GAME #1: LAC (0-0) @ JAZZ (0-0)—WED 10/22, 6 PM

[MartinToVaught]

Call me after game 15, no need for us to go over all the it's just one game, it's just two games, etc, etc

As always when we see a good enough sample size we can actually start to have proper discussion.

For now, terrible game, happens, on to the next.

The "it's only been x games" excuse doesn't work when we have the most veteran team in NBA history and one of the highest-paid coaches who we're breathlessly told is a "genius." This should be a well-oiled machine that's ready to go from game 1. And if it's not, then there's no excuse for Frank and Lue to still be employed after tripling down on making this team even older and slower for no reason.

[Clemenza]

Call me after game 15, no need for us to go over all the it's just one game, it's just two games, etc, etc

As always when we see a good enough sample size we can actually start to have proper discussion.

For now, terrible game, happens, on to the next.

The "it's only been x games" excuse doesn't work when we have the most veteran team in NBA history and one of the highest-paid coaches who we're breathlessly told is a "genius." This should be a well-oiled machine that's ready to go from game 1. And if it's not, then there's no excuse for Frank and Lue to still be employed after tripling down on making this team even older and slower for no reason.

Agreed. 15 games to figure out who Kawhi, Harden, Zu, CP3, Batum, Lopez, etc. are doesn't make sense not sells the fanbase confidence.

Is only one game but fact that we're old and slow and then getting blown out in the opener because we're old & slow is the troubling issue. The defense was swiss cheese and couldn't stay in front of anybody.

[og15]

Call me after game 15, no need for us to go over all the it's just one game, it's just two games, etc, etc

As always when we see a good enough sample size we can actually start to have proper discussion.

For now, terrible game, happens, on to the next.

The "it's only been x games" excuse doesn't work when we have the most veteran team in NBA history and one of the highest-paid coaches who we're breathlessly told is a "genius." This should be a well-oiled machine that's ready to go from game 1. And if it's not, then there's no excuse for Frank and Lue to still be employed after tripling down on making this team even older and slower for no reason.

Everyone is entitled to whatever belief they want. The reality is that judging any team from a few games, whether positively or negatively is a HUGE waste of time. You and anyone else have the freedom to do that all you want, but doesn't change the reality. I'm not saying there aren't things we know, eg: the team is older and slower, we know this, but none of that tells us what combinations can be put together and how effective they can be.

I'll say it like this. If this team starts the season 4-1, that would equally have no effect on me. It's just all irrelevant right now from a sample size perspective.

Call me after game 15, no need for us to go over all the it's just one game, it's just two games, etc, etc

As always when we see a good enough sample size we can actually start to have proper discussion.

For now, terrible game, happens, on to the next.

The "it's only been x games" excuse doesn't work when we have the most veteran team in NBA history and one of the highest-paid coaches who we're breathlessly told is a "genius." This should be a well-oiled machine that's ready to go from game 1. And if it's not, then there's no excuse for Frank and Lue to still be employed after tripling down on making this team even older and slower for no reason.

Agreed. 15 games to figure out who Kawhi, Harden, Zu, CP3, Batum, Lopez, etc. are doesn't make sense not sells the fanbase confidence.

Is only one game but fact that we're old and slow and then getting blown out in the opener because we're old & slow is the troubling issue. The defense was swiss cheese and couldn't stay in front of anybody.

You're not taking 15 games to figure out who those players are individually, though there is some of that since a guy can decline sharply at this age and he might not be who you expected based on a previous season performance.

You're taking 15 games to figure out who those players are this season as a group together with the other players they are with and the lineups they play with.

You simply can't figure all that out in training camp with them playing against each other and in some pre-season games.

It is not really about trying to figure out what strengths or weaknesses each individual has from their career. It is about trying to figure out how good the team is as a unit and what lineups make the most sense and have the most balance. How you can hide weakness and magnify strengths.

