Milwaukee Bucks superstar small forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the game, which makes him almost impossible to gameplan for. Just ask L.A. Clippers head coach Doc Rivers, who says Antetokounmpo is in the same class as Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
Appearing on FS1’s Undisputed Tuesday morning, Rivers said preparing for The Greek Freak is just as hard as game planning for KD and LeBron.
“He’s a mess,” Rivers said. “He’s as tough. Durant, LeBron, and him as far as preparing for. It’s funny, and listen, I’m a defensive-minded guy, but there are times in the meeting when you’re talking like, ‘That’ll work, that’s gonna work,’ because they’re that good. And he does it in such a different way — he doesn’t do it with the shot, he does it with the attack, and at his size, he’s a mess.”
Through 19 games this season, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been a man among boys. The Bucks’ two-time All-Star is averaging 26.8 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game while shooting 57.2 percent from the field.
Antetokounmpo doesn’t have the shooting prowess that Durant does, but he doesn’t even need it since he can get to the rim whenever he wants with his long strides. No one in the league has the strength which LeBron does when he’s going downhill, but Giannis Antetokounmpo is a nightmare on the fastbreak as well. He can take two steps from half court and he’ll be dunking the ball.
The Bucks are 14-6 on the season, second place in the Eastern Conference. New head coach Mike Budenholzer has implemented a more fluid offense which is predicated on ball movement and off-ball cuts. As a result, Antetokounmpo is scoring with ease this season.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday that Anthony's camp is exploring potential destinations, as the Rockets are likely to waive him in the near future.
Anthony has struggled to adapt to his bench role in Houston, averaging 13.4 points on 40.5 percent shooting and 5.4 rebounds in 29.4 minutes per game. He has started just twice in 10 appearances.
However, Anthony has missed the past two games due to "illness" and is not expected to return to the team anytime soon as his future remains up in the air.
This comes a season after the "OK3" experiment did not go as planned. Anthony was forced to take on a complementary role behind Russell Westbrook and Paul George with the Oklahoma City Thunder, even finding himself on the bench in key moments. Following a first-round exit, the Thunder opted to move on from Anthony during the offseason.
Oklahoma City traded Anthony to the Atlanta Hawks, who bought the forward out. That opened the door for Anthony to team up with friend Chris Paul and former coach Mike D'Antoni in Houston.
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey called the rumors of a potential Melo release "unfair speculation" on Sunday.
"He's been great with us," Morey said of Anthony, perWojnarowski and ESPN colleague Tim MacMahon. "As Coach [Mike D'Antoni] said yesterday, his approach has been great. He's accepted every role Coach has given him—starting, off the bench, whatever it's been."
That has done nothing to silence the notion Anthony has put on a Rockets uniform for the last time.
It's not clear what teams would be interested in adding the former scoring champ if he becomes available. While saying the Clippers (8-5, tied for fourth in the West) aren't a possibility, Woike didn't rule out the Lakers (7-6), although he called it "unlikely." Of course, one of Melo's best friends, LeBron James, joined the Lakers this past offseason.
At 34 years old, Anthony opted to take on a reduced role this offseason in order to try to chase a championship. Things haven't worked out so far in Houston, so if he hits the open market, it will be interesting to see if any contenders come calling.
The Los Angeles Clippers are playing great basketball right now and could be a star away from being a bonafide contender. Chris Broussard can see that Kahwi Leonard has had a significant impact on the Toronto Raptors and could replicate those efforts on the LA Clippers should he choose to take his talents west.
We had eight games of NBA action today with some of the league's top teams and talent on display.
We have you covered with all the top storylines, best fantasy performers, can't-miss highlights and box scores from everything around the Association.
Top Storylines
Clippers keep on winning
The Clippers make it seven wins from their past eight games, edging past the Portland Trail Blazers 104-100.
Tobias Harris led the way with a career-high tying 34 points and 11 rebounds, while Danilo Gallinari added 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists as the Clippers move to the top of the Western Conference at 13-6.
The game stayed close through the first half, before the Clippers took control, winning the third quarter 38-16. Portland were their own worst enemy, hitting just 6-of-23 from the field in the period, including 1-of -11 on three-pointers.
They did manage to cut the Clippers' 10-point lead in the fourth to tie things up at 100-100 after a Lillard three-pointer with 1:53 remaining, but the Clippers held their nerve down the stretch to seal the win.
Lillard scored 30 points on the night, while CJ McCollum added 18 and Evan Turner came off the bench with 17.
