Game #49: Clippers @ MAVS Sunday 1/22 11:30 AM [NOTE TIME CHANGE]

[PeteyPablo]

What is the advanced stats for

Kawhi
Mann
George
Zubac
Batum

[nickhx2]

advanced stats say that's a ballin lineup

[esqtvd]

good win. we either need to upgrade defensively at center or power forward. Morris/Zubac combo cant take this team to a chip. They hunt both of them.

Yeah think this is critical.. change/upgrade at PF to compliment Zubac.

I'd lean to Morris not getting traded, though, and is what I'm expecting.

I'd rather see Covington or Batum start at PF over Morris, but I also don't see the org. doing this, either in a gradual or outright mutual manner. This would at least be a bit more well rounded and complimentary in terms of agility and length at the 4 with a semi-upgrade in rebounding consistency.

Ty FINALLY found some rotations that worked today and vs the Spurs. We ain't goin' nowhere anyways without both Kawhi and PG at full tilt. The rotations and roster are designed around them. Completion Backwards Principle.

Like everybody, I'm still hoping for a trade that will magically straighten out the 4/5--but failing that:

My least favorite Clipper Marcus Morris went plus+20 today and is shooting 38.2% from 3 on the season. As a Clipper, Marcus has shot 40% from 3, which is why he's still starting. RoCo is shooting 30% at the moment and is a lifetime 36%. As someone who's followed him for years, I guarantee you're not going to like him as a shooter.

I've been saying all along that RoCo's time will come, but if you recall, Marcus was a complete disaster when demoted to the second unit. So as long as we need minutes from him, Marcus has to start. Hopefully RoCo will take minutes from him--and I hope especially in the 4th quarter!!

As for Batum, he's 34. He's simply not able to bring it every night. As a fan favorite, his nothing nights get overlooked, as do Mann's and Zu's. All three will get their minutes, and on their good nights, get more minutes.

Senior and Mann should start because neither is as effective off the bench. Batum should come off the bench and so should Norm--and Reggie too--to move the needle when they can, and Ty'll have to look elsewhere when they can't.

Ty's getting a handle on this thing, I think. His plan was always to patiently let the cream rise to the top. [And frankly beat the hell out of Zu and Reggie in the process.]

[PeteyPablo]

The west is so close right now. 6th place and just 0.5 games ahead of PHX and Minnesota . They are 7th and 8th.

Clippers are only 1 game ahead of GSW , UTAH and OKC.

They are 9th, 10th and 11th

Then only 2 games ahead of the 12th place Lakers

Clippers need a 3 - 6 game win streak to get separation.

Next 5 games are :

@Lakers
Vs Spurs
@Hawks
@Cavs
@Bulls

[NickP]

The west is so close right now. 6th place and just 0.5 games ahead of PHX and Minnesota . They are 7th and 8th.

Clippers are only 1 game ahead of GSW , UTAH and OKC.

They are 9th, 10th and 11th

Then only 2 games ahead of the 12th place Lakers

Clippers need a 3 - 6 game win streak to get separation.

Next 5 games are :

@Lakers
Vs Spurs
@Hawks
@Cavs
@Bulls

First things first. Beat the Lakers. Play full strength. No excuses!!

[wakelaunch1]

https://theathletic.com/4116420/2023/01/23/clippers-nba-trade-deadline/?source=nbatw

[esqtvd]

https://theathletic.com/4116420/2023/01/23/clippers-nba-trade-deadline/?source=nbatw

Not much to be done. Dumping Marcus is everyone's first choice, except Batum and RoCo don't offer nearly the shooting. Somebody in the org seems to think Mann's a point guard although Ty clearly doesn't. As for everyone's scapegoat Reggie,

Jackson is a 2023 free agent and has a 15 percent trade kicker. He has also struggled this season, especially since playing 24 second-half minutes following a brutal fall at Portland in late November. Since then, he is shooting 38.6 percent from the field.

That's the thanks he gets for cowboying up lol, but I think he's coming around now he's had time to rest up and heal up. I also don't think many observers give him enough credit for his energy and leadership. We have a lot of passive guys on this club and Reggie is one of the few exceptions.

Wall is a disaster and according to Shams Charania is on the trading block, but I don't know who would take him, even @ $6M per. The article mentions that Zu has been declining lately on the defensive end--he continues to put hero's minutes in with no real backup center. Moses is not the answer and has only 4 games left on his two-contract anyway. Converting him would burn our last open roster spot.

The problem is — this team has been flawed even at full strength. Team sources, who were granted anonymity so they could speak freely, told The Athletic that the front office would prefer not to make a move, both because of what they see as a lack of enticing incoming options as well as their desire to see this wing-heavy roster thrive somehow.