Clips Nation - All PostsWhat it do babyyyhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47967/clipsnation_fave.png2023-02-27T16:00:39-08:00http://www.clipsnation.com/rss/current/2023-02-27T16:00:39-08:002023-02-27T16:00:39-08:00Kawhi as good as he’s ever been? Three takeaways from Clippers-Nuggets
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<figcaption>Kawhi Leonard posts up before no doubt hitting something crazy for the Clippers. | Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points on 12-for-19 from the field, but he couldn’t save the Clippers from falling 134-124 to the Denver Nuggets.</p> <p id="4jrmia">Seemingly not content with helping to produce the <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/2023/2/25/23614648/los-angeles-clippers-sacramento-kings-final-score-russell-westbrook-terance-mann-tyronn-lue">second highest-scoring game in NBA history</a>, the <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com">Los Angeles Clippers</a> went to overtime once again, as they fell 134-124 to the <a href="https://www.denverstiffs.com">Denver Nuggets</a>.</p>
<p id="Mkq3hu">This time around, the squad will feel that they didn’t do themselves justice in the extended period, just as they started off the game far too slowly and the home team made them pay. Nikola Jokic had 40, Michael Porter Jr. had 29 and Jamal Murray had 21, in a scoring performance that felt like a throwback to their 2020 vintage.</p>
<p id="pGYvVS">We don’t want to welcome any of those vibes around here though, so let’s get into the takeaways…</p>
<h2 id="3JZq3q">The Clippers may have a Morris problem</h2>
<p id="i8xXF7">In a complete juxtaposition to his personal performance in those Bubble times, Marcus Morris Sr. had a truly horrible night in Denver. He wasn’t the reason the team lost, in fact he helped them space the floor in the fourth to ensure they even had a chance, but his impact beyond that has severely dwindled over the course of this season.</p>
<p id="q8RBhx">As with last night’s familiar-faced opponent <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/2023/2/15/23601163/los-angeles-clippers-reggie-jackson-legend-career-highlights">Reggie Jackson</a>, Mook has contributed so much to this organization, stepping up to carry the scoring burden when the stars have been sidelined. However, it was the former’s time to move on and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the latter found himself out of the rotation as we edge closer to the postseason, because it’s tough to watch him right now.</p>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr">Hi <a href="https://twitter.com/Reggie_Jackson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Reggie_Jackson</a> <a href="https://t.co/VrDkjosPOX">pic.twitter.com/VrDkjosPOX</a></p>— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) <a href="https://twitter.com/LAClippers/status/1630022660028784641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2023</a>
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<p id="8WC5LX">Morris is the kind of player who could hit his first shot and have himself a huge scoring night at any moment, but it feels like the Clippers can’t carry his weaknesses in hope for too much longer…</p>
<h2 id="gRi0BK">But they’ve got no Kawhi qualms</h2>
<p id="qbGgR2">Speaking of carrying, Kawhi Leonard is hitting a different plane at the moment. That period in the fourth quarter where he and Jokic were trading buckets was one of those truly great spells of basketball that you just have to sit and marvel at. Crazy then that it absolutely isn’t the first time this season that I’ve just sat and marveled at what the Clippers’ leading light has been producing.</p>
<p id="zd8fNG">It was once again a super-efficient outing for Leonard, who scored 33 points on 12-for-19 from the field, including 3-for-4 from deep. While he was a better defender during his time with both the <a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com">San Antonio Spurs</a> and the <a href="https://www.raptorshq.com">Toronto Raptors</a>, he honestly looks as good offensively as he ever has right now and that should be a warning to every other team in the league.</p>
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<p id="7DcfOJ">It’s funny to see how much the narrative has changed from earlier on in his comeback, when high-profile voices were trying to write him off as quickly as they could…</p>
<h2 id="B6oqos">Do they have too much to do though?</h2>
<p id="ACukKr">On that note, people are still writing off the Clippers. The problem is, it’s mostly Clippers fans. The other problem is that I actually understand where those fans are coming from. Last night was another game where Tyronn Lue tinkered with lineups but more frustratingly stuck with some lineups that just weren’t working, before coming out after and admitting to his mistakes.</p>
<p id="1YJ5bp">That’s to be respected to some extent, but supporters are running out of patience with those bad decisions and the team is running out of runway to show they are capable of a deep postseason run. Perhaps they won’t need to show that kind of form in advance of the playoffs, and Ty can use the biggest stage of them all to pull off the rope-a-dope, but it feels like he’s making his own job harder at times.</p>
<p id="v2UV8J">I mostly just want him to get it right, if nothing else, to stop these Ime Udoka pleas right in their tracks…</p>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2023/2/27/23617747/los-angeles-clippers-denver-nuggets-final-score-marcus-morris-sr-kawhi-leonard-tyronn-lueJosh Sexton.2023-02-25T08:53:18-08:002023-02-25T08:53:18-08:00Russell Westbrook’s Debut, Ranked: 3 takeaways from Clippers-Kings
