Remember the off-season? Clamp city? Where did it go?

[Galloisdaman]

Remember the off-season? Clamp city? Where did it go?

Is it the pace? The game plan? Luc being out? No real center?

[QRich3]

It was never a real thing, we never had the personnel to play good defense. It was more about attitude than performance, and it kind of gave them good results so far. They've overachieved and that chip-on-their-shoulder attitude is a big reason for it.

Even with the hot start, we never really had the roster to compete with the top teams in the west, and I still think we likely end up missing the playoffs. Which is fine really, as long as we keep building value and developing the kids.

[Galloisdaman]

It was never a real thing, we never had the personnel to play good defense. It was more about attitude than performance, and it kind gave them good results so far. They've overachieved and that chip-on-their-shoulder attitude is a big reason for it.

Even with the hot start, we never really had the roster to compete with the top teams in the west, and I still think we likely end up missing the playoffs. Which is fine really, as long as we keep building value and developing the kids.

I think originally it was centered around Bev, Avery, and Luc. Luc hasn't played. Bev and Avery have been good defenders but not totally lock down guys that can make up for poor offense. With that said I wonder is there more to it. It seems like they are playing a first team to 120 wins type of game. Could the D League center (Motley) provide any defense?

[QRich3]

I don't think Bev and Bradley have been good defenders. On the contrary, Bev has been disastrous, the team is 12 points per 100 possessions better defensively when he sits than when he's in, by far the team's worst numbers. Bradley's been a bit better, but he's been a solid negative on defense too. On the other hand, Bev's been ok-ish on offense, but Bradley's a disaster.

I don't think we are one defensive piece or two away from being a good defensive team, we just don't have a team yet. Half of the roster are expirings not in the long term plans of the team, and half of the rest know they will be traded away at some point too. From the core pieces, Tobi is a bad defender but Shai is gonna be amazing on both ends. Trez is improving but has a long way to go, and the rest are just temporary filler. We just don't have a team yet, and it's impressive that they've managed to be competitive in these circumstances. But what they need is a complete revamp to be good defensively.

[Galloisdaman]

Maybe I confuse Bevs aggressive manner on defense with effective defense at times. I do give him some leeway though because he is coming off a injury.

[QRich3]

Yeah, he was a good defender last year and an awesome one in some of those Houston years, so I'm cutting him some slack too. But he has been really bad this year.

[esqtvd]

The Clippers are saying it's effort, but I think it's rim protection. Why go over or around the Clippers when you can just go right though them? And even if they don't shoot it once they get it into the paint, they kick it back out to the open man.


https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/la-sp-clippers-report-20181213-story.html

Clippers' numbers on defense have slipped as they've hit a rough spot

Clippers guard Patrick Beverley was silent for nine seconds Tuesday night while considering the question.

The team’s defense has gone from stingy to shredded. What has changed?

“That’s a hell of a question,” he said, finally. “That’s a very good question.”

In their six games since a Nov. 29 win at Sacramento, the Clippers (17-10) have tumbled down the league’s defensive rankings. They’ve gone from first in overall effective field-goal percentage allowed through their first 21 games to 24th since; fourth to 20th in defending catch-and-shoot attempts; fifth to 23rd on pull-ups and sixth to 20th on attempts from 10 feet or closer.

Concerning?

“A little bit, because it’s not working like it was working in the beginning,” forward Danilo Gallinari said. “I think it’s more mental and energy. We need to bring more like we used to bring.”


Technical fixes can mitigate some of the issues. Though opponents aren’t necessarily getting a free pass to the basket, attempting only a few more attempts a game in both the restricted area and paint, they have made a higher percentage of their shots once there.


Perhaps more troubling for a team that prides itself on outworking all comers is that effort was also cited as a reason for the recent slide.

“I think it’s just all about just the effort, you know what I’m saying?” center Marcin Gortat said. “I’m not going to use the saying ‘cocky’ but we kind of, we start winning games at the beginning of the season and people start feeling too comfortable for a bit. They forgot the season is [82 games] and we got to come back to being humble."

