2 questions (too soon?)

[msgkings322]

1. Are the Clippers this good? They are demolishing teams and not just cupcakes. Beat the hell out of the Spurs in S.A. for example. Too soon to say?

2. Is the Warriors' plan to just try to outscore everybody? Is the idea that to maximize the efficiency of 4 scorers you have to play at breakneck pace and just out everything the other team's offense? While I think this will be very effective in the regular season as it's already got them on a 65 win pace, in the playoffs it's a whole different thing. What got them as far as they did the last 2 years was offense but more traditional D.

Or is too soon to write this? Maybe that's part of what they will evolve once the offense gels?

 

[Bolts]

1. Clippers are a great regular season team, could push 60 wins if they stay healthy. Until they make it to the WCF, I can't call them a legit title contender. I'd love to see my team at 50-60 wins even if they didn't win it all, but I'm sure Clippers fans are sick of them getting close and finding ways to fuck it up(like game 5 vsOKC and game 6 vsHOU)

2. I'm pretty sure outscoring everybody is the way you win games, so it's a good plan for them to have.

 

[WiggyRuss]

1. Are the Clippers this good? They are demolishing teams and not just cupcakes. Beat the hell out of the Spurs in S.A. for example. Too soon to say?

2. Is the Warriors' plan to just try to outscore everybody? Is the idea that to maximize the efficiency of 4 scorers you have to play at breakneck pace and just out everything the other team's offense? While I think this will be very effective in the regular season as it's already got them on a 65 win pace, in the playoffs it's a whole different thing. What got them as far as they did the last 2 years was offense but more traditional D.

Or is too soon to write this? Maybe that's part of what they will evolve once the offense gels?

1. They arent on the Cavs or Warriors level - yet--- but i think that Griffin had to swallow a lot of pride and is supermotivated this season- is healthy- and is right in hte prime of his career. I think DeAndre Jordan's Olympic experience was beneficial to him- and he has both the game and a much improved mental side of the game this year.

SF is obviously still a problem and why i cant put them at the very top tier of teams. Having serviceable bench big men like speights and bass certainly helps stability wise.

2. Warriors probably are just gonna try and out score people. Your big man rotation is Pachulia, Durant, Draymond, West, a Mcgee....that is just not that good defensively. Draymond is obviously an amazing defensive player- but you have basically no rim protection- and no one that is gonna shake someones teeth loose on a screen like bogut. As i have been saying- West is cooked- hes a replacement level guy now. Durant pretty good/decent defender but he wants no part of being physical on the defensive side for a whole game. Iguadala will be 33 in January and is not what he used to be 5 years ago defensively- thats for sure.

Their priority shoudl be to get a decent big man either through a buyout or a small trade....(much like i think the Cavs will prob need to do that for a PG at some point)

Barnes actually was pretty versatile defensively- being able to guard wings and some smaller big men- Bogut of course was a solid defender and spectacular screener- and rebounder.

Obviously I still think the Warriors are right on the top tier of teams with the Cavs and no one else--- and imagining duranttaking barne's shots last year is rather scary- but they just dont have the toughness, versatility, rebounding, screening- cohesiveness- that they had last year.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Iguadala looks like he has been aging in dog years....holy crap.

Without Barnes- who covers LeBron- Iggy is takin a step back- Durant wants no part of that.....that is gonna be a free-for-all.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

1. Yes, they are that good in the regular Season. They actually have a bench capable of extending leads.But, I expect to become close companions of Patron Silver come the 2nd round of the playoffs.

2. Yes, the best defense is a good offense. They simply don't have the personnel to play the defense of yesteryear. So, go up by 30 early to break the opposition's spirit might be as sound a defensive strategy as any.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Iguadala looks like he has been aging in dog years....holy crap.

Without Barnes- who covers LeBron- Iggy is takin a step back- Durant wants no part of that.....that is gonna be a free-for-all.

I actually feel sorry for Draymond.

Being undersized, it's a lot easier to play defense when you have Bogut behind you. He's still doing well. But, let's see what he has left come Seasons end.

Yeah, Iggy looks rough. We know that Celtics trade was just spitballing. But, Crowder would have been amazing in the Iggy role.

 

[msgkings322]

1. Clippers are a great regular season team, could push 60 wins if they stay healthy. Until they make it to the WCF, I can't call them a legit title contender. I'd love to see my team at 50-60 wins even if they didn't win it all, but I'm sure Clippers fans are sick of them getting close and finding ways to fuck it up(like game 5 vsOKC and game 6 vsHOU)

2. I'm pretty sure outscoring everybody is the way you win games, so it's a good plan for them to have.

Yes I get it. But no one has ever won the championship just saying forget stopping the other team, we will just score more and faster and more efficiently than you and win games 125-115. As I said in the regular season it's no problem when most of your opposition is significantly worse than you are.