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<img alt="Sacramento Kings v Los Angeles Clippers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/lsf_2GBi7YFJcBcBVU6U59bGO8g=/0x0:4976x3317/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72012754/1469374819.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Russell Westbrook celebrates his Clippers debut. | Photo by Harry How/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Russell Westbrook era got off to the craziest start possible for the Clippers.</p> <p id="Y8JR9I">In a game that effectively resembled a belated NBA All-Star exhibition matchup, the <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com">Los Angeles Clippers</a> fell to the <a href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Sacramento Kings,</a> 176-175, in double overtime.</p>
<p id="VIuS7s">It was the second-highest scoring game in the league’s history, as both sides shot the lights out and played at an unbelievable pace right up until the final buzzer. However, 25 turnovers ultimately killed the home team, in front of a packed crowd there to witness Russell Westbrook’s first game as a Clipper.</p>
<p id="hfDhwS">With that being said, here are the takeaways.</p>
<h2 id="amwqgb">A wild Westbrook appears</h2>
<p id="nKvTCB">Well, have a debut then, Brodie. Russ had 17 points on 7-13 shooting from the field, with 14 assists and 5 rebounds in 40 minutes. As a starter, he helped the Clippers push the pace, driving to the paint, applying rim pressure and allowing them to keep up with a Kings squad who have spent the entire season making their opponents run marathons before beating them anyway.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">17 points<br>5 rebounds<br>14 assists<br><br>Russ put in work as the Clippers fought a wild 2OT battle with the Kings on his debut <a href="https://t.co/PJTuNxHM1x">pic.twitter.com/PJTuNxHM1x</a></p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1629381928494436355?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2023</a>
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<p id="oeugAn">Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to beat them this time, and there were moments when Westbrook was on the floor that played straight into De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk’s hands especially. The backcourt duo were able to get into the paint and punish the Clippers with too much ease, while Russ himself turned the ball over seven times, which proved fatal.</p>
<p id="y1qkuE">So there were some things to like about his debut, but there is still an awful lot to figure out, including...</p>
<h2 id="3HUNrp">Ty doesn’t use Mann</h2>
<p id="8YQeHU">There were 58 minutes of basketball played in The Crypt in total last night. Terance Mann only featured in just shy of 18 of them, the least amount of time he has featured in since the New Year’s Eve loss to the <a href="https://www.indycornrows.com">Indiana Pacers</a>. In his 18 minutes he had 10 points on 4-5 shooting from the field, with 3 rebounds and 4 assists, finishing with a team-high +6.</p>
<p id="0jjQxo">After the game, Tyronn Lue admitted he was still learning with this team and that Mann “was good,” and “should have played more.” While that is an infuriating sentiment for skeptics of the Russ acquisition because of the impact it would have on Mann’s minutes, the flip side is that it’s good the coach can see he was wrong with this one so hopefully that’s the end of that.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Terance Mann has played so incredibly for the Clippers. It’s inexcusable he got only 18 minutes tonight. And he was a team-high +6 anyway. Ty Lue has veteran options now but Mann’s minutes shouldn’t be cut so much.</p>— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinOConnorNBA/status/1629369315626745856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2023</a>
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<p id="d6dd8r">Ty always said he wanted a 15-game run with this team to see what he had, so he has left himself with five games to play with, which could be all they need because...</p>
<h2 id="4QGShj">No one is unbeatable right now</h2>
<p id="ZGPeUK">I was just as frustrated as anybody with this loss, but it’s still important to keep perspective. The <a href="https://www.denverstiffs.com">Denver Nuggets</a> are comfortably the best team in the West and pose the biggest matchup threat to the Clippers during the postseason. We also don’t typically match up well against the Grizzlies, but they have shown some real signs of weakness this season too, and don’t have much by way of playoff experience.</p>
<p id="ycXP8P">As for the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com">Phoenix Suns</a>, the <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com">Dallas Mavericks,</a> and whoever makes it through the play-in tournament – assuming that is the way those chips will now fall – this team should still feel confident.</p>
<p id="zg8l5C">The Suns have all the top-end talent in the world now, but any argument you could make against this Clippers team you could also make against them just as fiercely. The Mavs will feel confident after the addition of Kyrie Irving, but they still have many of the same issues they’ve always had. The play-in teams may present different wildcard threats, but they’re all teams we can be confident against over seven games.</p>
<p id="74Yd8Y">So why am I so confident? Mostly because Kawhi Leonard is absolutely rolling. He is back to looking as good as he has ever looked, and so long as he stays healthy, there’s every reason to believe he can paper over any cracks this roster still shows when crunch time comes.</p>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2023/2/25/23614648/los-angeles-clippers-sacramento-kings-final-score-russell-westbrook-terance-mann-tyronn-lueJosh Sexton.2023-02-20T17:10:20-08:002023-02-20T17:10:20-08:00A nuanced look at Russell Westbrook’s fit with Clippers
