It was a really quiet Wednesday across the bubble with no video games on the schedule, so we’re going to make use of this chance to do a autopsy on the Clippers season. We’ll then discuss concerning the announcement of the All-NBA groups which snubbed the likes of Bam Adebayo, Khris Middleton and Bradley Beal.

What’s subsequent for the Clippers?

The Clippers have been getting roasted and rightfully so after their implosion vs. the Nuggets, blowing a 3-1 collection lead with one of many worst Recreation 7 performances I’ve ever seen — they have been outscored 50-33 within the second half with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combining for 5 factors on 2-of-18 taking pictures in that body.

The reasons rained down after, with Doc Rivers citing a scarcity of conditioning as one of many the reason why his workforce collapsed. “I used to be by no means snug. I simply wasn’t,” Rivers mentioned of the 3-1 collection lead. “I simply knew conditioning-wise, like, we had guys that simply could not play minutes, and that is onerous, you recognize. I imply, there have been two or thrice an evening the place we really began getting it going, and a man needed to come out. I imply, it’s what it’s. So no, I used to be by no means snug. I can inform you that up entrance. I instructed our coaches that.”

Rivers made historical past for all of the fallacious causes by changing into the one coach to ever blow three 3-1 leads within the playoffs, however The Athletic reported on Wednesday that his job safety will not be unsure. Rivers did make some obvious errors together with giving Montrezl Harrell an excessive amount of run towards Nikola Jokic early within the collection, however it’s onerous to put an excessive amount of blame on him when his second greatest participant in Paul George turned an web meme. Sure, his nickname is now “Wayoff P” on Twitter as a substitute of “Playoff P.” No thought how that web site is free. Additionally, shout out to Damian Lillard for one of the crucial savage tweets of all time (hyperlink).

Rivers’ quote wasn’t practically as head-turning as George’s although… “It was apparent strain to stay as much as the title expectations,” George mentioned. “However as a participant, I imply, you need that. … It is no cop-out. Truth of the matter is, we did not stay as much as that expectation. However I feel, internally, we have all the time felt this isn’t a championship-or-bust yr for us.” He went on to say that he didn’t assume the Clippers had sufficient time collectively, however it’s nonetheless such a bizarre factor to say when you think about the worth tag the Clippers paid to deliver George to L.A. — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, the Clippers’ first spherical draft picks in 2022, 2024 and 2026, two first-round picks through Miami (2021 and 2023), and OKC has the fitting to swap first-round picks in 2023 and 2025. I’m sorry, however for those who’re paying that a lot of a premium and also you name your self “Playoff P” you higher a minimum of take your workforce to the Finals.

Hindsight is 20-20, however If I’m the Clippers and will return in time I wouldn’t do the deal straight up for SGA, not to mention the seven picks. George merely hasn’t been the identical since present process surgical procedure to each shoulders and it’s not like he hasn’t had time to get well because it’s been practically 1.5 years. And right here’s a daunting factor to contemplate; each George and Kawhi Leonard can choose out of their offers throughout the 2021 offseason. So yeah, the Clippers’ title window may shut immediately with none picks to fall again on. Evidently, this entrance workplace has quite a lot of pondering to do and with their draft choose state of affairs they’re pressured to stay with this core within the hope that they’ll discover the chemistry points which have plagued all of them yr.

Let’s squeeze some fantasy nuggets right here whereas we’re at it, as I feel Leonard and George shall be two of essentially the most polarizing picks in drafts subsequent season. Leonard’s well being has been declining for a couple of years now with that continual quad subject, so the load administration isn’t going away. Relying on the variety of back-to-backs, Leonard begins the brand new season with the expectation of lacking +/- 10 video games from the leap. He regarded like he didn’t have a lot elevate within the Denver collection and he’s one yr shy of 30, so if something I feel the load administration will improve. I nonetheless assume he’ll be a prime 5 per-game worth, but when I’m choosing within the late first spherical I’d a lot moderately have a younger stud like Jayson Tatum. If Kawhi is obtainable round choose 15, then I’ll chew.

Story continues

George presents an fascinating dilemma. On one hand, you may have a participant that’s one season faraway from being the third greatest participant in 9-cat for 2018-19, however on the opposite you may have a participant who shot 39% within the playoffs whereas disappearing when it mattered most. He ought to nonetheless be in his prime at age 30 and also you’d assume on a regular basis off he’s about to have will erase any issues about his shoulder, so although I simply clowned him earlier I’ve a sense that George might be a cut price at his ADP subsequent season. Let’s see the place the market places him after which revisit this one other time.

Lastly, let’s talk about a potential sleeper in Ivica Zubac, a man who was a internet plus in 11 of the 13 playoff video games. Montrezl Harrell is a free agent, however I like Zubac no matter Harrell’s choice. He has grown into a very sound defender and he was their solely prayer vs. Nikola Jokic with Harrell taking part in himself off the ground. He solely averaged 18.Four minutes per sport this season, however I feel that quantity is nearer to 24 subsequent season and that would make him a sneaky late-round choose — he has a per-36 line of 16.2 factors, 14.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.eight blocks, large numbers for a participant heading into his age-23 marketing campaign.

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2019-20 All-NBA Groups Introduced

First: LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, James Harden

Second: Damian Lillard, Kawhi Leonard, Nikola Jokic, Chris Paul, Pascal Siakam

Third: Ben Simmons, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Rudy Gobert, Russell Westbrook

Total the NBA did a fairly good job with a pair notable exceptions. Russell Westbrook making the third workforce over the likes of Khris Middleton and Bradley Beal is fairly egregious, and you might argue that Bam Adebayo deserves a spot on that workforce (maybe over Rudy Gobert).

Khris Middleton really had sufficient complete factors to make the workforce with 81, way more than Westbrook (56) and Ben Simmons (61), however as Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer identified his votes have been break up between G and F. I imply come on NBA, that is changing into a position-less sport and it’s time for the voting to acknowledge that. Middleton is each bit deserving of a spot, virtually becoming a member of the 50/40/90 membership this season with averages of 20.9 factors, 6.2 rebounds, 4.Three assists and a pair of.Four triples. It sounds just like the Bucks shall be reloading with an analogous supporting forged subsequent season exterior of Eric Bledsoe who will doubtless be dumped for a shooter, so I like Middleton’s possibilities of repeating his success.

Beal was the largest snub although. I perceive that workforce success performs a task within the voting, however the dude was carrying a workforce that was giving Ian Mahinmi constant minutes. In Beal’s final 25 video games, he was placing up MVP-like numbers of 34.2 factors, 5.5 dimes, 3.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals and three.6 triples on 48% from the sector. Beal didn’t play contained in the bubble due to a proper rotator cuff harm however surgical procedure is out of the query which suggests he’s locked and loaded as a late first-round choose in my guide for subsequent season.