ROUND 1, GAME #5 Clippers @ SUNS—TUESDAY 7 PM TNT/Bally

[donemilio21]

After watching 38 year old LeBron play heavy minutes night after night to bring his team within one win of advancing, all I can say is if Kawhi feels a little shame, he'll get his ass out there and play. Or announce that he no longer wants to play basketball and retires. I'm tired of his BS.

[Captain Ballmer]

After watching 38 year old LeBron play heavy minutes night after night to bring his team within one win of advancing, all I can say is if Kawhi feels a little shame, he'll get his ass out there and play. Or announce that he no longer wants to play basketball and retires. I'm tired of his BS.

I have learned long time ago that it's not wise to compare players with Lebron James. He's different

[Scoundreldays]

After watching 38 year old LeBron play heavy minutes night after night to bring his team within one win of advancing, all I can say is if Kawhi feels a little shame, he'll get his ass out there and play. Or announce that he no longer wants to play basketball and retires. I'm tired of his BS.

I have learned long time ago that it's not wise to compare players with Lebron James. He's different

Yeah Lebron is the exception to the rule, although it's frustrating even AD is healthy.

Honestly I'm just emotionally exausted with this team. The last 4 seasons all we have heard is post season is all that matters and load management is the key but despite all that these two have been healthy for only 1 post season in which we had a 4 month break. I'm over this frustrating era.

[esqtvd]

Not surprised, over these two. Can not be counted on.

Best of luck to the ones who can actually play tomorrow.

Not sure on their value but we have to atleast look at potential trades for both. A win would be to atleast trade one of them for more durable players.

Spoiler:

I've been trying to hold out hope because I'm not a vulture. Any piece of ignorant s*** off the street can vulture on the Clippers and get proved right eventually.

Since I started this game thread I'm tempted to wipe it completely, frankly. The vultures reliably suck every bit of hope and joy out of our board. We weren't even allowed to hope for a second that they might play.

Unless we win the championship the vultures will always win, won't they??

[Clemenza]

After watching 38 year old LeBron play heavy minutes night after night to bring his team within one win of advancing, all I can say is if Kawhi feels a little shame, he'll get his ass out there and play. Or announce that he no longer wants to play basketball and retires. I'm tired of his BS.

I have learned long time ago that it's not wise to compare players with Lebron James. He's different

Its still really bad optics for us yet again. The problem is that Bron plays for our arch rivals the Lakers. 100% healthy or partially injured he shows and plays, fights, quarterbacks the team, galvanizes the crowd, and wins games. Our guy doesn't play, doesn't talk, doesn't lead, doesn't promote the team, no jersey sales, doesn't move and invigorate the city and fanbase nor the team, and will sit out the 2nd half of game after playing in the first half. I take it there's a deal in place where the team can't comment on his injury status to the media and fans. This is one of the oddest things I've ever seen in a star player. Bad optics!

Then there's PG, who I like cause he's a Fresno State guy, making jokes on his podcast on when he'll return. Lately they've been showing him working out and whatnot in hopes of a return. But why show this when he's not going to play in the next upcoming game? So he's working out for next season? Bad optics! The SGA trade is still brought up to this very day. Bad Optics! The "Give No Quarter" billboards and slogan with PG & Kawhi as the face of it. More Bad Optics! Russ is already more loved and respected by the coaches and fans in only a two month span as opposed to our stars who have been here for four years. Again, Bad Optics! The Bubble disaster and the Lakers go on to win the 'ship. Super Bad Optics on steroids! We can go on and on with this. Ballmer fixed all the basketball courts in the city, gave us a mascot, is building a Taj Mahal of an arena, and screaming out "Hardcore!" but then chased and ultimately hitched the ride to two softies. At least Westbrook sees his vision

[Captain Ballmer]

After watching 38 year old LeBron play heavy minutes night after night to bring his team within one win of advancing, all I can say is if Kawhi feels a little shame, he'll get his ass out there and play. Or announce that he no longer wants to play basketball and retires. I'm tired of his BS.

I have learned long time ago that it's not wise to compare players with Lebron James. He's different

Its still really bad optics for us yet again. The problem is that Bron plays for our arch rivals the Lakers. 100% healthy or partially injured he shows and plays, fights, quarterbacks the team, galvanizes the crowd, and wins games. Our guy doesn't play, doesn't talk, doesn't lead, doesn't promote the team, no jersey sales, doesn't move and invigorate the city and fanbase nor the team, and will sit out the 2nd half of game after playing in the first half. I take it there's a deal in place where the team can't comment on his injury status to the media and fans. This is one of the oddest things I've ever seen in a star player. Bad optics!

