LAC vs DEN ROUND 1 SERIES PREVIEW

[madmaxmedia]

Kawhi only played 37 games, many of them under a minutes restriction.

Winning 50 games with this crew was a frigging miracle, somehow making the best of Ballmer's failed all-in gamble on 213. Ty deserves COY and L-Frank, of whom I'm NOT a fan, did brilliantly in deciding to keep team MVP Beard, bringing in Dunn, DJJ, and Batum, having Coffey [who filled in almost 2000 desperately needed minutes] at the ready and then scooping up Bogi while dumping the mostly useless T-Mann before his 3yr/$47M contract kicked in...and scoring THREE SRPs in the process!

The playoff performance is up to the players now. And we may get something out of Simmons yet.

I agree that this season's turned out to be very good, but it doesn't exist in a vacuum. The last few seasons before this were unwatchable, and our roster is still old and slow with limited longterm upside. It's 2025 and we haven't won a playoff series since 2021. If we can't capitalize on this year's better team by winning even one series, then we've clearly peaked with Frank/Lue and need to make a change. Can't keep blaming the players every year and not the people who acquire and coach them.

Were they all unwatchable though?
2020/21 we had a great year, peak 213 both in success and injuries at the end LOL.
2021/22 we lost Kawhi for the year but overachieved. We weren't very good but we were gritty AF.
2022/23 we did better in the standings but wasn't a great year overall, injuries made the end a downer. Probably the worst of these years for me.
2023/24 we had a huge stretch of great basketball midseason and a good year overall, but again injuries made the playoffs a downer.

I agree we are old and have limited upside, if so then is any head coach going to do much better? I agree the players are not to blame for not winning a playoff series since 2021. I think our die was cast with the 213 trade, our best shot by far was in 2020/21 when PG and Kawhi were younger.

I think the overall direction is determined by Ballmer, which means basically no teardown and rebuild- for better and for worse. I think within those constraints and the constraints of the 213 trade, Frank has done well piecing together this 50-win team we have now (and holding the line on terms of a PG re-signing.) At the time I was really mixed about giving up control of 2 more years of picks for Harden, but he has been great as a Clipper and a good trade IMO when evaluated on its own terms. Prior to that, probably the most questionable move was Wall instead of keeping Hart, not franchise-turning but not nothing either. It could easily be argued we haven't played young guys enough, but that's been a chicken vs. egg debate here for awhile (and also affected by Ballmer's edict to win.)

I'm not saying you shouldn't be dissatisfied with the overall direction of the team though. I guess I disagree with where to put the blame? I think that's on Ballmer first and foremost, everything else is mainly his edict playing out.

[esqtvd]

It's not even about the stars anymore. Otherwise they'd be heavily promoting a Jokic vs. Kawhi matchup. The league is 100% dependent on the Lakers, Warriors and Celtics now regardless of who's wearing the uniforms. They have no desire to promote anything else about the sport and wouldn't know how to even if they did.

True, but in fairness, Jokic is foreign and Kawhi has been missing from the discussion almost from the day he signed with the Clippers, or at least since the Great Bubble Choke. Neither has any charisma. LeBron is an international superstar and the star of his own crappy movie, and Steph changed the game of basketball as the greatest shooter of all time. Jaylen and Jayson, I dunno, except the Celts brand name is the biggest in the game.

We both agree the Clippers-Nugs series will be the best basketball, but frankly, watching Joker play the game is kind of brutal and ugly, and looking at Beard is...not for all tastes.

Not the sexiest NBA package.

