Are the 2020 Clippers better than the 2019 Raptors?

[StrongLurk]

I will say that the Raptors had SO many guys step up in the playoffs/finals last year. FVV after he had his kid was playing like an allstar, we saw Siakam have success, Lowry played big, Gasol/Ibaka were solid on O but great on D.

With that being said, are the 2020 Clippers even better? I feel like the 20 Clips are definitely more talented, but I think a lot of their success will depend on how good PG plays. If he plays like he did last year putting up somthing like 25/7/4 alongside Kawhi, then I think the 20 Clips are even better than the 2019 Raptors.

[Axe]

If they finished with a record of more than 58-24, then i am pretty convinced that they already are. But the season is shortened already because of this pandemic. So I'll just base that on their final regular season win % instead.

[SouBeachTalents]

Hard to compare a champ with a team that hasn't played a playoff game

[StrongLurk]

Hard to compare a champ with a team that hasn't played a playoff game

Well, the Raptors were only champs due to injuries to Golden State. But they still had a high level of play even though they would have lost to a full health 2019 Warriors. The 2020 Clips would also lose to a healthy 2019 Warriors.

[Axe]

Well, the Raptors were only champs due to injuries to Golden State. But they still had a high level of play even though they would have lost to a full health 2019 Warriors. The 2020 Clips would also lose to a healthy 2019 Warriors.
Too bad the warriors aren't completely invincible at all when you think of it.

[HBK_Kliq_2]

2020 clippers are a 62 win pace team with Kawhi playing and George missed about 12 of those games. So this is a 70-74 win team we are talking about if they actually stay healthy. Clippers are basically the 2020 version of 90s bulls.

[NBAGOAT]

could be shown wrong but i think so

[houston]

No they are not

[Axe]

2020 clippers are a 62 win pace team with Kawhi playing and George missed about 12 of those games. So this is a 70-74 win team we are talking about if they actually stay healthy. Clippers are basically the 2020 version of 90s bulls.
That's too premature or too some extent, a delusional conclusion.

[Akeem34TheDream]

People are not aware how good Clippers can be when they are fully healthy.

[oldtimer28]

Hard to compare a champ with a team that hasn't played a playoff game

this

[tpols]

Yes.

[tpols]

but it's close. siakam is better than paul george. that finals game at the start where he went 14-17 for 32 points was just unbelievable. It's one of the greatest performances on the big stage i've ever seen. He couldn't miss... the skill and touch... unbelievable. Everybody forgot about it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ugrYiEl9gg

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Time will tell, but my gut says no.

Clips have a better second option in PG. And arguably better role players with a better bench.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

^Oops. Read it as the Raptors being better.

At this point, I'm not seeing it.

[HBK_Kliq_2]

but it's close. siakam is better than paul george. that finals game at the start where he went 14-17 for 32 points was just unbelievable. It's one of the greatest performances on the big stage i've ever seen. He couldn't miss... the skill and touch... unbelievable. Everybody forgot about it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ugrYiEl9gg

Warriors were playing extremely cautious defense on Kawhi and double teaming him every time he touched the ball, so Siakam broke out that game. Siakam also missed 12 straight three pointers in the finals which I doubt George would ever do.

George still was top 3 in MVP and top 3 in defensive player of the year in 2019, much higher peak then Siakam has ever had.

[HBK_Kliq_2]

That's too premature or too some extent, a delusional conclusion.

62 win pace with their 2nd best player missing 12 games. A healthy George accounts for them to be close to a 70+ win team.

[tpols]

Warriors were playing extremely cautious defense on Kawhi and double teaming him every time he touched the ball, so Siakam broke out that game. Siakam also missed 12 straight three pointers in the finals which I doubt George would ever do.

George still was top 3 in MVP and top 3 in defensive player of the year in 2019, much higher peak then Siakam has ever had.

dude watch the tape, he did that on dray. a DPOY.

siakam's not a shooter... he's a bernard king like crafty midrange player that just outskills and outsmarts you with feathery touch on all his shots. all i'm saying is I have watched both of these guys extensively and pascal impressed me more last year than Paul George ever has. He's got an uncanny knack for the game.