Then there's PG, who I like cause he's a Fresno State guy, making jokes on his podcast on when he'll return. Lately they've been showing him working out and whatnot in hopes of a return. But why show this when he's not going to play in the next upcoming game? So he's working out for next season? Bad optics! The SGA trade is still brought up to this very day. Bad Optics! The "Give No Quarter" billboards and slogan with PG & Kawhi as the face of it. More Bad Optics! Russ is already more loved and respected by the coaches and fans in only a two month span as opposed to our stars who have been here for four years. Again, Bad Optics! The Bubble disaster and the Lakers go on to win the 'ship. Super Bad Optics on steroids! We can go on and on with this. Ballmer fixed all the basketball courts in the city, gave us a mascot, is building a Taj Mahal of an arena, and screaming out "Hardcore!" but then chased and ultimately hitched the ride to two softies. At least Westbrook sees his vision

All I agree 100%. Just to add that we don't have control of our 1st round picks between 2024-2026 seasons, so have to delay rebuilding at least 3 more seasons.
Nothing excite me more these days with type of deals Nets get for Durant&Irving. Is there an exit from 213 era with some trade involving young talent and picks incoming? Hell yes, otherwise we just have to hope they will be healthy.

[esqtvd]

After watching 38 year old LeBron play heavy minutes night after night to bring his team within one win of advancing, all I can say is if Kawhi feels a little shame, he'll get his ass out there and play. Or announce that he no longer wants to play basketball and retires. I'm tired of his BS.

I have learned long time ago that it's not wise to compare players with Lebron James. He's different

Its still really bad optics for us yet again. The problem is that Bron plays for our arch rivals the Lakers. 100% healthy or partially injured he shows and plays, fights, quarterbacks the team, galvanizes the crowd, and wins games. Our guy doesn't play, doesn't talk, doesn't lead, doesn't promote the team, no jersey sales, doesn't move and invigorate the city and fanbase nor the team, and will sit out the 2nd half of game after playing in the first half. I take it there's a deal in place where the team can't comment on his injury status to the media and fans. This is one of the oddest things I've ever seen in a star player. Bad optics!

Then there's PG, who I like cause he's a Fresno State guy, making jokes on his podcast on when he'll return. Lately they've been showing him working out and whatnot in hopes of a return. But why show this when he's not going to play in the next upcoming game? So he's working out for next season? Bad optics! The SGA trade is still brought up to this very day. Bad Optics! The "Give No Quarter" billboards and slogan with PG & Kawhi as the face of it. More Bad Optics! Russ is already more loved and respected by the coaches and fans in only a two month span as opposed to our stars who have been here for four years. Again, Bad Optics! The Bubble disaster and the Lakers go on to win the 'ship. Super Bad Optics on steroids! We can go on and on with this. Ballmer fixed all the basketball courts in the city, gave us a mascot, is building a Taj Mahal of an arena, and screaming out "Hardcore!" but then chased and ultimately hitched the ride to two softies. At least Westbrook sees his vision

SUPER bingo


fire the GM
fire the coach [again!]
fire Player X, Y, Z because A, B, C and D are already long gone

The buck stops where?

Russ is already more loved and respected by the coaches and fans in only a two month span as opposed to our stars who have been here for four years.

Purely by happy accident. Not by plan. There is no plan. There is no vision. If there was a vision, the first guy we'd have gone after was Jimmy Butler. Jimmy Butler is HARDCORE.

Instead he went after Kawhi. What a joke.


Steve Ballmer promises 'hardcore' basketball in debut as Clippers owner
New Los Angeles Clippers owner and ex-Microsoft CEO gives rousing speech at fan rally, vowing optimism in post-Sterling era

https://cdn.theguardian.tv/mainwebsite/2014/08/19/140819Clippers-16x9.mp4

[Scoundreldays]

Not surprised, over these two. Can not be counted on.

Best of luck to the ones who can actually play tomorrow.

Not sure on their value but we have to atleast look at potential trades for both. A win would be to atleast trade one of them for more durable players.

I've been trying to hold out hope because I'm not a vulture. Any piece of ignorant s*** off the street can vulture on the Clippers and get proved right eventually.

Since I started this game thread I'm tempted to wipe it completely, frankly. The vultures reliably suck every bit of hope and joy out of our board. We weren't even allowed to hope for a second that they might play.

Unless we win the championship the vultures will always win, won't they??

I did hold out hope for game 3 and 4 and honestly I couldn't let myself be heartbroken again on Kawhi or PG. I will still be rooting for us to win this game and I hope Russ and Mann have a monster game. Maybe if we somehow win game 5 a miracle will happen for game 6.

If we do win game 5 I may have to do some betting in Vegas this weekend.

[Sofia]

The good news is we become eligible to make trades about 17 hours from now!

[MartinToVaught]

Then there's PG, who I like cause he's a Fresno State guy, making jokes on his podcast on when he'll return. Lately they've been showing him working out and whatnot in hopes of a return. But why show this when he's not going to play in the next upcoming game? So he's working out for next season? Bad optics!

