GAME 64: Clippers (43-20) @ Suns (43-18)—Wednesday 7PM PDT

[ducler]

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[RingColluder]

OK PG, show us what you're really made of.

[MartinToVaught]

No excuses tonight if PG has another clunker performance like that last game.

[SK21209]

Really not confident in this one with Kawhi out. With it being more likely than not that the Lakers hold on to the 5 seed, I don't think the team really cares whether we finish at 2 or 3. Even at full capacity, Phoenix has never really been a daunting home court advantage going back to those Nash/Amare teams. We've beaten them both times so far, I don't think we sweep these Suns short handed.

[Roscoe Sheed]

How bad is Kawhi's injury? I'm either a little concerned if it still is really bothering him or angry that he isn't playing through a minor ailment

[Clemenza]

Is Kawhi, Ibaka, Kennard, etc. playing or is it all on PG as usual?

[esqtvd]

How bad is Kawhi's injury? I'm either a little concerned if it still is really bothering him or angry that he isn't playing through a minor ailment

I would guess he's been playing in SOME pain for awhile now. Since seeding seems to be largely unimportant to most teams this year, the Clips seem content to let him recharge:

All of these absences create the question, how serious is Kawhi Leonard's sore foot injury? Clippers head coach Ty Lue said the situation is more of a precaution.

"More of a precautionary thing," Ty Lue said. "It is something that he has been dealing with... we just want to be cautious."

Sources have confirmed to AllClippers that Leonard's foot injury definitely more on the precautionary side. There is some pain in the lower part of Kawhi's foot, so the team wants to make absolutely sure that Leonard is pain-free going into the playoffs. If it were the playoffs, Leonard would likely play. However, given what we've seen this season's injuries, the Clippers simply don't want to take the chance with Kawhi's soreness.

https://www.si.com/nba/clippers/news/how-serious-is-kawhi-leonard-foot-injury

[MartinToVaught]

I've generally defended Kawhi during this era, but this is becoming difficult to defend. These are must-win games he's missing for vague "precautionary" reasons. I sure hope all this resting allows him to have the best playoff run in his career, since we're going to need it at this rate.

[RingColluder]

Is Kawhi, Ibaka, Kennard, etc. playing or is it all on PG as usual?

You don't follow the team close enough to do a google search? Or are you relying on the posters you constantly criticize to inform you of information?

[RingColluder]

I've generally defended Kawhi during this era, but this is becoming difficult to defend. These are must-win games he's missing for vague "precautionary" reasons. I sure hope all this resting allows him to have the best playoff run in his career, since we're going to need it at this rate.

Nope, same issues happened with Raptors fans and teammates grumbling about Kawhi and he lifted them on his back to a ring. I have no issue with it, he's done it plenty before.

[RingColluder]

How bad is Kawhi's injury? I'm either a little concerned if it still is really bothering him or angry that he isn't playing through a minor ailment

I would guess he's been playing in SOME pain for awhile now. Since seeding seems to be largely unimportant to most teams this year, the Clips seem content to let him recharge:

All of these absences create the question, how serious is Kawhi Leonard's sore foot injury? Clippers head coach Ty Lue said the situation is more of a precaution.

"More of a precautionary thing," Ty Lue said. "It is something that he has been dealing with... we just want to be cautious."

Sources have confirmed to AllClippers that Leonard's foot injury definitely more on the precautionary side. There is some pain in the lower part of Kawhi's foot, so the team wants to make absolutely sure that Leonard is pain-free going into the playoffs. If it were the playoffs, Leonard would likely play. However, given what we've seen this season's injuries, the Clippers simply don't want to take the chance with Kawhi's soreness.

https://www.si.com/nba/clippers/news/how-serious-is-kawhi-leonard-foot-injury

Is Ty Lue working them too hard or is it the trainers? 2nd straight season of injury issues, and PG/Kawhi got foot issues, Morris with his knee issues, Bev breaking down. Kennard's knee issues (but it came w the player when we got him smh). Part of it is their age, but wasn't Doc known for not working them too hard in practice? There needs to be a healthy medium.

Personally as I said in the post below, I don't mind it given Kawhi's track record. It would be nice to win these games, but given a supposed All Star max player and great teammates around him we should still be able to win... right??

[og15]

Will be tough with Kawhi out obviously. PG has been killing it against Phoenix, but that's with Kawhi there, so we'll see how it goes tonight. Clippers can win of course, but Phoenix is obviously a tough team.

[Clemenza]

Is Kawhi, Ibaka, Kennard, etc. playing or is it all on PG as usual?

You don't follow the team close enough to do a google search? Or are you relying on the posters you constantly criticize to inform you of information?

