Author Topic: Westbrook signs with Clippers  (Read 2256 times)

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Westbrook signs with Clippers
« on: February 20, 2023, 11:05:42 AM »

Offline perks-a-beast

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Re: Westbrook signs with Clippers
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2023, 11:19:38 AM »

Offline Who

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That might ruin them.

Re: Westbrook signs with Clippers
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2023, 11:24:41 AM »

Offline Who

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G: Westbrook, N Hyland
G: E Gordon, N Powell
F: P George, T Mann, Nic Batum
F: Kawhi, Marcus Morris, Covington
C: Zubac, Plumlee


I'd like to see T Mann start at SG there [for defensive reasons] but where are the minutes for Norm Powell and Eric Gordon if Mann starts at SG? Or do they go big with Marcus Morris starting and PG13 sliding to guard?

I reckon Eric Gordon to start with Powell as his deputy. Gordon has sturdier frame. Two bulky guards with E Gordon and Russ Westbrook. Best blend of offensive skill with E Gordon's superior handles & passing over N Powell or T Mann.

Re: Westbrook signs with Clippers
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2023, 11:26:32 AM »

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Were Westbrook, E Gordon, PG13 and Kawhi all in the same draft?

Edit: No, they weren't. The guards in 2008. PG13 in 2010. Kawhi 2011.

Feels like Kawhi has been in the league a lot longer than that. Probably due to all those injuries.

Re: Westbrook signs with Clippers
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2023, 11:35:56 AM »

Offline Goldstar88

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It probably won’t end well, but it could work. It’s all up to Westbrook and whether he’s willing to play a different role than he has in the past. They need him to primarily focus on being a facilitator. More driving, less shooting and solid defense. Hopefully he’s been humbled by what happened while on the LAL, but I doubt it. Russ is one of the most stubborn players I’ve ever seen.
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Re: Westbrook signs with Clippers
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2023, 11:41:29 AM »

Offline perks-a-beast

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That might ruin them.

Yeah, this might be the nail in the coffin. I take no pleasure in saying it because Leonard, Westbrook, George have been some of my favorite players in the league to watch over the past decade; but we’re almost 4 years into the load management Clips and they’ve won, what..1 playoff series? Maybe 2? Now you’re throwing one of the most stubborn and polarizing players in the league into the mix with 25 games to go in the regular season and expect to make a deep run? I’ll be shocked if they make it out of the first round, even without any major injuries to a rotation player - which, let’s be honest, probably won’t  happen.

Re: Westbrook signs with Clippers
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2023, 11:51:15 AM »

Offline perks-a-beast

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I must admit, though: Clips are definitely a better fit for WB than the Lakers from a basketball standpoint due to tons of floor spacing thanks a lot of great 3 point shooters on the Clips - Kawhi, George, Morris, Powell, Gordon are all above average.

Re: Westbrook signs with Clippers
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2023, 11:53:13 AM »

Offline Kernewek

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That might ruin them.

Yeah, this might be the nail in the coffin. I take no pleasure in saying it because Leonard, Westbrook, George have been some of my favorite players in the league to watch over the past decade; but we’re almost 4 years into the load management Clips and they’ve won, what..1 playoff series? Maybe 2? Now you’re throwing one of the most stubborn and polarizing players in the league into the mix with 25 games to go in the regular season and expect to make a deep run? I’ll be shocked if they make it out of the first round, even without any major injuries to a rotation player - which, let’s be honest, probably won’t  happen.

To this point there's been shockingly little difference between the Leonard/George Clippers and the Lob City era Clippers in terms of performance.
Man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much—the wheel, New York, wars and so on—whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time.

But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man—for precisely the same reasons.

Re: Westbrook signs with Clippers
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2023, 12:10:26 PM »

Offline Donoghus

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So many "if"s with the Clippers.


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Re: Westbrook signs with Clippers
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2023, 01:08:34 PM »

Offline SHAQATTACK

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Sorta of a gamble . 

Re: Westbrook signs with Clippers
« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2023, 01:16:49 PM »

Offline liam

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It depends on the lineups but the Clips do have two nonshooting bigs. With Russ on the floor that's two non-shooters on the floor at all times. That doesn't work so well in the playoffs.

Re: Westbrook signs with Clippers
« Reply #11 on: February 20, 2023, 01:25:20 PM »

Online Moranis

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It depends on the lineups but the Clips do have two nonshooting bigs. With Russ on the floor that's two non-shooters on the floor at all times. That doesn't work so well in the playoffs.
didn't the Warriors just win a title playing Looney and Draymond together?  Or the Lakers with Rondo, Davis, and Kuzma all 33% or below?
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Re: Westbrook signs with Clippers
« Reply #12 on: February 20, 2023, 01:34:24 PM »

Offline liam

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It depends on the lineups but the Clips do have two nonshooting bigs. With Russ on the floor that's two non-shooters on the floor at all times. That doesn't work so well in the playoffs.
didn't the Warriors just win a title playing Looney and Draymond together?  Or the Lakers with Rondo, Davis, and Kuzma all 33% or below?

The Warriors have the two best shooters of all time and the Lakers were the lockout. It could be done but it makes the playoffs much harder. West brook is shooting 29% from 3 and the two centers are shooting 0%... Draymond is shooting 33% from 3. Rondo shot 40% from 3 in the lockout playoffs. Davis shot 38% in the playoffs.
« Last Edit: February 20, 2023, 01:43:05 PM by liam »

Re: Westbrook signs with Clippers
« Reply #13 on: February 20, 2023, 02:59:36 PM »

Online Moranis

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It depends on the lineups but the Clips do have two nonshooting bigs. With Russ on the floor that's two non-shooters on the floor at all times. That doesn't work so well in the playoffs.
didn't the Warriors just win a title playing Looney and Draymond together?  Or the Lakers with Rondo, Davis, and Kuzma all 33% or below?

The Warriors have the two best shooters of all time and the Lakers were the lockout. It could be done but it makes the playoffs much harder. West brook is shooting 29% from 3 and the two centers are shooting 0%... Draymond is shooting 33% from 3. Rondo shot 40% from 3 in the lockout playoffs. Davis shot 38% in the playoffs.
Or maybe that is a narrative that isn't borne in reality.  I mean even last year, Rob didn't shoot at all, Smart was at 33%, White was below 31%, and Theis didn't hardly shoot either.  That is 3 of the top 8 and the 9th man from teh playoff rotation for Boston last year.  So that is both teams from the Finals last year with 2 starters that were poor or non-shooters.  Now the Suns and Bucks, both only had the 1 poor or non-shooter in Ayton and Giannis, but in 20 you had both the Lakers (who also had Dwight in addition to the other 3) and the Heat with Bam (who doesn't shoot at all) and Butler who was a below 30% shooter in the regular season (and below 31% in the Finals).  In 2019, you had the Raptors, full of shooting, playing the Warriors, who yes had Curry, Klay, and Durant, but they also had Draymond, Cousins, Looney, and Livingston.  In fact the Warriors have always played a lot of 2 poor shooter sets because Draymond is usually out there with a center that can't shoot. 

The idea that you can't win with 2 non-shooters, is a myth.  It isn't borne out in reality.  The teams in the Finals often have multiple non-shooters both starting and in the regular rotation. 
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Re: Westbrook signs with Clippers
« Reply #14 on: February 20, 2023, 03:40:03 PM »

Offline jpotter33

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Yuck. Don’t like that fit at all.

That said, the reports are that he’s agreed to a specific and defined role. Still, lots of question marks about that fit.