Around the NBA

[BlacJacMac]

Clippers coach Ty Lue described the team's identity right now as "soft." Indiana shot 60.7% (17-of-28) from 3 on Monday.

"So identity for us, it's got to be toughness," Lue said. "Which means physicality, mental and physical toughness, a high-powered offense -- we can score in a lot of different ways -- and we got to have a defensive mindset.

"And so right now, do we have an identity? I think, yeah, we're soft."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39811848/ty-lue-describes-clippers-identity-soft-latest-loss

[WolfAddict]

Draymond being Draymond again... smh

And to do it to a national treasure like Patty... unforgivable

[TimberKat]

Draymond being Draymond again... smh

And to do it to a national treasure like Patty... unforgivable

Sounds like it wasn't even call as a flagrant foul. How is that possible?

[TimberKat]

NOP should had beaten OKC. They just couldn't score in the last 2 minutes and OKC hit 2 clutch 3s. Zion was way too passive offensively in the last 5 minutes.

[Loaf_of_bread]

NOP should had beaten OKC. They just couldn't score in the last 2 minutes and OKC hit 2 clutch 3s. Zion was way too passive offensively in the last 5 minutes.

At the end of it, okc won. Impressive win for them.

[TimberKat]

NBA play-in has been a great addition, especially out west. If the season ends today, the play-in teams are DAL, PHX, LAL, GSW. Just look at the star power on those 4 teams and the one and done intensity of play-in. I hope the standing stays this way at the end of the season.

[winforlose]

NBA play-in has been a great addition, especially out west. If the season ends today, the play-in teams are DAL, PHX, LAL, GSW. Just look at the star power on those 4 teams and the one and done intensity of play-in. I hope the standing stays this way at the end of the season.

What does it say about the west when Lebron, Steph, Luka, and KD cannot carry their teams to a top 6 seed?

[Klomp]

NBA play-in has been a great addition, especially out west. If the season ends today, the play-in teams are DAL, PHX, LAL, GSW. Just look at the star power on those 4 teams and the one and done intensity of play-in. I hope the standing stays this way at the end of the season.

What does it say about the west when Lebron, Steph, Luka, and KD cannot carry their teams to a top 6 seed?

It's hella deep

[shrink]

So when you watch non-Wolves games, who do you root for?

I mean, obviously your root against DEN and OKC, but all out rivals aren’t that impressive. Lately I don’t care who wins, but I want one team to have a devastating or heart-breaking loss, to ruin their confidence. Mavs wrecked the Kings in a battle for sixth place tonight, hopefully next game someone will ruin the Mavs. That sound right?

And of course, always root against teams with obnoxious fans, like LAL

[TimberKat]

NBA play-in has been a great addition, especially out west. If the season ends today, the play-in teams are DAL, PHX, LAL, GSW. Just look at the star power on those 4 teams and the one and done intensity of play-in. I hope the standing stays this way at the end of the season.

What does it say about the west when Lebron, Steph, Luka, and KD cannot carry their teams to a top 6 seed?

It's hella deep

Gobert is a better player than those guys

[Calinks]

Mavs and Lakers look good again. Now I am seeing people predict them to go far. A lot of people think the Lakers will be in the WCF again. I don't see it. I think the Lakers are cooked, maybe they could squeak by OKC because of a bad matchup but I don't see them beating anyone else in that 1-6 seed range except maybe the Clippers who have been a mess.

The Mavs do look better but I think we beat them unless Kyrie and Luka go absolutely nuts (which is possible) and or we choke big time, like Towns goes super meltdown mode (also possible) but I don't think that is likely for all seven games.

[Colbinii]

Mavs and Lakers look good again. Now I am seeing people predict them to go far. A lot of people think the Lakers will be in the WCF again. I don't see it. I think the Lakers are cooked, maybe they could squeak by OKC because of a bad matchup but I don't see them beating anyone else in that 1-6 seed range except maybe the Clippers who have been a mess.

