OFFICIAL LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 2024-2025 SEASON THREAD

[Mr.Guy]

After having a day to let everything marinate, **** it - I'm still in this thing. Will support this year's team until they're done (which likely be within the next week). Wearing a Clippers T today and will watch the game. I've been putting up with crushing defeat and generally messed up stuff from this team for 30 years. I'm not going to let this latest set back - though mind numbingly disastrous - beat me.

So, yes, Austin Rivers, Jeff Green and Jamal Crawford, et al, I am behind you. You are not the heroes we wanted right now but you are the heroes we need.

#ClipperNation

Let's go bro!!!!!!!

 

[lawdog1]

These guys are playing real tight for a team with nothing to lose.

 

[comptonprince]

These guys are playing real tight for a team with nothing to lose.

What channel u watching on?

NBA TV is blacked out

FSW has on Hockey 

 

[comptonprince]

Nvm found it

 

[lawdog1]

For a dude that has done 2 things in NBA history that nobody else has, Jamal Crawford gets no love from the refs

 

[HIM]

It'll be tough to sustain it, and I wouldn't be surprised if we lose, but damn I love how these guys are playing right now. Proud of these guys 

 

[lawdog1]

Playoff Jamal is so bad

 

[lawdog1]

Pierce should not be playing at all. Not a minute.

 

[lawdog1]

Welp, we tried.

 

[lawdog1]

And I'm not blaming him, but Glenn has been out coached in this series.

 

[shoeking2102]

Pierce should not be playing at all. Not a minute.

Luc should have played if were gonna go that route. At least he would have defended.

 

[jumpmanpro97]

I really never believed in "curses". But that team has bad karma from the Sterling days. I think his wife is still part owner. Never seen anything like that. Really feel bad for every guy on that team.

 

[lawdog1]

Luc should have played if were gonna go that route. At least he would have defended.

Probably would have been more effective on offense too. PP failed on multiple opportunities to score in the post/mid-post with Dame Lillard on him. If that's not a sign he should hang it up, I don't what is.

But my issues with Doc's line-up management aside, I definitely applaud the effort last night. The team definitely came out to win that game. But its a tall order for what is, in many ways, a new team to beat a squad that's been together and clicking for 82 plus. That caught up with us in the end. Real good try though.

 

[HIM]

I don't understand how you go from starting Luc to not playing him at all

 

[lawdog1]

I don't understand how you go from starting Luc to not playing him at all

I think the theory is that, with Blake and CP out, we need more offense from that position. The problem is that the guy Doc chose to replace Luc with can't score for **** either and is a much worse defender and rebounder. But hey, par for the course this season/post-season.

 

[lawdog1]

I really never believed in "curses". But that team has bad karma from the Sterling days. I think his wife is still part owner. Never seen anything like that. Really feel bad for every guy on that team.

Shelly Sterling does still own a small part of the team and still goes to games - unfortunately.

But people who follow and track the "curse" say that it started way back when the team was the Buffalo Braves, long before Sterling bought it. Donald buying the team was more a result of the curse, then the cause of it.

The thing is, a lot of great things have happened for the team in recent years. They're the only team in the NBA to have made the playoffs the last 5 season. They sell out Staples every night, The team is very profitable. But the playoff flame outs have been so spectacular that they overshadow everything and keep the curse narrative going.

There's been lots of teams in NBA history that had good runs, when they were perennial playoff teams that just weren't good enough to make/win the Finals. That's what the Clippers are, most likely. But its hard to say for sure because injuries have played such a huge role in their playoff success. CP and/or Blake have been banged up or completely unavailable at some point during the playoffs every year except (I think) in 2014 when they lost to OKC in the second round. Hence, the curse.

 

[HIM]

I just hope CP3 recovers quickly and can join us during the finals.

 

[comptonprince]

I just hope CP3 recovers quickly and can join us during the finals.

Stop Drinking Motor Oil 

 

[djlunchbox]

How did we just fall apart in the 4th? I can't even right now. This is like last year's houston series all over again.

