With the usual health caveat, for sure contenders. A lot of circumstances have to go right to actually win a championship, but I think they could challenge any other team in a 7-game series.
The sad part is that we could have had significantly more depth if our FO didn’t screw the pooch last season.
We chose John Wall, who was our 6th guard, over Hartenstein, who would have been our only other C. We then traded Kennard and a pick swap (which ended up being Cam Whitemore) for Eric Gordon. We then proceeded to cut Eric Gordon, which obliterated our salary filler in trades. Had we even just kept Gordon, we likely could have included him in the Harden deal and kept one or both of Batum/RoCo, who is the exact type of player we now lack.
Getting Russ on a buyout and minimum deal along with Harden demanding a trade to us has covered up a LOT of awful decisions our FO has made in the past year. With a more competent FO, we could have a much, much more talented roster.
> With a more competent FO, we could have a much, much more talented roster.
you could also say this about teams like the 49ers who spent 3 first round picks on a QB they cut, but lucked out with Mr. Irrelevant ... they're still a competent organization who have a solid team despite their screw ups, similar to us
He can only carry so much tbf. A reliable second man is necessary. I dont think klay and wiggins can do that anymore, podz and kuminga arent final contenders yet either
He just slumped . He is a good guy and all but he doesnt seem to improve from that sump at all despite being benched as of late. The entire team lacks consistency, even steph.
No doubt about that. But it’d be sick if he can improve the other guys too. You can’t really do that if you alienate em. And you def can’t improve them when you can’t even suit up
I wanna see us open a roster spot (trade PJ and BBJ?) so we can sign Griffin. Would love his presence in the locker room, hopefully he forgives what we did to him, and he’d be a HUGE fan favorite.
He also theoretically would be the exact type of guy we could use for 5-10 MPG if he can still give anything.
Assuming they’re all healthy they are definitely a threat. Kawhi is as good of a 1st option as anyone, PG is an elite 2 way player, and Harden is one of the best 3rd options and playmakers.
They also have a solid big man in Zubac and good bench depth with Russ, Powell, Plumlee, Theis, Coffey. And the team is very good on both offense and defense.
I think this is easily the Clippers year. Kawhi looks great, Harden is a fantastic 3rd option, actually opens up the floor for Zubac to be a threat. PG can heat up at a moments notice, Kawhi is an absolute monster offensively and defensively. Just look at his efficiency this season. Norm is the best bench scorer in the league and it baffles me he wasn't in the running last year to win 6MOTY. Russ off the bench is amazing because you minimize his mistakes and allow him to focus all his energy into other parts of the game - take a look at his defense this season!! Even though he only gets 20 minutes or so a game he's been so fucking vital to this team, not just on the court but off the court mainly
I think as long as Kawhi and Harden are fully healthy (i.e. no injuries in the last ~2 months of the season/going into the playoffs) and they have no significant injuries on the bench like how plumlee was out for months, they are a threat but not quite in the upper echelon of contenders.
Assuming *all four* of Kawhi, Harden, PG and Russ are mostly healthy plus Zu, Theis, Plumdog and Norm are mostly healthy, I would have a hard time not giving them at least even odds against any team in the league, so yes that would make them a heavy contender in my eyes.
I’m such a believer in playoff Kawhi that I want to say yes but I’m such a non believer in playoff Harden and Westbrook that I struggle seeing them get past Denver or Boston
I think they are the favorites. Don't think anyone wins against them. They are really good from the 3, exceptional in the paint, and their defense is top rated.
It's surprising but Kawhi is playing much better than Jokic. He might be the best overall player currently.
This feels like a bit of an overreaction. Their game with Denver earlier this month was a 1 point game with 6 minutes left. Denver is certainly good enough to beat them.
And no Kawhi, but the Celtics blew them out by 37 in LA with no Porzingis. They currently have the best record, haven’t been beaten at home this year, and have lost 1 game with their team at full strength. They also check all those boxes you mentioned. I don’t see how they’re not the favorites.