Turnovers cost Lakers as Magic sneak home
The Lakers raced out of the gates in the first quarter but failed to keep their energy as the Magic overran them to grab a 108-104 win at STAPLES Center.
Nikola Vucevic tormented the Lakers for the second game in a row, scoring 31 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists in the win.
The Lakers led 29-16 after the first period, but over the next three quarters, Vucevic and Aaron Gordon took over, with the Magic turning things up on the defensive end. The Lakers led 52-51 at the half and then in the third quarter Orlando broke the game open, outscoring them 35-19. Los Angeles tied things up at 104-104 thanks to a LeBron bucket, but Terrence Ross responded with a layup to give the Magic the lead, with Gordon punctuating the win with this jam.
Turnovers again proved the enemy for the Lakers who coughed it up 18 times, which led to 20 points for the Magic.
LeBron led the way for the Lakers with 24 points, seven assists and four rebounds, while Kyle Kuzma added 21 points, Brandin Ingram 17 and Lonzo Ball nine points and 10 rebounds.
Butler calls GAME......again
Jimmy Butler was the hero again for Philly, knocking down a game-winnng three-pointer to complete huge comeback win over the Brooklyn Nets 127-125.
Philly trailed by 19 points in the third quarter, roaring home in the fourth quarter, thanks to 18 points in the period from Butler, including the dagger with 0.4 seconds remaining.
Both Avery Bradley and Luc Mbah a Moute are listed as out tonight for the LA Clippers as they return home to face the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Per the LA Clippers PR department, both Avery Bradley and Luc Mbah a Moute will sit out tonight’s contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
This marks the first game missed this year for Bradley who is out due to a left ankle sprain. For Mbah a Moute, this will mark the sixth consecutive missed with left knee soreness.
In order to stay on pace with the rest of the Western Conference, the Clippers will need to pick up a win tonight against another likely playoff contender. The defensive absence of both Mbah a Moute and Bradley doesn’t help, but does not leave the team with an insurmountable task. Neither has provided much offense for the team.
Bradley is only averaging 7.1 points on 35% shooting. Both are second lowest only to his rookie year. Mbah a Moute has only put up 5.0 points in his four appearances for the team, but less is expected out of him on that end then Bradley.
Bradley was seen by many as a possible trade piece for Butler. Tonight may have been an opportunity to “showcase” him for coach Tom Thibodeau but alas, that won’t happen.
What this means
On the defensive end, this doesn’t bode well for LA as the Timberwolves announced that All-Star guard Jimmy Butler will be suiting up tonight. Butler has sat out the past couple of games due to “rest”, but many believe this is just the latest ploy on his end to try and be traded.
Without Bradley, rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will get the start. This will be Gilgeous-Alexander’s first regular season start in the NBA. It will also likely mean more minutes for Milos Teodosic. Both will need to be ready for the combination of Butler and Rose (who was also confirmed to be playing tonight.)
Gilgeous-Alexander may have a shot at earning the starting role with a good performance tonight as many fans have called for him to take that role since the beginning of the season.
The versatile big man scored 22 points, including a dunk with 1:06 left that gave the Clippers a 10-point advantage.
BY THE NUMBERS
7 Consecutive games the Wolves have given up 110 points or more, a team record.
STAFF REPORTS
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That’s according to Clippers head coach Doc Rivers, who claims both the Clippers and Lakers benefit from James being in Los Angeles.
The Lakers may have garnered most of the attention this season due to signing James in free agency this past offseason, but it is the Clippers who currently lead the way in the Western Conference.
Rivers’ side have won eight of nine games at home with players such as Tobias Harris, Danilo Gallinari, Lou Williams, Montreal Harrell and rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander all exceeding expectations.
It remains to be seen whether the Clippers can maintain their early season form, but for now the Lakers are the ones looking up the league standings at their rivals.
The rivalry will likely intensify even more next summer when both teams will likely be battling for prospective free agents such as Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard.
Despite their brilliant form, it is the Lakers who have attracted most of the attention with James now on board.
But instead of being sour about the lack of recognition his side have gotten due to the coverage of James, Rivers insists his Clippers team will actually benefit from it.
“I think the Lakers are the Lakers with or without LeBron,” Rivers said on Skip and Shannon Undefeated.
“For the last four or five years I was pretty much left alone in restaurants, no one said anything to me.
“But now LeBron comes to the Lakers and the Laker fans, they talk more.
“I get it. I think if we picked up LeBron I would probably talk more too so I’m fine with that.
“I think it’s good. I like it.
“A lot of people say ‘oh no LeBron is coming, what about us’.
