GAME 4 Western semis - 6 p.m. TNT

[playaloc916]

One of the biggest downfalls of Jamal Crawford was that if he wasn't hot, he didn't generally contribute much to the game since he couldn't impact on defense, on the glass, or as a passer. Lou Williams while no elite passer is simply much better than Jamal and can still impact in that way if he isn't with scoring. Jamal's playoff career high was 2.7 apg, as a Clipper it was 2.2 apg, it was barely more than what Redick was doing in terms of getting assists.

And Lou has actually improved on D over the years. He's actually a decent defender now. Jamal... not so much.

[TheNewEra]

Big time W good team win

[TheNewEra]

One of the biggest downfalls of Jamal Crawford was that if he wasn't hot, he didn't generally contribute much to the game since he couldn't impact on defense, on the glass, or as a passer. Lou Williams while no elite passer is simply much better than Jamal and can still impact in that way if he isn't with scoring. Jamal's playoff career high was 2.7 apg, as a Clipper it was 2.2 apg, it was barely more than what Redick was doing in terms of getting assists.

It's been good to see Lou make some plays to at least have some impact outside of his FT's (another thing he does better than Jamal) in a poor shooting night

Very impressed and just shows the heart and determination of Lou. Going to need that shooting back next round especially if Playoff Rondo thing holds true

[MartinRiggs]

Nice win.

Zubac and Shamet +12 for people who track that stuff.

[Quake Griffin]

Loved the defense tonight.

That's championship basketball. That's how good this team could be (defensively). That's beating this Nuggets team the way we are supposed to.

That's what long suffering fans who have never seen a CF want to see.

[og15]

One of the biggest downfalls of Jamal Crawford was that if he wasn't hot, he didn't generally contribute much to the game since he couldn't impact on defense, on the glass, or as a passer. Lou Williams while no elite passer is simply much better than Jamal and can still impact in that way if he isn't with scoring. Jamal's playoff career high was 2.7 apg, as a Clipper it was 2.2 apg, it was barely more than what Redick was doing in terms of getting assists.

And Lou has actually improved on D over the years. He's actually a decent defender now. Jamal... not so much.

I always felt for Jamal to an extent because a lot of it was just the fact that the Clippers had a team that actually required a player like him to produce if they were going to go far. It technically wasn't his fault, and then it was even worse when they gave him the big contract in 2016 because Austin got one, that was the worst.

When a player is playing 27 mpg in the playoffs and through his tenure averaged 14/2/2 on 39/28 shooting, you wonder why he was playing so much, and how you thought that was a recipe for winning . Jamal shot over 27.3% 3PT in 1/5 playoffs as a Clipper...the trauma, lol

Lou is the same age as Jamal in his early years as a Clipper, so as long as they aren't relying on him when he's 35 and 36, it should be okay.

[Max Headrom]

Fat Luka gave up again in this game. No heart

[nickhx2]

i'd agree to an extent. imo i think his perfect role was alongside eric bledsoe and the bench mob, where he was surrounded by 4 other legit defensive players (IIRC). but the team was never able to replicate that, instead spending their resources on guys like glen davis, reggie bullock, and antawn jamison (as khris middleton, shaun livingston, and leandro barbosa went elsewhere and became big time players for their teams).

[Captain Ballmer]

Zubac impresses me more and more every game. Nice development happening in there and everyone one the team being aware of it.

[esqtvd]

Loved the defense tonight.

That's championship basketball. That's how good this team could be (defensively). That's beating this Nuggets team the way we are supposed to.

That's what long suffering fans who have never seen a CF want to see.

Team win. And the 3 losses so far were team losses. Scapegoating and finger-pointing, be it individual players or the coach, is BS.

Except PG. 10 points, 5 fouls and 4 turnovers. If you want to complain about why we have to hump instead of win every game by 20, there's your scapegoat.

Reggie gets a DNP. Zubac got 30 minutes. Trezz finally looking a little like Trezz the 6MOY. And Lou is playing defense. Life is good.

[nickhx2]

this is what i love about the playoffs in the NBA, or in any other competitive sport, for that matter.

you evolve or die. there is never a road to a championship where the winners don't have to figure something out, both individually and as a team.

[Max Headrom]

this is what i love about the playoffs in the NBA, or in any other competitive sport, for that matter.

you evolve or die. there is never a road to a championship where the winners don't have to figure something out, both individually and as a team.

Denver kept punching back and the Clippers took them on the chin and just kept jabbing until they built their lead again. They were in control the whole game and were never rattled even when Denver and Scott Foster tied the game in the third.

[Wammy Giveaway]

If history is to repeat itself, Clippers will defeat the Nuggets, again. But they cannot get ahead of themselves. The last time they did that was in the Lob City era, and they never recovered from that 3-1 collapse. Had it not been for his friendship with Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan would have been on the Dallas Maverick sooner.

