LA Clippers (25-12) VS Miami Heat (15-21)

[MartinToVaught]

It's a lame excuse and an easy deflection from one's own shortcomings. Did the fans make DJ get punked by Whiteside?

[mttwlsn16]

Outrebounded 46-27. Bosh and Whiteside almost outrebounded our entire team themselves

This team is bipolar

[Ranma]

Who's this chrisclipsla guy?

He's just an opinionated fan with some apparent connections within the organization. I like to reference him now and then as a conversation starter and to gauge how legit his info is.

[DLaren]

i have a serious question.

to me it looks like both CP3 and Blake needs the ball in their hands to be truly effective, as well as Jamal. but when Blake is playing point forward, he is prone for TOs and neutralizes CP3 as just a undersized spot up shooter. When CP3 is the primary ball handler, Blake seems to check out mentally time to time and he isn't aggressive enough under the basket to be the force he was in terms of rebounding as prior years.

so if it comes down to picking one over the other, who do we keep and who do we trade, and who can we get in return?


of course, I am not insisting on a trade, but more of playing what if scenarios. the best option is for our core as is to figure it out.

I told you guys a year-and-a-half ago we should have traded Blake/Jamal for Melo/Tim Hardaway Jr/Shumpert and everyone descended on me like I was the spawn of Satan.

Now here we are, clinging to the bottom of the Western playoff race with a 25 year old PF who refuses to rebound and can't hope to defend his position, along with a volume-scoring wing who also can't defend his position.

It's too late to trade Blake now, we should have sold when his value peaked last season, now we're stuck with a core whose ceiling is the 2ND round (if we're lucky).

CP3 is statistically the best PG of all time and his style of play will still be effective well into his 30's -- you don't trade a player like that under any circumstance. Had we moved Blake two years ago, this would be our line-up today:

CP3
Hardaway Jr
Shumpert
Melo
DeAndre Jordan

But that didn't happen and neither CP3 nor Blake will ever be traded, so we're stuck hoping they figure it out.

[Ranma]

I'm sorry. But I would call out the fans too. Are you kidding me right now? There is no way our fans should let the Heat fans start chanting lets go Heat. That's on them. I don't know why you all don't get that. Yeah they all played bad, but when the away teams fans start chanting louder then ours then there lies a problem as well.

If players don't take pride in their own performance, then how can they expect fans to express pride in the team? It's one thing to be a fair-weather fan, but it's also another to be myopic chest-thumpers when the team you cheer for consistently doesn't meet expectations. The fans pay the players' paychecks in attending their games, buying team merchandise, etc. so the players are more accountable to the fans, not the other way around.

DJ is a self-deluded celebrity who thinks he actually accomplished something when he hasn't. He's believing the smoke that Doc is blowing up his butt about being as impactful as Bill Russell. The fact that this diva needs his ego massaged to such a degree shows the extent of his problem as an NBA player.

[LACtdom]

i have a serious question.

to me it looks like both CP3 and Blake needs the ball in their hands to be truly effective, as well as Jamal. but when Blake is playing point forward, he is prone for TOs and neutralizes CP3 as just a undersized spot up shooter. When CP3 is the primary ball handler, Blake seems to check out mentally time to time and he isn't aggressive enough under the basket to be the force he was in terms of rebounding as prior years.

so if it comes down to picking one over the other, who do we keep and who do we trade, and who can we get in return?


of course, I am not insisting on a trade, but more of playing what if scenarios. the best option is for our core as is to figure it out.

I like CP way more than Blake but I would still trade CP before I traded Blake simply because CP's value is on the decline and $20mil is too much to have tied up in a non scoring player. I'd rather have a player like Teague/Lowry/Collison and use the spare $10mil to get a star SF like Hayward/Gay/Green/Iguodala plus still have trading chips like Jamal left over to further improve the bench.

Teague | JJ | Hayward | Blake | DJ

[Ranma]

I told you guys a year-and-a-half ago we should have traded Blake/Jamal for Melo/Tim Hardaway Jr/Shumpert and everyone descended on me like I was the spawn of Satan.

That's still a bad proposal for the Clippers. As I said before, trading a healthy Blake Griffin for a return centered around Carmelo Anthony is unappealing. Carmelo has proven that he can't win anywhere in the NBA. Look what he did for the Nuggets. While it wasn't going to last, the dude killed Linsanity at the height of the hype and the Knicks are still waiting for him to lead them to contention despite Phil Jackson's arrival.

Melo is who he is. Blake at least has a chance to continue to improve.

[Roscoe Sheed]

I told you guys a year-and-a-half ago we should have traded Blake/Jamal for Melo/Tim Hardaway Jr/Shumpert and everyone descended on me like I was the spawn of Satan.

That's still a bad proposal for the Clippers. As I said before, trading a healthy Blake Griffin for a return centered around Carmelo Anthony is unappealing. Carmelo has proven that he can't win anywhere in the NBA. Look what he did for the Nuggets. While it wasn't going to last, the dude killed Linsanity at the height of the hype and the Knicks are still waiting for him to lead them to contention despite Phil Jackson's arrival.

