Welcome Kawhi back

[Leetonidas]

If Nephew actually cared about winning he wouldn't have opted out of defending his le. He has his two rings, he doesn't give a anymore

[KobesAchilles]

It's interesting bc you would think that in the next few years, the West would be his for the taking. Lebron will be too old, AD can't be the man of a championship franchise. The Mavs chose the wrong guy in KP so that could hinder them building around Luka. Portland still doesn't look that great matched up against the Clips. Denver might lose in the first round to Portland and who knows how long it takes for Murray to get back to his level pre-injury. Utah and Phoenix are question marks as well. The west can be very winnable the next two seasons if they stay the course...

Though having Playoff Pee as your second option isn't the greatest of things

[PrimeMinister]

Jokic and Doncic are going to be the gatekeepers of the west in the coming seasons.

Kawhi is still really good, but he’s starting to get outpaced by players that do the 3point pace and space game to better effect. The 2 euros are also way, way, way better playmakers than kawhi and are systems in and of themselves.

To the point of Kawhi coming back- he literally could not have made more explicitly clear what the desire and priories are. I don’t think the on court product of his team matters at all.

[offset formation]

FOH

[baseline bum]

Toronto wasnt gonna win again. They won the ring just cause of injuries.

While true that nobody was beating Golden State without injuries in 2019, I would take that Toronto team against the Lakers last year and they'd have a great shot against the Nets this year.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

If Nephew actually cared about winning he wouldn't have opted out of defending his le. He has his two rings, he doesn't give a anymore

I actually think Kawhi believed the hype. People were comparing him to Lebron, and I truly believe he and uncle thought he could go to the Clippers and just bring a championship with him.

He demanded Paul George as his running mate, and the Clips traded the farm to appease him. The loss to the Nuggets in last year's playoffs was apparently Doc Rivers' fault, so Kawhi had him fired. Kawhi wants to win, I truly believe that. He's just got this inflated sense of how much he brings and how capable he is.


He's getting roasted in the media this morning, and it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

[Allan Rowe vs Wade]

didn’t watch but quadbone had 41 on 21 shots. did he not play defense or what? or is the rest of the team simply spursesque (ie not good)

[C-Dub]

Next season starting 5 Jersey Numbers for the Spurs are as follows:

#1 LW4
#2 DA CLAW
#3 BIG BODY
#4 D. WHITE
#5 DJM

Next season's rotation is as follows:

DJM - Patty - T. Jones
D. White - LW4 - QW
Kawhi - Vassell - KBD
F.A. - Luka - 1st Rd Pick
Jakob - Dieng - Eubanks

Need the starting Free Agent PF to be a really good 3&D player as well as the 1st Rd Pick and the Spurs would be 2 years away from completing for the CHIP again. Do not base our young guys off of this year and past season's along. They will all only get better within this 2 year period and would compete for the CHIP in 2 years with this lineup.

[cd98]

Luka is better than Kawhi. I don't think Kawhi is a top 5 player in the NBA.

[Rocalcio]

Sorry OP, but that’s a ty thread.

[Maddog]

didn’t watch but quadbone had 41 on 21 shots. did he not play defense or what? or is the rest of the team simply spursesque (ie not good)

A little of both
He doesn't really play defense like he used to-The Clips shot .536 and lost.
He looks a little too heavy and doesn't have the quickness he used to have and also seems to be saving his energy for the offensive side.

[John B]

Moved on

[Russ]

He's getting roasted in the media this morning, and it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

Here in LA he's just being laughed at -- it's all about winners here, not resumes. It's all about lately.

For decades the Clippers needed a face for their historic failure, now they have a confused-looking one. Perfect casting. Print it, CB.

[rjv]

Luka is better than Kawhi. I don't think Kawhi is a top 5 player in the NBA.

that's exactly what i was thinking when watching the game last night-that kawhi wasn't the best player on the court. that designation belonged to luka.

[Brazil]

Jokic and Doncic are going to be the gatekeepers of the west in the coming seasons.

Kawhi is still really good, but he’s starting to get outpaced by players that do the 3point pace and space game to better effect. The 2 euros are also way, way, way better playmakers than kawhi and are systems in and of themselves.

To the point of Kawhi coming back- he literally could not have made more explicitly clear what the desire and priories are. I don’t think the on court product of his team matters at all.

