Game 80: Los Angeles Clippers (48-31) @ San Antonio Spurs (61-18) - 8:30 PM ET

Akklaim1 · Post #2 » by **Akklaim1** » Sat Apr 8, 2017 6:13 pm

Don't we just need to finish with the same record as Utah to get HCA in the first round?

Post #3 » by **og15** » Sat Apr 8, 2017 6:41 pm

You are correct. Here is the current situation

Clippers 48-31 Remaining Schedule:
@SAS | HOU | SAC
Need 2-1 for 50 wins

Jazz 49-30 Remaining Schedule:
@POR | @GSW | SAS
Need 1-2 for 50 wins

If Utah finishes 3-0, they have HCA. If Utah finishes 2-1, Clippers have to finish 3-0 to tie them. If Utah finishes 1-2, Clippers need at least 2-1 to tie them. So Utah has the advantage as both teams play two good teams. Clippers have to at least beat one of HOU / SAS to have a chance. Utah has to beat Portland and then one of SAS / GSW to make it difficult for LAC (have to go 3-0).

Post #4 » by **thanumba2clippersfan** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 12:40 am

I'm hoping for a good effort tonight. I'm also hopeful that we can get home court in the first round.

Post #5 » by **mkwest** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 1:42 am

Read on Twitter

Post #6 » by **thanumba2clippersfan** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 2:07 am

Spurs hitting a lot of 3s in the 3rd

Post #7 » by **mkwest** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 2:15 am

Great finish to the 3rd quarter. Spurs close the gap, but Clips go on a 14-4 run for a 12-point lead heading into the 4th.

Post #8 » by **thanumba2clippersfan** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 2:16 am

Leonard went to the bench and we pushed our lead back up to 12. The Spurs were hot from 3 in the 3rd and were 5-5 at one point. I expect the Spurs to get back in the ball game though, the good thing is we haven't given up the lead in the this half.

Post #9 » by **mkwest** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 2:17 am

Read on Twitter

Post #10 » by **mkwest** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 2:22 am

Read on Twitter

LACtdom · Post #11 » by **LACtdom** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 2:36 am

Is Wes on the decline or is it more of a form / confidence slump? He's played minimal minutes tonight but he doesn't even look like his defensive self. With his contract, you'd hope that he'd be able to soak up some minutes in the first round so we don't burn out our starters.

I wasn't confident we'd win this game but surprisingly we have been very consistent on both ends and haven't had any extended periods of lacklustre play.

Post #12 » by **thanumba2clippersfan** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 2:44 am

Looks like we're gonna hold on here and pull this out. We're getting all the offensive boards in the final 2 minutes

nickhx2 · Post #13 » by **nickhx2** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 2:46 am

every year we get these wins against the spurs that I literally never expect. but we just keep doing it

Post #14 » by **mkwest** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 3:00 am

Read on Twitter

Akklaim1 · Post #15 » by **Akklaim1** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 3:16 am

I know CP hasn't brought us a ring but winning a game in San Antonio has become an annual thing since he arrived here. I remember when it was an automatic W for the Spurs at home against us.

Quake Griffin · Post #16 » by **Quake Griffin** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 2:11 pm

Best game we played all year? One of them for sure.

Good chance on Monday night to beat another playoff team and prove we are playing our best ball headed into the playoffs.

Jazz finish up with GSW and SAS so that loss to Portland darn near guarantees the 4 seed.

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MartinToVaught · Post #17 » by **MartinToVaught** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 3:43 pm

nickhx2 wrote:every year we get these wins against the spurs that I literally never expect. but we just keep doing it

At this point, I think it's safe to say that the Spurs are a favorable matchup for us. The point guard position is to the Spurs what the small forward position is to us - they just don't have anyone who can hold their own against Paul now that Parker is washed up.

The bigger surprise is how poorly Kawhi usually plays against us. You'd think he'd torch us every time we face him because of how weak we are at his position. Now, he did have a good game last night, but that has been the outlier against us and not the norm.

Post #18 » by **og15** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 7:19 pm

MartinToVaught wrote:
nickhx2 wrote:every year we get these wins against the spurs that I literally never expect. but we just keep doing it

At this point, I think it's safe to say that the Spurs are a favorable matchup for us. The point guard position is to the Spurs what the small forward position is to us - they just don't have anyone who can hold their own against Paul now that Parker is washed up.

The bigger surprise is how poorly Kawhi usually plays against us. You'd think he'd torch us every time we face him because of how weak we are at his position. Now, he did have a good game last night, but that has been the outlier against us and not the norm.

Clippers are weak in terms of all-around SF play, and offense at the position, but the team has generally had solid defenders at the position. Barnes was above average and Luc is a very good defensive player. The specific defenders the Clippers have had have been good matchups against Kawhi along with the defensive strategy, and the presence of DJ.

Would have been really nice to be in the position to play SA. The Clippers athleticism inside, and SA's inability to contain Paul even when they switch Green and or Kawhi on to him really helps out. Even if he isn't scoring against them, they consistently allow him to get into the middle and move their defense. Dedmon helps them with some of their athleticism issues inside, but they can't keep up with Blake and DJ for a whole series.

Post #19 » by **og15** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 7:19 pm

MartinToVaught wrote:
nickhx2 wrote:every year we get these wins against the spurs that I literally never expect. but we just keep doing it

At this point, I think it's safe to say that the Spurs are a favorable matchup for us. The point guard position is to the Spurs what the small forward position is to us - they just don't have anyone who can hold their own against Paul now that Parker is washed up.

The bigger surprise is how poorly Kawhi usually plays against us. You'd think he'd torch us every time we face him because of how weak we are at his position. Now, he did have a good game last night, but that has been the outlier against us and not the norm.

Clippers are weak in terms of all-around SF play, and offense at the position, but the team has generally had solid defenders at the position. Barnes was above average and Luc is a very good defensive player. The specific defenders the Clippers have had have been good matchups against Kawhi along with the defensive strategy, and the presence of DJ.

Would have been really nice to be in the position to play SA. The Clippers athleticism inside, and SA's inability to contain Paul even when they switch Green and or Kawhi on to him really helps out. Even if he isn't scoring against them, they consistently allow him to get into the middle and move their defense. Dedmon helps them with some of their athleticism issues inside, but they can't keep up with Blake and DJ for a whole series.

Post #20 » by **og15** » Sun Apr 9, 2017 7:25 pm

Quake Griffin wrote:Best game we played all year? One of them for sure.

Good chance on Monday night to beat another playoff team and prove we are playing our best ball headed into the playoffs.

Jazz finish up with GSW and SAS so that loss to Portland darn near guarantees the 4 seed.

Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

Aren't basically most of the Spurs games the best games of the year for the Clippers, and then the Warriors games are the worst games of the year?

Though it means little for now as the Warriors have improved, the Clippers are one of only two teams to beat GS in the post-season since 13-14. They should have done confidence from the, but instead they play like they are afraid of them (not literally, but they just suck against them lol).

I don't want to be hyperbolic or do hot takes, so I won't neglect some of the factors. Clippers did have some injuries, they did have 2 or 3 games where the bench and lineups with Crawford /Pierce last season lost games that the starters were otherwise winning, but still, they just don't play GS well. It's a bad matchup.