Game 60: Clippers (39-20) vs Thunder (42-18)

[Quake Griffin]

This is great.

So we will get better on offense AND on defense once Griffin gets back?
Is this our dirty little secret that we're going to spring on teams in April?

LAAAAAAAAWD!
Should I be optimistic? Or should I look at GSW and pack my toys up and go home?

[nickhx2]

"lawd" is about my reaction too.

it kind of is a dirty little secret because so many idiots think the team is better off w/out blake. but the real dirt that nobody outside of this team truly understands is that blake plays really conservatively during the RS so he can go all-out in the playoffs.

this time around blake will have two months of rest. cp3 will be worn down but blake can more than carry the team. can you imagine how godlike he will be with all that time off?

[Wammy Giveaway]

Clippers are 2-9 against the top three seeded teams in each conference:

1st West Warriors: 0-3 (season series defeat)
1st East Cavaliers: 0-1 (one game left)
2nd West Spurs: 1-1 (one game left)
2nd East Raptors: 0-2 (season series defeat)
3rd Seed Thunder: 1-1 (two games left)
3rd Seed Celtics: 0-1 (one game left)

If the Clippers can defeat one more top seeded team, preferably the Warriors, they will return in the conversation as a title contender. I always believe in the rule of 3. They'll have a losing record against the top three seeded teams in each conference, but they should at least show us that they are capable of defeating them.

Think about this: should the Clippers drop to 6th in the playoffs standing, they'll be forced to face the top 3 seeded western conference teams in the playoffs. Quite a juggernaut to overcome. But the fear of losing to any of them would go out the window because they've beaten each of them at least once in the regular season - if they can defeat the Warriors.

[mkwest]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Ballislife/status/705452689174499328[/tweet]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFurXHK8ps4[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWVbVkVr-AA[/youtube]

[Neddy]

glad I watched this game to the end with my wife. one of the best games of the last 4-5 years, definitely the best game of the season. one of the top 30 games going all the way back to when Doc was our starting PG.

I also thought it was a statement game for the legitimacy of DJ as a force in low post both ways, and this should spark a conversation about having Blake, for at least this season, to come off the bench to mega-power our bench when he returns. the spacing with the current starting 5 with DJ in the middle, has become so strong and cohesive, keeping the ball in the hands of CP to make the right choices each and everytime has been too good to braek up, and Blake being a great playmaker himself, can allow the bench offense to flow through him. I say this is the winning ticket for us to win the title this year.

[Ranma]

Another thing I don't get is how Russell Westbrook gets more consideration in MVP talk than Chris Paul. Yeah, Paul tends to defer to teammates too much but Westbrook's shot selection rivals Jamal Crawford's and, despite his athleticism, he shies away from defending the best ball-handler on the opposing team. Granted nobody can really guard Steph Curry, but Chris Paul does one of the best jobs in taking on that task while Westbrook hasn't guarded him in their last two matchups with the Warriors, which were both losses. He also turns the ball over more than Chris does. In fact, one could argue that he detracts from the real team MVP by taking shots away from the much more efficient Kevin Durant with his shot-chucking.

[nickhx2]

media narrative stuff i guess. let's face it, cp3 is not who people want to watch, casual fans and media alike. his time in the spotlight is over and that's how it'll always be.

the more nba seasons i see the more i realize how ridiculous the awards and award talk are. they're pretty much on the level of the all-star game, so i take them with a grain of salt quite often.

[Wammy Giveaway]

Warriors sweep the Thunder. Thunder will automatically lose the 3rd seed to the Clippers.

Here are the likely scenarios prior to their March 9th matchup:

Clippers have Hawks, Mavericks before Thunder
Thunder only have the Bucks to worry about

Clips and Thunder win theirs:
43-20 (0.682) for OKC, 42-20 (0.677) for LAC
Win vs. Thunder puts Clippers at 43-20 and Thunder 43-21

Clips win theirs, Thunder loses theirs:
42-21 (0.667) for OKC, 42-20 (0.677) for LAC
Win vs. Thunder puts Clippers at 43-20 and Thunder 42-22

Clips win one, Thunder win theirs:
43-20 (0.682) for OKC, 41-21 (0.661) for LAC
Win vs. Thunder puts Clippers at 42-21 and Thunder 43-21

Clips win one, Thunder loses theirs:
42-21 (0.667) for OKC, 41-21 (0.661) for LAC
Win vs. Thunder puts Clippers at 42-21 and Thunder 42-22

Clips falter, Thunder win theirs:
43-20 (0.682) for OKC, 40-22 (0.645) for LAC
Win vs. Thunder puts Clippers at 41-22 and Thunder 43-21

Clips falter, Thunder loses theirs:
42-21 (0.667) for OKC, 40-22 (0.645) for LAC
Win vs. Thunder puts Clippers at 41-22 and Thunder 42-22

Clipper fans, you want scenarios 1, 2 or 4 to happen

[Quake Griffin]

Another thing I don't get is how Russell Westbrook gets more consideration in MVP talk than Chris Paul. Yeah, Paul tends to defer to teammates too much but Westbrook's shot selection rivals Jamal Crawford's and, despite his athleticism, he shies away from defending the best ball-handler on the opposing team. Granted nobody can really guard Steph Curry, but Chris Paul does one of the best jobs in taking on that task while Westbrook hasn't guarded him in their last two matchups with the Warriors, which were both losses. He also turns the ball over more than Chris does. In fact, one could argue that he detracts from the real team MVP by taking shots away from the much more efficient Kevin Durant with his shot-chucking.

He screams and beats his chest after those hard dunks.
It's given him this aura of being one of the hardest playing NBA players in the league if not the hardest playing NBA player.

I always ask people….if he plays so hard, why doesn't he defend well or with the same intensity that he attacks the basket?
Typically, I'm met with excuses or the fact that he can and just doesn't all the time.


Hooray for volume stats and turnovers on about mid 50s TS (this year being his 1st above 55%), all the athleticism in the world but no use of it to lock up one of the more stacked positions in the league on defense!

[nickhx2]

funny thing is i think i remember his scouting report as being an elite defender coming out of ucla. since then, ehhhh

[nickhx2]

not that i am complaining about how things worked out but if anyone remembers, mike dunleavy wanted westbrook BADLY in that draft. you never know how the lotto balls would have worked out the following year, but a westbrook/blake/dj would have been the most athletic trio in league history, probably.

[nickhx2]

also maybe worst spacing star trio ever lol

[Ranma]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/NateDuncanNBA/status/706224445170556928[/tweet]

[Angel strike1]

one of the funnest games this year.

most of 2nd 1/2 felt we were in this. then 4th quarter when the run started. kind reminded me that mem playoff game