There are a lot of returning players, but also a lot of change and there's age related decline to account for in a lot of the players, so that whether they started off bad or good, neither was going to be indicative of anything.

[Ballings7]

Obviously not a decent way to start at all.. if it was a close loss, thats more understandable.. Utah is fired up at home and have some young, very talented players. Just zero energy match.

However early season is early season, and I don't think this is going to happen too often -- lifeless game to game loss to loss patterns.

Its still basically pre-season, and not everyone is in their overall form yet; this can be more true with an older team, and take a bit longer. Being a Spurs fan for a long time, this is definitely something that is legitimate with older teams.

[KingCrimzzon]

Call me after game 15, no need for us to go over all the it's just one game, it's just two games, etc, etc

As always when we see a good enough sample size we can actually start to have proper discussion.

For now, terrible game, happens, on to the next.

The "it's only been x games" excuse doesn't work when we have the most veteran team in NBA history and one of the highest-paid coaches who we're breathlessly told is a "genius." This should be a well-oiled machine that's ready to go from game 1. And if it's not, then there's no excuse for Frank and Lue to still be employed after tripling down on making this team even older and slower for no reason.

I find it funny how Lue acts like this team has so many new players that they've never played together at all. No, this team is the same error prone team and it strangely feels like he wanted to Small Ball with the starting lineup. Like the team is bigger but he still wants to player smaller, get out rebounded on the offensive end, and give up free layups and dunks . It's amazing how this team just doesn't show up sometimes and yeah lack of motivation seems to be the issue.

[MartinToVaught]

Call me after game 15, no need for us to go over all the it's just one game, it's just two games, etc, etc

As always when we see a good enough sample size we can actually start to have proper discussion.

For now, terrible game, happens, on to the next.

The "it's only been x games" excuse doesn't work when we have the most veteran team in NBA history and one of the highest-paid coaches who we're breathlessly told is a "genius." This should be a well-oiled machine that's ready to go from game 1. And if it's not, then there's no excuse for Frank and Lue to still be employed after tripling down on making this team even older and slower for no reason.

Agreed. 15 games to figure out who Kawhi, Harden, Zu, CP3, Batum, Lopez, etc. are doesn't make sense not sells the fanbase confidence.

Is only one game but fact that we're old and slow and then getting blown out in the opener because we're old & slow is the troubling issue. The defense was swiss cheese and couldn't stay in front of anybody.

Exactly. This is a team full of known quantities. Many of these guys have played together already. Shouldn't one of the advantages of a team like this be that they don't need to waste a quarter of the season on "figuring out who they are"? We can handwave this all away with the "it's still early" and "it's only been x games" cards, but these games count towards playoff seeding at the end of the season and it's why we're always stuck in a 4 vs. 5 slog.

Ironically, Frank and Lue have spent most of their time here blowing off the draft and player development even though it would give them a built-in excuse for a slow start and Lue's ever-expanding "sample size," which has now conveniently bloated from 10 to 15 to now 20 games. I realize we've been living with inflation for years now, but I'm pretty sure that's only supposed to apply to the money supply, not to Lue's supply of excuses.

[MartinToVaught]

It's amazing how this team just doesn't show up sometimes and yeah lack of motivation seems to be the issue.

Which is especially galling because the whole point of Lue is that he's a "player's coach" who can motivate his teams. It's not like Ballmer's paying this guy for his X's and O's wizardry or innovative system. When he sucks at the one thing he's wildly overpaid to do, why hasn't he been fired yet?

[PeteyPablo]

Rough game from start to finish. First quarter was almost unbelievable with the all the turnovers and 37 points that the Jazz scored fairly easy.

This Jazz team seems like a talented young team with much upside. Their length and size as well as youth and speed.

I will forget this game even happened and will watch tomorrow at home vs Suns.

[og15]

Rough game from start to finish. First quarter was almost unbelievable with the all the turnovers and 37 points that the Jazz scored fairly easy.