[HBK_Kliq_2]

dude watch the tape, he did that on dray. a DPOY.

siakam's not a shooter... he's a bernard king like crafty midrange player that just outskills and outsmarts you with feathery touch on all his shots. all i'm saying is I have watched both of these guys extensively and pascal impressed me more last year than Paul George ever has. He's got an uncanny knack for the game.

I watched that game live, all the attention was on Kawhi. Warriors were scared shitless of Kawhi at first. Draymond then payed more attention to Siakam by game 2 and shut him down.

Has George ever had an opportunity to play with a guy like Kawhi though? The answer is no, not even close.

Siakam was terrible in the 76ers series, especially once Embiid started guarding him. He was also very mediocre in the bucks series. It was only a matter of time before he finally woke up and that's what you saw in game 1 finals.

Siakam was lucky to play next to Kawhi. He's a good but not great slasher with an inconsistent jumpshot, that gets exposed once the offensive pace slows down. Expect Siakam to get destroyed as a 1st option and remember I was the first one to warn you.

[RRR3]

but it's close. siakam is better than paul george. that finals game at the start where he went 14-17 for 32 points was just unbelievable. It's one of the greatest performances on the big stage i've ever seen. He couldn't miss... the skill and touch... unbelievable. Everybody forgot about it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ugrYiEl9gg
Tpols at it again :lol

[StrongLurk]

The Clippers arguably have the best playoff player in the league in Kawhi (who is averaging 30/8/5.6 per 36 min this season), another superstar in PG, then two 20ppg scorers in Lou/Harrell (they both have a per36 scoring average of 23ppg and 24ppg).

Not to mention the Clips have a lot of depth and even added other players like the Morris Twin, Reggie Jackson, and I think even Joakim Noah.

Idk, it just seems like if they are healthy in the playoffs and we don't have any Covid-19 shenanigans, then I just don't see how the Clippers can lose.

[tpols]

Tpols at it again :lol



have you ever seen a big man with a cleaner euro step than pascal siakam?

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

The Clippers arguably have the best playoff player in the league in Kawhi (who is averaging 30/8/5.6 per 36 min this season), another superstar in PG, then two 20ppg scorers in Lou/Harrell (they both have a per36 scoring average of 23ppg and 24ppg).

Not to mention the Clips have a lot of depth and even added other players like the Morris Twin, Reggie Jackson, and I think even Joakim Noah.

Idk, it just seems like if they are healthy in the playoffs and we don't have any Covid-19 shenanigans, then I just don't see how the Clippers can lose.

You've come a long way from that dumb detractor shtick. Now you sound like a Kawhi fan :lol

If you're referring to a Laker/Clipper matchup, I could see them losing if AD and Bron are playing with peak synergy. That duo has another threshold we haven't seen yet.

[Roundball_Rock]

On paper for sure but we have to see how they perform on the playoff stage while we know the Raptors came through.


siakam is better than paul george.

:facepalm


George still was top 3 in MVP and top 3 in defensive player of the year in 2019, much higher peak then Siakam has ever had.

Exactly. People don't realize how good he has been because he was always in the shadow of LeBron, KD and also Carmelo early on and then Kawhi rose when Carmelo fell but compare his resume to a guy like Paul Pierce or Worthy and PG already stacks up well. For example:

All-NBA: George 5, Pierce 4, Worthy 2
All-NBA 1st: George 1, Pierce/Worthy 0
Top 5 in MVP: George 1, Pierce/Worthy 0
Top 10 in MVP: George 2, Pierce 1, Worthy 0


Tpols at it again

:lol

[HBK_Kliq_2]

On paper for sure but we have to see how they perform on the playoff stage while we know the Raptors came through.



