OT - Watching the neighbors

[NippySudz]

I’d be surprised if the Lakers lose this series now. Memphis isn’t the team they were last season & lakers have the edge now. We’ll see…

I had the lakers winning and I have them beating whoever's in the second bracket. I'm not betting against LeBron unless its against another Top Tier Player, Kawhi for example.

I'm not sold on Nuggets- Kings of this world to throw off the lakers.

[Roscoe Sheed]

I’d be surprised if the Lakers lose this series now. Memphis isn’t the team they were last season & lakers have the edge now. We’ll see…

I think a lot depends on how badly injured Morant is.

At first I thought the spacing of the games in this series would benefit the Lakers due to age, but it might benefit Memphis if Morant can heal up in time

[Roscoe Sheed]

I’d be surprised if the Lakers lose this series now. Memphis isn’t the team they were last season & lakers have the edge now. We’ll see…

I had the lakers winning and I have them beating whoever's in the second bracket. I'm not betting against LeBron unless its against another Top Tier Player, Kawhi for example.

I'm not sold on Nuggets- Kings of this world to throw off the lakers.

I think Jokic has to be considered in that top tier. If Fox keeps playing at such an elite level, he would be a big handful for them too. Of course, Curry and GSW would be a huge match up too- it would be the one situation in which I cheer for GSW- the only team I like less than them is the Lakers

[NippySudz]

I’d be surprised if the Lakers lose this series now. Memphis isn’t the team they were last season & lakers have the edge now. We’ll see…

I had the lakers winning and I have them beating whoever's in the second bracket. I'm not betting against LeBron unless its against another Top Tier Player, Kawhi for example.

I'm not sold on Nuggets- Kings of this world to throw off the lakers.

I think Jokic has to be considered in that top tier. If Fox keeps playing at such an elite level, he would be a big handful for them too. Of course, Curry and GSW would be a huge match up too- it would be the one situation in which I cheer for GSW- the only team I like less than them is the Lakers

I don't consider Jokic a top tier player when it comes to winning in the playoffs. He's the reigning MVP and all that and I respect him when it comes to that, but in a 7 games I only put Kawhi, LeBron, and Curry in that category. I know he beat the clippers and I know leonard played horribly in Game 7 and a few regular season games against denver, but I think the playoffs was a classic Doc Meltdown as we were up 3-1. I When the game gets ugly, denver hasn't show it knows how to handle adversity really against really good teams. So we'll see. If it comes down to the nuggets and lakers, I'm picking lakers. If it comes down to Nuggets vs GSW, I'm picking the warriors.

Jokic has to have a coming out year when it comes to the playoffs. Same with Embiid. I put embiid in the same catergory I put Harden a few years ago in his prime. a fantastic regular season player who is a mediocre playoff performer and shrinks when it matters the most.

[NippySudz]

that being said, beating the nuggets is going to be tough to do if we advance. I hope the clips can get it done.

[Bobbymcgee]

Looks like Clippers and Suns will spend the first round beating up on each other in a tough series. Whereas the Nuggets look like they are going to sweep the Timberwolves. Hope George is back , healthy and well rested for the Nuggets.

[The High Cyde]

I’m expecting a Lakers sweep of the Grizz, Nuggets sweep of the Wolves and Warriors Kings to go at least six. Crazy how LA and GS were so lackluster during the season yet have a real shot at making a title run. If Lakers advance and face the Kings I expect them to make the CF, not sure who would win between Lakers and Warriors though, it’d be a fascinating series for sure.

I’m not sure how we would do against the Nugs, Jokic is one of the few true superstars that elevates his game in the playoffs, and he’s clutch af, and now they have Murray getting his groove back clowning the Wolves. Don’t want to look too far ahead but can’t help but peek over. That 3-1 collapse will be in the Clips head, but hopefully Kawhi is pissed it happened and comes out slaying and the rest of the team follows suit.

[Cyclips]

ICrazy how LA and GS were so lackluster during the season yet have a real shot at making a title run.

Still not sold yet that GS can win on the road.

[clipperlover]

Talk about favorable scheduling.
Lakers won their play-in on Tues. The other 2-7 matchup started on Saturday. Lakers played Sunday.

Clippers played 2 games before the Lakers played 2 and now we will have played 4 before the Lakers played 3.

[Quake Griffin]

Nice thread we got going here.

[Roscoe Sheed]

it is particularly torturous this season because the Lakers looked so terrible earlier. It seems so improbable that everything would come together for them in the playoffs just as the right time. Why can't something like that happen for the Clippers just once?

Seems like if this were the Clippers, a key player would tear something when up 25 or they would somehow choke away a 15 point lead with 3 minutes to go. Very tough being a Clipper fan

[MartinToVaught]

Why can't something like that happen for the Clippers just once?

Accountability is one big difference as far as I can tell. The Lakers would never accept what Doc pulled with Austin or Lue pulled with Morris. They change coaches and trade players quickly when things aren't working out. We accept mediocrity because "at least it's not the Sterling years," then wonder why mediocrity is our ceiling. We allowed the same coach who blew the Rockets series to stick around long enough to blow the Nuggets series too. That alone tells you how serious this franchise is about winning.

It's not even just the Lakers, we also don't do what's been proven to work elsewhere in the league. We've done the exact opposite of what the Warriors did to build their dynasty every step of the way.

We're the equivalent of the pre-Mahomes Chiefs, who kept plugging in other teams' backups at QB and running on the treadmill of mediocrity for decades until they got a GM who understood how teams actually win in the NFL. Until someone at Clippers HQ has that same eureka moment about how we've been doing everything wrong, nothing will change.

[Roscoe Sheed]

Why can't something like that happen for the Clippers just once?

Accountability is one big difference as far as I can tell. The Lakers would never accept what Doc pulled with Austin or Lue pulled with Morris. They change coaches and trade players quickly when things aren't working out. We accept mediocrity because "at least it's not the Sterling years," then wonder why mediocrity is our ceiling. We allowed the same coach who blew the Rockets series to stick around long enough to blow the Nuggets series too. That alone tells you how serious this franchise is about winning.

It's not even just the Lakers, we also don't do what's been proven to work elsewhere in the league. We've done the exact opposite of what the Warriors did to build their dynasty every step of the way.

We're the equivalent of the pre-Mahomes Chiefs, who kept plugging in other teams' backups at QB and running on the treadmill of mediocrity for decades until they got a GM who understood how teams actually win in the NFL. Until someone at Clippers HQ has that same eureka moment about how we've been doing everything wrong, nothing will change.

I get what you are saying, but there's a fine line between being rash and patient.

I was referring more to the very unfortunate timing of injuries the Clippers have suffered in the past 10 years- CP3 and Griffin in the playoffs, Kawhi twice in the playoffs, and PG before the playoffs this season. True, some of these guys are injury prone, but the timing couldn't be worse

[esqtvd]

it's good to be lucky
but it's even better to get the calls

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[ERClips]

Obviously rooting for Denver at this point! And disagree with previous posts dissing Jokic. Seriously pulling for them against all comers in the absence of the Clippers.

[esqtvd]

Read on Twitter

[Kelphus]

Schadenfreude alert.

Go Nuggets. Close out in 4 please. End my pain.

[Quake Griffin]

They still have a ring and a second WCF appearance in the Kawhi era.

We have a WCF appearance.

[esqtvd]

LeBron > Kawhi