Melo is who he is. Blake at least has a chance to continue to improve.

I agree about the Melo trade. Melo would not make this team better- he needs the ball even more than Blake to be effective.

The one power forward that I would truly think about trading for is Aldridge (not that Portland would agree to such a trade though). I think Aldridge is an overall better player mostly because he has a better jump shot, has very good post moves when needed, and is taller.

[Roscoe Sheed]

The fans were not the problem, Jordan. It was your play. So you're expected to not show up for road games? Instead of performing for the crowd why not do it for the team or yourself? This mentality is exactly the problem with this team: excuses and lack of a winning attitude.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/DanWoikeSports/status/554423584324472832[/tweet]

***Contains Expletives NSFW***

Spoiler:

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Chrisclipsla/status/554425140969095168[/tweet]

I agree that it isn't the fans faults. However, the Clippers fan base needs to be stronger. It is ridiculous how loud some of the opposing team's fans are at some of these games. Last playoffs against the Warriors, the Warriors fan base was very loud in game 1 (I was there). The Bulls game this year was also the worst I've ever seen in terms of a home game. I want the Clippers to stay here forever, but they'd probably have more fan support in Seattle where 90% of the fan base in town doesn't already cheer for another team. It is demoralizing as a fan- it has to impact the players somewhat.

[Roscoe Sheed]

What is very clear is that Hawes so far has been a huge mistake and I see very little indication that he will improve. What doesn't even deserve to play at all.

[nickhx2]

I told you guys a year-and-a-half ago we should have traded Blake/Jamal for Melo/Tim Hardaway Jr/Shumpert and everyone descended on me like I was the spawn of Satan.

That's still a bad proposal for the Clippers. As I said before, trading a healthy Blake Griffin for a return centered around Carmelo Anthony is unappealing. Carmelo has proven that he can't win anywhere in the NBA. Look what he did for the Nuggets. While it wasn't going to last, the dude killed Linsanity at the height of the hype and the Knicks are still waiting for him to lead them to contention despite Phil Jackson's arrival.

Melo is who he is. Blake at least has a chance to continue to improve.

bad then and bad now.

[mkwest]

[mattd13]

the clips will not trade blake or cp3. however their play on defense has been bad. getting beat one on one and letting their man get to the basket. dj can not make a quick rotation and gives a poor effort on a number of plays. I love the clips but as is they are in trouble. doc has to do something. I would look to make a huge move now. use dj, jamal, farmar, and hawes. get it done. last, it will not matter if the stars continue to play poor defense and try to dominate the ball late in games.

[Lindecision]

Part of me was kind of expecting a loss. If memory serves me correctly, we tend to lose after picking up a quality win. Both concerning and 'whatever' at the same time. Its all about the playoffs.

[LACtdom]

This is probably untrue but I really don't think our team understands the whole "Never get too high, never get too low". Whenever we get a good win, if we face adversity in the following game we seem to get the "spoiled brat" mentality that we should be winning simply because we are the better team. We get frustrated and sometimes "lazy" and make bad shot selections because we think we should win without matching the intensity of the inferior opposition team.

[Quake Griffin]

This is probably untrue but I really don't think our team understands the whole "Never get too high, never get too low". Whenever we get a good win, if we face adversity in the following game we seem to get the "spoiled brat" mentality that we should be winning simply because we are the better team. We get frustrated and sometimes "lazy" and make bad shot selections because we think we should win without matching the intensity of the inferior opposition team.

I agree

When we think we should be beating a team based on "reputation," we'll dog it and do just about EVERYTHING ELSE except lock in and focus. The season isn't over but usually really good teams stand up to some of these challenges at home and grind out some of those wins at home. We just don't have a win like that this year. Any time we've faced that, the games sort of became a game within a game within a game and we spiral out of control…the team blows it up to about 15 somewhere in the 4th and there's no real shot.

Bulls, Hawks, Raptors, and Heat….I see no true difference between those home losses except the Heat aren't the caliber of team as the other 3.

[LACtdom]

This is probably untrue but I really don't think our team understands the whole "Never get too high, never get too low". Whenever we get a good win, if we face adversity in the following game we seem to get the "spoiled brat" mentality that we should be winning simply because we are the better team. We get frustrated and sometimes "lazy" and make bad shot selections because we think we should win without matching the intensity of the inferior opposition team.

I agree

When we think we should be beating a team based on "reputation," we'll dog it and do just about EVERYTHING ELSE except lock in and focus. The season isn't over but usually really good teams stand up to some of these challenges at home and grind out some of those wins at home. We just don't have a win like that this year. Any time we've faced that, the games sort of became a game within a game within a game and we spiral out of control…the team blows it up to about 15 somewhere in the 4th and there's no real shot.

Bulls, Hawks, Raptors, and Heat….I see no true difference between those home losses except the Heat aren't the caliber of team as the other 3.

