stretched and IMO overextended him to a point where now his shooting is failing us (I think that'll come back though) and it appears that maybe he's settling into what a 32 year old, 6'4 shooting guard with no athleticism is supposed to look like at this stage of his career.

 

[HIM]

Cuhs....Jamal out here saving us back to back games lmfaooo


Felton lowkey becoming one of my favorite Clippers in recent memory. Always makes the smart play. Steady as hell.


I think we gotta take a strong look at starting AR over Luc moving forward. Can't have two terrible offensive players on the court at the same time and then JJ who can't create for himself.

If Jamal could just chill out and pass + run PNR he would be so much better. Just be a willing passer and take the open shots, man.


Big win. Ugly 3.5 quarters but hell of a finish. Still a long way to go to match the level of play we had in November.



*Also of note....JJ didn't see the floor after coming out mid 3rd. [emoji]128064[/emoji]

 

[P C H]

Here's the thing, JJ didn't have it going and we were struggling again. This is another loss if Jamal doesn't go crazy.

I can see the logic w/starting Austin over luc offensively erupt, especially if JJ continues to play like this. But defensively, we would be so small, and we already get killed on the glass. It really does look like teams are just hip to what we like to do with JJ though, and as a result his looks aren't nearly as clean as they've been the past couple of years and as a result, we're struggling. This was going to be a tough game for him regardless due to the Avery and Marcus Smart factor.

we are 110-34(!) in regular season games w/JJ when he scores 15+ since he's joined LAC. 54-13 when he scores 20 or more. We literally become so much worse when he isn't on and like I said, he's not good enough to warrant that responsibility.

It just kind of sucks that because we've watched the Clippers w/this core for years now, we know what this is right. Like, none of these Jamal hero shots and runs are going to work in the playoffs, JJ's lack of size, athleticism, and individual game will become even more pronounced come playoff time, and unless CP and Blake become top 5 players in the postseason we're donzo early.
 

Regardless, good win. Let's just stack wins and try and get a string of good play and wins going, and see what happens. You never know.

 

[HIM]

I can see the logic w/starting Austin over luc offensively erupt, especially if JJ continues to play like this. But defensively, we would be so small, and we already get killed on the glass.

Good point. I think, like you alluded to the other day, we gotta move on from JJ OR get a legit 3&D SF. Or if we can move DJ for a star SF. I really wish there were a way to turn DJ into PG. CP3 is good enough to make any C useful offensively. Just get a rim protector big and we'd be good. Just Imagine PG guarding the opponent's best wing and creating his own shot late in the 4th. Would solve a lot of problems. Would never happen tho.


Also, in regards to the rebounding. I'm so tired of Doc's refusal to let Blake/DJ go for OREBs. You see us get killed on 2nd chance points every night and when we shoot, our guys are just running back on D. **** that. We have the most athletic C/PF combo. Let them crash the offensive glass and if it leads to a couple fast breaks so be it.

20th in the league in OREB
23rd in the league giving up OREB

Unacceptable.

 

[P C H]

20th in the league in OREB
23rd in the league giving up OREB

Unacceptable.

This is terribleee

 

[lawdog1]

erupt - I'm with you on the Felton bandwagon. I've become a big fan of his. Seems like Mo Buckets gets a bit more love, but Felton is our best offseason pick-up to me.

And I agree that the current starting line-up lacks balance, particularly when JJ isn't hitting. But starting Austin at SF isn't the answer. We just give up way too much size.

Was very interesting to me last night how much better DJ functioned with the second unit than the 1st. Obviously, you can't bench a 1st team all NBA center and all-star, but he and Blake have not been a great combination since Blake came back. As far as I can recall, there's only been like one game since Blake's return where both Blake and DJ had big games.

 

[lawdog1]

KAT going to cook us again or nah?

 

[P C H]

You can literally look at JJ Redick's box score and determine whether or not LAC is playing well.

Clips down 52-39 w/ like 3 min left  in the half against Minny? Just look at JJ's line and you'll see why.

The casual fan might not see it, but there's really no one more important to LAC's success than JJ.

 

[P C H]

JJ starts making some shots in the second quarter, boom 3 point game at the half.

 

[lawdog1]

This team, man. They're really stating to irk me.

 

[P C H]

This team, man. They irk me.

 

[P C H]

Oh what happened? There was no circus shots from Jamal tonight to save us? Ya' don't say

 

[lawdog1]

Honestly, part of me is almost looking forward to a 1st round L. That will force everyone to really think about changes.

 

[HIM]

Honestly, part of me is almost looking forward to a 1st round L. That will force everyone to really think about changes.

I have this pipe dream that they'll realize what time it is and turn it on in the postseason. I can't think of any team 1-7 that I would favor us over. SAD!