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<img alt="The Los Angeles Lakers play the Los Angeles Clippers in an NBA regular season game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Wednesday night, Nov. 9, 2022." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/da8Pe_IDdUjNbsnLUJr2u_97EkY=/0x397:4800x3597/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71996374/1244660483.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Russell Westbrook goes past Terance Mann to get to the rim, but will he do the same in the Clippers’ rotation? | Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Fans on both sides are deciding they already know how this one will go, so what should we expect from Russell Westbrook with the Clippers?</p> <p id="cQA6TO">A clip of Anthony Edwards describing the one thing he’d change about the NBA went viral this All-Star weekend.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Yeah he is not 21<br><br>This guy is the smartest 21 y/o ever <a href="https://t.co/xtUJKucmZN">pic.twitter.com/xtUJKucmZN</a></p>— Jaden McDaniels GOAT (@JadenMcDanielsF) <a href="https://twitter.com/JadenMcDanielsF/status/1627081301714173953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2023</a>
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<p id="FWRTQA">There were lots of hot takes in the replies, but I was most intrigued by those about his age, especially given the fact it was originally posted to praise him showing wisdom beyond his years. The agreeable points basically suggested that young players should want to play all the time, but older guys who have been at the top of their game for years should be more inclined to look after their bodies and prolong the peak period of their careers.</p>
<p id="ssD5wz">It got me thinking about Kawhi Leonard and Paul George’s pleas for a more traditional point guard on the <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com">Los Angeles Clippers</a>, and then the news broke that Russell Westbrook was on his way. My immediate reaction was that I wasn’t thrilled, but that I would be prepared to shift my mentality to support both the team and the player. That should really be the mentality of anybody who claims to follow this franchise, but I’m not here to judge those people. Instead, I’m here to hear their concerns.</p>
<p id="vni1h4">Because there are a lot of concerns. Lawrence Frank indirectly expressed some of his own just after the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-trade-rumors">NBA trade deadline</a> had passed, saying: </p>
<blockquote><p id="4KUvke">“You always build your team around your best players and get complementary skill sets. Because if, let’s say, we had a ball dominant point guard who had other limitations, well, how does that impact your stars?”</p></blockquote>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">In light of Paul George's comments tonight (and Tyronn Lue's repeated words/lineup actions this season)... here is what Lawrence Frank said in full about how he sees the point guard position. <a href="https://t.co/22nmhj0oSC">https://t.co/22nmhj0oSC</a> <a href="https://t.co/F446DSpvBZ">pic.twitter.com/F446DSpvBZ</a></p>— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) <a href="https://twitter.com/LawMurrayTheNU/status/1624304848547229696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2023</a>
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<p id="hUiH9k">Firstly, let’s go back to Edwards’ point. Older guys like, let’s say, Kawhi and PG want to protect their bodies and prolong their peak years. I understand that and have been on board with it for a large part of this regular season especially.</p>
<p id="OwLtkR">My only problem I could ever express with our stars load managing – and I’m sorry to fans that are buying tickets, but it’s a lottery that other intensely-scheduled sports like soccer have to deal with – is when it impacts the team in the clutch. That could be the case if their load management has stopped their team being able to get their reps or they have left themselves short on the physical and mental preparation that’s required.</p>
<p id="nkSxvE">I also have a problem when it leads to the team recruiting players that may help that individual cause, to the detriment of the team’s overall cause. That may seem harsh on Westbrook, though I would point out there have been bigger assassinations of his personal character on bigger platforms than this since he was traded by the <a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com">Los Angeles Lakers</a>, but there is still a good chance that his style negatively impacts the team. If it did, and the reason to recruit him was to allow our stars to take possessions off in the clutch, then I cannot possibly get on board with that.</p>
<p id="CxoS4i">As L-Frank also expressed in the aforementioned press conference, basketball is mostly positionless in the modern day, and you want the ball in the hands of your best player down the stretch in games. I would have no beef with Russ’s role on the team if that was still the case and the Clippers ran with the most complementary combination of guys on any given night, but I am worried that the evidence of this season suggests that isn’t always the case and that prototypes still matter too much to this team.</p>
