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Friday, September 05, 2025
Analyzing the Media Storm Surrounding the L.A. Clippers
I deliberately left the words "accusation" and "scandal" out of this article's title because I don't know if the L.A. Clippers violated the NBA's salary cap rules. You don't know, either, even though you may think that you do. The only things that we know are (1) there is a media storm surrounding the L.A. Clippers, and (2) the NBA is investigating the Clippers for a possible violation of the league's salary cap rules.
Unless you avoid all media outlets and social media outlets--which may not be the worst way to live--you are aware that podcaster Pablo Torre accused the L.A. Clippers and their majority owner Steve Ballmer of circumventing the NBA's salary cap rules by
arranging for Kawhi Leonard to be paid $28 million by a sustainability startup called Aspiration for an
allegedly "no show" job that involved no work (feel free to insert a joke about
Leonard also not working at his main job due to load management).
Torre was armed mainly with anonymous sources speaking about a stack of documents allegedly pertaining to the business dealings, bankruptcy proceedings, and federal prosecution for fraud of Aspiration. Joe Sanberg, Aspiration's founder, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud for his role in a $248 million scam. "This so-called ‘anti-poverty’ activist has admitted to being nothing
more than a self-serving fraudster, by seeking to enrich himself by
defrauding lenders and investors out of hundreds of millions of
dollars," Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli said
Aug. 21 in a statement. "I commend our law enforcement partners for
their efforts in this case, and I urge the investing public to use
caution and beware of wolves in sheep's clothing."
It is not clear at this point if the Clippers were victims of Sanberg's fraud--as they assert--or if they were using Aspiration to funnel money to Leonard while circumventing the NBA's salary cap rules. Legally, it does not matter how things "look" or how a podcaster and his podcasting buddies present things; the only thing that matters legally is evidence.
It is fascinating to listen to non-lawyers talk about legal issues.
An anonymous source speaking on a podcast is not presenting evidence
from a legal standpoint; a person testifying under oath or a person
submitting a sworn affidavit is presenting evidence.
So, not only
do we not know for sure the facts concerning the relationships that may
or may not exist among the L.A. Clippers, Kawhi Leonard, and Aspiration,
we also do not know the legal significance of such relationships.
It is wise to reserve judgment about the credibility and motives of the
anonymous sources interviewed on a podcast sponsored by "The Athletic,"
which is owned by The New York Times. The New York Times has been a shady organization in a variety of ways for a long time, including treating writers shabbily, and refusing to apologize after falsely accusing three Duke student athletes of rape.Torre assures everyone that he has total editorial independence, notwithstanding the funding he receives from The New York Times. It must be just a fortunate coincidence that Torre happened to break such a big story in the first edition of his podcast after his partnership with "The Athletic"/The New York Times was formalized; there is no doubt that Torre and "The Athletic"/The New York Times are not motivated at all by such crass concerns as money or clicks, and that they live by a credo consisting of truth, justice, and defending the sanctity of the NBA's salary cap rules.
The Clippers have issued two statements of denial. In the second statement, they termed allegations against the team "absurd" and declared, "There is nothing unusual or untoward about team sponsors doing
endorsement deals with players on the same team. Neither Steve nor the Clippers organization had any oversight of
Kawhi's independent endorsement agreement with Aspiration. To say
otherwise is flat-out wrong."
All we have for sure right now is a media storm generating clicks, page views, ratings, and social media activity. That is not to say that there is no substance here; the NBA will investigate the assertions, and make a determination regarding whether the L.A. Clippers circumvented salary cap rules. The NBA's announcement of the results of that investigation is news; Torre's podcast and the ensuing media storm is what Daniel J. Boorstin called a "pseudo-event" in his seminal book The Image. Boorstin described what constitutes a pseudo-event (p. 11):
1) It is not spontaneous, but comes about because someone
has planned, planted, or incited it. Typically, it is not a train wreck
or an earthquake, but an interview.
2) It is planted
primarily (but not always exclusively) for the immediate purpose of
being reported or reproduced...The question "Is it real?" is less
important than, "Is it newsworthy?"
3) Its relation to the underlying reality of the situation is ambiguous...
4) Usually it is intended to be a self-fulfilling prophecy...
Torre could have presented to the NBA privately the information that he found. If the NBA determined that the Clippers had violated rules, that announcement would have been a news event--but a debut podcast sponsored by a legacy media outlet and expected to deliver a big attention-grabbing splash is not a news event: it is Torre talking about something less from the standpoint of "Is it real?" and more from the standpoint of "Is it newsworthy?" or how much attention it will bring to Torre and his new partnership with "The Athletic"/The New York Times.