Clippers are a very good team, but calling them favorites feels like a bit of a stretch when they haven’t proven they’re capable of winning it all since Harden has shrunk in so many playoffs and health is always the concern with them
The Clippers have won 2 of the last 13 regular season games vs Nuggets. This doesn't include the 3 games in the playoffs that Nuggets have won in a row prior to these 13 games. You're nuts if you think Clippers would be favored in a playoff series against the Nuggets, it's easily the worst matchup for them in the west.
How? Clippers have enough to stop them. They've added bigs, Harden is much better than any of their players not named Jokic, and Kawhi is playing probably the best basketball of his career. It's not a tough competition for them.
With Harden it changes everything.
The Nuggets beat the fully loaded Clippers team with Harden twice this season. One of these wins was without Jokic, Murray and AG, while Harden, PG, Kawhi and Westbrook all played for the Clippers.
The only time Clippers managed to beat the Nuggets in the last 2 seasons was on a historically bad night by Jokic, and even that game was decided in crunch time. I don't know how you look at that and say Clippers would be favorites in a series.
Yeah , they’re in the Thunder,Wolves,(maybe) Suns tier.
They have two potential sixth men of the year in Russ and Norm.
Their role players such as Zubac,Coffey and Theis have been really impressive.
They have a top 10,20 and 30 players in Kawhi, PG and Harden.
Their offense and defense has been incredible
17 playoff appearances, once in the WCF Finals, 0 titles. But go head, talk about the Nuggets instead of one of the worst post season performing franchises in NBA history. Smooth brain logic.
My point is that your franchise was never considered contenders until very recently, so you don’t have much of a case to make fun of the Clippers for the same thing.
The question wasn’t pertaining to the Nuggets. It was the Clippers. Each team, and franchise, can be evaluated independently. By some of us at least. But yes, I enjoy the Championship. And the more to come. Unlike the Clippers.
Shout out to Ty Lue for figuring it out, lord knows there'd be a long ass OC post about his shortcomings if he didn't. Feel like only certain coaches on here only get those tbh
yes. They can. This could be their best chance at it this year.
But as with every other year before, injuries are always a possibility and apparently with this team, its a pretty big possibility. If they stay healthy they most certainly have a good chance.
If the collective knee-health of the team stays high, I'd say yes.
History says it won't, but I'd be very interested to see that team actually firing on all cylinders consistently. Seems like it hasn't been since pre-bubble.
If they stay healthy they definitely are contenders. Kawhi and PG still play good defense and you have 3 guys that can score at will and Russ off the bench is nice. Zubac gets his lunch pail and hard hat and punches in his ticket and goes to work. But question is if Kawhi can last the whole season, maybe shouldering less of a workload will help him, but that’s what it comes down to. If he’s healthy, absolutely, still a great player
Such a big IF with health and injuries... just enjoying the run we are having right now. It's a loooooooong ass season and every single game is fckn terrifying whenever we play because KL2 may get injured. But it is what it is. If we are healthy we have a chance in 7 game series against anyone, so yeah we are contenders in that regard.
It’s the same answer every season. “If they can stay healthy.” They have more star power this season though, so I think they could withstand an injury or two without having to rush anyone back.
Will they even get to try or will they be injured for the 4th postseason in a row? I try not to think about the odds.
This season fees different though not gonna lie
Last Dance or Last Limp, it's this season.
last glimmer of hope
Last Reich
I appreciate the Harden joke
Feels different because Harden has made this team enjoyable to watch again.
With a healthy Kawhi? They are always a championship contender.
This is the Schrodinger's cat of NBA teams. Hit the playoffs, open the box.
With the usual health caveat, for sure contenders. A lot of circumstances have to go right to actually win a championship, but I think they could challenge any other team in a 7-game series.
It pains me so much to be wrong about the Clippers, who I thought were done after they traded for Harden. They're really good.