<p id="KTeZvk">Terance Mann is not a prototypical point guard, but he has been a damn effective one through the past 12 games that he has started alongside Kawhi and PG. He has provided a scoring boost in the first quarter when this team have traditionally been good starters, he has knocked down shots from deep, he has been a sneaky good offensive rebounder and he’s been a plus defender. It is expected that his minutes will take the biggest hit by the arrival of Westbrook and that is a reasonable cause for concern to those that want to see this team play to their strengths.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Terance Mann vs Phoenix Suns<br><br>26 PTS<br>4 REB<br>3 AST<br>1 STL<br>10/12 FG<br>3/4 3P<br>3/4 FT<br>+10 in 35 minutes<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Clippers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Clippers</a> W.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClipperNation?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ClipperNation</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA</a> <a href="https://t.co/SypN0qVqqJ">pic.twitter.com/SypN0qVqqJ</a></p>— A Walking Highlight (@11AWH) <a href="https://twitter.com/11AWH/status/1626555937447112706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2023</a>
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<p id="rXp8Dh">How many of those skills listed for Mann could we legitimately argue Russ will bring based on the evidence of his career since the <a href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com">Oklahoma City Thunder</a> decide to blow it up in 2019? His numbers will always come with the caveat that he’s been a high usage player on his previous teams, but that is part of the problem. Can he really adapt to being a low usage player and play provider to let others take the lead? His assist numbers can be used to provide reassurance around that, but again, the usage numbers.</p>
<p id="Dq2SKg">OK, guy, but he’s been earning a maximum salary on those teams so the expectations are different now. I hear that, but he’s still coming in with a reputation and there has already been talk of him being a potential starter, which doesn’t necessarily reflect him being a guy that was brought in on a veteran’s minimum.</p>
<p id="5Ve3SX">There’s still no way to factually state how this is going to go, so ignore opinions that act like that is possible. The Clippers have turned around the careers of other guys coming in from bad teams, and this is just one more project for Tyronn Lue and his coaching staff to oversee. The evidence may stack up badly against Russ’s record, but if he can make the required mentality shift first and foremost then there’s a chance this could work.</p>
<p id="sD9sQ2">We should all be hoping it does, because what good is being right when your team is the league’s laughing stock once again? And, to our stars, what good is being well rested when you’ve got no rings to show for it? That’s something for us all to ponder.</p>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2023/2/20/23607921/los-angeles-clippers-russell-westbrook-fit-kawhi-leonard-paul-george-terance-mann-nba-2023Josh Sexton.2023-02-20T09:30:14-08:002023-02-20T09:30:14-08:00BREAKING: Russell Westbrook to sign with Clippers
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<figcaption>Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Clippers take yet another shot at addressing their lack of a play-making point guard. </p> <p id="PDl8Ks">After finalizing a contract buyout with the Utah Jazz, 11-year veteran Russell Westbrook is joining the Los Angeles Clippers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. Prior to the end of the trade deadline, the nine-time All-Star guard was dealt from the <a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Los Angeles Lakers</a> to the <a href="https://www.slcdunk.com/">Utah Jazz</a> and will now suit up for the Lakers’ crosstown counterparts.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">After finalizing a contract buyout with the Utah Jazz, nine-time All-Star guard Russell Westbrook plans to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, his agent Jeff Schwartz of <a href="https://twitter.com/excelbasketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@excelbasketball</a> tells ESPN. <a href="https://t.co/OjZ0Mkuz5x">pic.twitter.com/OjZ0Mkuz5x</a></p>— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1627694579540709381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2023</a>
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<p id="md1xbH">In the 2022-23 NBA season, Westbrook is averaging 15.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists. Most notably, he’s shooting an abysmal 29.6 percent from long range and turning the ball over 3.5 times per game. Most of his contributions to the Lakers came from the bench as the second unit’s primary ball handler and scorer. </p>
<p id="gj2qk9">Expect the 2017-18 MVP to have a sizable role on the Clippers: the team has parted ways with both <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/2022/7/29/23283400/nba-free-agency-los-angeles-clippers-reggie-jackson-john-wall">Reggie Jackson and John Wall</a>, who, before the start of the season, were seen as the team’s two saviors to their ongoing inability to find a true point guard. </p>
<p id="pTobMs">In the Paul George-Kawhi Leonard era, the Clippers have experimented with various floor generals — Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo, and Reggie Jackson, to name a few. Now, they take another gamble by acquiring an aging veteran in Westbrook, whose recent performances have been controversial, to say the least. </p>
<p id="fTqvEs">There is one big difference between the Clippers and the Lakers, though: perimeter shooting. The Clippers’ surplus of shooters — the team is shooting 37.8% from deep (sixth in the league) — could be the long-awaited remedy to Westbrook’s recent struggles. On the contrary, his former team is the fifth-worst three-point shooting team, knocking down just 33.7 percent of their looks from downtown. </p>
<p id="WD7eTJ">The team’s elite shot-making — not to overlook the ability to go small with versatile weapons like Nicolas Batum and Marcus Morris Sr. — will help space the floor for an uber-athletic, ball-dominant slasher like Westbrook to take full advantage of. </p>