Defeating the Nuggets to finally get out of the 2nd round could be key into convincing superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to join the Clippers. It took making the playoffs without an All-Star, along with a 31-point comeback vs. the Warriors (Clipper's greatest regret, in my opinion), to convince Kawhi Leonard this is the place to be (though it required a trade for superstar Paul George to seal the deal).

If history is to repeat itself, the Clippers will need to face their history. Only from there can they write a history of their own. Without the theatrics.

[esqtvd]

this is what i love about the playoffs in the NBA, or in any other competitive sport, for that matter.

you evolve or die. there is never a road to a championship where the winners don't have to figure something out, both individually and as a team.

Denver kept punching back and the Clippers took them on the chin and just kept jabbing until they built their lead again. They were in control the whole game and were never rattled even when Denver and Scott Foster tied the game in the third.

It sure felt like a boxing match. Pretty even and we pulled away on points. A decision, not a knockout. These guys are good.


NOTE WELL: These guys came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat Utah and face us.

[Max Headrom]

this is what i love about the playoffs in the NBA, or in any other competitive sport, for that matter.

you evolve or die. there is never a road to a championship where the winners don't have to figure something out, both individually and as a team.

Denver kept punching back and the Clippers took them on the chin and just kept jabbing until they built their lead again. They were in control the whole game and were never rattled even when Denver and Scott Foster tied the game in the third.

It sure felt like a boxing match. Pretty even and we pulled away on points. A decision, not a knockout. These guys are good.


NOTE WELL: These guys came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat Utah and face us.

Difference being, Utah had a worse perimeter defense than Denver and that's certainly not the case with the Clippers

He's shooting 38 percent for the series

[nickhx2]

this is what i love about the playoffs in the NBA, or in any other competitive sport, for that matter.

you evolve or die. there is never a road to a championship where the winners don't have to figure something out, both individually and as a team.

Denver kept punching back and the Clippers took them on the chin and just kept jabbing until they built their lead again. They were in control the whole game and were never rattled even when Denver and Scott Foster tied the game in the third.

yup. and this is the kind of stuff that builds that championship mettle (i got it right this time!)

here's the thing that i think a lot of people don't quite realize. it's not just about the team any person is a fan for. there's a team in the other conference thats's going through the same kinds of trials and tribulations. they're getting better because they're learning all kinds of things in the most intense moments. and losing in them. and figuring out how to get better through them.

you gotta fight and develop the tools that teach you how to survive in the end game.

it's why i don't really care for the complaints about how this team should be up so and so much, or have swept, or won more games, etc. if this team was THAT good then they would have swept both rounds already and be 1:2 title favorites in vegas. this team hasn't earned anything. they're still learning how to win and we should watch and enjoy the evolution of a potential champion.

[Max Headrom]

this is what i love about the playoffs in the NBA, or in any other competitive sport, for that matter.

you evolve or die. there is never a road to a championship where the winners don't have to figure something out, both individually and as a team.

Denver kept punching back and the Clippers took them on the chin and just kept jabbing until they built their lead again. They were in control the whole game and were never rattled even when Denver and Scott Foster tied the game in the third.

yup. and this is the kind of stuff that builds that championship mettle (i got it right this time!)

here's the thing that i think a lot of people don't quite realize. it's not just about the team any person is a fan for. there's a team in the other conference thats's going through the same kinds of trials and tribulations. they're getting better because they're learning all kinds of things in the most intense moments. and losing in them. and figuring out how to get better through them.

you gotta fight and develop the tools that teach you how to survive in the end game.

it's why i don't really care for the complaints about how this team should be up so and so much, or have swept, or won more games, etc. if this team was THAT good then they would have swept both rounds already and be 1:2 title favorites in vegas. this team hasn't earned anything. they're still learning how to win and we should watch and enjoy the evolution of a potential champion.

Bingo. And with the lack of time together healthy, the more games the better. And honestly it's quite impressive doing this well in the playoffs when they team has probably less than or just about 20 games under their belt fully healthy. Learning on the fly while also winning? What's not to love about this team in the postseason?

I'm enjoying the journey and I'm noticing growth, even mid game and by quarter. For example, when the refs started calling all kinds of crap on the Clippers in the Dallas series, they lost their cool. This time, they just got mad and made sure no matter what the refs did, Denver wasn't going to beat them. Kept a level head and just pushed through the adversity at the start of the 3rd quarter and so forth.

[Quake Griffin]

Takes that are easier to say when up 3-1.

[Max Headrom]

Takes that are easier to say when up 3-1.

Nope, I've been confident in this team all year, a couple of bad quarters or games didn't change that

[NickP]

Great team win. They didn't fold when Denver kept coming back.
Doc did a good job with substitutions. Only 9 more to go.