Playoff game #2 - Clips "host" Mavs 6 p.m. PST TNT

[SK21209]

Useless bothering with his mess. PG could of played better but Reggie throws off everything we do being so aggressive without converting.

Notice we got close once Lou came in for Reggie

I'm not propping Reggie except that his final numbers [4-9, 3-5 from 3, 11 points and only 1 TO, and zero plus/minus when 6 Clippers were in the minus] put the lie that he was in any way responsible for this loss. He's the 3rd-string PG forced into a starting role.

This scapegoating is completely in conflict with the actual facts. Superstar PG was awful, Zu and Shamet were non-factors, and J-Myke was a horrendous minus-21. Point the fingers there. That's half the rotation. Reggie was not the problem--and when we start Lou for Bev that has a negative domino effect on the rotation too.

If Pat is gonna miss a lot more time, sure, look at options. But he was held out as a caution, no more than that.

Reggie doesn’t know his role and part of the issue is with him and coaching not pulling him aside. His numbers were fools gold because anyone watching could see he was horrible on defense and reckless control of the ball led to bad shots.

The starters had a slow start but by the third had the game in striking distance until poor rotations killed them.

It's a shame because I thought Reggie was playing well before the shutdown. I went to the game against the 76ers and he seemed to have a solid grasp on when to push in transition and look for his own shot and when to just be a steady ballhandler who let Lou/PG/Kawhi handle things.

[MartinToVaught]

Another annoying thing about Doc is how he's always been obsessed with three-guard lineups and small ball no matter who's on our roster and who we're playing against. Good coaches fit their strategy to their roster, not the other way around.

[donemilio21]

We got killed in the paint. I think Noah should play 15-20 minutes. He can't be worse than Zu or Trezz.

[Kelphus]

Yes, we got killed in the paint. Doncic kept slicing through in the paint like nobody was there.

Also, the shooting in the first quarter was unbelievably bad.

Conclusion: Series is over, season is over. Fire Doc, blow up the team, cancel the Inglewood arena, secretly record Ballmer saying something awful and force him to sell the team. Then all will be well and we can enjoy basketball again.

[nickhx2]

Honestly, the biggest issue with Doc is that he has a script from the beginning of the season that he refuses to ever deviate from except for when injuries or trades require him to. And when he does have to make changes, he often makes the wrong changes.

It doesn't matter what happens on the court or how players perform in games, Doc simply will not move on from his initial preconceived notions of the roster from October. The clearest example of that right now is Zu's minutes. Doc knows how much Zu has improved, he's seen Zu playing well in the bubble, and he also knows Trez isn't ready for the playoffs yet - but he's still gone right back to the same Trez/Zu rotations that were already losing us games even before the bubble. I wouldn't be surprised if this kind of thing rubs players the wrong way. And it makes you question who was actually responsible for Lob City's chemistry issues.

I'm personally sick of reading all the quotes from coaches and players talking about how impressed they are with Zu's development only to see zero change in his minutes. Trez is barely ready for a Tuesday night in February regular season game right now, let alone the playoffs. He's not in any kind of shape right now.

it's pretty clear harrell is just not game ready. i know we need to get him up to speed but zubac shouldn't be sacrificed for that. not like harrell is suddenly going to be himself in the 4th quarter.

[esqtvd]

I'm not propping Reggie except that his final numbers [4-9, 3-5 from 3, 11 points and only 1 TO, and zero plus/minus when 6 Clippers were in the minus] put the lie that he was in any way responsible for this loss. He's the 3rd-string PG forced into a starting role.

This scapegoating is completely in conflict with the actual facts. Superstar PG was awful, Zu and Shamet were non-factors, and J-Myke was a horrendous minus-21. Point the fingers there. That's half the rotation. Reggie was not the problem--and when we start Lou for Bev that has a negative domino effect on the rotation too.

If Pat is gonna miss a lot more time, sure, look at options. But he was held out as a caution, no more than that.

