PG out. Will be re-evaluated in 3-4 weeks

[esqtvd]

Well hopefully he and Kawhi still have a shot of coming back this season.

If we can win at Indy tomorrow, I think we are gonna make the play in even if they don’t come back. It may end up a ‘moral victory’ type season anyway, but after Kawhi’s injury that was looking like the best case scenario- before we lost PG.

And now again we have a team of kids playing good ball, just like Doc's no All-Star playoff team.

Then that next year, the 2019-2020 team never found its identity on the court, especially with the 'load management' BS. And PRIVATE DRESSING ROOMS for the two new superstars??!! And it never found its grit, its personality either, so when Trezz lost his mojo both physically and mentally, we crashed and burned. [Lou's lemon chicken episode didn't help either.]


I do think those errors will not be repeated-- but doubts do niggle. It's not even if will they fit with the kids--after leading us to the WCFs, PandemicP is hopefully gone for good and Kawhi can fit in anywhere [SEE: Raptors].


So it's not whether the Clippers are a better team without Kawhi or PG, but with Kawhi AND PG..? Did they ever really learn how to play with each other?

If we can pull this off this year, THAT will be the rest of the story. The supporting cast is ready to do their part.

I'd say last year's playoffs is where our current roster finally learned how to really play together, and battle through adversity- not only losing Kawhi, but a couple of 2-0 deficits as well. The team hasn't wilted last year or this year, and seems to really respond well to adversity and the underdog role. Ty is doing a great job with lineups and generally putting the team in the best position to win.

I also believe we will hear (and see) all the right things from PG and Kawhi as each approaches returning to court. In particular, Paul got his ego knocked down a couple of pegs after 2019/20 (for good reason), but he has responded really well and seems to recognizes (and now embrace) true vs. assumed leadership.

AMEN, brother. Adding a dominant scorer AND the greatest glue guy in the history of the NBA to a functioning core of young legs and great attitudes is an EXCITING prospect. That was SUPPOSED to be what would happen in 2019-20, but the wheels fell off--for reasons given [see above].

NOBODY'S head was on straight. This time around [unlike Lob City's, unfortunately]--EVERYBODY'S is.

[madmaxmedia]

And now again we have a team of kids playing good ball, just like Doc's no All-Star playoff team.

Then that next year, the 2019-2020 team never found its identity on the court, especially with the 'load management' BS. And PRIVATE DRESSING ROOMS for the two new superstars??!! And it never found its grit, its personality either, so when Trezz lost his mojo both physically and mentally, we crashed and burned. [Lou's lemon chicken episode didn't help either.]


I do think those errors will not be repeated-- but doubts do niggle. It's not even if will they fit with the kids--after leading us to the WCFs, PandemicP is hopefully gone for good and Kawhi can fit in anywhere [SEE: Raptors].


So it's not whether the Clippers are a better team without Kawhi or PG, but with Kawhi AND PG..? Did they ever really learn how to play with each other?

If we can pull this off this year, THAT will be the rest of the story. The supporting cast is ready to do their part.

I'd say last year's playoffs is where our current roster finally learned how to really play together, and battle through adversity- not only losing Kawhi, but a couple of 2-0 deficits as well. The team hasn't wilted last year or this year, and seems to really respond well to adversity and the underdog role. Ty is doing a great job with lineups and generally putting the team in the best position to win.

I also believe we will hear (and see) all the right things from PG and Kawhi as each approaches returning to court. In particular, Paul got his ego knocked down a couple of pegs after 2019/20 (for good reason), but he has responded really well and seems to recognizes (and now embrace) true vs. assumed leadership.

AMEN, brother. Adding a dominant scorer AND the greatest glue guy in the history of the NBA to a functioning core of young legs and great attitudes is an EXCITING prospect. That was SUPPOSED to be what would happen in 2019-20, but the wheels fell off--for reasons given [see above].

NOBODY'S head was on straight. This time around [unlike Lob City's, unfortunately]--EVERYBODY'S is.

I think you know you have a real team when you just enjoy rooting for them regardless of the final score. Last year's postseason was awesome. Even though we knew our championship chances got pretty dim after Kawhi went down, it was still always fun to watch and root for our guys.

[KL2]

Lue confirmed the report that PG is scheduled for an MRI on the 24th but things could change.

[wco81]

Lue confirmed the report that PG is scheduled for an MRI on the 24th but things could change.

So that will be more like 8 weeks, not 3-4 weeks first estimated when they took him out.

Lue also said Kawhi probably won't play this season either.

They are #8 now with 28 games to play, 6.5 games above #11 and just 2.5 games behind #6 Denver and 3 games behind #5 Denver.

So a play-in is at a minimum likely. You'd want both PG13 and Kawhi back at least 1-2 weeks before the play-in games for the Clippers to really go for it.