“That’s good. When basketball is spoken about in L.A. it helps both teams at the end of the day.”
Rivers have been impressed by what he has seen from the Lakers so far and suggests the pairing of Rajon Rondo and James will pay dividends further down the line.
“He’s been amazing,” he added.
“They’re young and they’re growing. They’re not to be discounted. I think they’re really talented and they’re really good.
“Having LeBron and Rondo is so under-rated just from a leadership standpoint.
“I’ve never coached LeBron but I have coached Rondo. He is the smartest and he’s really grown.”
Nurkic injured his shoulder in the first quarter of the Blazers' loss to the L.A. Clippers Sunday night when he elevated near the rim to block a Tobias Harris drive and took an elbow to the shoulder. Nurkic returned briefly in the second quarter, playing about six minutes, but the pain rendered him ineffective. He was evaluated at halftime and trainers elected to hold him out of the second half.
After participating in non-contact portions of the Blazers' practice on Tuesday, Nurkic said he "probably" would play against the Magic. He is not listed on the Blazers' injury report for the game.
"It was kind of nasty," Nurkic said. "But I'll be fine."
Nurkic said he underwent an X-ray, which confirmed he merely had a bruise. After a rough first night, he said, the pain in his shoulder has steadily decreased.
The Blazers (12-8) could certainly use Nurkic, who is averaging 15.1 points and 10.4 rebounds this season, against the Magic. Not only have they lost a season-high three games in a row and five of their last seven overall, but the Blazers will face an Orlando team that runs through starting center Nikola Vucevic, who has been playing particularly well the last two weeks.
Over the last seven games, Vucevic has scored 30 or more points four times, recorded five double-doubles and is averaging 26.4 points, 12.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists. He was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Nov. 18.
"Vucevic is having a hell of year," Blazers backup center Zach Collins said. "It all starts with us containing Vucevic and making sure he doesn't go off too much."
COLLINS LOOKS TO LIMIT FOULS
While Nurkic's playing time will depend on the health of his shoulder, Collins' could hinge on fouls.
After avoiding significant foul trouble most of the season, Collins has been limited by the whistle of late. In the last five games, Collins has fouled out twice and been saddled with foul trouble one another time. The rough patch started Nov. 18, when Collins fouled out of a win at the Washington Wizards, and he has not played more than 19 minutes in a game since.
Collins spent some time on Wednesday watching film with Don Vaden, a longtime former NBA official who serves as a consultant for the Blazers, and the session yielded a few realities.
For the most part, foul calls on Collins have been legitimate. Far too often, they occur on "ticky-tack" plays away from the rim. Also, Collins has been too careless after collecting his fourth and fifth fouls.
"I just don't think I've been as tight and ... I haven't been paying attention to the little things as well as I did early in the year," Collins said. "I just got to get back locked into that."
Collins said he needs to use better footwork, monitor his hand placement and pay closer attention to his part in the game action. He said he can live with drawing whistles while contesting one-on-one shots at the rim, but too many of his fouls are coming on the perimeter or on put-backs after he allows an offensive player to snare a rebound.
"The fouls that are away from the rim are the things that I need to clean up," he said. "If I get six fouls at the rim, I'm not too worried about that. It's just staying locked in and making sure that you don't get a lot of ticky-tack fouls that will make you pay in the end. That's what kind of happened to me last game. So just being smarter."
HARKLESS PRACTICES, STOTTS DOESN'T CONFIRM STARTING STATUS
After playing in the last three games, Moe Harkless practiced on Tuesday, taking another positive step forward as he continues to ramp up activity following a 12-game absence with left knee soreness.
Harkless rejoined the starting lineup in the Blazers' loss to the Clippers, but played just 17 minutes as he remains handcuffed by a 20-minute restriction. Harkless said he hopes to have the limitations gradually lifted as soon as possible.
"We've talked about, maybe, after a couple more games, pushing my minutes-restriction," Harkless said Sunday night. "It's pretty hard to play that way."
When asked if Harkless would continue to start, coach Terry Stotts declined to answer, saying simply, "We'll see."
At the very least, Harkless said this is the best he's felt in months.
"It's just going to get better from here," Harkless said. "I feel better than when I tried to play a month ago. We're trying to push it to see how much I can handle without the pain."
After a 13-6 start to the season, the Clippers are now tied for first place in the West. Even if no one expects that to hold, sports media struggles to put the team in playoff conversations. Why is that?
