RealGM

In recent days, starting with a shootaround Thursday in San Francisco, the Clippers have been preparing with an expectation that Marcus Morris Sr. is on his way out of the starting lineup, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on internal conversations. Such a change would be significant: Morris has started 155 of his last 156 games, including the postseason, since March 2021 because of the Clippers’ belief in his value as a tough shot-maker who better provides space for Leonard and George to operate in the offense.

One question that arose following Friday’s loss was how the Clippers would fill such a vacant power-forward job. Nicolas Batum started against the Kings with Morris missing a second consecutive game with what the team cited as a strained calf.

Little-used forward Robert Covington, who had 15 points and multiple deflections in a season-high 31 minutes against Sacramento, could be a candidate.Covington’s average of 16 minutes is his lowest since his rookie season in 2013-14. He has played 40 or fewer games in a season only twice; this season, he is at 38.

Lue “talked to me and told me basically what his plan was; he just told me stay ready,” Covington said. “You don’t know when things are gonna shift but he just said, keep doing what you’re doing. Like, things are going to shift.”

LamarWho wrote:This game has all the recipes for another disappointing loss. Pick a guy from Memphis that averages less than 6 ppg, he'll drop 30 on us tomorrow.

Roscoe Sheed wrote:

LamarWho wrote:This game has all the recipes for another disappointing loss. Pick a guy from Memphis that averages less than 6 ppg, he'll drop 30 on us tomorrow.

Call it the Shake Milton phenomenon. I went to a game right before the nba shutdown in 2020 in which Philadelphia rested all of its key players and Milton went off for something like 42 points. The clippers still pulled it off, but it was much closer than it should have been

Dynamix wrote:I've been incredibly down on the team lately, but after reading some of these comments I'm starting to feel like a hopeless optimist.

Dynamix wrote:I've been incredibly down on the team lately, but after reading some of these comments I'm starting to feel like a hopeless optimist.

nickhx2 wrote:guys

remember when ty lue tricked everyone into thinking he finally saw the light and was going to start playing covington more while putting marcus morris on the shelf, and then instead he started morris started while telling covington (and the fans) "GFY" while the clips won a squeaker against a team missing half its relevant players

like, 95% probability that this happens, so i just wanna get it ready so i can quote myself being snippy and right like usual

esqtvd wrote:Harden and Embiid just beat the Bucks. On the road. On national TV. ABC, not TNT. With Doc Rivers as their coach.

MartinToVaught wrote:You know it's the regular season when...

esqtvd wrote:Harden and Embiid just beat the Bucks. On the road. On national TV. ABC, not TNT. With Doc Rivers as their coach.

NickP wrote:

Dynamix wrote:I've been incredibly down on the team lately, but after reading some of these comments I'm starting to feel like a hopeless optimist.

My optimism comes from the fact that we have Kawhi and he's been playing at a very high level and seems ready for the playoffs. I'm hoping that the role players start balling and put behind them this losing streak and start a new one.

madmaxmedia wrote:I think we’re going to get a game where we’re at least equal to the sum of our parts, which is enough to win tonight. To get anywhere in the playoffs we’ll need to be more, really not sure about that one.

We have played better than the losing streak indicates, OTOH theres been times earlier in the year where winning streaks have involved some luck and bad teams. I think things are gonna revert back to the mean for now.