That would be like mid to late March, so in another 6 weeks or so?

But if the health of these two players are uncertain, the thing to do would be to tank. Unfortunately, OKC has the Clippers FRP, which is currently #15, just out of the lottery.

So you'd think the Clippers would want to keep it out of the lottery, keep trying to climb.

[madmaxmedia]

The bad news is that in our every-other-year 1st round pick schedule, we don't have our pick in the year BOTH our stars have been out.

The good news is, we are actually still likely to make the playoffs/play-in with BOTH our stars out. I mean at the beginning of the year, most of us were thinking slightly above .500/low playoff seed WITH a healthy Paul George.

[Roscoe Sheed]

The bad news is that in our every-other-year 1st round pick schedule, we don't have our pick in the year BOTH our stars have been out.

The good news is, we are actually still likely to make the playoffs/play-in with BOTH our stars out. I mean at the beginning of the year, most of us were thinking slightly above .500/low playoff seed WITH a healthy Paul George.

Lue has been very impressive in terms of coaching with such a deficit of talent.

I thought with PG that they would finish with 45-50 wins though.

[MartinToVaught]

I honestly don't think the so-called talent deficit is as huge as others do, especially with the reinforcements coming from the big trade and possibly the addition of a point guard. Sure, it sucks not having Kawhi and PG, but we still have plenty of good players on the court, and the West is also the weakest it's been since the year we snuck into the playoffs with Vaught/Rogers/Sealy and missed out on the Tim Duncan sweepstakes.

[KL2]

His MRI has been pushed back a day (Friday). Not sure why but the beat reporters said to keep in mind this won’t be the only thing to decide if he plays or not.

[madmaxmedia]

His MRI has been pushed back a day (Friday). Not sure why but the beat reporters said to keep in mind this won’t be the only thing to decide if he plays or not.

I think Frank made a point of saying that. My guess is that with all the hoopla about PG's hopeful return, he just wanted to tap the brakes a bit and try to keep expectations more even-keeled.

[nickhx2]

ya probably that

[KL2]

He’s feeling better needs more time.

Yeah. He’s not coming back either.

[MartinToVaught]

I really hate everything about the way this team handles injuries. Just tell the truth, admit he's out for the season. Stop stringing us along with false hope.

[Goner]

He’s feeling better needs more time.

Yeah. He’s not coming back either.

Ya, I seen't the (non) statement by Lue, too.

[Kelphus]

This is a nice whisper….

Read on Twitter

[interesting - the tweet was deleted - it said the whispers around the NBA were that PG13 and Kawhi were coming back in the next two weeks - tweet was dated March 1]

[Roscoe Sheed]

This is a nice whisper….

Read on Twitter

maybe Kawhi can make it back in the last few games as well. Don't want him to rush back, but if he's ready it would be great if he could play

[madmaxmedia]

This is a nice whisper….

Read on Twitter

LOL, let's not play that game again and get our hopes up.

It would be really weird to get Kawhi, PG AND Norm back at the end of the season. It would be a lot fun regardless of how it goes, as long as everyone stays healthy. Ty would really have his work cut out for him figuring lineups and how to integrate each of them back onto the active roster.

[Goner]

This is a nice whisper….

Read on Twitter

LOL, let's not play that game again and get our hopes up.

It would be really weird to get Kawhi, PG AND Norm back at the end of the season. It would be a lot fun regardless of how it goes, as long as everyone stays healthy. Ty would really have his work cut out for him figuring lineups and how to integrate each of them back onto the active roster.

Watch the Vegas betting odds closely in the coming weeks. If they fall significantly, then the whispers may be true; the Vegas wiseguys tend to be plugged in.

[KL2]

I’m not familiar with this person. Is there reason to give his tweet some consideration? More than others who tweet similar stuff?

Powell/And1 posted a pic of him in gear with the caption return loading. It’s safe to say he’ll be back this season.

I waffle back and forth on PG. Some days it feels like he’ll be back and other days it feels like we’re being strung along.

I assume Leonard is out. Stupid me will hold out hope until there’s 10 games left though. I don’t believe he’d return with less than that. Minutes restriction and conditioning and so on to work through.

[Kelphus]

KL2 - no I have no info that the author of the tweet had any particular reliability ... but isn't it interesting that it was taken down? Maybe somebody was told to keep things quiet?

Also interesting a poster mentioned a video clip of Morris shooting showed PG 13 AND Kawhi in the background - shooting... and THAT was taken down when some commented on the background ...

Curiouser and curiouser, right?

[KL2]

Thanks for clearing that up. I know some of the tweets posted here are no Woj but they’re no troll either. Hard for me to keep track sometimes.

I hadn’t realize the other tweet was taken down too.

Dang these people getting my hopes up again.