As part of the media firestorm, Mark Cuban--once the majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks, now one of the team's minority owners--blasted Torre, and stated that Steve Ballmer is way too smart to participate in the type of scheme that Torre described. My first thought about Cuban's statement is that it is absurd: our prisons are full of people who thought that they were too smart, too wealthy, or too powerful to be caught, let alone punished. If there is substance to the allegations then Ballmer will need a much more robust defense than "I'm too smart to do something that stupid." My second thought is that Cuban's seemingly off the cuff outburst--which may not be as off the cuff as it seems--is a dream come true for Torre and "The Athletic"/The New York Times, providing yet another pseudo-event for talking heads to discuss.
The fact that none of the people who are pontificating publicly about this topic actually know for sure what happened will not stop Torre and other media members from profiting from all of the attention that they are receiving.
My first instinct was to not write about this at all until the NBA announces its findings, but the situation reminds me so much of Boorstin's brilliant insight about pseudo-events that I could not resist making that connection. The Image was published in 1961, and it is as timely and relevant now as it was over 60 years ago.
If it can be proven that the Clippers violated salary cap rules, then the punishment should be swift and harsh--but we live in a society that is governed (or supposed to be governed) by the principles of innocent until proven guilty, and the accused has a right to confront his accusers under oath. This is not a matter of public safety that Torre had to publicize far and wide to save lives; this is a pseudo-event that may subsequently prove to be a legitimate news story--and that may prove to be as false as the accusations that The New York Times published about the Duke lacrosse players.
Nuggets Overwhelm Clippers in Second Half of 120-101 Game Seven Rout
The L.A. Clippers led 26-21 after the first quarter, but trailed 58-47 at halftime and then collapsed in the second half as the Denver Nuggets won game seven 120-101 to advance to a second round matchup versus the Oklahoma City Thunder; the final score obscures the fact that the Nuggets led 103-68 with 8:49 left in the fourth quarter before calling off the dogs. The Nuggets became the first team to have six players each score at least 15 points in a seventh game. Aaron Gordon led the way (22 points), followed by Christian Braun (21 points), Nikola Jokic (16 points), Jamal Murray (16 points), Russell Westbrook (16 points), and Michael Porter Jr. (15 points). Jokic led the Nuggets with 10 rebounds and eight assists, while Westbrook contributed five rebounds, five assists, and a game-high five steals.
Kawhi Leonard scored a team-high 22 points on 6-13 field goal shooting, but he did not impact the game across the board the way that he usually does, finishing with five rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots, and a game-worst -33 plus/minus number. James Harden, the All-Star guard who is supposed to be the team's reliable second option, had seven points on 2-8 field goal shooting and a -29 plus/minus number; his game-high 13 assists were not nearly enough to make up for not only his poor shooting but his refusal to shoot in an elimination game: the game was still within reach at halftime, but the game was out of reach after Harden scored 0 points on 0-2 field goal shooting while playing all 12 third quarter minutes. Leonard had eight points during the third quarter.
Before digging into the details of yet another pathetic performance to add to Harden's horrific elimination game resume (which now includes a 3-11 won/loss record since he fled Oklahoma City after the 2012 season), we will give credit to the Nuggets. Each Denver starter had between 11 and 16 field goal attempts, and Westbrook provided a critical energy boost during his 27 minutes off of the bench; the 2017 regular season MVP is not the first or second option on a regular basis at this stage of his career but--unlike many players who struggle to accept a lesser role when doing so becomes a necessary reality--he is a team-first player who embraces with enthusiasm his current role as a player who provides hustle, scoring, playmaking, rebounding, and defense off of the bench. The Nuggets took a double digit lead into halftime in large part because Westbrook had 10 points, three assists, two rebounds, two steals, and no turnovers while playing all 12 minutes in the second quarter. When Westbrook rebounded his own missed free throw and scored in traffic at the 3:10 mark of the second quarter, I thought about how stupid it sounded when Amin Elhassan and Zach Harper giggled their way through a segment on their radio show while asserting that Westbrook is a stat padder who obtains easy rebounds from complicit teammates. Westbrook is not a stat padder; he is an energetic game-changer: that play sparked a 9-4 run to close the first half, and set the stage for Denver's third quarter avalanche that ended the game and the series.
Westbrook is not a perfect player and he is the first to admit that, but he never cheats the game, his teammates, or the fans: he plays hard, and his basketball IQ is underrated; after the game, Christian Braun--who drew the primary assignment of guarding Harden--mentioned that Westbrook's knowledge of the Clippers' offensive sets in general and Westbrook's knowledge of Harden's tendencies in particular were invaluable to him.
If you love watching basketball being played the way that it is supposed to be played, then you have to love Westbrook; you may not root for him if he is on the opposing team, but you have to respect his approach to the game.