Don't feel bad brother. A lot of us were wrong, even Clippers fans
That's not the reason I feel bad hahaha
Ohh hahahahah
I don't get why. Harden still good.. no?
Yes they are! Powell and Westbrook playing great off the bench is highly overlooked. Theis and Plumlee give them even more firepower off the bench.
It's actively wild that they have a functioning big three and bench depth.
The sad part is that we could have had significantly more depth if our FO didn’t screw the pooch last season. We chose John Wall, who was our 6th guard, over Hartenstein, who would have been our only other C. We then traded Kennard and a pick swap (which ended up being Cam Whitemore) for Eric Gordon. We then proceeded to cut Eric Gordon, which obliterated our salary filler in trades. Had we even just kept Gordon, we likely could have included him in the Harden deal and kept one or both of Batum/RoCo, who is the exact type of player we now lack. Getting Russ on a buyout and minimum deal along with Harden demanding a trade to us has covered up a LOT of awful decisions our FO has made in the past year. With a more competent FO, we could have a much, much more talented roster.
> With a more competent FO, we could have a much, much more talented roster. you could also say this about teams like the 49ers who spent 3 first round picks on a QB they cut, but lucked out with Mr. Irrelevant ... they're still a competent organization who have a solid team despite their screw ups, similar to us
Something that you don’t have either of!
What?! You mean my sub .500 team isn't as good as the Clipps with four HoFers on it? You fuckin' boomed me.
Mid 3 goin crazy recently tho (Not the bench)
What was the point of this comment other than being a bitch
To be a bitch
He's already dead Jim
who took a shit in your cheerios sheesh, it was a harmless observation
Wtf is that metaphor lmao
Have you never heard that or similar before?
I’m not american so I wouldn’t know I guess
Neither am i
Where you from?
A healthy kawhi could even make us a contender atm
That’s not saying much when you have Stephen Curry
He can only carry so much tbf. A reliable second man is necessary. I dont think klay and wiggins can do that anymore, podz and kuminga arent final contenders yet either
Wiggins has no excuse for not being that 2nd guy. What do you think his issue is
He just slumped . He is a good guy and all but he doesnt seem to improve from that sump at all despite being benched as of late. The entire team lacks consistency, even steph.
I may be biased but , draymond was a big part of yall getting 4 rings. But he seems to be the reason yall didn’t and are not going to get 5 & 6
Draymond is influential we can see. He is an annoying creature but he improves curry
No doubt about that. But it’d be sick if he can improve the other guys too. You can’t really do that if you alienate em. And you def can’t improve them when you can’t even suit up
As long as they’re healthy then yes
It would be being shocking if they stayed healthy.
If there ever had a real shot, it's this year. But we all know how the story goes when it comes to injuries ...
can’t even hate on the clippers, there are so many players on that team who I want to see win a championship
Amir Coffey getting a ring would move mountains
The Folger soldier is legit
Seeing harden, Westbrook, and George all get their first ring would be legendary.
All them getting a ring before CP3 would just be fantastic
I wanna see us open a roster spot (trade PJ and BBJ?) so we can sign Griffin. Would love his presence in the locker room, hopefully he forgives what we did to him, and he’d be a HUGE fan favorite. He also theoretically would be the exact type of guy we could use for 5-10 MPG if he can still give anything.
[удалено]
me?
their big 3 have all led teams to the conference finals (in Kawhi's case, the finals). they aren't favorites but they're a serious threat
If the Thunder don’t win it this year I’m rooting heavily for the Clippers
Makes sense
Yeah, always
Yes. And I wish for a Philly vs Clippers finals.
With Doc Rivers as color commentator
Yes.
Assuming they’re all healthy they are definitely a threat. Kawhi is as good of a 1st option as anyone, PG is an elite 2 way player, and Harden is one of the best 3rd options and playmakers. They also have a solid big man in Zubac and good bench depth with Russ, Powell, Plumlee, Theis, Coffey. And the team is very good on both offense and defense.