This Jazz team seems like a talented young team with much upside. Their length and size as well as youth and speed.

I will forget this game even happened and will watch tomorrow at home vs Suns.

Yea, it happens. That said, my expectations for this team aren't particularly high (if high is a top 3 WC contender or something like that), but I don't know what others expect. They will need to prove they are more than a playoff team that will be out within the first two rounds to me with their play through the season.

I know there are some who are calling them this or that great thing, but I'm not sold personally, and I'm not even a glass half empty person, just saying, age related decline is a tricky thing to navigate, and names are not what produces, current level is what does so.

[Clemenza]

Call me after game 15, no need for us to go over all the it's just one game, it's just two games, etc, etc

As always when we see a good enough sample size we can actually start to have proper discussion.

For now, terrible game, happens, on to the next.

The "it's only been x games" excuse doesn't work when we have the most veteran team in NBA history and one of the highest-paid coaches who we're breathlessly told is a "genius." This should be a well-oiled machine that's ready to go from game 1. And if it's not, then there's no excuse for Frank and Lue to still be employed after tripling down on making this team even older and slower for no reason.

Everyone is entitled to whatever belief they want. The reality is that judging any team from a few games, whether positively or negatively is a HUGE waste of time. You and anyone else have the freedom to do that all you want, but doesn't change the reality. I'm not saying there aren't things we know, eg: the team is older and slower, we know this, but none of that tells us what combinations can be put together and how effective they can be.

I'll say it like this. If this team starts the season 4-1, that would equally have no effect on me. It's just all irrelevant right now from a sample size perspective.

The "it's only been x games" excuse doesn't work when we have the most veteran team in NBA history and one of the highest-paid coaches who we're breathlessly told is a "genius." This should be a well-oiled machine that's ready to go from game 1. And if it's not, then there's no excuse for Frank and Lue to still be employed after tripling down on making this team even older and slower for no reason.

Agreed. 15 games to figure out who Kawhi, Harden, Zu, CP3, Batum, Lopez, etc. are doesn't make sense not sells the fanbase confidence.

Is only one game but fact that we're old and slow and then getting blown out in the opener because we're old & slow is the troubling issue. The defense was swiss cheese and couldn't stay in front of anybody.

You're not taking 15 games to figure out who those players are individually, though there is some of that since a guy can decline sharply at this age and he might not be who you expected based on a previous season performance.

You're taking 15 games to figure out who those players are this season ss a group together with the other players they are with and the lineups they play with.

You simply can't figure all that out in training camp with them playing against each other and in some pre-season games.

It is not really about trying to figure out what strengths or weaknesses each individual has from their career. It is about trying to figure out how good the team is as a unit and what lineups make the most sense and have the most balance. How you can hide weakness and magnify strengths.

There are a lot of returning players, but also a lot of change and there's age related decline to account for in a lot of the players that whether they started off bad or good, neither was going to be indicative of anything.

Of course its not an individual thing, but Harden, Kawhi, and Zu are your backbone centerpieces and starters. I get trying to figure out if Beal or Collins is the better starter, but he's got to have some type of clue as to who's who and what's what after all these years and the team filled with guys that have been around forever, some pushing 40 years old. Lue talks as if he's scrambling up a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle on a table at the start of every season. They showed a pic in training camp of Ty Lue, Jeff Van Gundy, L. Frank, Tom Thibodeau, and Mike Budenholzer all hanging out at Clipper practice. Basically what I'm saying is that there's always a big brain trust around this team, but yet still a "I need 10-20 games (in season) to figure this out" mantra. In years past, okay I sort of get it, but you need 20 games to figure it out THIS YEAR with THIS TEAM? Even if this is true, maybe keep that info to yourself.

Ty Lue gambles nonstop too at poker tables. Maybe he's focused on that, like that's his entire off season and free time regime instead of imagining lineups and figuring things out until the season starts. Its like Shaq back in the days refusing to ruin his summer by having much needed surgeries or working out for that matter and waiting until the season starts to get healthy. Its one game, lets see if we look better on Friday.