Exactly.

It is quite common for a lesser talented team to "come out of the blocks firing" and shock a good team. The difference between us (a good team) and the great teams (spurs, etc) are that the great teams re-group, re-focus and put in the energy at half time to win the game. I wasn't worried at half time because I honestly thought we'd finish strong. 14 points in the 4th quarter is unacceptable.

[Neddy]

i have a serious question.

to me it looks like both CP3 and Blake needs the ball in their hands to be truly effective, as well as Jamal. but when Blake is playing point forward, he is prone for TOs and neutralizes CP3 as just a undersized spot up shooter. When CP3 is the primary ball handler, Blake seems to check out mentally time to time and he isn't aggressive enough under the basket to be the force he was in terms of rebounding as prior years.

so if it comes down to picking one over the other, who do we keep and who do we trade, and who can we get in return?


of course, I am not insisting on a trade, but more of playing what if scenarios. the best option is for our core as is to figure it out.

I told you guys a year-and-a-half ago we should have traded Blake/Jamal for Melo/Tim Hardaway Jr/Shumpert and everyone descended on me like I was the spawn of Satan.

Now here we are, clinging to the bottom of the Western playoff race with a 25 year old PF who refuses to rebound and can't hope to defend his position, along with a volume-scoring wing who also can't defend his position.

It's too late to trade Blake now, we should have sold when his value peaked last season, now we're stuck with a core whose ceiling is the 2ND round (if we're lucky).

CP3 is statistically the best PG of all time and his style of play will still be effective well into his 30's -- you don't trade a player like that under any circumstance. Had we moved Blake two years ago, this would be our line-up today:

CP3
Hardaway Jr
Shumpert
Melo
DeAndre Jordan

But that didn't happen and neither CP3 nor Blake will ever be traded, so we're stuck hoping they figure it out.

just say no to Melo. he has the chucker's mentality like Kobe and defensive enthusiasm of Jamal Crawford. he is essentially a bigger bodied Glen Rice. (Sr)

it's just a little what if games but i was thinking how viable of an option it is to consider Blake + Jamal + Hawes + Farmar for Bosh + Deng.

CP3
JJ
Deng
Bosh
DJ
starting 5 looks imposing, but the bench would be

Barnes
Reggie
Baby
Udoh
CDR
Hedo
Wilcox

if we flip Wilcox or CDR into a defensive minded PG the second unit defense would be a killer but who will score? not too sure.

but I agree that these scenarios will never happen as CP3 and Blake are practically married for this franchise, for better or worse.

[LACtdom]

i have a serious question.

to me it looks like both CP3 and Blake needs the ball in their hands to be truly effective, as well as Jamal. but when Blake is playing point forward, he is prone for TOs and neutralizes CP3 as just a undersized spot up shooter. When CP3 is the primary ball handler, Blake seems to check out mentally time to time and he isn't aggressive enough under the basket to be the force he was in terms of rebounding as prior years.

so if it comes down to picking one over the other, who do we keep and who do we trade, and who can we get in return?


of course, I am not insisting on a trade, but more of playing what if scenarios. the best option is for our core as is to figure it out.

I told you guys a year-and-a-half ago we should have traded Blake/Jamal for Melo/Tim Hardaway Jr/Shumpert and everyone descended on me like I was the spawn of Satan.

Now here we are, clinging to the bottom of the Western playoff race with a 25 year old PF who refuses to rebound and can't hope to defend his position, along with a volume-scoring wing who also can't defend his position.

It's too late to trade Blake now, we should have sold when his value peaked last season, now we're stuck with a core whose ceiling is the 2ND round (if we're lucky).

CP3 is statistically the best PG of all time and his style of play will still be effective well into his 30's -- you don't trade a player like that under any circumstance. Had we moved Blake two years ago, this would be our line-up today:

CP3
Hardaway Jr
Shumpert
Melo
DeAndre Jordan

But that didn't happen and neither CP3 nor Blake will ever be traded, so we're stuck hoping they figure it out.

just say no to Melo. he has the chucker's mentality like Kobe and defensive enthusiasm of Jamal Crawford. he is essentially a bigger bodied Glen Rice. (Sr)

it's just a little what if games but i was thinking how viable of an option it is to consider Blake + Jamal + Hawes + Farmar for Bosh + Deng.

CP3
JJ
Deng
Bosh
DJ
starting 5 looks imposing, but the bench would be

Barnes
Reggie
Baby
Udoh
CDR
Hedo
Wilcox

if we flip Wilcox or CDR into a defensive minded PG the second unit defense would be a killer but who will score? not too sure.

but I agree that these scenarios will never happen as CP3 and Blake are practically married for this franchise, for better or worse.

I would do this trade in a heartbeat. However there is no way the Clippers will trade Blake. Highlight dunks make money.
I agree with your point though, in terms of salary, we could get more bang for our buck if we had different players.

[Ranma]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/555053419359375360[/tweet]