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Time for Change wrote:Seriously though, the Westbrook hate is overdone. The dude isn’t what he once was, but he clearly loves basketball. He doesn’t load manage, demand trades, fake injuries, throw teammates under the bus, or beat up minors, and he gives it 100% every regular season game. It’s the coach’s and GM’s fault at this point.
ReddoverKobe wrote:Time for Change wrote:Seriously though, the Westbrook hate is overdone. The dude isn’t what he once was, but he clearly loves basketball. He doesn’t load manage, demand trades, fake injuries, throw teammates under the bus, or beat up minors, and he gives it 100% every regular season game. It’s the coach’s and GM’s fault at this point.
Now talk about his play on the court.
Time for Change wrote:Seriously though, the Westbrook hate is overdone. The dude isn’t what he once was, but he clearly loves basketball. He doesn’t load manage, demand trades, fake injuries, throw teammates under the bus, or beat up minors, and he gives it 100% every regular season game. It’s the coach’s and GM’s fault at this point.
Harry Garris wrote:Time for Change wrote:Seriously though, the Westbrook hate is overdone. The dude isn’t what he once was, but he clearly loves basketball. He doesn’t load manage, demand trades, fake injuries, throw teammates under the bus, or beat up minors, and he gives it 100% every regular season game. It’s the coach’s and GM’s fault at this point.
No, Westbrook loves basketball when it’s about Westbrook. When he’s playing heavy minutes, when he gets to take a lot of shots, when he gets the opportunity to make plays at the end to decide the game. That’s when he loves it.
Ask him to come off the bench, play a reduced role, shoot less often, give effort on defense, and suddenly Westbrook doesn’t love basketball nearly as much.
I don’t doubt that Westbrook enjoys basketball and that he’s put tremendous effort into getting good at it, but it sure seems to me that Westbrook’s love of his own image and being a superstar player surpass his love of the game.
tamaraw08 wrote:ReddoverKobe wrote:Time for Change wrote:Seriously though, the Westbrook hate is overdone. The dude isn’t what he once was, but he clearly loves basketball. He doesn’t load manage, demand trades, fake injuries, throw teammates under the bus, or beat up minors, and he gives it 100% every regular season game. It’s the coach’s and GM’s fault at this point.
Now talk about his play on the court.
He Can run, dribble with his left, right
He can play some defense, make a steal
He can pass with either hands
He can make lay ups left or right
Can make some Free throws
hamncheese wrote:One thing I will never do is quote someone and place it in my signature to make them look bad.
Harry Garris wrote:
No, Westbrook loves basketball when it’s about Westbrook. When he’s playing heavy minutes, when he gets to take a lot of shots, when he gets the opportunity to make plays at the end to decide the game. That’s when he loves it.
Ask him to come off the bench, play a reduced role, shoot less often, give effort on defense, and suddenly Westbrook doesn’t love basketball nearly as much.
I don’t doubt that Westbrook enjoys basketball and that he’s put tremendous effort into getting good at it, but it sure seems to me that Westbrook’s love of his own image and being a superstar player surpass his love of the game.
Dubnation wrote:
A walk in the park....
?s=20
LaLover11 wrote:I bet you $100 Mavs beat the Celtics
hamncheese wrote:One thing I will never do is quote someone and place it in my signature to make them look bad.
Homer38 wrote:timO wrote:Marcus_Shart wrote:With around 20 games left in the season what do you think will occur first? Westbrook starting a game and winning, or Ben Simmons making a FT?
tatum choking again in playoffs
Tatum make the finals last year....
HotRocks34 wrote:I know, I know. It's early. Russ could melt down at any time.
And yes, the team is 0-2 with him (though they could easily be 2-0).
That said, the Clippers getting him -- and Bones Hyland -- is looking very good. And it's early, in a good way.
Lue is still figuring out how to use the new pieces. In the first Russ game (loss to Kings), Russ finished the game and Bones didn't play.
In tonight's loss at Denver, Russ did not finish the game and Bones played.
Here's how these guys help the team:
* RUSS IS A REAL POINT GUARD -- something the Clippers have lacked for years now. He can pass, etc.
* RUSS LETS KAWHI AND PG REST MORE -- keeps them fresher for later in games
* RUSS LETS KAWHI AND PG FOCUS ON SCORING -- Kawhi can now go Full Super Scoring Mode & not worry about playmaking
* RUSS INCREASES THE TEMPO OF THE CLIPS -- without Russ, the team gets stagnant and bogs down. He helps this.
* RUSS BRINGS ENERGY -- 5 steals against the Nuggets. He's intense, and it rubs off
* BONES IS A BLOWTORCH -- he can score at will. If he gets hot, he can win a game by himself
There are plenty of downsides for each guy, but taken together they bring a lot to the table and they can help the Clips a lot, IMO.
To put it another way:
Russ + Bones + Gordon + Plumlee > Wall + Jackson + Kennard
...at least for what the Clippers need. Now and moving forward.
The Clippers are better, and more balanced, now after the trades and the Russ pickup. They still aren't perfect (really need a true backup point guard and could use a third legit big man), but they're a lot closer to being a complete team than they were.