This is even more annoying than the Kawhi situation. "What I won't do is quit" - I guess he was talking about his podcast, not the team? Because there doesn't seem to be any urgency for him to actually get on the court and play. At least Kawhi doesn't give the fans false hope with theatrics on social media.

[MartinToVaught]

Read on Twitter

Serious question: how many actual stars would let some vague "soreness" keep them out of an elimination game after making it look like they'd be coming back? And what is he ramping up for? Cancun?

Let's also not forget he made the FO sign Russ and now he's watching from the sidelines while Russ does everything he can to try to keep this team afloat all by himself.

I can't wait for this era to be over.

[MartinToVaught]

Read on Twitter

Every single quote is more tonedeaf than the last. Wow, I'm sure glad the guy we traded Shai and all those draft picks for has nominated a vet min player as the team leader. His GM skills are amazing, as long as you ignore John Wall, PatPat, etc.

[NickP]

Someone needs to tell Batum that the playoffs are on. Just in case.

[Dynamix]

Looking forward to us turning the series around, Kawhi and PG coming back in the second round, then ultimately winning that championship. I hope Russ gets to play himself in the Disney movie.

[LamarWho]

[Cyclips]

Could have had Jimmy Butler for free but we didn't move quick enough and MIA wrapped him up quickly. Too obsessed with Kawhi but if we had Jimmy in the bag Kawhi would have come.

Kawhi outsmarted himself too by playing it cool and making the Clippers jump through hoops while he delayed meeting with us. We bumbled and stumbled into the 213 Era. It was never a plan.

We could have had Kawhi, Butler, AND SGA. Plus our draft picks, PLUS including that nice Miami one we got for Tobias.

That is a lot of assumptions. You might think it was a bad plan, but the Clips DID have a plan. Signing Kawhi and George, then backing them up with desired role players was the plan. Hasn't went as hoped obviously.

[ejftw]

Yeah, this doom and gloom about it not being a plan, or the FO, post Doc, not doing what it could is just knee jerk. Ballmer and the FO wanted to make a splash, and they did. It just didn't work out.

Had they told Kawhi that they weren't going to make the move for Paul and Kawhi signed with the Lakers, we'd be hearing how they didn't want to make a move for a winning player.

The only part that sucks, going forward, is the new CBA is going to make it tougher to use Ballmer's wallet as an asset to improve, and the team is void of picks, unfortunately, in both rounds. As a result, I'm expecting the FO to be more aggressive this off-season with the expirings that are available to make the curtain call year at Staples as much of a success as plausible

[esqtvd]

Could have had Jimmy Butler for free but we didn't move quick enough and MIA wrapped him up quickly. Too obsessed with Kawhi but if we had Jimmy in the bag Kawhi would have come.

Kawhi outsmarted himself too by playing it cool and making the Clippers jump through hoops while he delayed meeting with us. We bumbled and stumbled into the 213 Era. It was never a plan.

We could have had Kawhi, Butler, AND SGA. Plus our draft picks, PLUS including that nice Miami one we got for Tobias.

That is a lot of assumptions. You might think it was a bad plan, but the Clips DID have a plan. Signing Kawhi and George, then backing them up with desired role players was the plan. Hasn't went as hoped obviously.

It wasn't a plan. It just sort of happened. The Kawhi thing dragged on after he named his price--get another superstar or I ain't coming.

The Clippers showed Kawhi a list of names, and then Kawhi picked one, waited for them to figure it out, and that was it.

“We showed him everybody else and he didn’t want to hear it. He just stayed on Paul George, so after the meeting we sat down and I said, ‘We got to get Paul George. I don’t know how we are going to do it, but we have to do it.’ We did know that Oklahoma City wanted to break their team up, so that helped, but we didn’t know if we could get him.”

Ballmer had set his sights on Kawhi and there was no Plan B. Basically they handed Kawhi the gun to hold them up with.

[Cyclips]

It wasn't a plan. It just sort of happened. The Kawhi thing dragged on after he named his price--get another superstar or I ain't coming.

Ballmer had set his sights on Kawhi and there was no Plan B. Basically they handed Kawhi the gun to hold them up with.

Well you're moving the goal posts here a bit. First you say there was no plan at all, now you say there was no Plan B. First of all we don't know if there was a Plan B or not, I'd certainly hope so. Second, Plan A came to fruition so any Plan B became irrelevant.

I'm as disappointed as any about what has happened since the KL/PG signings, but at the time I was all in and it was widely considered a brilliant move by the team (yet of course risky when you mortgage your future like that). Plenty of teams hitch their boat to a couple of stars, LAC unfortunately are one that hasn't worked out so well. I can't fault team Ballmer for taking that shot. At least we are not Dallas!

[MartinToVaught]

Read on Twitter

Meanwhile we have "stars" who sit out elimination games because they're sore.