 

[shoeking2102]

The thing is, a lot of great things have happened for the team in recent years. They're the only team in the NBA to have made the playoffs the last 5 season. They sell out Staples every night, The team is very profitable. But the playoff flame outs have been so spectacular that they overshadow everything and keep the curse narrative going.

There's been lots of teams in NBA history that had good runs, when they were perennial playoff teams that just weren't good enough to make/win the Finals. That's what the Clippers are, most likely. But its hard to say for sure because injuries have played such a huge role in their playoff success. CP and/or Blake have been banged up or completely unavailable at some point during the playoffs every year except (I think) in 2014 when they lost to OKC in the second round. Hence, the curse.

All of this. QFT and even in 2014 CP was battling a hamstring injury, and to your point about injuries it goes beyond the postseason.

CP missed a nice chunk of time that season in 14' and while we still won 57 games, it killed our chances of getting homecourt beyond round 1 so you're right, injuries have completely ruptured the potential outlook of this era for me.

Regardless, the other bit you said was pretty true too. Can't let the postseason dissapointments overshadow all of the great things that the Clips have accomplished in this span. If I told you, in 2000 that by 2016 LAC would be a perennial 50+ win team and a title contender we all would sign up for that.

Gotta be a strong enough fan to take the good, and the bad. 

 

[lawdog1]

And I kind of feel bad getting on Jamal for his play. You can tell that he really wants it and knows he has to score for this group to win, but the guy just does not make shots consistently in the playoffs. If it was a regular season game last night, he probably would have gone for 30. But the same shots he makes in the regular season just don't drop in the playoffs. I feel bad for him.

 

[shoeking2102]

 

[wavycrocket]

It's just disappointing that at 36, Jamal doesn't understand how to play winning playoff basketball. It's sorta understandable though, he didn't play his first playoff game til he was 10+ years into the league.

Also, Doc & co encourage the "bad Jamal"....the one where he's mixing, taking contested long twos...and hitting them. Problem is, those are very low percentage shots. "Good Jamal" is when he's spotting up, hitting the roll man and creating at the end of the shot clock.

Lastly, he's regressed on defense in the post season. Game 4 was James Harden-esque defense. He had terrible positioning, and got beat Blackdoor about 3 times.

Jamal is such a good dude, and fun to watch...so you root for his success. He also stepped up this year. But overall, he's been a minus basketball player over the last 3 years....and it's obvious to anybody who watches basketball.

Still got faith the Clips will win this series somehow .

 

[HIM]

A game 6 win on the road with this group of guys might bring a tear to my eye. JJ, to me, has been more disappointing than Jamal this year. Then again, he's also playing through injury. I won't get mad at anybody this postseason. Except maybe Timid Tebow for celebrating Steph's injury.

 

[shoeking2102]

A game 6 win on the road with this group of guys might bring a tear to my eye. JJ, to me, has been more disappointing than Jamal this year. Then again, he's also playing through injury. I won't get mad at anybody this postseason. Except maybe Timid Tebow for celebrating Steph's injury.

Let me ask you this Erupt, others feel free to chime in...

I think JJ is the most important player on our team offensively. When he's on our offense looks like one of the top 3 best in the league. When he's off, we barely score 90 points. His movement and gravity is invaluable.

However, come playoff time he consistently comes up short. This is starting to lead me to believe that the way our team is constructed, we depend so much on JJ's movement and shot making that it kills us in the postseason because he isn't big enough, or flat out good enough to warrant that amount of responsibility. He's not Klay Thompson and while he is a good positional defender, having him guard CJ McCullum like last night, or Harden last season is not ideal. He would be guarding Klay Thompson and / Or Harrison barnes next rd if we were to get there, which is a matchup problem in it of itself.

The thinking here is that by moving JJ to the bench or trading him for some pieces, we could get someone in return who's a better defender / athlete in that position. He obviously wouldn't be as good of a shooter as redick but that's kind of null and void because he can't generate nearly the clean amount of looks come playoff time.

In a nutshell, he's just not big or good enough to warrant the amount of responsibility that the Clippers offense places upon him and that's why he comes up short every postseason because he has to go up against wings with size and length which really disrupts what he and the clips do offensively.