[esqtvd]

The Clippers are also looking like a no-show job for Kawhi.

OK, that's funny. Thread winner.

[og15]

The "it's only been x games" excuse doesn't work when we have the most veteran team in NBA history and one of the highest-paid coaches who we're breathlessly told is a "genius." This should be a well-oiled machine that's ready to go from game 1. And if it's not, then there's no excuse for Frank and Lue to still be employed after tripling down on making this team even older and slower for no reason.

Everyone is entitled to whatever belief they want. The reality is that judging any team from a few games, whether positively or negatively is a HUGE waste of time. You and anyone else have the freedom to do that all you want, but doesn't change the reality. I'm not saying there aren't things we know, eg: the team is older and slower, we know this, but none of that tells us what combinations can be put together and how effective they can be.

I'll say it like this. If this team starts the season 4-1, that would equally have no effect on me. It's just all irrelevant right now from a sample size perspective.

Agreed. 15 games to figure out who Kawhi, Harden, Zu, CP3, Batum, Lopez, etc. are doesn't make sense not sells the fanbase confidence.

Is only one game but fact that we're old and slow and then getting blown out in the opener because we're old & slow is the troubling issue. The defense was swiss cheese and couldn't stay in front of anybody.

You're not taking 15 games to figure out who those players are individually, though there is some of that since a guy can decline sharply at this age and he might not be who you expected based on a previous season performance.

You're taking 15 games to figure out who those players are this season ss a group together with the other players they are with and the lineups they play with.

You simply can't figure all that out in training camp with them playing against each other and in some pre-season games.

It is not really about trying to figure out what strengths or weaknesses each individual has from their career. It is about trying to figure out how good the team is as a unit and what lineups make the most sense and have the most balance. How you can hide weakness and magnify strengths.

There are a lot of returning players, but also a lot of change and there's age related decline to account for in a lot of the players that whether they started off bad or good, neither was going to be indicative of anything.

Of course its not an individual thing, but Harden, Kawhi, and Zu are your backbone centerpieces and starters. I get trying to figure out if Beal or Collins is the better starter, but he's got to have some type of clue as to who's who and what's what after all these years and the team filled with guys that have been around forever, some pushing 40 years old. Lue talks as if he's scrambling up a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle on a table at the start of every season. They showed a pic in training camp of Ty Lue, Jeff Van Gundy, L. Frank, Tom Thibodeau, and Mike Budenholzer all hanging out at Clipper practice. Basically what I'm saying is that there's always a big brain trust around this team, but yet still a "I need 10-20 games (in season) to figure this out" mantra. In years past, okay I sort of get it, but you need 20 games to figure it out THIS YEAR with THIS TEAM? Even if this is true, maybe keep that info to yourself.

Ty Lue gambles nonstop too at poker tables. Maybe he's focused on that, like that's his entire off season and free time regime instead of imagining lineups and figuring things out until the season starts. Its like Shaq back in the days refusing to ruin his summer by having much needed surgeries or working out for that matter and waiting until the season starts to get healthy. Its one game, lets see if we look better on Friday.

Just going to be honest here, every single coach is saying this, or if they aren't saying it out loud, they are using the same mentality, this is not unique to Ty Lue, that's why with all that brain trust of NBA experience in coaching you still hear him saying this. Ty Lue didn't make it up.

I think important for our evaluation of the teams performance as we continue to watch this season will be what people are predicting and expecting from this team. I say this because there's a different reaction if you see this team as a true championship contender or WCF contender vs if you see them as just a playoff team, right?

[TrueLAfan]

And this is why I rarely post on game threads.

We looked bad. Bad, bad, bad. For one game.

Four or five games is a trend.

10 games and it's an issue or, maybe, problem.

Hated Game 1. Looking forward to Game 2.