[Ballings7]

My biggest concern is Ty. We're not beating them with Dunn playing a lot of minutes. I know he's been hitting some wide open 3's lately but at the end of the day he's like 30% 3pt shooter. He's also small to guard Murray. Murray is struggling against big guards and Dunn is not that. We need to exploit their defense when Jokic, Murray and mpj are on the floor together. I am afraid we'll fall into trap by trying to expose Jokic in P&R and while he's not a good defender, most of he's weaknesses are exposed because of the other 2 who are the worst defenders on earth. By saying that we need to destroy them from 3pt line and we have much better shooters then them. Either Batum or Bogi will need to play more minutes with the starters than Dunn. With that change, one of the shooters will be open at all times and if I was a Nugget I would live with Dunn beating me from 3. Butum and Bogi are a different story. Also when it comes to Bogi, the more minutes he plays, more you get from him. He's not the type of player to play 15min and give you something. If we get into foul biting trap and exchanging 2's we'll lose this series. If we coach smart we'll win it in 5 or 6

Dunn will be fine vs Murray

Murray 6'4" 215
Dunn 6'3" 205 with a 6'9" wingspan

Pound for pound Dunn is probably stronger than Murray, so he can more than hold his own. Dunn will be on him and making him work. Dunn just needs to stay out of foul trouble. Dunn should get a little more leeway in the playoffs as the calls won't be as ticky tack.

What I was going to say. Dunn is a big guard, naturally athletic, built and strong with long arms for a guard. Dude is a beast at guard. Part of what made him the 5th pick in his draft.. bad teams and injuries hurt his development till later when he basically was a different player in the second part of his career (now entering his third).

Other than Dunn, DJJ is the other guy who could play Murray the most and stay without getting beat. Kawhi could guard him reliably in isolation, limited space, ball denial.. Kawhi is also very good at recovering on beats on guards (or any where; like Artest was); but I think Dunn/DJJ is a solid tandem as primary defenders on him.

Dunn has been hitting his threes since 3/21 and counting : ). check those logs.. 35% plus now it seems. Playoffs may be different but he's going to be open and I think has the kind of tough mindset to hit them.

Dunn's gonna be like Bruce Bowen out there for this team - I can feel it : )

[Ballings7]

It's not even about the stars anymore. Otherwise they'd be heavily promoting a Jokic vs. Kawhi matchup. The league is 100% dependent on the Lakers, Warriors and Celtics now regardless of who's wearing the uniforms. They have no desire to promote anything else about the sport and wouldn't know how to even if they did.

lol spot on

[esqtvd]

LATE ADD: VEGAS BELIEVES!!

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[esqtvd]

Dunn has been hitting his threes since 3/21 and counting : ). check those logs.. 35% plus now it seems. Playoffs may be different but he's going to be open and I think has the kind of tough mindset to hit them.

Dunn's gonna be like Bruce Bowen out there for this team - I can feel it : )

Great call, sir. In the last 13 games, including 3/21, Kris Dunn shot 50%/46.8%. His plus/minus per 100 is 4th on the Clippers behind Kawhi, Zu, and [surprise!] Norman Powell. At age 30, after kicking around the NBA with 6 teams, PLUS an embarrassing descent to the G-League, Kris is primed for his career shining moment here.

[Ballings7]

Dunn has been hitting his threes since 3/21 and counting : ). check those logs.. 35% plus now it seems. Playoffs may be different but he's going to be open and I think has the kind of tough mindset to hit them.

Dunn's gonna be like Bruce Bowen out there for this team - I can feel it : )

Great call, sir. In the last 13 games, including 3/21, Kris Dunn shot 50%/46.8%. His plus/minus per 100 is 4th on the Clippers behind Kawhi, Zu, and [surprise!] Norman Powell. At age 30, after kicking around the NBA with 6 teams, PLUS an embarrassing descent to the G-League, Kris is primed for his career shining moment here.

Real good info.

Yeah I think he's going to be a key player in the series. If he can just as usual, hit a couple threes on low-ish volume, then mix it up a bit driving in..

He had a good tune up both ends, in the Warriors game.

[ClipOnTheEar]

We both agree the Clippers-Nugs series will be the best basketball, but frankly, watching Joker play the game is kind of brutal and ugly, and looking at Beard is...not for all tastes.

I'm starting to think you may have been/are a guard when playing the game?!

As a big, I think there's nothing brutal or ugly about the way Joker plays. He's like 260lb of pure silk!!!

[donemilio21]

I think we are gonna start every game with Harden - Norm - Zu - Kawhi - DJJ line-up, DJJ over Dunn to match Denver's length. I also don't think we are gonna see Coffey much, we'll probably stick to 7 man rotation with Dunn and Bogdan getting 25-35 minutes a game, while Simmons and Batum coming in 5-10min a game or if Zu gets into foul trouble.

