Western Conference | Play-In - (7) Minnesota Timberwolves vs (8) Los Angeles Clippers

[poultryfan]

Almost a coinflip. I think Clippers have the talent edge with Powell back but HCA is still worth at least 2-3 points for the Wolves. Playoff experience could be a factor here as well.

[madmaxmedia]

I don't know the clips that well, but to me the biggest key in this matchup is if the Wolves shot is falling. If it is, they're very hard to beat, they can put up 120 on you with ease. It makes their defense better too it seems.

It’s kind of the same on the other side, Clippers have a lot of 3PT shooters and certain nights they’re just all falling in. Fittingly, it was our guy against your guy in the ASB 3PT contest final.

The potential variance on either side is probably greater than whatever edge anybody assigns to either team. Getting Norm Powell back and looking good is absolutely huge for the Clippers, but he’s literally played 4 games for us so even a healthy Norman Powell has uncertainty factor until he’s really played with our team.

[madmaxmedia]

LAC for PG

3-1 in RS

LAC 3-0 with PG

minny 1-0 without PG

another perspective..all those 3 matches which Clippers won happened within first month of the season when Wolves weren't playing well, with most of the players shooting well below their career averages. Wolves started season slowly and it took the team a while to figure out right starting lineup, rotations. They were a below 0.500 team during first couple of months of season

I’d say both teams are better than what their final records are, and whoever loses should be able to get the 8th seed in the second game.

[Parataxis]

It's a flawed concept when a team that''s 10 games over the 9 seed could be ousted or in trouble by a hot or off shooting night. Their reward for being 7th seed, is pressure & a non lotto pick, while the failed 10 seed gets a free shot at PO's or lottery. Personally if that's the case & the 10th seed manages to upset the 7th, they should atleast be swapping draft slots aswell, not drafting according to record.

They do.

If you make the playoffs, you're out of the lottery. If you botch the play-in, you're in the lottery. Doesn't matter if you were 10th or 7th.

Wait, now I'm confused and not sure who deserves the and1. Can anyone quote the rules regarding the play-in and draft position?

https://www.nba.com/news/nba-draft-lottery-explainer

From the first line:

What teams will participate in the 2022 Draft Lottery?

The 14 teams that did not make the 2022 playoffs are eligible for the Lottery.

If you make the playoffs, you're not in the lottery. Doesn't matter if you finished 7th or 10th in the regular season.

[Scoundreldays]

Rooting for the Clips but I hope the Wolves win the second playin. Both teams deserve to be in the playoffs with what they accomplished

[KIRAG]

Twolves wins by a buzzer beater by Pat Bev

[dockingsched]

It's a flawed concept when a team that''s 10 games over the 9 seed could be ousted or in trouble by a hot or off shooting night. Their reward for being 7th seed, is pressure & a non lotto pick, while the failed 10 seed gets a free shot at PO's or lottery. Personally if that's the case & the 10th seed manages to upset the 7th, they should atleast be swapping draft slots aswell, not drafting according to record.

IMO, the only spot that should be up for grabs to control tanking is the 8th seed. 9 plays 10, winner of that game plays a B2B away game for the 8th seed. The 7th seed should not be fighting for their PO life 10 games over the 9 seed.

I personally think it would be a travesty if Minnesota somehow get ousted. They've earned their seeding & with Clippers getting healthy, it's a very real possibility their entire good season will come down to a pressure packed game.

Why not handicap the team that earned the best record while we're at it & give the 8th seed a 2 game advantage.

Everyone knew the rules, don’t want to be in the play in, get a top 6 seed. And of course Minny would get a lottery pick if they fail in the play in, it means they didn’t make the playoffs. They aren’t considered the 7 seed unless they win this game.

[Muggamills]

Clippers are a far more experienced team in these instances.. Wolves vs Pels will be very interesting though

Wolves are a better team then the pels

Im not sure the Pels even beat SA we’ve owned them over the last couple years and beaten them twice after the deadline in NO

[Ballerhogger]

Minny doesn’t win I’m lol . All that chirping this year . Ant man will go off though . Should be W

[Ballings7]

Clips will get this.