Reggie doesn’t know his role and part of the issue is with him and coaching not pulling him aside. His numbers were fools gold because anyone watching could see he was horrible on defense and reckless control of the ball led to bad shots.

The starters had a slow start but by the third had the game in striking distance until poor rotations killed them.

It's a shame because I thought Reggie was playing well before the shutdown. I went to the game against the 76ers and he seemed to have a solid grasp on when to push in transition and look for his own shot and when to just be a steady ballhandler who let Lou/PG/Kawhi handle things.

Zubac was just as bad early on. The proper coaching strategy [not tactic] this early in the playoffs is to show some faith in your people because you're going to need them later on. Tactics are for deeper into a series and deeper into the playoffs. We are still getting our shtt together.

"Poor rotations" is BS because with Bev out and Trezz still rusty, we don't even have a rotation. Be more worried about PG and J-Myke. There's no rationalization for their poor play.

[esqtvd]

Then you are a fool. Blaming our bad start on 3rd-string fill-in starter Reggie is imbecilic.

Funny how the game tightened up when Lou checked in for him, though. Almost like Reggie shouldn't have been starting.

Regular starter Zubac was garbage

How was Trez any better tonight to deserve more minutes than him? 4-10 from the free throw line, only 3 points and 2 rebounds, and the usual non-existent defense, but you of course won't mention that because it doesn't fit your agenda.

Useless bothering with his mess. PG could of played better but Reggie throws off everything we do being so aggressive without converting.

Notice we got close once Lou came in for Reggie

After all the abuse Lou takes around here? How fickle.

Mostly we hung in there because Kawhi played 42 minutes. As soon as Doc gave him a blow things went to hell. PG did not hold up his end of the superstar tandem.

And Zubac did suck. Minus-13 in the first 5 minutes. Doc yanked him and Trezz immediately went plus+7. The only cult around here is the Zubac one. Trezz will be fine. He needs some burn, is all. We HAVE to get him back up to speed or we're not going anywhere.

[Clemenza]

Funny how the game tightened up when Lou checked in for him, though. Almost like Reggie shouldn't have been starting.


How was Trez any better tonight to deserve more minutes than him? 4-10 from the free throw line, only 3 points and 2 rebounds, and the usual non-existent defense, but you of course won't mention that because it doesn't fit your agenda.

Useless bothering with his mess. PG could of played better but Reggie throws off everything we do being so aggressive without converting.

Notice we got close once Lou came in for Reggie

After all the abuse Lou takes around here? How fickle.

Mostly we hung in there because Kawhi played 42 minutes. As soon as Doc gave him a blow things went to hell. PG did not hold up his end of the superstar tandem.

And Zubac did suck. Minus-13 in the first 5 minutes. Doc yanked him and Trezz immediately went plus+7. The only cult around here is the Zubac one. Trezz will be fine. He needs some burn, is all. We HAVE to get him back up to speed or we're not going anywhere.

Your Trez cult vs Zu's cult.. who wins?

The problem is Trez can't guard Porzingis nor Boban(who could've easily went for 20+ points) and Luka is blowing by his opponent and in the paint all game long. If we're going to play Trez, like Doc knowing is, then we have to have a better defender on Luka at all times. There can't be no rim protection, no rebounding, and no perimeter defense all at the same time.

[MartinToVaught]

Zu doesn't have a "cult," just fans who watch the games without an agenda.

[esqtvd]

Useless bothering with his mess. PG could of played better but Reggie throws off everything we do being so aggressive without converting.

Notice we got close once Lou came in for Reggie

After all the abuse Lou takes around here? How fickle.

Mostly we hung in there because Kawhi played 42 minutes. As soon as Doc gave him a blow things went to hell. PG did not hold up his end of the superstar tandem.

And Zubac did suck. Minus-13 in the first 5 minutes. Doc yanked him and Trezz immediately went plus+7. The only cult around here is the Zubac one. Trezz will be fine. He needs some burn, is all. We HAVE to get him back up to speed or we're not going anywhere.

Your Trez cult vs Zu's cult.. who wins?