Nuggets are not very deep either, I think they'll also play a heavy 7man rotation

[esqtvd]

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[esqtvd]

We both agree the Clippers-Nugs series will be the best basketball, but frankly, watching Joker play the game is kind of brutal and ugly, and looking at Beard is...not for all tastes.

I'm starting to think you may have been/are a guard when playing the game?!

As a big, I think there's nothing brutal or ugly about the way Joker plays. He's like 260lb of pure silk!!!

Let's just say it's not Dr. J poetry in motion.

[esqtvd]

Re: Joker

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[CodeBreaker]

Re: Joker

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Tbf Clippers were on pace for 50-wins during the bubble season

[MartinToVaught]

It's not even about the stars anymore. Otherwise they'd be heavily promoting a Jokic vs. Kawhi matchup. The league is 100% dependent on the Lakers, Warriors and Celtics now regardless of who's wearing the uniforms. They have no desire to promote anything else about the sport and wouldn't know how to even if they did.

lol spot on

I've been watching a lot of MLB Network since baseball's back in season and the NBA's coverage is a pathetic disgrace in comparison. They actually talk about the sport, not drama and WWF storylines. And every team gets in-depth coverage while the NBA gives shallow, superficial coverage to three teams and nothing to the rest of the league.

Even more embarrassingly for the NBA, the NHL Network is run by the same people in the same HQ as MLB Network and has a similarly good level of coverage. Imagine being worse at marketing your league than Rob "Piece of Metal" Manfred and Gary Bettman. Adam Silver is a joke.

[neshy]

I think we are gonna start every game with Harden - Norm - Zu - Kawhi - DJJ line-up, DJJ over Dunn to match Denver's length. I also don't think we are gonna see Coffey much, we'll probably stick to 7 man rotation with Dunn and Bogdan getting 25-35 minutes a game, while Simmons and Batum coming in 5-10min a game or if Zu gets into foul trouble.

Nuggets are not very deep either, I think they'll also play a heavy 7man rotation

If Ty does that we'll win the series. I would just add a few more minutes for Batum as he can guard Jokic in small ball lineups and he l'll hit some 3's as Jokic won't play much on the perimeter.
I doubt Ty will do that though. Dunn will start and he'll be obliterated by Murray. If Bogi misses a few shots in his first stint he'll play less than 20mins and that's not how you get most of him. (Been shooting 60% from 3 in the last month)
I can't see a scenario in which Dunn doesn't start but I may be wrong

[Ballings7]

I think we are gonna start every game with Harden - Norm - Zu - Kawhi - DJJ line-up, DJJ over Dunn to match Denver's length. I also don't think we are gonna see Coffey much, we'll probably stick to 7 man rotation with Dunn and Bogdan getting 25-35 minutes a game, while Simmons and Batum coming in 5-10min a game or if Zu gets into foul trouble.

Nuggets are not very deep either, I think they'll also play a heavy 7man rotation

If Ty does that we'll win the series. I would just add a few more minutes for Batum as he can guard Jokic in small ball lineups and he l'll hit some 3's as Jokic won't play much on the perimeter.
I doubt Ty will do that though. Dunn will start and he'll be obliterated by Murray. If Bogi misses a few shots in his first stint he'll play less than 20mins and that's not how you get most of him. (Been shooting 60% from 3 in the last month)
I can't see a scenario in which Dunn doesn't start but I may be wrong

Unless Dunn doesn't do anything offensively through 2 or 3 games - he'll probably still start over ther series. I could see him being swapped for DJJ mid-series.. like after game 2 and Murray is just the difference in the series, and Dunn isn't doing much on either end.

However, Murray isn't really the same player he was in 2023 or 2020 + Clippers defense, should bode fairly well. Also Denver hasn't really played this version of the team. Last game was 1/8.

[KL2]

They tease this every season. Will they ever try it though?

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Leonard made that shot look so easy and natural wtf.

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