“This is an extremely good team and no one’s talking about them! It’s insane!” Isaac Lee of The Ringer finally said the words on their November 20th Heat Check podcast, (50:17) after John Gonzalez and Jonathan Tjarks ran down the Western Conference without so much as a sideways mention of the LA Clippers.
#ClipperNation has been internally conflicted about the whole idea. Yes, the Clips absolutely deserve to be talked about, and such discussion is good for the brand and for the future of the team. It also helps with our free agency moves next offseason. On the flip side, as long as the league sleeps on the Clippers, we can continue our surprise run until it is almost too late for the other 29 teams to correct it.
But let’s set aside those considerations. A .600+ team deserves to be spoken about, and if after Christmas, the quarter-season marker, that team makes a realistically-achievable .700 win percentage from this point, even with excruciatingly stupid losses, they definitely deserve to be in the conversation.
So what’s the problem? Is it a historical Clippers bias? It’s hard to think, four years after professional horrible person Donald Sterling was ousted in lieu of widely-liked Steve Ballmer, that this feeling still exists. The fact that the Clippers live in the same city as the biggest celebrity catnip team in the world certainly affects their coverage, but to the point of being 13-6 and virtually unspoken about?
The reality is much more mundane. Gonzalez, in that same Heat Check podcast, showed it fairly plainly:
I just sometimes forget about them because they’re better than the sum of their parts […] but I think part of what drives NBA content [is] narrative. There’s a little bit of that lacking with the Clippers. [51:34]
Stars and superstars drive NBA content. While players like Tobias Harris, Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams might be stars to us (though Harrell is starting to rightly gain attention), we probably won’t see any of them ending up on an All-Star team this season. In today’s NBA, young fans are more likely to follow talent than teams, as social media has become a major component of fandom. They aren’t Heat fans or Cavs fans or Lakers fans — they’re LeBron James fans. They’re Steph Curry fans.
It’s not like during the Lob City era that we were half as ignored as we are now. With Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan, there was plenty of fodder for media to clamp their teeth onto. The Clippers were even a major part of how NBA Twitter blew up.
The point is, this Clippers team does not have the widely-known characters in their story. Our most widely-known and looked-for character today is Boban Marjanovic, the Demigod, who isn’t immune to DNP-CD games.
5th hardest.
The Clippers are simultaneously really really really good and yet I have so little to say about them other than “they’re good.” https://t.co/bl2VTpgXxd
The reality is that a team without a star will have to surprise twice as much for half the attention. It’s not enough to be first or tied for first in the West. 13-6 is not enough. 26-12 may not even be enough. There is a reason why Ballmer hired the well-respected Lee Jenkins from Sports Illustrated with the vaguely defined role of “Executive Director of Research & Identity.”
A major free agent like Kawhi Leonard or Kevin Durant would immediately put the spotlight on the Clippers, but Donald Sterling’s plantation-style of ownership was a quiet disrespect of the league, of people of color, and his own ex-team for decades. We’re now four years into a new front office, with a well-liked owner who’s throwing money everywhere to effectively build an NBA organization from scratch.
That’s not nearly long enough to undo a not-undeserved view of the LA Clippers as an also-ran team that lives in the shadow of the Lakers. Even after beating the Warriors, Bucks, Rockets (2x), Spurs, Grizzlies, and the Trail Blazers, the problems are not fixed in a single, probably-not-Finals-contention season. Listen, I’m optimistic, but I’m not crazy.
The Starters‘ Tas Melas on their November 27th show picked the LA Clippers as overvalued. “They’ll come back down to Earth a little bit. […] It’s gonna drop off a bit.” While I feel Melas is probably right, I can’t remember a single time this season where The Starters spoke about the Clippers for longer than ten seconds. Typically, you value a team before you overvalue them.
If we keep making tough games interesting, we might start seeing people wake up and actually provide some air time to discuss the team. While the tone of mentions has changed from “they’re not making the playoffs” to “they’re actually pretty good,” the depth of discussions goes no further than “Tobias Harris is good” and “Boban is big and fun.”
Landing LeBron James was the first step in Magic Johnson’s process of rebuilding the Los Angeles Lakers. As Johnson himself has mentioned, though, his work did not end there. This summer, Johnson and the front office will be focused on the second half of that plan: Landing a second superstar to play alongside James.
Tim Bontemps of ESPN wrote about one candidate to play that role for the Lakers (Kawhi Leonard) and apparently, the Lakers might want to look elsewhere:
A survey of several league executives this weekend had the Lakers trailing, even among Staples Center tenants, in the competition to get Leonard, with the LA Clippers universally being placed ahead of them. Rather than seeking to team up with James, the thinking is that Leonard would prefer to have control of his own team, which the Clippers would offer, while still giving him the ability to return to his native Southern California.
