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I dunno. JR started at SF for the nuggets a lot when Melo had injuries. Plus theres not really any good defensive SFs out there right now. JR is an explosive player and i think the CLips would want that.

I haven't watched much basketball, but I find it crazy how much depth Denver had/still has. To be losing guys like Felton, K-Mart, and Smith; yet still be sitting with the #2 seed in the West.

Also pretty practical of both Martin and Smith to stay in playing shape overseas, and now come back with title contenders courting for their services.

Like the Martin signing too. Brings a different type of defensive approach than Griffin/Jordan, and another energy guy... Clippers are packed with those type of players that can run up and down the floor, get points off pure hustle, and make energy plays on both ends, should fit in nicely.

So we know the Lakers have some very big holes. We know the Clippers have great depth, balanced team best pg on the game, great shooters, good athleticism, solid veteran leadership, Blake Griffin. But how come the Lakers are only a half game behind them in the standings? Why are they tied one game a piece on the season head to head? Why did Denver go into to Staples and thrash the clippers one night, and then lose at home to the Lakers the next? Why aren't the clippers better when they have the better roster?

Bruce Bowen out of retirement... whoooOooo!

Honestly, I'm a fan of the Heat, the Clippers, and the Raptors... if K-Mart had gone to any of those teams I'd have been happy, but LA was the best fit for him. I agree that a defensive wing player could be more than enough to push the Clippers over the top.

How bitter do you think Baron Davis is right now?

Last edited by James Raven at 2/4/2012 8:57:39 AM

Vinny
Del
Negro

Well for the same reason Philly and Atlanta are only 1 game back of Miami, but nobody besides Sixer and Hawk fans would legitimately argue that those two teams are better than Miami, or Chicago for that matter (only 2 games ahead). Common opponents are not a great indicator and the Lakers having a night off then going into Denver when they just got an emotional victory over the Clips is not that impressive. It's a good win for the Lakers but Denver was road weary. What I do know is that if you watch both Clips/Lakers games you could see who the better team was. First game was never in doubt whereas the second went down to the wire. The final scores weren't much different but if you watched both games like I did you would agree with that assessment.

Is their a huge difference? I'm not sure there is a huge difference in many of the teams. I mean the Thunder have the best record but lost to the Wizards!?!? I mean what the heck?

As for the Clippers depth....I don't think they have any. Reggie Evans is their only big worth anything off the bench! lol That's why the Kenyon Martin signing was huge. I have always questioned the Clippers depth.

Just fyi, the Clips had just beat Memphis, Denver, OKC, and Utah right before the Denver loss. All strong teams in the West. Due for a letdown probably.

Looking at just one of those things, I agree you could explain any of them away. But as a group, recent performance, head to head and over the entire season...they stack up pretty evenly. And the Lakeshow is a flawed team! I think its more indicative that the Clippers are being over rated at this point. Yes Philly is only a game back of Miami but the 0-2 head to head record in games that were not close show that they are not to the level of Miami. Also if you look at the Sixers strength of schedule its pretty weak. Not so in the case of the Lakers and Clippers, they are fairly similar. Both are mid level playoff teams, but neither are title contenders as presently constructed.

Last edited by Hoosier at 2/4/2012 12:32:13 PM

Don't get me wrong, I agree both are 4/5 seed material. I think that the Clippers have been clearly the better team in the two meetings. I also thing Kenyon Martin fixes the depth problem in the front court. As a Thunder fan I look at which one would I rather play in the post season. The answer is absolutely the Lakers. They don't have the outside shooting or the athletes to be able to run with the Thunder. RW torches the Lakers...Fisher/Blake have no way to stop him, or CP3 for that matter. Clippers also have a better 6th man bench scorer in Mo Williams, which is of utmost importance in the NBA. Lakers lost that in Odom. The only position on the court where the Lakers have an advantage is the 2 guard. PG, SF, and PF all go to the clips and i will give a slight edge to Bynum at Center. PF is the only one that the Lakers are even close at in the other 3. Before I would have given depth to the Lakers, but not when Martin gets there.

Just because two teams have similar fates does not make them equal. Kobe is back to trying to carry the Lakers and he has never won big doing that. The Clippers will get better as the year goes on and they adjust to the entirely new roster. Don't forget Eric Bledsoe will get healthy eventually and also be a good guard off the bench. I have watched both teams play at least 10 times a piece and it's clear to me that the Clippers are better. By a landslide? Maybe not, but it's noticeable.

When you say better, I am going to assume you purely mean from an offensive stand point. The Clip are clearly better Offensively. The Lakers are first in the nba in fg % allowed, clippers 20th. Lakers are 3rd in points allowed, clippers are 23rd. Lakers margin of victory is 3.1 compared to the clip of .6. Lakers are 3rd rebounding differential, clip are about 20th. Lakers are a elite defensive and rebounding team, the clip are below average. How much will a 34 year old kmart help? We will see but the overall difference between the two teams is minimal in my opinion.

Last edited by Hoosier at 2/4/2012 2:57:08 PM

The Clippers have had injuries to three of their starters and have had a much tougher schedule. They have more impressive wins (OKC and Miami) than the Lakers as well. You can throw out all kinds of stats. Defensive statistics are affected when you play the fast paced style that the Clippers do. What I think is funny is that the Clippers take care of the ball better than the Lakers. Less turnovers. AND they force more turnovers than the Lakers do. It's funny that the Lakers do not play at the pace the Clippers do yet turn it over more often. Asst/TO ratio also goes in the Clips favor. Now on offense the Lakers are the 20th best offensive team and the Clippers are the 4th. A big reason why is because of 3pt% which the Clippers win by a landslide. If the Lakers could shoot the ball they may have an argument, but the Clippers can score down low, off the alley-oop, and from behind the arc. Now that the Clippers are healthy they are noticeably better. They have won 5 out of the last 6 games and have been shooting lights out lately because they are at full strength. 48% from 3pt range tonight and 54% overall. They are tough to beat that way. Random stat that doesn't excuse their only loss int he last 6 but is interesting: Only the Thunder have won the 2nd game of their back to back to back stretch thus far. Denver was LAC's 2nd game of three in a row.

We haven't even talked about how LAL are old and they won't sustain their level of play all season...but that's another debate for another day I guess.

I agree the Clip are better offensively. But I am not in agreement that you can argue away the fact they are below average at opponent fg %, rebound differential and margin of victory based on tempo. Those are stats that are tempo proof. Either you stop people or you don't. Either you get more rebounds or you don't. Either you score more or you don't. And in this crazy season everyone has injuries, and everyone is tired. Everyone is going to have down game based on scheduling. But i think after close to 20 games you cam spot trends. If the clippers are better at stealing but are giving up a high percentage from the field, probably means they gamble too much defensively. The clippers aren't a good defensive or rebounding team, the Lakers arent a great offensive team. They are 1-1 head to head, they are very close in the standings. Lakers do need to rectify their pg position...I believe I have gone on about that topic enough however. The Clippers give up a lot of points in the paint. The only good defensive player on that team is Chris Paul actually. The rest range from below average to average. Again we will see what K Mart has left. We will see if Chauncey and Caron can stay healthy. A lot of questions on that side as well.

I had okc as my favorite to win the title preseason. I still think Miami has rebounding and pg problems. I don't see how adding another wing in Battier is going to help come playoff time when wade and lebron aren't coming out. Dallas has no shot this year. They aren't built very well anymore. I see nothing out of any other team to rank anyone above the Thunder currently. I think westbrook and Durant compliment each others games really well, and they will figure it out. I like the thunders interior defense a lot as well.