Game 36: Los Angeles Clippers (24-11) vs. Detroit Pistons (12-22) - 10:30 PM ET

ducler · Post #1 » by **ducler** » Thu Jan 2, 2020 8:56 pm

Read on Twitter

MartinRiggs · Post #2 » by **MartinRiggs** » Thu Jan 2, 2020 9:37 pm

Wow,dare I say it would be a miracle to loose to this group? :tooth

MartinToVaught · Post #3 » by **MartinToVaught** » Thu Jan 2, 2020 10:10 pm

MartinRiggs wrote:Wow,dare I say it would be a miracle to loose to this group?

We did manage to lose to the Suns and the Bulls, so anything's possible.

Dynamix · Post #4 » by **Dynamix** » Thu Jan 2, 2020 11:01 pm

I just want Blake to have a solid game. Not sure what's going on with him (if he's not 100%, why is he playing?), but it's been shocking to see such a sudden drop from the previous season.

esqtvd · Post #5 » by **esqtvd** » Thu Jan 2, 2020 11:24 pm

Dynamix wrote:I just want Blake to have a solid game. Not sure what's going on with him (if he's not 100%, why is he playing?), but it's been shocking to see such a sudden drop from the previous season.

As much as we like to credit our FO/organizational genius, we got damn lucky that Stan Van Gundy was so desperate and such a chump--and had the GM power to act on it. If we were still stuck with Blake's contract we might be NFwhere right now.

As for Blake, I wish him well I suppose, but looking back on Lob City, I don't think he gave his all. He had a good time, lived like a rock star, had a smouldering feud with CP, punched a guy out, got his dough. We're even-steven with Blake Griffin, goodbye and good luck.

50CalClips · Post #6 » by **50CalClips** » Thu Jan 2, 2020 11:59 pm

Watch on YouTube

Dynamix · Post #7 » by **Dynamix** » Fri Jan 3, 2020 12:13 am

With the way Blake was still able to play that season and the one after it, there was probably another taker for him out there, but we would've missed out on Shamet.

I'll always have a soft spot for him for getting me into basketball and the Clippers, so I let a lot of stuff slide regarding his behavior. Still hope he retires with us. There will always be so many "what-ifs" regarding his development. All the injuries and missed summers, skipping out on the Olympics, being the second fiddle to CP3 and the 4th quarter disappearing acts while watching Jamal get iso after iso, the painful playoff eliminations when we were that close to the next level. Hell, he was at that next level against the Spurs, then the damn Rockets series put an end to Lob City, we just didn't know it yet. There's definitely an alternate timeline when we could've had an even better/healthier/more athletic version of Blake from last season with the Pistons a few years in advance, then who knows what might've happened.

Still, as much as I loved the guy, moving on from him made perfect sense even at the time, with no certain end-goal in sight. And he might not have enjoyed finding out about the trade from Twitter, but I bet he'll enjoy those 30+ mil in the next few years, when he could show up more in sitcoms and movies than on the basketball court, for all we know. I do hope he has at least one more decent season left in him, though.

MartinToVaught · Post #8 » by **MartinToVaught** » Fri Jan 3, 2020 12:44 am

In hindsight, I think the CP3 trade was the worst thing for Blake's development. He would have benefited from a more patient rebuild. Instead of getting to naturally grow into a leadership role over time, he became the Pau Gasol to CP3's Kobe. He got all the blame for the team's lack of playoff success, and never got any credit for all the hard work he put into improving his game. Add in the poor coaching and toxic locker-room environment of those Lob City teams, and honestly, it's amazing how much he still grew as a player while he was here.

I'd love to see him come back and play for the Clippers again someday. At very least, he should be the first Clipper to get their number retired. Like him or hate him, this franchise's turnaround started with him.

esqtvd · Post #9 » by **esqtvd** » Fri Jan 3, 2020 12:47 am

Dynamix wrote:With the way Blake was still able to play that season and the one after it, there was probably another taker for him out there, but we would've missed out on Shamet.