There’s certainly something to this. LeBron has shown over the course of his career that teams he plays for tend to take on his persona with little room for other stars. That said, in Miami, he made it work alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. For all the frustration Kyrie Irving spoke about since demanding a trade to get away from James, they brought the Cleveland Cavaliers their first title in franchise history.
So sure, there has been a trend that’s defined much of James’ career as it pertains to superstar teammates, but winning is a common thread, too. Leonard or any other star would be remiss to ignore that.
Bontempts continues, this time about the case Toronto could make to Leonard.
One source of optimism stems from the fact that Thunder general manager Sam Presti was able to hang on to George -- despite George having openly stated he wanted to play for the Lakers, Oklahoma City being one of the league’s smallest markets and the Thunder having lost in the first round of the playoffs last season. But the bigger source of optimism is what Toronto has to offer Leonard if he does decide to stay.
This much we know: If it is only winning that Leonard is interested in, Toronto seems like the clear-cut favorites to retain him. They’ve opened up this season looking like a juggernaut and could get better as they continue to figure out how to play together. They’re putting a season together that will go a long way in convincing Leonard to stick around if location isn’t as important to him as was initially reported when he wanted out of San Antonio.
The season is also merely 10-games old. A lot can change over the course of a six-month season and even as we get to the offseason, when Leonard is faced with that decision. Even if Leonard decides to either stay in Toronto or sign with the Clippers, the Lakers will have other options either in free agency or via trade if absolutely need be.
For now, the focus is to make the best of what they can with this specific roster. At 4-6, there is plenty of stuff to figure out, and the better they’re able to look over the course of this season, the better a case they can make to Leonard or any other superstar.
Has the inclusion of Rex Kalamian affected the Los Angeles Clippers? Where does he rank among our free agency signings? Let’s dive deeper into the matter.
Following a series of moves to cap-off their roster, the LA Clippers acquired the former Toronto Raptors assistant Rex Kalamian to conclude their business in the off-season. Celebrating his silver jubilee in the NBA this year, his inclusion resembles a re-union with the Clippers which goes way back. To commence his career in the NBA, the Armenian-American had occupied the position of a video coordinator and was later offered a coaching role in his stint with the team. A pivotal piece in the flourish of franchises such as the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Toronto Raptors in recent years, the management will expect him to instill a winning culture alongside Doc Rivers in the post-Lob City era.
A renowned mastermind, Kalamian has made a career in the league on account of his defensive schemes. Under his assistance, the Raptors concluded the prior season as a top-5 defensive team, substantiated by their impressive defensive rating of 105.1. This eventually led them to their fifth division title, their second in a three year term. Having encountered identical success in Oklahoma (four division titles in six years), his presence will be key in the franchises’ aspiration of remaining competitive this year.
His defensive impact with the Clippers early in the season, has carried significance in the team’s positive beginning. Should the team maintain their creditable defensive rating of 105.3 throughout the season, a playoff position would no longer be a pipe-dream. While the roster includes a few substandard stoppers namely Danilo Gallinari, Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic and others, they’ve manifested signs of having honed their perimeter, rim protection and help defense under the tutelage of Kalamian. However, the Clippers’ team-defense has looked shaky in stretches and could use further rectification.
Managing player development for the Thunder and the Raptors, he’d monitored the growth of lottery picks, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and James Harden into stars in the league. Further the maturation of undrafted piece, Fred Van Vleet, into the leader of Toronto’s second unit exhibits Kalamian’s expertise in this domain. Alongside Sam Cassell, he has been working incessantly in the development of rookie guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, which has aided the Kentucky guard in his effortless transition from college basketball to the NBA. Although Jerome Robinson has toiled for minutes thus far, a temporary move to the G-League could assist his progress.
Quoting the late Bear Bryant, “Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships.” the acquisition of Rex Kalamian resembles a high-grade addition to the franchise. A building block in the Clippers’ pursuit of attaining success in the near future, he will strengthen the franchise’s coaching staff to a greater extent. Posing a high intellect, strong work ethic and immense experience, his inclusion represents the Los Angeles Clippers’ most significant free agency addition this off-season.
That’s the opinion of ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who also pinpoints why the LA Clippers would be a bad idea for Durant.
Durant could become the most coveted free agent next summer if he opts out of the final year of his contract, which he is widely expected to do so.
The 30-year-old has strongly suggested that he will not take anymore cut-price contracts, giving teams with the relevant cap space reason to be optimistic.