<p id="p5BMao">Important to note — this won’t be the first time the UCLA product will play alongside Clippers’ superstar Paul George. In the 2018-19 NBA season, it was Westbrook who was the Robin to George’s batman: benefitting from an elite playmaking Westbrook, the eight-time All-Star enjoyed his most prolific season, averaging 28 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. </p>
<p id="gRRuyn">George did share earlier this month, “But it would definitely improve our team if we had that traditional point guard to kind of get us in things and make the game easy. So hopefully Russell sees this and we figure something out.”</p>
<p id="7TRw0F">All things considered, things couldn’t have been any more ideal for the all-time leader in triple-doubles. Not only does he join a better, more competitive team, but he also is surrounded by firepower and world-class shooting. Not to mention, he doesn’t have the burden of moving out of Los Angeles to a different city. </p>
<p id="5HTjsh">That isn’t to say that things are exactly ideal for the Clippers. Will Westbrook be a good fit for the team? Could he step up to the level of basketball we saw him play a few years ago? </p>
<p id="XMphwl">There’s no knowing yet whether the team’s new acquisition will benefit or damage the 213’s championship chances. But for now, all Clippers fans can do is wait and see. </p>
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https://www.clipsnation.com/2023/2/20/23607339/lose-angeles-clippers-russell-westbrook-to-sign-with-clippersBrent Yoo2023-02-18T12:36:16-08:002023-02-18T12:36:16-08:00Norman Powell is most deserving of the Sixth Man of the Year Award
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<figcaption>Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>There’s no doubt about it. </p> <p id="iMRUQ6">In the <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com">Los Angeles Clippers</a> history, there isn’t much lifting trophies and hanging banners. </p>
<p id="9O73ZK">In fact, there’s none.</p>
<p id="g6xSHd">Even after half a decade, three different cities, the Clippers have still yet to make a mark on the NBA’s history book. But what they did do is produce the greatest line of off-the-bench scorers. The players that take over and entirely shift the momentum game. The players that check in on the court, inciting a level of fear to the opponents. </p>
<p id="RLOToq">Carrying the torch that basketball magicians Jamal Crawford and Lou Williams once brandished is the Clippers’ newest epitome of a sixth-man, Norman Powell. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"> ️ NORM <a href="https://t.co/1bzGG3AOeI">pic.twitter.com/1bzGG3AOeI</a></p>— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) <a href="https://twitter.com/LAClippers/status/1624261581319331840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2023</a>
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<p id="wgE6z1">The last few times a Clipper has fully embraced the beauty of the sixth-man role, they won the prestigious 6MOTY award: former Clippers Jamal Crawdord, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell have all won it in the last decade. </p>
<p id="pML7a6">And this time’s no different: Powell, as it stands, should be the next recipient of the award. </p>
<p id="z0wFNo">The <a href="https://www.bruinsnation.com">UCLA</a> product is averaging 17 points and shooting an impressive 41.7 percent from deep: he leads the league in PPG from the bench. Led by Powell — and of course, the other surplus of talent on the team’s bench — the Clippers are leading the league in total points scored by the bench with 2,563 points. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Most PPG all-time off the bench by a Clipper (minimum 30 games):<br><br>18.4 — 6th man of the year winner<br>18.1 — Norman Powell<br>15.3 — 6th man of the year winner<br>14.8 — 6th man of the year winner<br>14.7 — 6th man of the year winner <a href="https://t.co/1Ce4dNCDHV">pic.twitter.com/1Ce4dNCDHV</a></p>— StatMuse (@statmuse) <a href="https://twitter.com/statmuse/status/1625874228603162627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2023</a>
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<p id="b60Scs">After an underwhelming start to the season, the second-year Clipper has gained traction again in November; since then, he’s only getting better. He is enjoying himself a prolific month of February in which he’s logging 21.3 points, 4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per contest. </p>
<p id="vaXe4c">Alongside superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, Powell has been the key to the team’s success in a star-stacked Western Conference. His elite long-range shooting helps improve the spacing of the team in a way that benefits players like Ivica Zubac and Terance Mann who love taking it to the rim. He uses his speed to blow by defenders and adeptly finishes with either hand, from anywhere in the paint. And much like Leonard, he does it devoid of expression. </p>
<p id="3cxxv6">As his brand name — ‘Understand the Grind’ — insinuates, Powell has always been someone who’s willing to put in the work to get better each game, each season. Or in the case of the season, each month: he has managed to improve his PPG each month of the season. Just as notable, his point averages of February have almost doubled from those of October. </p>
<p id="IrqQyq">Statistics don’t do a complete job of illustrating what the San Diego native brings to the table. Above all, he’s a calm scorer that can get a bucket when he needs to — regardless of the defender and time left on the clock. There’s also no arguing that he’s been a leader on the floor and one of the best players on a championship-contending team. </p>
<p id="iY0V2s">Needless to say, if Powell continues to produce at this level, he should be the rightful heir to the legacy of recepients of the 6MOTY award. </p>