The Wolves main offensive wings are collectively undersized, and most the Clippers wing defenders are big or can be molded into their defense, and switch and cover for each other pretty well. I also like Covington, Batum, Morris taking turns on Towns to make it tough on him, and not get into a solid rhythm all night, plus potential foul trouble from the constant diving of Zubac, Hartenstein.

Offensively, the Clippers have more broad talent across the roster with less loss when they go past starters... PG13, Powell, Reggie J, Morris, Kennard for creators that can also shoot from anywhere (comfortable or very adept in mid-range!) and are clutch.. then 2nd-level guys like Covington, Batum, Zubac, Hartenstein, and Coffey if needed.

Clips also have much more experience and overall toughness.

Wolves have the talent to win and are certainly capable, but giving the edge to the Clips.

I know this isn't the playoffs, but its at the level of the playoffs and a main thing is all about if you can score in the mid-range offensively, and get to the line -- being past whats easy and basically everyone does (3s and layups).

[Rapcity_11]

I personally think it would be a travesty if Minnesota somehow get ousted. They've earned their seeding & with Clippers getting healthy, it's a very real possibility their entire good season will come down to a pressure packed game.

If they lose back to back home games to miss the playoffs, it won't be a travesty. It would be an embarrassment.

You're right that they earned their seeding. A seeding which gives them a massive advantage to make the playoffs.

[Jables]

I personally think it would be a travesty if Minnesota somehow get ousted. They've earned their seeding & with Clippers getting healthy, it's a very real possibility their entire good season will come down to a pressure packed game.

If they lose back to back home games to miss the playoffs, it won't be a travesty. It would be an embarrassment.

You're right that they earned their seeding. A seeding which gives them a massive advantage to make the playoffs.

It would be highly embarrassing for not just the Wolves but the NBA for something like that to already happen with the play-in, the Wolves have so many more wins than the teams below them. Losing back-to-back home games isn't exactly unheard of in playoffs.

[Ballings7]

Clips will get this.

The Wolves main offensive wings are collectively undersized, and most the Clippers wing defenders are big or can be molded into their defense, and switch and cover for each other pretty well. I also like Covington, Batum, Morris taking turns on Towns to make it tough on him, and not get into a solid rhythm all night, plus potential foul trouble from the constant diving of Zubac, Hartenstein.

Offensively, the Clippers have more broad talent across the roster with less loss when they go past starters... PG13, Powell, Reggie J, Morris, Kennard for creators that can also shoot from anywhere (comfortable or very adept in mid-range!) and are clutch.. then 2nd-level guys like Covington, Batum, Zubac, Hartenstein, and Coffey if needed.

Clips also have much more experience and overall toughness.

Wolves have the talent to win and are certainly capable, but giving the edge to the Clips.

I know this isn't the playoffs, but its at the level of the playoffs and a main thing is all about if you can score in the mid-range offensively, and get to the line -- being past whats easy and basically everyone does (3s and layups).

Forgot about terrance mann for Clips, both ends is a threat.

[Rapcity_11]

I personally think it would be a travesty if Minnesota somehow get ousted. They've earned their seeding & with Clippers getting healthy, it's a very real possibility their entire good season will come down to a pressure packed game.

If they lose back to back home games to miss the playoffs, it won't be a travesty. It would be an embarrassment.

You're right that they earned their seeding. A seeding which gives them a massive advantage to make the playoffs.

It would be highly embarrassing for not just the Wolves but the NBA for something like that to already happen with the play-in, the Wolves have so many more wins than the teams below them. Losing back-to-back home games isn't exactly unheard of in playoffs.

It's incredibly rare for a team with significantly more wins to lose back to back home games in the playoffs...

[AbeVigodaLive]

If they lose back to back home games to miss the playoffs, it won't be a travesty. It would be an embarrassment.

You're right that they earned their seeding. A seeding which gives them a massive advantage to make the playoffs.

It would be highly embarrassing for not just the Wolves but the NBA for something like that to already happen with the play-in, the Wolves have so many more wins than the teams below them. Losing back-to-back home games isn't exactly unheard of in playoffs.