The New York Knicks have been heavily linked with a move while the Celtics have recently been mentioned as they came close to signing him back in 2016 before the Warriors swooped in.
But the Lakers are the favourites according to Smith and he believes James’ huge paparazzi following will allow Durant to play to his full capability.
“Why would I say the Los Angeles Lakers?” Smith said on ESPN.
“There’s a guy by the name of Magic Johnson who has about $37-$38million available in cap space.
“LeBron and the paparazzi kind of atmosphere might be there but guess what, because LeBron is there and he would garner most of the attention, KD would be there just playing ball.
“He’s already got a home in Los Angeles, the weather is beautiful, he likes it out there.”
He added: “Would I be able to kill him if he left and Golden State got Anthony Davis?
“Or Kawhi Leonard? I don’t know if I would feel that strongly against it if somebody else landed in Golden State.”
The LA Clippers could also come into play as they may potentially have two max salary slots and their owner Steve Ballmer has spoken at great length at how they want to go big in the free agency window.
If Durant was to join the Clippers, he would be in direct rivalry with James in the same city.
And Smith thinks that very reason would put the two-time NBA Finals MVP off the idea of joining the Clippers.
“The problem with that is because if he were to go the Clippers that would clearly be the incentive and motivation why," he said.
“That means every little thing that LeBron did, he’d be compared to that and that would be the problem.”
The Warriors star has been out of action for three weeks after suffering a foot injury
Curry, who has won three NBA titles, is going for another this year.
However, the Warriors’ season has been impacted by issues off-court.
Draymond Green and Kevin Durant were involved in an on-court feud against the LA Clippers, before Green told Durant to leave the franchise.
There has been much speculation about various members of the Warriors, Green, Durant and Klay Thompson, potentially leaving the side.
However Curry has reassured fans that he will be going nowhere.
“Personally, I thank Oakland for embracing me as one of their own, for giving me a new home, for giving me a sense of pride and something to play for,” he said.
“It was definitely a culture shock for sure [moving from North Carolina]
“How fast things move, how vibrant the city is and just how beautiful the city is, too.
“This is our new home.
“I really don’t feel like we’re ever going to leave this area.
“And that’s something that 20 years ago I never would’ve thought this would be where I’d end up.”
If Curry and the Warriors are successful this year, they will win their fourth NBA title in five years.
And the point guard is under no illusions about the greatness of the task at hand.
“Going into a season with what we have on our team, a championship is what you focus on," he said.
“But this year, it makes it a little bit more focused and more special in terms of understanding what is at stake.
“Trying to win three in a row and this is our last season in Oakland, playing in front of the fans there at Oracle Arena.”
PLAYA VISTA — Clippers fans in L.A. might be crowing about the fact that their team is in first place, but the Clippers themselves say they aren’t paying any attention to the Western Conference standings, nor to any of the “noise” stirred by their surprise ascension.
They’re not even tempted to, said forward Tobias Harris, surmising that even if they did, “we could be about three losses away from 10th place, so …”
At 13-6, the Clippers were, as of practice Tuesday morning, technically .002 of a percentage point ahead of the Golden State Warriors (15-7). They also were one of seven teams within 2-1/2 games of first place.
“We showed after the last 15-20 games that we can be a very good team,” veteran center Marcin Gortat said. “But we can’t forget there’s 60 more to go. Let’s not get excited.
“I’ve been on the teams that played well, and 15-20 games in we were thinking about which team we’re going to play in the playoffs, from what position we’re going to play. The next thing you know, you barely make the playoffs from an eighth spot. So you’ve got to slow down and calm down.”
“I don’t even count record,” said Clippers Coach Doc Rivers, repeating what’s become something of a mantra. “I just thought we were gonna be good, and I think we are. And I think we’re gonna get a lot better.”
EXACTLY HOW OPEN?
Rivers could be right, with chemistry continuing to build between his players, including Gortat and Harris – who said he received messages congratulating him from just about every teammate when it was announced Monday he’d been named Western Conference Player of the Week.
Harris said the player of the week honor was a testament to the Clippers’ 3-1 record between Nov. 19 and Sunday. It’s also a reflection of his improved production on pick-and-roll plays – and that is a testament, Harris said, of being able to wield the Polish Hammer.
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“Part of that is a lot of those good looks have come from Gortat setting those screens,” said Harris, who is averaging a team-best 1.15 points per play post-pick, according to ESPN.com’s Kirk Goldsberry. “I mean, I watch the film and guys are way off just because of how hard he sets screens, so that helps me out a whole lot.”