<p id="HamaOk">But I’m sure his eyes are set on a bigger, more important piece of hardware: the Larry O’Brien trophy. With Leonard by his side, he’s done it once in Toronto. Who’s to say they can’t do it again? </p>
<p id="O0nYGu"></p>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2023/2/18/23604276/los-angeles-clippers-give-norman-powell-sixth-man-of-the-year-award-nba-2023Brent Yoo2023-02-18T05:34:44-08:002023-02-18T05:34:44-08:00“We got everything we need”: Three takeaways from Clippers-Suns
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<img alt="LA Clippers v Phoenix Suns" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fcTe9c-zKMqC9vVQw7J_z75FO4Y=/2x0:4976x3316/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71990324/1247210754.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Paul George looks on as Clippers point guard Terance Mann takes over against the Suns. | Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Paul George acknowledges the Clippers are stacked as they see off their Western Conference rivals.</p> <p id="sbjAWP">In what could be a huge result when the NBA’s regular season seeding is locked in ahead of the playoffs, the <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com">Los Angeles Clippers</a> took down the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com">Phoenix Suns</a> 116-107.</p>
<p id="3Jxt1c">Tyronn Lue’s team rushed out to an early lead and kept their new-look opponents relatively quiet throughout the first quarter. Then their worst spell of the game came just either side of half time, not helped by a slow scoring night all round from Kawhi Leonard, but he eventually saw his shot start to fall heading into the fourth to help his teammates secure the win down the stretch.</p>
<p id="xeB546">Here are the takeaways…</p>
<h2 id="pXXtOp">Power forward problems</h2>
<p id="Z8Ia1E">I just want to get one of my concerns about this team out of the way early here, because I am really liking what I am seeing generally since the trade deadline. I’ll be honest, though, that I’m concerned by Marcus Morris Sr. This isn’t to say that I think he can’t still contribute to the team, and the beauty of Mook’s play is that he could just go on a scoring run at any moment.</p>
<p id="uNWS7j">That is kind of what concerns me most, though. Right now, it feels like he’s being kept on the court for what he might be able to produce, with little tangible evidence that he actually will. Before <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/2023/2/15/23601163/los-angeles-clippers-reggie-jackson-legend-career-highlights">Reggie Jackson was traded away</a>, I’d have classified the two together as players that have contributed so much to this organization in the past few years, especially when the stars have sat.</p>
<p id="160WUK">However, the big difference is that they didn’t persist with Reggie, who arguably brought more intangibles to the team, while Robert Covington continually racking up DNPs only makes Morris’s starting role more questionable.</p>
<p id="bTPDOj">Anyway, that’s the negativity out of the way…</p>
<h2 id="pOxXFR">There goes that Mann</h2>
<p id="OGrZ9w">Good lord, I am so high on Terance Mann. I always have been so it doesn’t take much for me to get really excited by his play, but since his move to point guard he has been a huge contributor to this team. Some conspiracists may say he’s taken being included in a potential Kyrie Irving trade personally – I have, but only in a tongue in cheek way.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">When <a href="https://twitter.com/terance_mann?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@terance_mann</a> saw his name in a rejected trade proposal <a href="https://t.co/ASMbTCWoyC">https://t.co/ASMbTCWoyC</a> <a href="https://t.co/SgQKW094Hu">pic.twitter.com/SgQKW094Hu</a></p>— Josh Sexton (@jsexton24) <a href="https://twitter.com/jsexton24/status/1626522474740342784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2023</a>
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<p id="JDvRZr">Because the real truth is that Mann is a consummate professional. The Clippers are really lucky to have him and there’s a good chance that he will be able to step up to the role of being a key vibes guy on the team like Reggie was, just as Pat Beverley was before him and so on.</p>
<p id="R3XSGd">Being a big presence in a locker room stocked with this much talent is no mean feat, but Terance is commanding respect on the court first and foremost, so his contributions will be valued across the board.</p>
<p id="hXLdZV">He has now all but solved a long-standing problem…</p>
<h2 id="FXXq4S">“We got everything we need”</h2>
<p id="moqwEj">The Russell Westbrook situation has become a really unwanted sideshow to what should be the time for the Clippers to really lock in. It would be really nice if the franchise were no longer in the race for his signature by the time they return to the court after the All-Star break, to be honest.</p>
<p id="kQDMVp">With that being said, it was good to hear George – Russ’s biggest advocate on the team – coming out and acknowledging that his squad is actually stacked with all the skills it needs. It’s unlikely that was him completely withdrawing his public desire to reunite with his former Thunder buddy, but it feels like it’s important that people within the franchise recognise that we do not need Westbrook.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Asked Paul George what LAC needs to do over the final 8 weeks to be playoff-ready. His first answer was to "accept the challenge." But he mentioned, notably -- to me, at least -- that "we got everything we need, we got playmaking, we got scorers, we got defensive stoppers..." <a href="https://t.co/gRm2plELpB">pic.twitter.com/gRm2plELpB</a></p>— Andrew Greif (@AndrewGreif) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewGreif/status/1626473439170297856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2023</a>