The Mavs do look better but I think we beat them unless Kyrie and Luka go absolutely nuts (which is possible) and or we choke big time, like Towns goes super meltdown mode (also possible) but I don't think that is likely for all seven games.

"I think they are cooked"
"I don't see it. maybe they squeek by OKC"
"Maybe they beat the Clippers"

Okay, so say LAL is the 8 seed and OKC is the 1 seed. LAC is in the 4/5.

You could easily see LAL in the WCF then, right? Afterall, you did say you could see LAL beating LAC/OKC.

I think what most people see in the Lakers is a team with experience, the best defensive player in the conference in Anthony Davis and the GOAT in LeBron James still able to take over games. D'Angelo Russell is playing the best basketball of his career while the other players fill important roles on the team.

I don't know or necessarily think the Lakers will make the WCF, but what they did last year is stark evidence they can do it again.

[winforlose]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/275113/Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander-Dealing-With-Quad-Injury

[Calinks]

Mavs and Lakers look good again. Now I am seeing people predict them to go far. A lot of people think the Lakers will be in the WCF again. I don't see it. I think the Lakers are cooked, maybe they could squeak by OKC because of a bad matchup but I don't see them beating anyone else in that 1-6 seed range except maybe the Clippers who have been a mess.

The Mavs do look better but I think we beat them unless Kyrie and Luka go absolutely nuts (which is possible) and or we choke big time, like Towns goes super meltdown mode (also possible) but I don't think that is likely for all seven games.

"I think they are cooked"
"I don't see it. maybe they squeek by OKC"
"Maybe they beat the Clippers"

Okay, so say LAL is the 8 seed and OKC is the 1 seed. LAC is in the 4/5.

You could easily see LAL in the WCF then, right? Afterall, you did say you could see LAL beating LAC/OKC.

I think what most people see in the Lakers is a team with experience, the best defensive player in the conference in Anthony Davis and the GOAT in LeBron James still able to take over games. D'Angelo Russell is playing the best basketball of his career while the other players fill important roles on the team.

I don't know or necessarily think the Lakers will make the WCF, but what they did last year is stark evidence they can do it again.

I wont say they absolutely can't but I do think the competition is just much stronger this year than last. I also think the Lakers are not playing as well as they did last year. I know they do present some matchup issues with the Thunder and Clippers specifically who has struggled with big teams so I do admit they could find some magic against squads like that and get by in a series.

On the whole though, I don't think very highly of them. The only team out west I think is a surefire great team that will go far is Denver. Everyone else is shaky for one reason or another. Even still, I think Minnesota and OKC have shown they are a cut above the other teams out west. The only real question is lack of playoff success and past woes. If those weren't factors it wouldn't even be a question to me.

Lakers,Mavs, Suns, Warriors, and now the Clippers seem like exceptionally flawed teams who will crumble but they do have the advantage of having players and teams that have done serious damage in the post-season, that's the biggest factor on their side.

[frankenwolf]

Draymond being Draymond again... smh

And to do it to a national treasure like Patty... unforgivable

Sounds like it wasn't even call as a flagrant foul. How is that possible?

Ask Rudy....

Spoiler:

MONEY MONEY MONEY

[Klomp]

What does it say about the west when Lebron, Steph, Luka, and KD cannot carry their teams to a top 6 seed?

It's hella deep

Gobert is a better player than those guys

I think you are missing the point winforlose is making. These are some of the greatest players in NBA history, and they're finding themselves mostly on the outside looking in.

[Klomp]

Watch on YouTube

[BlacJacMac]

Harden's own performance is at the center of that slide. His scoring numbers and shooting percentages are trending down. More pressingly, the Clippers can't get a stop with him on the floor. During this 22-game stretch, the Clippers are allowing over 120 points per 100 possessions with Harden in the game. When he rests, that figure goes down by more than eight points... but the Clippers offense declines nearly as much.

-CBS Sports

[shrink]

Tight one between HOU and OKC! Rockets up one with four minutes left.

[TimberKat]

Tight one between HOU and OKC! Rockets up one with four minutes left.

OKC hits so many clutch shots this season.