As much as I wish Kawhi tears his ACL and end his career dude is not just still good, he is dominant offensively and even though he lost a bit on Defense, he is still one of the best defender on the league. Now and no surprises here Lue is awful and PG is a perenial loser tbh... Batum is almost more positively impactful than he is in this serie.

I don't get Clippers defense, they still have not figured that switching on Luka is a ing bad idea ? Luka is basically choosing on each possession who is going to defend him, guess what ? he is picking Zubac all night long and he is tearing his butthole apart.. who would have thought ?

[lefty]

As much as I wish Kawhi tears his ACL and end his career dude is not just still good, he is dominant offensively and even though he lost a bit on Defense, he is still one of the best defender on the league. Now and no surprises here Lue is awful and PG is a perenial loser tbh... Batum is almost more positively impactful than he is in this serie.

I don't get Clippers defense, they still have not figured that switching on Luka is a ing bad idea ? Luka is basically choosing on each possession who is going to defend him, guess what ? he is picking Zubac all night long and he is tearing his butthole apart.. who would have thought ?

Well players like Luka are a matchup nightmare

KL is too small to guard him, PG not strong enough, Zubac slower and don't get me started on that barking midget dog Pat Bev

Best thing they can do is double team him and hope his teammates miss, which would be easier if that unicorn Porzingis wasn't playing

[MultiTroll]

Trading SGA, Shamet, Boban and the boatload of picks and going after Playoff Pee George was an epic failure. Flees Fiddy Patty and 48 mil Gasol for this ? Loco.

How much of that was Uncles doing or just incompetency by Clippers, who knows.

Either way Klaw held his own against Luka last night. This was way more about the cast.

[Texas_Ranger]

While true that nobody was beating Golden State without injuries in 2019, I would take that Toronto team against the Lakers last year and they'd have a great shot against the Nets this year.

Irving >> lowry
Durant > nephew
Harden>>> vanflet

Id mention siakam, but that guy is a fraud. They couldnt make the playoffs this year. That team is and would have zero shot vs the Nets.
You re right about last year, when teams were injured, but no injuries, they aint that good.

[MultiTroll]

If Nephew actually cared about winning he wouldn't have opted out of defending his le. He has his two rings, he doesn't give a anymore

This.
Had he ran it back with Toronto he could have retired and would be in conversations of Top 15 all time.
Now his only chance is to try to pair with another star or two. Ie Luka, Miami.
The Luka join would be a lesser of all time move Durbetta style. Going Judas on OKC and joining the Bay Gays.

[baseline bum]

Irving >> lowry
Durant > nephew
Harden>>> vanflet

Id mention siakam, but that guy is a fraud. They couldnt make the playoffs this year. That team is and would have zero shot vs the Nets.
You re right about last year, when teams were injured, but no injuries, they aint that good.

Meh how many years have we watched Harden piss away championships? Looks like the Raptors hated playing in Tampa and their frontcourt from 2019 has been completely gutted.

[baseline bum]

This.
Had he ran it back with Toronto he could have retired and would be in conversations of Top 15 all time.
Now his only chance is to try to pair with another star or two. Ie Luka, Miami.
The Luka join would be a lesser of all time move Durbetta style. Going Judas on OKC and joining the Bay Gays.

There is nothing that will ever be as weak as Durant going to a 73 win Warriors team that he choked a 3-1 lead to as well as a late Game 6 lead at home to. Would have been like Jordan joining the 86 Celtics.

[Texas_Ranger]

Meh how many years have we watched Harden piss away championships? Looks like the Raptors hated playing in Tampa and their frontcourt from 2019 has been completely gutted.

Harden being an alpha is not winning anything, thats true. Being a 2/3rd option I think can work.

[spurraider21]

he should go hide in Brooklyn for the vets min

[Texas_Ranger]

i really would love to see him go to some hole like Sacramento. Lets see if he's an alpha. Sucks that he's a and will join the Warriors if they lose in the first round. All these new ''superstars'' are a joke.

[Allan Rowe vs Wade]

Well players like Luka are a matchup nightmare

KL is too small to guard him, PG not strong enough, Zubac slower and don't get me started on that barking midget dog Pat Bev

Best thing they can do is double team him and hope his teammates miss, which would be easier if that unicorn Porzingis wasn't playing

again, didn’t watch ... but kawhi is ~ as tall as luka, and luka didnt strike me as particularly strong ..