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<p id="P3iwCr">By all means make a case that he’d be a nice player to have around, playing the kind of minutes that somebody on a veteran minimum should on this team. Just please don’t try and convince anybody that he’s the answer to all our problems.</p>
<p id="MICKhw">He isn’t and we honestly don’t have all that many problems in the first place…</p>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2023/2/18/23604926/los-angeles-clippers-phoenix-suns-final-score-marcus-morris-terance-mann-westbrook-georgeJosh Sexton.2023-02-17T12:39:44-08:002023-02-17T12:39:44-08:00Full schedule for 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend
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<img alt="2021 70th NBA All-Star Game" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Clz_2ogBSgz_alDH2c9gg5jUNGA=/0x0:6061x4041/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71988572/1231589724.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Clippers star Paul George on Team LeBron James during the 2021 All-Star Game. | Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Paul George and Bones Hyland will be the sole representatives of the Los Angeles Clippers at the 2023 edition of NBA All-Star Weekend, live from Salt Lake City in Utah.</p> <p id="7B8wzS">Paul George and Bones Hyland will be the sole representatives of the <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com">Los Angeles Clippers</a> at the 2023 edition of <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-all-star-game">NBA All-Star Weekend</a>, live from Salt Lake City in Utah.</p>
<p id="Dsaxb6">However, safe in the knowledge that the majority of their heroes will be getting a rare chance to rest up, there will still be plenty for Clipper Nation to get excited about over the course of the three days.</p>
<p id="h7zdVA">The weekend’s festivities tip off on Friday night with the Celebrity Game on ESPN, but the real action for fans to feast their eyes upon will be over on TNT with the Rising Stars game at 6pm Pacific time, with Hyland taking part in the three-game mini-tournament as part of Team Deron Wiliams. Former Clipper Joakim Noah is also coaching, alongside <a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com">Los Angeles Lakers</a> legend Pau Gasol and our 2015 playoff nemesis Jason Terry.</p>
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<p id="nN9ciw">Saturday’s TNT action starts with a nod to the NBA’s growing support of HBCUs, of which Robert Covington has been a central figure, with Grambling State University and Southern University men’s basketball programs facing off. All-Star’s Saturday night festivity follows later that evening at 5pm PT, with the Skills Challenge, Three-Point Contest and the Dunk Contest.</p>
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<p id="6NRioJ">The last Clippers player to take part in the Skills Challenge was Patrick Beverley back in 2020, who previously won it as a Houston Rocket back in 2015. Luke Kennard reached the finals of last year’s Three-Point Contest, while Blake Griffin will forever be the most famous Dunk Contest participant from the 213 after he jumped over a Kia and took home the trophy.</p>
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<p id="pFmN63">All-Star Sunday starts with a new event, the G League Next Up Game on NBA TV, in which 24 players from the NBA’s development league will square off. The finale then gets underway at the earlier-than-usual time of 4.30pm PT on TNT, where George and his fellow All-Stars will find out live which team they’re drafted to in playground fashion. It will be the Clippers star’s eighth appearance, the most on the roster with 2020’s Kobe Bryant MVP Kawhi Leonard in second with five.</p>
<div id="02zxSg"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EvgAjFtHIuw?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="Kl5Acq">Last time PG starred as a reserve on Team LeBron James, he scored 17 points in just over 26 minutes, though it would be nice if he featured a little less this year and got the chance to rest ahead of a crucial few months for his team. Bones can be the guy to turn it up and represent the franchise in the Rising Stars game, just so long as both come back happy and healthy.</p>
<h2 id="EWZnll">DraftKings Odds - Josh’s Predictions:</h2>
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<li id="UnfFbU"><a href="https://dksb.sng.link/As9kz/ghja?_dl=dksb%3A%2F%2Fgateway%3Fs%3D153844993%26wpcid%3D264042%26wpsrc%3D2027%26wpcn%3DNBAAllStar%26wpscn%3DNBA%26wpcrn%3DInArticle%26wpscid%3DLinkout%26wpcrid%3DAllStarWeekend&psn=SBNation&pcrn=InArticle&pcn=NBAAllStar&pcid=264042&pscn=NBA&pcrid=AllStarWeekend&pscid=Linkout">Team LeBron to win the All-Star Game: -130</a></li>
<li id="4hIAXD"><a href="https://dksb.sng.link/As9kz/ghja?_dl=dksb%3A%2F%2Fgateway%3Fs%3D153844993%26wpcid%3D264042%26wpsrc%3D2027%26wpcn%3DNBAAllStar%26wpscn%3DNBA%26wpcrn%3DInArticle%26wpscid%3DLinkout%26wpcrid%3DAllStarWeekend&psn=SBNation&pcrn=InArticle&pcn=NBAAllStar&pcid=264042&pscn=NBA&pcrid=AllStarWeekend&pscid=Linkout">Jayson Tatum to win the Three-Point contest: +500</a></li>
<li id="b3NCw2"><a href="https://dksb.sng.link/As9kz/ghja?_dl=dksb%3A%2F%2Fgateway%3Fs%3D153844993%26wpcid%3D264042%26wpsrc%3D2027%26wpcn%3DNBAAllStar%26wpscn%3DNBA%26wpcrn%3DInArticle%26wpscid%3DLinkout%26wpcrid%3DAllStarWeekend&psn=SBNation&pcrn=InArticle&pcn=NBAAllStar&pcid=264042&pscn=NBA&pcrid=AllStarWeekend&pscid=Linkout">Team Rookies to win the Skills Challenge: +140</a></li>
</ul>