The problem is Trez can't guard Porzingis nor Boban(who could've easily went for 20+ points) and Luka is blowing by his opponent and in the paint all game long. If we're going to play Trez, like Doc knowing is, then we have to have a better defender on Luka at all times. There can't be no rim protection, no rebounding, and no perimeter defense all at the same time.

Luka had 6 points 2 rebounds and 0 assists after halftime. That's called "adjustments." That's called "coaching." Does anybody here actually WATCH the games or at least look at the stats occasionally?

And damn right there's a "cult" for Trezz. He's earned it.

https://okcthunderwire.usatoday.com/2020/07/20/an-espn-panel-chooses-montrezl-harrell-as-nbas-sixth-man-of-the-year/


We HAVE to get Trezz going or we're screwed. A Game 2 in the first round is not life or death. Strategy, not tactics. Coach the series, not the game.


Even a dominant championship run can be something like 16-7. Yes, even including losses in the first round. You can win a title with 16-12. Folks gotta chill. We need Trezz and PG at the top of their games and to rest Bev until he's 100%. If we don't, we ain't winning jack anyway.

[MartinToVaught]

Read on Twitter

This series is looking very grim all of a sudden.

[MartinToVaught]

Luka had 6 points 2 rebounds and 0 assists after halftime. That's called "adjustments." That's called "coaching."

It's called "foul trouble." And we still got embarrassed without Luka. So what does that really say about Doc's adjustments and coaching?

[esqtvd]

Luka had 6 points 2 rebounds and 0 assists after halftime. That's called "adjustments." That's called "coaching."

It's called "foul trouble." And we still got embarrassed without Luka. So what does that really say about Doc's adjustments and coaching?

Luka played 8+ minutes in the 3rd and 5 minutes in the 4th quarter. 6 points 2 rebounds and 0 assists in 13+ minutes. It says Doc made the adjustments. It says the fault lies elsewhere.

[esqtvd]

No surprise here. Pat needs to get back to 100% and this is only Game 3. If this were Game 4 and we were down 2-1 I'm sure he would play hurt. But there's no need to panic yet.

Read on Twitter

If and when we win Game 3, I expect he'll sit Game 4 too.

[Quake Griffin]

Things I wouldn't post if I shot better from the field for $600, Alex.

[og15]

Sometimes it is better to say nothing, PG should turn his social media off for the playoffs. The best answer is to play very well the next game.

[MartinToVaught]

PG is just setting himself and the team up for even worse mockery if he doesn't deliver in Game 3 now. Knowing this franchise's history in the playoffs, I'm bracing for the worst-case scenario.

[esqtvd]

PG is just setting himself and the team up for even worse mockery if he doesn't deliver in Game 3 now. Knowing this franchise's history in the playoffs, I'm bracing for the worst-case scenario.

Let's just fire Doc now and get it over with.

[esqtvd]

Things I wouldn't post if I shot better from the field for $600, Alex.

I've always remembered an old interview from the 80s with legendary NCAA championship coach Al McGuire. He said when the game is on the line, he didn't want somebody overly intelligent on the line to sink that free throw.

The superintelligent guy knows everything that can go wrong--and is thinking what if I miss, thinking and preparing what he'll do. Everybody else just concentrates on hitting the damn shot.

I don't know if the criticisms of PG as a playoff player are fair, but Quake is right. You gotta let a bad game go. I've been afraid PG thinks too much. This isn't the NFL, and you're not the quarterback. Prepare mentally, but then read and react. When he's open he hits. On defense, he's a playmaker. But PG is not a Magic or a Bird or a Kawhi. He's not paid to think.


We have a winning record without PG but a losing record without Pat Bev. Discuss.

[NickP]

PG is just setting himself and the team up for even worse mockery if he doesn't deliver in Game 3 now. Knowing this franchise's history in the playoffs, I'm bracing for the worst-case scenario.

Let's just fire Doc now and get it over with.

Nah. Let's keep him for 5 more years. Else it'll take your purpose away on these boards.