They are doing an experiment in real time, trying to do something never done before. We'll see if it works, it is fascinating as a fan of basketball but as a Warriors fan it's nerve-wracking.

The rumor has now started that they may trade Thompson to get some size. One rumor I just heard on the radio in SF was Klay to Boston for Bradley, Crowder and Noel.

 

[CitySushi]

The Clippers were one of the teams I said before the year that could end up being the #1 seed in the West. The talent has always been there, it's just a matter of putting it together (and staying healthy). I think they'll end up having a spectacular regular season, but as always it's what they do in the post-season that matters. So far the Clips have been blowing people out, which means that no one is using the Hack-A-Jordan strategy yet. Also teams aren't particularly game-planning at this point in the season to try and prevent Blake or CP3 from going off. I think it is too early to predict how good they can be, but they're looking great so far.

As for the Warriors, they're out-scoring everyone, because offense is the easiest part of a team that you can fix right away with new personnel. The natural talent Steph, Klay and KD is enough to win you games. Right now the Warriors are winning in spite of their defense. That's what needs to get cleaned up. It's not all about back-line defense for me either. There is still a learning curve with the rotations and I've seen way too many mistakes from the perimeter. If the Warriors can become an elite perimeter defense team(which they have the tools to do), it will negate a lot of drivers from getting to the hoop, thus preventing inside scoring.

What people forget about the "Death Lineup" is that there was no rim protection there, but it worked on defense because you have 5 guys all capable of shutting it down on the perimeter. They were able to switch everything, prevent drivers, and gang rebounding. Right now they're not doing any of that. The strategy on defense behind the death lineup would work if you can become that elite perimeter defensive team.

Also I like that McCaw has already taken over the 4th guard role over Ian Clark. Livingston is first off the bench, but McCaw has seen his playing time and role increase already. Kid is going to be a factor in a big way for the team this year. Defensively, he's already drawing praise from people outside the organization. His offense is still a work in progress, but his defense alone will get him time on the court.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Also I like that McCaw has already taken over the 4th guard role over Ian Clark. Livingston is first off the bench, but McCaw has seen his playing time and role increase already. Kid is going to be a factor in a big way for the team this year. Defensively, he's already drawing praise from people outside the organization. His offense is still a work in progress, but his defense alone will get him time on the court.

#Hatechu

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

No, the clippers suck

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

No, the clippers suck

 

[WiggyRuss]

iguadala looks like he aged in dogs years over the offseason...

 

[CitySushi]

iguadala looks like he aged in dogs years over the offseason...

Iguodala's numbers are down, but he's doing just as many things on the court. Just different things now. You can see he's passing up looks to try and get KD involved and probably being a bit too passive.

 

[logic]

Yes I get it. But no one has ever won the championship just saying forget stopping the other team, we will just score more and faster and more efficiently than you and win games 125-115. As I said in the regular season it's no problem when most of your opposition is significantly worse than you are.
.

1985 Finals
Game 1

LAL 114 Final
BOS 148
Game 2
LAL 109 Final
BOS 102
Game 3
BOS 111 Final
LAL 136
Game 4
BOS 107 Final
LAL 105
Game 5
BOS 111 Final
LAL 120
Game 6
LAL 111 Final
BOS 100

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Clippers are not this good but they are good obviously. Let's see how they play when it matters though, that's all everyone will care about.

Warriors defense will be a problem. Their interior defense and tempo of play will make it where teams with any sort of offensive fire power can hang around with them. When they turn it on they can beat bad teams in just 5 minutes, but when playing a good team with great coaching good luck. They need to add a big man desperately.

 

[tducey]

The Clippers are off to a fast start for sure. Let's see if they can keep it up.

As to the Warriors, yeah offense is good but you get to the playoffs defenses will clamp down, the Warriors could run into trouble then if they don't figure out their defense.

 

[SJ76]

too soon


No real defense being played

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I get it that most people say the Clippers are a good regular season team, but no good in the playoffs, but I have to give @Mecca 's some love. This may be different this year because while they were pretty good in the past, they did not have a history of making the playoffs on a regular basis and subsequently were not prepared to elevate their game and take it to the next level. Yes it is too early, but if the Clippers continue to play this good, they could go further into the playoff and be at minimum in the final four teams. I say that because San Antonio can't be discounted and neither can the Warriors, but If I was making a prediction based the first ten games, I would say a Clippers vs Warriors Western Conference Finals and it would be brutal

 

[The Derski]

The clippers chemistry is about a million times better than GS. They are automatic while GS is trying to be a fancy Nancy show off every play.

 

[msgkings322]

The clippers chemistry is about a million times better than GS. They are automatic while GS is trying to be a fancy Nancy show off every play.

Shooting 3s is fancy Nancy?