<p id="pQOsyw"><em>Check out </em><a href="https://dksb.sng.link/As9kz/ghja?_dl=dksb%3A%2F%2Fgateway%3Fs%3D153844993%26wpcid%3D264042%26wpsrc%3D2027%26wpcn%3DNBAAllStar%26wpscn%3DNBA%26wpcrn%3DInArticle%26wpscid%3DLinkout%26wpcrid%3DAllStarWeekend&psn=SBNation&pcrn=InArticle&pcn=NBAAllStar&pcid=264042&pscn=NBA&pcrid=AllStarWeekend&pscid=Linkout"><em><strong>DraftKings Sportsbook</strong></em></a><em>, the official </em><a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/featured"><em>sportsbook</em></a><em> partner of SB Nation.</em></p>
https://www.clipsnation.com/2023/2/17/23599941/nba-all-star-weekend-schedule-2023-salt-lake-city-dunk-3-point-contest-skills-lebron-giannis-tip-offJosh Sexton.2023-02-16T09:17:17-08:002023-02-16T09:17:17-08:00You will be missed, Luke Kennard
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<img alt="LA Clippers v Philadelphia 76ers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fIdhKYBsddx2EVUWbDjMSW7NKpE=/0x0:7365x4910/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71983475/1245804597.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>168 games later, the sharpshooter leaves L.A., having won the hearts of Clippers fans for good and all.</p> <p id="GbD2mt">When I walk around the vast gothic campus of Duke University, remnants of Luke Kennard greet my gaze. </p>
<p id="KGI2it">Hung on one of the door rooms of Duke’s Trinity Residence Hall is a whiteboard that reads, “Who is your favorite Duke basketball player of all time?” Above the obvious fan favorites — the likes of Paolo Banchero, Jayson Tatum, and Zion Williamson — proudly stand two casually scribbled-on words: Luke Kennard. </p>
<p id="TQFjqp">At Cameron Indoor Stadium, you will find a handful of ‘Cameron Crazies’ that don the number five Duke jerseys. Some wear it as an ode to the team’s current number five, Tyrese Proctor. Others honor the legacy other number fives have left behind — Banchero and RJ Barrett, to name a couple. A select few proudly read “Kennard.”</p>
<p id="z2foL5">Here in Durham, North Carolina, “Kennard” transcends a mere word slapped on the back of a jersey. </p>
<p id="cEw6RN">It’s the smiling, slim youngster from Ohio. The 35-point explosion against Maine. The 6-for-6 three-point shooting night against <a href="https://www.bloggersodear.com">Wake Forest</a>. The 1314 minutes of running, defending and shooting in 2016-17. The well-deserved 2017 <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/acc-basketball-tournament">ACC tournament</a> MVP. The culture. The thrill. The passion.</p>
<p id="JjmLkC">Six years since he left Duke, this name — and all it stands for — has carried onto the city of Los Angeles. And it still represents what it always represented. And I can only hope it always will. </p>
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</div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cod972eLSvp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by LA Clippers (@laclippers)</a></p>
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<p id="6sGDmn">As a Clipper, he didn’t get quite the same opportunities he did as a Blue Devil. Still, he thrived in his role as an off-the-bench shooter and facilitator: in his second season in the 213, the Duke product led the league in three-point percentage. </p>
<p id="V3N5Vq"><em>Snap </em>— with a flick of a wrist, he snatched the momentum away from opposing teams.</p>
<p id="OyPfBI"><em>Swish — </em>he brought Clippers fans onto their feet with game-changing three-pointers.</p>
<p id="Ieqyx0"><em>Phweee — </em>his and-one three-pointer against the <a href="https://www.bulletsforever.com">Washington Wizards</a> completed the NBA’s second-biggest comeback of all time: the Kennard-led Clips came back after being down 35. </p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Lmao I am DYING at Ty Lue yelling, "Not me!" <a href="https://t.co/FBKhej8pDw">pic.twitter.com/FBKhej8pDw</a></p>— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly/status/1486211413433487362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a>
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<p id="yJRWFg">In the 2021-22 season, the stealthy sorcerer of the basketball symbolized what it meant to be a Clipper — to never give up. Led by the young, feisty core of Kennard, Amir Coffey, and Terance Mann, the ‘Comeback Clips’ made history, overcoming three 24-point or more deficits in just a month of January. </p>
<p id="bC45U7">Even when superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George had to sit out, it was Kennard who continued to light it up from deep, giving the team a much-needed boost. It was Kennard who never stopped giving his all for the team. It was Kennard — alongside Reggie Jackson and other key rotational pieces — that ultimately kept the Clippers boat afloat until the return of their two highly-acclaimed captains. </p>
<p id="HhVgy8">But in a brand new season of new struggles and expectations, the Clippers have waved their final goodbyes to Kennard. 168 games later, we’ve flipped the final page of the three-point-filled tale of L.A. Clippers’ very own Luke Kennard. </p>
<p id="ubnMW2">And while there may not be dozens of people still rocking their Kennard jerseys at <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2FCrypto.com&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.clipsnation.com%2F2023%2F2%2F16%2F23602158%2Flos-angeles-clippers-you-will-be-missed-luke-kennard-nba-2023" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Crypto.com</a> Arena or statues erected in honor of the three-point sniper, the excitement, joy, and thrill he delivered haven’t just yet waned beyond us. </p>
<p id="jNJ6yP">So, in remembrance of the heroics of Luke Kennard — the chills and surges of ecstasy he gifted us — I write. And on behalf of Los Angeles — thank you, Luke. </p>
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https://www.clipsnation.com/2023/2/16/23602158/los-angeles-clippers-you-will-be-missed-luke-kennard-nba-2023Brent Yoo