I'll always have a soft spot for him for getting me into basketball and the Clippers, so I let a lot of stuff slide regarding his behavior. Still hope he retires with us. There will always be so many "what-ifs" regarding his development.

We also got Shai,

The first rounder was swapped with the Hornets along with giving them the second rounder in order to obtain the draft rights to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
who along with that great Miami pick we got along with Shamet, was the core of the PG trade.

As for your soft spot for Blake, I understand. He was the beginning of the beginning. It's just that I'm not feeling nostalgic at the moment--the 2010s were our best decade by far but it's all in my rear-view mirror. Where that team was cobbled together with the best talent available to us at the time, in the end I think it was undone by an overall character deficiency. Our team now was built with purpose, and it's a hard team not to like.

50CalClips · Post #10 » by **50CalClips** » Fri Jan 3, 2020 2:30 am

esqtvd · Post #11 » by **esqtvd** » Fri Jan 3, 2020 2:30 am

https://sportsbookwire.usatoday.com/2020/01/02/detroit-pistons-at-los-angeles-clippers-oods-picks-and-best-bets/

Pistons at Clippers: Key injuries

Pistons

PF Blake Griffin (knee) doubtful--gametime decision
PF Markieff Morris (foot) out
PG Reggie Jackson (back) out
SG Luke Kennard (knee) out

Clippers

PG Patrick Beverley (wrist) out

Moneyline (ML)
As you would expect, the Clippers (-1000) are big moneyline favorites at home against a banged-up Pistons’ team. With basically their entire roster intact, the Clippers are simply one of the best teams in basketball as they have won 10 of their last 12 games at home. This one should be over relatively quickly as the Pistons will be severely under matched in this contest. Still, there’s too much chalk involved with a $10 bet on the Clippers to win returning a profit of $1. PASS.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
The CLIPPERS (-13.5, +105) are heavy favorites at home for this contest and for good reasons. They have one of the best offenses in the NBA but also can shut teams down on defense when they need to. Expect this game to be a blowout in Los Angeles’ favor as the Clippers win by at least 14 points at Staples Center.

Over/Under (O/U)
Take the UNDER 223.5 (-106). The Under has hit in eight of the last 10 games for the Pistons on the road, but the Over has hit in six of the last nine games for the Clippers.

50CalClips · Post #12 » by **50CalClips** » Fri Jan 3, 2020 2:50 am

Read on Twitter

50CalClips · Post #13 » by **50CalClips** » Fri Jan 3, 2020 3:37 am

Game in, game out, Landry Shamet should have the most 3-pt attempts each game in the new year... or second most next to Paul George.

Come on, it's 2020 now, time to get serious.

TheNewEra · Post #14 » by **TheNewEra** » Fri Jan 3, 2020 3:49 am

Slow start

50CalClips · Post #15 » by **50CalClips** » Fri Jan 3, 2020 3:51 am

... okay, maybe they really do need a play-maker/ball-handler.

TheNewEra · Post #16 » by **TheNewEra** » Fri Jan 3, 2020 4:00 am

Think they switched the first foul to PG and Zu only has one but was about time time come out anyway

MartinToVaught · Post #17 » by **MartinToVaught** » Fri Jan 3, 2020 4:10 am

Remember when this was supposed to be an "easy" game? Nothing is easy with this team. :lol:

MartinToVaught · Post #18 » by **MartinToVaught** » Fri Jan 3, 2020 4:13 am

McGruder is the new Avery, Austin, Wes, Jamal, etc. Doc won't stop having him "guard" the other team's best perimeter player until the front office finally trades him away.

NippySudz · Post #19 » by **NippySudz** » Fri Jan 3, 2020 4:13 am

I see people are already beginning to panic

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TheNewEra · Post #20 » by **TheNewEra** » Fri Jan 3, 2020 4:17 am

Play defense