“I’m very confident about setting screens for people,” the 6-foot-11, 245-pound Gortat said. “These guys know that if I’m gonna set a screen, they’re going to be open and it’s up to them to use that screen. Particularly, Tobias Harris was really good the last week. He knows that every time I set a screen, he’s going to be pretty much butt-naked open.”
Rivers said he couldn’t comment on the center’s colorful description: “I don’t know what that is,” but that he agreed with his assessment: “Yeah, Marc is a great screen-setter.”
Veteran guard Jamal Crawford will lead the last-place Phoenix Suns into Staples Center on Wednesday for a meeting with his former team.
Crawford was a fan favorite among Clippers fans for five seasons, a span in which he twice was named Sixth Man of the Year.
After playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, the 38-year-old Crawford signed with Phoenix, his eighth team in 19 NBA seasons, a day before this season began.
He’s contributed veteran know-how and on-court production since, scoring in double figures in five of the last seven games, including draining his 10th career game-winner in an upset of the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 23.
Rivers said it’s all par for the course that Crawford’s playing on.
“Jamal’s gonna play until he’s 55 … even when he retires, he’ll be in a rec league somewhere scoring 50,” said Rivers, who also credited Crawford for being one of the players who got the Clippers organization “on the right track.”
He may not put up the same stats as other guys, but Montrezl Harrell seems to be the key to the LA Clippers bench success.
Montrezl Harrell may not be the team’s scoring leader nor the guy that fans first think of when they imagine the LA Clippers. But none of that matters. What matters is that Trezz is the key to the LA Clippers’ bench success.
This summer, the Clippers eagerly brought Harrell back on a 2 year, $12 million deal. This was very favorable for LA as Harrell and already proved his worth. Still, the 24-year-old may be already searching for his next big pay day.
Only 10 games into the season, Harrell is putting up 12.1 points, grabbing 6.0 rebounds, blocking 1.7 shots and grabbing 1.0 steals. Not one, not two, not three, but all of these are career highs. The sample size isn’t much, but Harrell has made positive strides in each of his seasons. He also seemingly doesn’t miss, converting on 64.3% of his field goals, which currently ranks 20th in the league.
Trezz has managed to stay humble through the process. He seemingly relishes his role energizing the team from the bench. When asked at a meet and greet after last night’s victory, Harrell said all he wants to do is bring energy.
@MONSTATREZZ “Honestly as far as starting, you know that’s not really something that I’m worried about. The only thing I’m worried about with this team is bringing energy and not quitting.” How can you not love this guy? #trezzpic.twitter.com/GrSXDby040
That’s the right mindset. After Boban Marjanovic was given the starting role against Orlando on Friday night, Harrell didn’t make a peep. Sure, he’s more mobile and younger than Marjanovic, but perhaps he realized he is still best used as a ying to Boban’s yang.
Harrell and Marjanovic give opposing teams completely different looks on both ends of the court. Although each has their own shortcoming, the two can cause opposing coaches to adjust on the fly.
The best part? Boban can use his size and strength to wear down opposing centers. Then, enter Trezz. His sparkplug attitude off the bench will either completely tire out starting centers or force them to hit the pine in favor of their backup. Whichever the case, it has proved effective in the two games that the Clippers have employed this tactic.
The team may even go as Montrezl does. Yes, Lou Williams can come in any night and drop 20 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can wow us with thoughts of the future, but Harrell does something special when he enters the game. His fire and passion ignites the team and helps keep them focused. There’s hardly a statistic for that. It doesn’t matter. Clipper Nation knows.
The Los Angeles Clippers put together a full performance against the Timberwolves on Monday night, resulting in a 120-109 victory.
The LA Clippers put together a full performance on Monday night, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 120-109. Here are three takeaways from the victory.
Forward Combo Shines
Tobias Harris once again proved that he is the Clippers’ premiere player. He is often an unsung hero, but is currently a top-25 scorer in the league at 21.3 points per game.
His fellow front court running mate, Danilo Gallinari, actually sits at 27th in the league at 20.0 points per contest.
Last night, the two proved dangerous yet again with each tallying 22 points. The duo’s ability to score makes them potent and their versatility allows Doc Rivers to stagger lineups. According to advanced stats, the two on the court together produce an offensive rating of 111.7. Their true shooting percentage is a very solid 57.4%
If the two can keep this effort up, their scoring (combined with Lou Williams off the bench) could propel the Clippers right into the playoffs.
Bench Boost
Surprise, surprise! Lou Williams scored 20 points off of the bench. His contribution was much needed, but let’s pay a little attention to the often unsung hero of the bench unit: Mike Scott.