The emotional exclamation point for Denver's win happened after Westbrook stole the ball and delivered an uncontested fastbreak dunk at the 6:53 mark of the fourth quarter to put Denver up, 107-76. Westbrook hung on the rim for an extended period, and did not care at all about the ensuing technical foul; during the stoppage of play, Westbrook exchanged high fives with Denver fans while very emphatically telling the Clippers' fans in the crowd to go home. One got the sense that Westbrook was not only sharing joy with Nuggets' fans while talking trash to Clippers' fans but that he was also letting out a lot of pent-up energy directed toward both of his former teams in L.A.--not just the Clippers, but also the Lakers and the sycophantic media members who unfairly made him a scapegoat even though knowledgeable analysts like Hubie Brown praised Westbrook during his time with the Lakers.
James Harden is the exact opposite of Russell Westbrook: Westbrook keeps himself in shape all of the time, plays hard, accepts his role, and focuses on doing with high energy whatever his team needs him to do, while Harden is often out of shape, often does not give maximum effort, pouts if he does not like his role, and disappears like clockwork when his team needs him most, as if he looks at his Gucci and knows that in clutch moments it is "time to get ill."
Harden has said that he does not play in a system because he is "The System." His biggest fan, Daryl Morey, insists that Harden is a better scorer than Michael Jordan. Look up delusional in the dictionary, and you should see those two statements as prime examples.
Nuggets-Clippers was the most closely contested first round series this year--Golden State-Houston is the only other series to even reach a seventh game, to be played on Sunday night--but game seven turned into a blowout because it is difficult for a team featuring Harden in a first option or second option role to overcome his propensity to disappear when it matters most: if a player who is expected to score 12-15 points only scores 6-10 points, his team can overcome that, but if a player who is expected to be a dominant scorer who draws double teams instead just disappears then there is no way for his team to overcome the huge gap between expected production and delivered production. Very few players are capable of filling the first or second option role on a championship contending team, and Harden is not one of those players, as I noted 12 years ago after Harden fled Oklahoma City instead of accepting a third option role behind Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
Harden is not the only reason that his teams have lost so many elimination games, but he is the biggest reason because of his overall approach to the game: if the purported leader is out of shape, does not play hard, and shrinks in big moments then his teammates are going to follow that example in one or more ways. Leonard, who is candid if dry during his press conferences, admitted that the Clippers' game seven effort was disappointing.
Westbrook lifts his teammates' energy, and Harden deflates his teammates' energy.
At least Leonard went to the post-game press conference. Harden left the arena without speaking to the media, which is not the first time that he has done this after a crushing loss, and is yet another example of how ill-suited he is to the role of being a franchise's best player or second best player; a leader does not shirk responsibility for a loss, and speaks to the media even if he knows that there will be uncomfortable questions.
Jamal Murray poured in a game-high 43 points, Nikola Jokic had a modest (by his lofty standards) triple double (13 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds), Aaron Gordon scored 23 points on 7-11 field goal shooting, and Russell Westbrook had 21 points off of the bench as the Denver Nuggets dismantled the L.A. Clippers 131-115 to take a 3-2 series lead. Westbrook showed no ill effects from the foot injury that forced him to miss Denver's game three win. The Nuggets jumped out to a 17-6 first quarter lead, never trailed, and were ahead by as many as 22 points before settling for a 16 point victory margin.
Ivica Zubac scored a team-high 27 points on 11-15 field goal shooting, Kawhi Leonard had a near-triple double (20 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds), and Bogdan Bogdanovic added 18 points off of the bench for the Clippers, who melted down in front of their fans who thought that they showed up for a party, not a funeral.
All of the main players for both teams showed up--except for one: James Harden, a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, was his team's sixth leading scorer in this game. This is deja vu all over again for the Clippers, who are learning that there is at least one other certainty in life besides death and taxes: James Harden disappearing in game five of a 2-2 series. Last year, the Clippers entered game five versus the Dallas Mavericks tied 2-2, and they exited game five trailing 3-2 after a 123-93 loss during which Harden had a triple single (seven points, seven assists, four rebounds) while shooting 2-12 from the field (a frigid February "concert tour") and delivering his trademark "Harden" (a game during which a player has more turnovers than field goals made) with two field goals made and four turnovers. This year, Harden scored 11 points on 3-9 field goal shooting with five assists, four turnovers, and a game-worst -16 plus/minus number, achieving the rare (except for him) feat of logging a "concert tour" field goal percentage and a "Harden" in the same game.
Game five winners in a 2-2 series go on to win the series 81.3% of the
time, so it is fair to say that game five of the Denver Nuggets-L.A.
Clippers series was the biggest game of the season for both teams. Of course, game six is an even bigger game for the Clippers, because if they lose that game then their season is over with a first round exit, a sad finale for a squad that many "experts" lauded as a potential Western Conference Finals participant before the playoffs began.
