Koresh
09-13-2020, 01:50 PM
Ever since that nuclear explosion last July with Kawhi and PG signing with the Clippers, I have not bought in to the Clippers whatsoever and still do not now. I will give you legitimate reasons. First of all, when I watch this team, they do not scare me at all. This isn't the 2015-2016 Warriors or even the '17 Warriors. Even past contenders in the past scared me more than the Clippers. I'm talking early 2000s and prior.
All year, people have been saying the Clippers are the best team. They are super deep. They have elite defense. Blah, blah. I just do not see that when I see the Clippers. Here are my reasons.
1. They play with no sense of urgency whatsoever. They have no switch. They play like they are just happy or unhappy to be there. I should say unhappy because they have no type of cohesion.
2. Speaking of cohesion, this team has no team chemistry. They have a lot of talent, which is good enough in the modern NBA. This is probably the worst thing about the Clippers. They are just winning games because they out talent everyone else. This team has no chemistry.
3. Offensive system is nonexistent. It's basically, "we have Kawhi, do you thing baby." If not Kawhi, it's PG chucking or the Lou/Trez pick and roll. They have no motion offense or any type of system that makes me go W-O-W. It's basically freelance ISO and chucking shots. The reason why it's so effective is because Kawhi is so efficient and PG is streaky and can get hot.
4. The so-called bench being the best or deep. Still not buying Montrezl Harrell or Lou Williams. They do nothing for me and they play way too many minutes. Lou Williams is a defensive liability and teams should be hunting for him, which the Lakers do pretty well. Montrezl Harrell is an energy guy who should really be a starter. People don't understand that this dude could leave soon and be on any NBA team and get starter minutes, which I think is going to happen. Not a fan of Harrell, but he's too good to be off the bench.
5. Too small/no interior presence. Joakim Noah isn't going to cut it. Zubac isn't going to cut it. Patrick Patterson isn't going to cut it. Montrezl Harrell is also too small.
6. Defense is not as good as their stats or advanced stats for that matter. I don't see an elite defensive team. Kawhi Leonard is still great defensively, but 2017 Leonard is no more. PG has always been overrated as a defender and I don't consider him a two-way player. Jimmy Butler is a two-way player to me.
7. Have trouble closing out games. Since they rely on Kawhi and PG so much, one or both of them struggle, they will lose. Even if one of them is elite on the court and one has a shit game, they will still lose. They don't have another guy aka 3rd option who will take over. Lou Williams isn't it to me either. He has been shit in the playoffs. Ironically, all year we have heard the Lakers have no bench or 3rd guy, but on any given night, one or two role players step up. I have never seen Shamet or Reggie Jackson just have 25 or more points or Zubac having 25. The only team in the playoffs to blow two 16-point leads. Mavericks and Nuggets series are 6 games. That's not good.
8. Playmaking. Playmaking is still a huge problem. They have none. Goes back to their so-called system or your turn, my turn. No real point guards on their team, just a bunch of scoring SGs in a PG's body. Patrick Beverley, no comment.
Long story short, I don't buy the Clippers. It's all white noise to me until proven otherwise. The only team they get up for is the Lakers because of a manufactured rivalry that doesn't exist and the media fellatio because everyone hates the Lakers. The Lakers and Clippers match up well with each other, but I just feel the Lakers are so much better than them. I have seen all of their games (both LA teams) and I've seen enough. I just don't see a run away dynasty with the Clippers. They don't play like they are the best. They are complacent and comfortable. They play with no sense of urgency at all. They don't play hard or hustle much. I just don't see the Clippers as the heavy favorites like people have been saying all year. I have not been impressed with them all year. They are more talented than a lot of teams, but they are making it work because they have talent. They have no offensive system, their defense is suspect. Their bench is overrated and not as deep as people say it is.
The Clippers have a lot of issues. The Lakers can beat them. This Lakers-Clippers WCF is going to the series for the ages and I can't wait to see it. It's going 6 or 7 easily.
All year, people have been saying the Clippers are the best team. They are super deep. They have elite defense. Blah, blah. I just do not see that when I see the Clippers. Here are my reasons.
1. They play with no sense of urgency whatsoever. They have no switch. They play like they are just happy or unhappy to be there. I should say unhappy because they have no type of cohesion.
2. Speaking of cohesion, this team has no team chemistry. They have a lot of talent, which is good enough in the modern NBA. This is probably the worst thing about the Clippers. They are just winning games because they out talent everyone else. This team has no chemistry.
3. Offensive system is nonexistent. It's basically, "we have Kawhi, do you thing baby." If not Kawhi, it's PG chucking or the Lou/Trez pick and roll. They have no motion offense or any type of system that makes me go W-O-W. It's basically freelance ISO and chucking shots. The reason why it's so effective is because Kawhi is so efficient and PG is streaky and can get hot.
4. The so-called bench being the best or deep. Still not buying Montrezl Harrell or Lou Williams. They do nothing for me and they play way too many minutes. Lou Williams is a defensive liability and teams should be hunting for him, which the Lakers do pretty well. Montrezl Harrell is an energy guy who should really be a starter. People don't understand that this dude could leave soon and be on any NBA team and get starter minutes, which I think is going to happen. Not a fan of Harrell, but he's too good to be off the bench.
5. Too small/no interior presence. Joakim Noah isn't going to cut it. Zubac isn't going to cut it. Patrick Patterson isn't going to cut it. Montrezl Harrell is also too small.
6. Defense is not as good as their stats or advanced stats for that matter. I don't see an elite defensive team. Kawhi Leonard is still great defensively, but 2017 Leonard is no more. PG has always been overrated as a defender and I don't consider him a two-way player. Jimmy Butler is a two-way player to me.
7. Have trouble closing out games. Since they rely on Kawhi and PG so much, one or both of them struggle, they will lose. Even if one of them is elite on the court and one has a shit game, they will still lose. They don't have another guy aka 3rd option who will take over. Lou Williams isn't it to me either. He has been shit in the playoffs. Ironically, all year we have heard the Lakers have no bench or 3rd guy, but on any given night, one or two role players step up. I have never seen Shamet or Reggie Jackson just have 25 or more points or Zubac having 25. The only team in the playoffs to blow two 16-point leads. Mavericks and Nuggets series are 6 games. That's not good.
8. Playmaking. Playmaking is still a huge problem. They have none. Goes back to their so-called system or your turn, my turn. No real point guards on their team, just a bunch of scoring SGs in a PG's body. Patrick Beverley, no comment.
Long story short, I don't buy the Clippers. It's all white noise to me until proven otherwise. The only team they get up for is the Lakers because of a manufactured rivalry that doesn't exist and the media fellatio because everyone hates the Lakers. The Lakers and Clippers match up well with each other, but I just feel the Lakers are so much better than them. I have seen all of their games (both LA teams) and I've seen enough. I just don't see a run away dynasty with the Clippers. They don't play like they are the best. They are complacent and comfortable. They play with no sense of urgency at all. They don't play hard or hustle much. I just don't see the Clippers as the heavy favorites like people have been saying all year. I have not been impressed with them all year. They are more talented than a lot of teams, but they are making it work because they have talent. They have no offensive system, their defense is suspect. Their bench is overrated and not as deep as people say it is.
The Clippers have a lot of issues. The Lakers can beat them. This Lakers-Clippers WCF is going to the series for the ages and I can't wait to see it. It's going 6 or 7 easily.