[TucsonClip]

Its called regression to the mean.

Bev has been terrible, I still am not a fan of Bradley and he is showing why, the offense had bogged down, ect. We are still a really deep team, and will be fun to watch all year, but we were playing at a non-sustainable pace. much like Gallo and Tobi's offensive performances.

[JayClips92]

Luc mbah a moute has also been injured but him being able to play wouldn't make us "clamp city"

[Clemenza]

Remember the off-season? Clamp city? Where did it go?

Is it the pace? The game plan? Luc being out? No real center?

That was Pat Bev runnin' his mouth on social media nonstop. #ClampCity was never proven.. Its more like #BrickCity with Pat Bev and Avery Bradley.

[esqtvd]

Remember the off-season? Clamp city? Where did it go?

Is it the pace? The game plan? Luc being out? No real center?

That was Pat Bev runnin' his mouth on social media nonstop. #ClampCity was never proven.. Its more like #BrickCity with Pat Bev and Avery Bradley.

Rah-rah is all Bev has to offer at this point. I'm sure it's killing him to be sucking so badly, so what's the poor guy to do?

Our forwards are soft, our guards are undersized, and we have no center. There's nowhere to hide.

[Quake Griffin]

We'd be lucky if we could trade Bev for a bag of basketballs at this point.

#PickInThe20sWouldaBeenJustFine

[Ranma]

Read on Twitter

[Galloisdaman]

I know people think this is a super deep team but in reality they rely on Harris, Gallo and Lou a lot. Then hope SGA and Trez pitch in. Their most reliable guys are not much more than 5 deep. Some nights you do not know what to expect from Gortat, Bradley, Bev and Boban.

[Ranma]

I know people think this is a super deep team but in reality they rely on Harris, Gallo and Lou a lot. Then hope SGA and Trez pitch in. Their most reliable guys are not much more than 5 deep. Some nights you do not know what to expect from Gortat, Bradley, Bev and Boban.

It's not entirely on the personnel. It's also about how it's being used. Having the worst backcourt is a red flag that should have been addressed much earlier than this. Having a vulnerability at the center position doesn't justify continuing to play a backcourt that has thoroughly not worked. It compounds the problem.

Doc's stubborn set rotations has not only proved stagnant and ineffective but also counterproductive. It hinders development and also puts a lot of strain on the players by overplaying them. This was exactly the problem with his rotations in the postseason when he could have rested players at key times and went for the jugular at others to prevent extended playoff series. This has been on display for years but we continue to get excuses for Doc.

What exactly has this guy proven? Multiple historic playoff collapses. Succeeding the one time and only because he was provided a stacked roster and defensive guru on his staff. Mismanaging assets and squandering opportunities that spelled the waste and premature death of Lob City.

Instead of sticking with his favorite vets, he could be working with guys like Ty Wallace to get more time ore even incorporating Mike Scott more into the offense. Part of the coach's job is to have his players ready in practice, which includes all of them instead of running plays only with a 1st unit that has been abysmally bad.

Doc even used to preach accountability until his number was called.

[Galloisdaman]

I know people think this is a super deep team but in reality they rely on Harris, Gallo and Lou a lot. Then hope SGA and Trez pitch in. Their most reliable guys are not much more than 5 deep. Some nights you do not know what to expect from Gortat, Bradley, Bev and Boban.

It's not entirely on the personnel. It's also about how it's being used. Having the worst backcourt is a red flag that should have been addressed much earlier than this. Having a vulnerability at the center position doesn't justify continuing to play a backcourt that has thoroughly not worked. It compounds the problem.

Doc's stubborn set rotations has not only proved stagnant and ineffective but also counterproductive. It hinders development and also puts a lot of strain on the players by overplaying them. This was exactly the problem with his rotations in the postseason when he could have rested players at key times and went for the jugular at others to prevent extended playoff series. This has been on display for years but we continue to get excuses for Doc.

What exactly has this guy proven? Multiple historic playoff collapses. Succeeding the one time and only because he was provided a stacked roster and defensive guru on his staff. Mismanaging assets and squandering opportunities that spelled the waste and premature death of Lob City.