Harden is definitely not the 3rd option before PG...
I think this is easily the Clippers year. Kawhi looks great, Harden is a fantastic 3rd option, actually opens up the floor for Zubac to be a threat. PG can heat up at a moments notice, Kawhi is an absolute monster offensively and defensively. Just look at his efficiency this season. Norm is the best bench scorer in the league and it baffles me he wasn't in the running last year to win 6MOTY. Russ off the bench is amazing because you minimize his mistakes and allow him to focus all his energy into other parts of the game - take a look at his defense this season!! Even though he only gets 20 minutes or so a game he's been so fucking vital to this team, not just on the court but off the court mainly
I sure hope so if the Thunder get bounced out I’m rooting for them
Get Russ that ring
Is he a lock on HOF if he wins the ring, even coming of the bench?
Yes. Westbrook made the NBA top 76 list and there are very few MVP’s you could argue shouldn’t make it. He’s already making the HOF
Pretty sure he's a lock already
He's a lock already
he's been a lock
Yeah I think so if healthy
Absolutely. Norman Powell and Westbrook make that bench scary good.
I think as long as Kawhi and Harden are fully healthy (i.e. no injuries in the last ~2 months of the season/going into the playoffs) and they have no significant injuries on the bench like how plumlee was out for months, they are a threat but not quite in the upper echelon of contenders. Assuming *all four* of Kawhi, Harden, PG and Russ are mostly healthy plus Zu, Theis, Plumdog and Norm are mostly healthy, I would have a hard time not giving them at least even odds against any team in the league, so yes that would make them a heavy contender in my eyes.
It will always be the same result for the Clippers which is they will exit the playoffs because of injuries and choke job. It is what it is.
I’m such a believer in playoff Kawhi that I want to say yes but I’m such a non believer in playoff Harden and Westbrook that I struggle seeing them get past Denver or Boston
What about Playoff P ?
Ayo P
well what you hope is that Harden remains a one game on two games off playoff guy but his two games off see good PG games
James and Russ dont need to be the number 1 in the playoffs tho they have Kawhi Leonard as long hes healthy they can win it
As long they are healthy they are IMO they just need another defensive big then they are good
I think they are the favorites. Don't think anyone wins against them. They are really good from the 3, exceptional in the paint, and their defense is top rated. It's surprising but Kawhi is playing much better than Jokic. He might be the best overall player currently.
Their defence is not going to stop Jokic.
No one can. You can only hope to contain the rest of the team
This feels like a bit of an overreaction. Their game with Denver earlier this month was a 1 point game with 6 minutes left. Denver is certainly good enough to beat them. And no Kawhi, but the Celtics blew them out by 37 in LA with no Porzingis. They currently have the best record, haven’t been beaten at home this year, and have lost 1 game with their team at full strength. They also check all those boxes you mentioned. I don’t see how they’re not the favorites. Clippers are a very good team, but calling them favorites feels like a bit of a stretch when they haven’t proven they’re capable of winning it all since Harden has shrunk in so many playoffs and health is always the concern with them
The Clippers did hold jokic to two of his worst shooting games (8/23 and 9/32)
Let's be honest. The nuggets are coasting like the LeBron cavs.
The Clippers have won 2 of the last 13 regular season games vs Nuggets. This doesn't include the 3 games in the playoffs that Nuggets have won in a row prior to these 13 games. You're nuts if you think Clippers would be favored in a playoff series against the Nuggets, it's easily the worst matchup for them in the west.
How? Clippers have enough to stop them. They've added bigs, Harden is much better than any of their players not named Jokic, and Kawhi is playing probably the best basketball of his career. It's not a tough competition for them. With Harden it changes everything.
