That might ruin them.

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.

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.

Quote from: Who on February 20, 2023, 11:19:38 AM

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.

Sorta of a gamble . 

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?

Quote from: Moranis on February 20, 2023, 01:25:20 PM

Quote from: liam on February 20, 2023, 01:16:49 PM

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.