It's incredibly rare for a team with significantly more wins to lose back to back home games in the playoffs...

This is basically an unprecedented event though.

It's one thing to lose to the same team twice in a row. But the Wolves would be playing two different teams. And they might even be underdogs in the first one with Paul George back.

[TrueLAfan]

If both teams' available players were 100%, I’d say Clippers and feel good about it. But PG and Powell are just now coming back. PG has played in 5 games; Powell has played in 2. They have little court time together—and that’s a tough thing when you’re the two primary scorers on a team. Powell has been otherworldly in his two games back (how does 44 points in 45 minutes on 21 shots sound?) and Paul George looks like—uninjured Paul George (about 22.5-5.5-6.5 in 31 mpg in those 5 games). It would be nice for both of those guys to get the final game off to improve their recoveries—but they need on court reps too. As good as they look now--which is pretty great--you have to be concerned about how they'll hold up in playoff intensity after what is basically a few games back from lengthy injury time.

I (obviously, since I’m not their mod) haven’t seen the T-Wolves as much. But what I’ve seen I’ve liked—they throw offense and speed at you, which is fun to watch. I’ve always liked KAT, and there aren’t many young wing duos as good as Edwards and Russell. If those big three all go off big, you probably have to take Minny. But I don’t think they all will, so I’d pick the Clippers. The Clippers have more than enough D and too much bench depth. I figure they’ll start Mann and Powell, to go with PG, Mook, and Zubac. That's a pretty heavy duty defensive unit. The thing, Minny has some nice bench pieces, but the Clippers are scary deep after the Portland trade in that department. Their second unit with those starters would be Covington, Kennard, Reggie, Batum, and Hartenstein—with Coffey as a (very) good 11th man if needed. They’ll just throw waves of players at the Minny big 3. I do think someone on the T-Wolves bench will come up pretty big, and two of the big 3 will play well. But for Minny to win, they’ll have take care of business on D against the LA starters and hold the Clipper bench to 45 points, and that will be a real chore.

Should be a fun game, regardless.

[tamaraw08]

Whoever wins and draws Memphis would have a decent chance of upsetting the Grizzlies in the first round imo.

[Madhouse]

Whoever wins and draws Memphis would have a decent chance of upsetting the Grizzlies in the first round imo.

The Grizzlies losing back to back 1st rounds would be very disappointing. I can't see this happening.

[T_Brandon]

This will be a blood bath the Clippers are going to destroy the Puppies. They have beat the Pups 3 out of 4 times twice by more than 20. That was WITHOUT Paul George!

133-109 LA gets this easy.

[Whole Truth]

If they lose back to back home games to miss the playoffs, it won't be a travesty. It would be an embarrassment.

You're right that they earned their seeding. A seeding which gives them a massive advantage to make the playoffs.

It would be highly embarrassing for not just the Wolves but the NBA for something like that to already happen with the play-in, the Wolves have so many more wins than the teams below them. Losing back-to-back home games isn't exactly unheard of in playoffs.

It's incredibly rare for a team with significantly more wins to lose back to back home games in the playoffs...

Clippers are not your ordinary 8th seed, They just got back both PG & Norm, possibly Kawhi too.. Their current PO position is not relative to their teams actual capability playing most of the season injured, which would lead to a tough situation for Wolves first game.

Assuming Clippers with PG/Norm back "upsets" the 7th seed, they would now have to win a one off vs a team with nothing to lose & everything to gain. That's their reward for having a winning record over the course of 82 games.

The incentive is there to prevent teams from all out tanking though Portland took that tanking route 2 games up on NO's at the time they chose to tank. What's the 7th seeds advantage for having a clear winning season ? Home court in a game 7 do or die environment.

IMO the 8th seed should be the only spot open to help prevent teams that are close from tanking. The 7th seed is earned, they should not have to make 6th seed to be safe after 82 games played & a 10 game difference in seeding.

Alot of people don't know this but Pels too since acquiring CJ, 12 games under 500, are on a 50 win pace when both he & Ingram play.

Rare when there's no extenuating circumstances to consider. Neither Clippers or Pels healthy over the course of a season are your average 8/9 seeds.