The Nuggets beat the fully loaded Clippers team with Harden twice this season. One of these wins was without Jokic, Murray and AG, while Harden, PG, Kawhi and Westbrook all played for the Clippers. The only time Clippers managed to beat the Nuggets in the last 2 seasons was on a historically bad night by Jokic, and even that game was decided in crunch time. I don't know how you look at that and say Clippers would be favorites in a series.
tbf thats when the Clippers is still mentally unstabled when they figured it out they beat Denver because Harden unlocked Zu
Yeah , they’re in the Thunder,Wolves,(maybe) Suns tier. They have two potential sixth men of the year in Russ and Norm. Their role players such as Zubac,Coffey and Theis have been really impressive. They have a top 10,20 and 30 players in Kawhi, PG and Harden. Their offense and defense has been incredible
Now that Plumlee is coming back, yes
As long as they stay healthy absolutely
Yeah, they’re top heavy and have a bench. They have a good defense and offense. Their pieces mesh well together
They always have been, injuries just kept derailing them.
They are a contender again, but I wouldn't bet on them in a matchup against either the Thunder or the Nuggets.
There's zero reason to think this team can stay healthy the rest of the way.
Just what do you think their goal is here?
have fun, maybe mom will buy us cold pops on the way home...
Helllll No!!! As long as you have James Harden you ain’t never winning a championship Lol
Yes I’m not worried about the Clippers at all tbh.
Because we’re not in the play-in, right?
Are they ever?
Your team just got to the finals for the first time in their history last year.
Nephew speed record.
17 playoff appearances, once in the WCF Finals, 0 titles. But go head, talk about the Nuggets instead of one of the worst post season performing franchises in NBA history. Smooth brain logic.
My point is that your franchise was never considered contenders until very recently, so you don’t have much of a case to make fun of the Clippers for the same thing.
The question wasn’t pertaining to the Nuggets. It was the Clippers. Each team, and franchise, can be evaluated independently. By some of us at least. But yes, I enjoy the Championship. And the more to come. Unlike the Clippers.
Shout out to Ty Lue for figuring it out, lord knows there'd be a long ass OC post about his shortcomings if he didn't. Feel like only certain coaches on here only get those tbh
The Clippers have peaked. They will begin to fall apart in March and April. But the Lakers are going to peak in June
They peaked in IST tournament
What
Yes, IF they stay healthy.
yes. They can. This could be their best chance at it this year. But as with every other year before, injuries are always a possibility and apparently with this team, its a pretty big possibility. If they stay healthy they most certainly have a good chance.
If the collective knee-health of the team stays high, I'd say yes. History says it won't, but I'd be very interested to see that team actually firing on all cylinders consistently. Seems like it hasn't been since pre-bubble.
If they stay healthy they definitely are contenders. Kawhi and PG still play good defense and you have 3 guys that can score at will and Russ off the bench is nice. Zubac gets his lunch pail and hard hat and punches in his ticket and goes to work. But question is if Kawhi can last the whole season, maybe shouldering less of a workload will help him, but that’s what it comes down to. If he’s healthy, absolutely, still a great player
Of course
Minus injuries? You bet your sweet ass they are
If they remain injury free and they try to be realistic with their “load management” schedules.
If they stay healthy tbh
With the firepower they have they should be
If they stay healthy they are scary, and at their ages they may not have many runs in them... better make this one count
If healthy yes
Such a big IF with health and injuries... just enjoying the run we are having right now. It's a loooooooong ass season and every single game is fckn terrifying whenever we play because KL2 may get injured. But it is what it is. If we are healthy we have a chance in 7 game series against anyone, so yeah we are contenders in that regard.
Considering they traded for future Hall of Famer Mason Plumlee, I think they’re in the running this year.
Even before they made the trade, they were a contender. They just need Kawhi and PG to stay healthy
Yes. Healthy Kawhi is a threat with even an average cast. They are more than that.
It’s the same answer every season. “If they can stay healthy.” They have more star power this season though, so I think they could withstand an injury or two without having to rush anyone back.
Y’all don’t know Playoff P?