Instead of sticking with his favorite vets, he could be working with guys like Ty Wallace to get more time ore even incorporating Mike Scott more into the offense. Part of the coach's job is to have his players ready in practice, which includes all of them instead of running plays only with a 1st unit that has been abysmally bad.

Doc even used to preach accountability until his number was called.

I'd do some things differently than Doc for sure but lets talk about today. Say you were made coach today with Lou out. Who are your starting guards? Who is your main guard off the bench? Who do you play with the 48 minutes at center?

[Ranma]

I'd do some things differently than Doc for sure but lets talk about today. Say you were made coach today with Lou out. Who are your starting guards? Who is your main guard off the bench? Who do you play with the 48 minutes at center?

I've already discussed this in bits previously, but I'll outline what I'd currently do right now. However, I'm not saying it's the answer to solve all of our ills but something that is different than what Doc has been doing when that has proven quite ineffective, so I don't want people coming at me later and saying I'm not as smart as Doc if and when it doesn't work since I've acknowledged our vulnerability at center from the very beginning. Plus, what I'm proposing is unlikely to be any worse than what Doc has been doing.

In fact, I also wanted to focus on addressing our PG and SG despite our glut in the backcourt prior to this season, especially since I noted that spending big money on premier wing players would be the most effective use of our salary-cap space given the anticipated marketplace. While I still have reservations about Shai as a playmaker, it's a fairly reasonable assumption that he's the point guard of the future for us. Shooting guard, on the other hand, is an issue I'm still uneasy about. Even if Jerome Robinson pans out, I'm not sure he'd be the starter for us long-term.

So with all that said, I'd personally start Gilgeous-Alexander and Wallace in the backcourt with Tobias, Gallo, and Gortat in the frontcourt. Yeah, Gortat is not the answer at center but he's still our best option in the pivot for now and it would allow for us to use Trezz where he's most effective and that is off the bench.

The main guard off the bench would be Bradley, believe it or not, but with a short leash. The one thing I seem to agree with Doc is that Avery is capable of helping us more if he actually plays smarter. I'd instruct him be more smart with his shot selection as well as strongly encourage him to work at taking it to the basket more. If he doesn't do what I've asked, Beverley comes in and takes his place. Teodosic would get consideration depending on the matchup and whether or not the Avery and Patrick provide what I'm looking for.

Now just because Gortat is the starting center, doesn't mean he's the one to play the most minutes at that position. Harrell would be the one I'd prefer to play the most minutes at center but he certainly wouldn't go 48 minutes there as he definitely needs the breather since Doc has been overworking him of late. Of course, Boban would get consideration but only in select situations and matchups. I might even swing Gallo in the pivot in a better version of the small-ball lineup that Doc has employed, though I have reservations given Danilo's injury history.

Furthermore, I'd have Mike Scott come in and get more regular minutes to afford Tobias and Gallo more rest and to allow them to play other positions such as the 4 and 5, respectively, in limited minutes. Thornwell would also get consideration but most likely when Wallace is on the floor since the two have proven to be quite effective together.

I'd try this plan out for a while and make the necessary adjustments that are within my power rather than sticking with the same old stale recipe Doc has been cooking that has given Clippers fans food poisoning. The point is to make adjustments, but there is also a fine line with doing what is practical and panicking to make changes for the sake of doing so.

My plan would obviously be helped significantly with healthy returns from Mbah a Moute, Williams and Robinson. Luc and Lou are no-brainers for minutes but I'd also actively give Robinson some rope to show what he can do. The kid is quite far along offensively but I'd instruct him to work on his defense to get a stable set of minutes regularly. So basically, I'd give him a taste of prime-time playing time to hopefully inspire and incentivize him to work on his defense while hoping to build up his confidence and encourage an aggressive approach for his offense to take off.

The whole point of depth is to provide options, but Doc for whatever reason limits himself to the most inefficient of approaches.

[esqtvd]

IOW pretty much what Doc's already doing except less Avery

the fact is, these are already the adjustments he made in the Portland game