I didn't mention any names here but I do see the narrative already forming in case we come out on the wrong end of this one

[MartinToVaught]

I've generally defended Kawhi during this era, but this is becoming difficult to defend. These are must-win games he's missing for vague "precautionary" reasons. I sure hope all this resting allows him to have the best playoff run in his career, since we're going to need it at this rate.

Nope, same issues happened with Raptors fans and teammates grumbling about Kawhi and he lifted them on his back to a ring. I have no issue with it, he's done it plenty before.

Well, no, this isn't the same. This isn't the old "load management" on the second night of a back-to-back (it's not even the same injury being managed), and unlike how the Raptors clicked right away and won a title, this team is coming off one of the biggest chokejobs in NBA history and desperately needs to redeem itself.

[RingColluder]

I've generally defended Kawhi during this era, but this is becoming difficult to defend. These are must-win games he's missing for vague "precautionary" reasons. I sure hope all this resting allows him to have the best playoff run in his career, since we're going to need it at this rate.

Nope, same issues happened with Raptors fans and teammates grumbling about Kawhi and he lifted them on his back to a ring. I have no issue with it, he's done it plenty before.

Well, no, this isn't the same. This isn't the old "load management" on the second night of a back-to-back (it's not even the same injury being managed), and unlike how the Raptors clicked right away and won a title, this team is coming off one of the biggest chokejobs in NBA history and desperately needs to redeem itself.

Your criticisms are the exact same as Raptors fans and teammates had, the cause for them is different. You'd rather Kawhi get re-injured and be hobbling by the playoffs? It is what it is, you have no clue how bad/aggravated it could get.

[esqtvd]

How bad is Kawhi's injury? I'm either a little concerned if it still is really bothering him or angry that he isn't playing through a minor ailment

I would guess he's been playing in SOME pain for awhile now. Since seeding seems to be largely unimportant to most teams this year, the Clips seem content to let him recharge:

All of these absences create the question, how serious is Kawhi Leonard's sore foot injury? Clippers head coach Ty Lue said the situation is more of a precaution.

"More of a precautionary thing," Ty Lue said. "It is something that he has been dealing with... we just want to be cautious."

Sources have confirmed to AllClippers that Leonard's foot injury definitely more on the precautionary side. There is some pain in the lower part of Kawhi's foot, so the team wants to make absolutely sure that Leonard is pain-free going into the playoffs. If it were the playoffs, Leonard would likely play. However, given what we've seen this season's injuries, the Clippers simply don't want to take the chance with Kawhi's soreness.

https://www.si.com/nba/clippers/news/how-serious-is-kawhi-leonard-foot-injury

Is Ty Lue working them too hard or is it the trainers? 2nd straight season of injury issues, and PG/Kawhi got foot issues, Morris with his knee issues, Bev breaking down. Kennard's knee issues (but it came w the player when we got him smh). Part of it is their age, but wasn't Doc known for not working them too hard in practice? There needs to be a healthy medium.

Personally as I said in the post below, I don't mind it given Kawhi's track record. It would be nice to win these games, but given a supposed All Star max player and great teammates around him we should still be able to win... right??

Nobody's going balls-out for seeding. Everybody's giving days off and the standings might be in flux, so you can't really manipulate who your opponents might be. And the top contenders are so evenly matched it's not even worth it to try. Everybody seems to have the same strategy: Just get your own team running on all cylinders. I agree.

[RingColluder]

Why is PG shooting a shot like that to start? A textbook example of one of the worst shots he constantly shoots, a deep contested 2.

So glad T Mann is in the lineup. Great ball movement coming from Zu on the Morris 3.

Morris looking like the numbest 2 option IVE BEEN SAYING HE SHOULD BE FROM THE START. Better post game, better jump shot than PG. 51% from 3 19 pts a game w no Kawhi playing? Incredible. He'd be averaging 25 easy on great %'s with a better role on this team. PG should be the corner shooting the quick 3's that Morris just made (on the Zu assist). such a joke.

Another typical Reggie play where he mindlessly throws it up. Another awful PG turnover that leads to the easy basket.

kmdfsfdsmklfdsmlkdvsmkl. as usual playing exactly how they play when it matters

#WeNeedKawhi

I hate to say it but we may need to bring in Kennard for a spark. This would have been an ideal game (in the playoffs scenario) for Rondo to start but alas..

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Another awful turnover by PG. Playoff P

[TheNewEra]

Think we should start Rondo and Luke to help with spacing and turnovers

[RingColluder]

This is why I've never been on the Reggie train whatsoever. When defenses step up he flails and has horrible shots that lead to easy baskets on the other side. And he's not a PG! Great role guy but I'd rather have Ferrell start then him if Rondo won't/.

[MartinToVaught]

This game is a complete disaster so far. We're not even playing defense, just giving up wide-open threes. Are we sure we fired Doc?