Scott has been sneaky good for the Clippers, doing everything he can to help win in his 12 minutes per game. Although he’s only putting up 4.1 points in his 10 appearances, you can tell that he makes the team better when he’s on the court.
Last night he was particularly effective, scoring 8 points, grabbing four rebounds and dishing out a couple of assists. In fact, he was the team high plus/minus with a +11. Scott may not always get consistent minutes, especially when Luc Mbah a Moute returns from injury, but he has proven he is an asset for this group as they fight for a playoff spot.
Montrezl
Montrezl Harrell gets his own section dedicated to him. He managed to drop 13 points off the bench, but more importantly had three steals and a charge that won’t show up in the box score. Coupled with that is his hustle, which is also hard to document (although NBA Stats is doing a great job of getting there).
Trezz apparently isn’t worried about starting (more on that later), so he deserves his own section here just so fans can appreciate the work and energy he comes in with every single night.
'One thing I promise,' he told Deontay Wilder as they squared off in August. 'Is that when I go to Las Vegas is I'm knocking you the f*** out!'
The proclamation prompted cheers from the crowd at Belfast's Windsor Park and seemingly let slip the sport's worst kept secret: that the biggest heavyweight fight this decade was headed for the home of boxing.
Tyson Fury vowed to knock Deontay Wilder out in Las Vegas when they met in ring in August
Now boxing's biggest puncher and its biggest personality collide in Los Angeles on Saturday
A gifted, loose-lipped British boxer against a flashy, big-punching American hope - Fury vs Wilder was a fight made for the gaudy extravagance of the Strip.
But on Saturday night, fans at the state-of-the-art T-Mobile Arena will be treated to a rendition of SexyBack rather than 12 rounds of the noble art.
For it's Justin Timberlake who headlines in Sin City this weekend, while Fury and Wilder face off 270 miles away from the glare of the bright lights - in Los Angeles.
The heavyweight showdown was confirmed on August 18, after Fury cruised to his second comeback win with victory over Francesco Pianeta in Belfast.
The 21,000-seater Staples Center in Los Angeles is the home of both the Lakers and Clippers
The Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas was the other front-runner to host the heavyweight showdown
But more than a month later, the biggest fight of the year was still without a venue. Then, eventually, after weeks of contrasting reports and ridicule, the fight finally landed on the West Coast.
The Staples Center, home of both the LA Lakers and Clippers, had overcome Vegas' Mandalay Bay to secure the money-spinning showdown.
For the two fighters, it provided a date with destiny to work towards and also put an end to fears that the fight could be pushed back further.
They had originally been scheduled to meet in November and the clash risked being delayed until the new year as talks over a Vegas rematch between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao resurfaced.
Those negotiations failed but the Staples Center still won out over Sin City and New York, which boasts both Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center.
The last big heavyweight fight at the venue was Lennox Lewis's 2003 win over Vitali Klitschko
Fury and Wilder have fought on the East Coast before but this time they went west, with the world famous MSG instead playing host to Rocky Fielding's clash with Canelo Alvarez on December 15.
WILDER V FURY ODDS
Deontay Wilder - 4/7
Draw - 25/1
Tyson Fury - 6/4 (out from 7/5)
Source: Betway
Since its boxing debut at the turn of the century, the 21,000-seater Staples Center has played host to some of the sport's most iconic names - Roy Jones Jnr, Oscar De La Hoya and Pacquiao among them.
It is no stranger to heavyweight showdowns, either. The Staples Center was where Lennox Lewis signed off on his incredible career with victory over the great Vitali Klitschko in 2003.
But since the 'Battle of the Titans,' the sport's blue-riband division has stayed away, with WIadimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua ensuring the home of heavyweight prizefighting has been on this side of the Atlantic in recent times.
Fury beat Steve Cunningham on the East Coast in his only previous fight in the United States
Wilder, meanwhile, has fought three times at the Barclays Center in New York in recent years
Now it returns to LA with a bang as the sport's biggest puncher and one of its biggest personalities collide for the WBC title, with a shot at AJ for the undisputed crown peering over the horizon.
Not that those responsible for putting on the fight will have much time to prepare.
Timberlake continues his tour with a show at the Staples Center on Tuesday evening before basketball takes over.
The LA Clippers face the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, after which the Lakers enjoy back-to-back home games against the Indiana Pacers and the Dallas Mavericks.
That leaves organisers less than 24 hours to clear the court and ensure it's a home fit for the giants.
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