:facepalm



Exactly. People don't realize how good he has been because he was always in the shadow of LeBron, KD and also Carmelo early on and then Kawhi rose when Carmelo fell but compare his resume to a guy like Paul Pierce or Worthy and PG already stacks up well. For example:

All-NBA: George 5, Pierce 4, Worthy 2
All-NBA 1st: George 1, Pierce/Worthy 0
Top 5 in MVP: George 1, Pierce/Worthy 0
Top 10 in MVP: George 2, Pierce 1, Worthy 0



:lol

Ya and his best teammates with Pacers were roy hibbert and David West. He also went from the least efficient superstar in Westbrook to the most efficient superstar in Kawhi. We will see after the playoff run but for now I have to give George the edge.

[Roundball_Rock]

Ya and his best teammates with Pacers were roy hibbert and David West. He also went from the least efficient superstar in Westbrook to the most efficient superstar in Kawhi

Yup, plus the Clippers have viable 3rd and 4th scorers too, both averaging 19 PPG this year. As a comparison, in 2013 PG himself was 17 PPG and 2014 22 PPG--as the #1 option. The Clippers are getting 19 from their fourth guy.

As a benchmark PG was 29/9/4 on 58% TS in the playoffs last year as the #1 option on OKC. In theory, his efficiency should be higher on the Clippers while his counting stats should decrease but let's see how it plays out.

[999Guy]

Clippers have way more holes. They’re a lot more beatable than Toronto in a playoff series.

Lou Williams, Shamet, Jamychal were all disasters in the playoffs.

PG is fantastic when healthy but streaky when not. Seems he’s regressed back to 2018 form after the shoulder surgery.

PG, Bev, Harrell and Kawhi are the only sure bet performers on both ends and Harrell has been given a backseat on load and usage.

Morris sucks. They traded Harkless who was good for them which was a big mistake.

Toronto went 8 deep on two-way players and 9 deep on average or better offensive players.

Better team.

[Clippersfan86]

62 win pace with their 2nd best player missing 12 games. A healthy George accounts for them to be close to a 70+ win team.

Clippers paced 67+ wins with Beverley+PG+Kawhi in lineup. Net rating similar to Bucks in those games. People are mislead due to injuries.

[HBK_Kliq_2]

Clippers have way more holes. They’re a lot more beatable than Toronto in a playoff series.

Lou Williams, Shamet, Jamychal were all disasters in the playoffs.

PG is fantastic when healthy but streaky when not. Seems he’s regressed back to 2018 form after the shoulder surgery.

PG, Bev, Harrell and Kawhi are the only sure bet performers on both ends and Harrell has been given a backseat on load and usage.

Morris sucks. They traded Harkless who was good for them which was a big mistake.

Toronto went 8 deep on two-way players and 9 deep on average or better offensive players.

Better team.


Clippers paced 67+ wins with Beverley+PG+Kawhi in lineup. Net rating similar to Bucks in those games. People are mislead due to injuries.

67 win pace but all these flaws, something doesn't sound right about that. GOAT Leonard must be covering up any weaknesses.

[Roundball_Rock]

Clippers paced 67+ wins with Beverley+PG+Kawhi in lineup. Net rating similar to Bucks in those games. People are mislead due to injuries.

That is impressive.

[Axe]

62 win pace with their 2nd best player missing 12 games. A healthy George accounts for them to be close to a 70+ win team.
Sure, it's possible that they can win over 60 games. But 70 games? We need to see that first.

[Axe]

Clippers have way more holes. They’re a lot more beatable than Toronto in a playoff series.

Lou Williams, Shamet, Jamychal were all disasters in the playoffs.

PG is fantastic when healthy but streaky when not. Seems he’s regressed back to 2018 form after the shoulder surgery.

PG, Bev, Harrell and Kawhi are the only sure bet performers on both ends and Harrell has been given a backseat on load and usage.

Morris sucks. They traded Harkless who was good for them which was a big mistake.

Toronto went 8 deep on two-way players and 9 deep on average or better offensive players.

Better team.
You should probably realize that they're still a potential threat to the lakers.