Daryl Morey compared Harden favorably to Michael Jordan, but in fact Harden is the anti-Jordan: when Jordan played in a pivotal playoff game you knew that he would be very efficient and productive and his team would most likely win, but when Harden plays in a pivotal playoff game you know that he will be inefficient and unproductive and his team will most likely lose. Harden's elimination game resume provides a blueprint for what the Clippers should expect in game six; last year in game six, Harden scored 16 points on 5-16 field goal shooting as the Mavericks ended the Clippers season with a 114-101 defeat.
The Phoenix Suns built a 14 point first half lead, fell behind by 10 points with just 6:13 remaining in the fourth quarter, and then rallied to beat the L.A. Clippers 116-113 in overtime, spoiling the Clippers' home opener in Steve Ballmer's new arena. Kevin Durant led Phoenix with 25 points while also posting a team-high seven turnovers. Bradley Beal scored 24 points on 8-12 field goal shooting, and poured in seven of the Suns' 13 overtime points. Devin Booker had a quiet game (15 points, six assists) by his lofty standards. Tyus Jones did an excellent job in his debut as the team's starting point guard, finishing with 11 points, a game-high tying eight assists, and no turnovers. The Suns squandered many late leads last season due to poor execution down the stretch, so slotting Jones in as the starting point guard is meant to solve that problem, and if this game is any indication then that plan will work out well.
This game was a microcosm of James Harden's career: he filled up the boxscore with empty calories, and he disappeared when it mattered the most. Harden's game-high 29 points, game-high 12 rebounds, and game-high tying eight assists will make every "stat guru" drool, but it is worth noting not only that Harden had a -4 plus/minus number but also when and how he accumulated his numbers, because the great Bill Russell used to emphasize during his time as a CBS commentator the importance of when a player puts up his numbers. Harden was a no-show in the first half with four points on 2-11 field goal shooting as the Suns built a 47-39 halftime lead, forcing the Clippers to expend energy playing from behind. Then, he erupted for 16 points on 5-9 field goal shooting in the third quarter as the Clippers outscored the Suns 35-25 to take a 74-72 lead heading into the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter with the game up for grabs, Harden had eight points on 3-7 field goal shooting with a team-worst -7 plus/minus number.
The Clippers led 99-90 with 3:52 remaining in the fourth quarter, and then Harden did his thing: he missed a 30 foot three pointer, he missed a floater, he turned the ball over, he missed a layup, and he fouled Durant on a three point play that gave the Suns the lead for the first time in the fourth quarter. Harden then tied the game with a stepback jumper and gave the Clippers a brief lead by hitting a pair of free throws before Durant's fadeaway knotted the score at 103 with 21.2 seconds remaining. Harden missed a floater that could have won the game, and in overtime he did not score a point or deliver an assist. Harden once said that he is not a system player but he is "The system" and that is true if he means that he is "The system" for falling behind early, squandering late leads, disappearing in overtime, and putting up "concert tour" field goal percentages in playoff games.
Unfortunately for the Clippers, their hopes will ride or die with Harden, because two-time NBA Finals MVP (2014, 2019) Kawhi Leonard is out indefinitely with a knee injury. It is becoming increasingly evident that the issue with Leonard is not so much that he is intentionally engaging in load management but that rather he just cannot stay healthy.
In contrast, the Suns have a much sounder foundation, as they are relying on two-time NBA champion/NBA Finals MVP Durant, supported by Booker and Beal, who are excellent as the second and third options respectively. The Suns replaced Frank Vogel, who is an excellent coach, with Mike Budenholzer, who led the Milwaukee Bucks to the 2021 NBA title.
Harden’s Concert Tour Starts on Schedule, Ends Clippers’ Season
Kyrie Irving (30 points, six rebounds, four assists, one turnover) and Luka Doncic (28 points, 13 assists, seven rebounds) led the way on Friday night as the Dallas Mavericks beat the L.A. Clippers 114-101 to advance to the second round of the playoffs. My forthcoming preview of the Oklahoma City-Dallas series will discuss in more detail how well Doncic and Irving performed versus the Clippers, but because the Clippers have "gone fishing" (as the TNT crew puts it) and will not be seen again until next fall this article will focus on yet another "team nobody wants to face" that everybody should want to face.
One unavoidable and sad headline for the Clippers is that Kawhi Leonard just cannot get right physically. Since leading the Toronto Raptors to the 2019 NBA championship, Leonard has had one healthy playoff run (during which the Clippers lost to the Denver Nuggets in game seven in 2020, with Leonard shooting just 6-22 from the field). Leonard missed the last six of the Clippers' 19 playoff games in 2021, missed the entire 2022 season due to injury, missed the last three of the Clippers' five playoff games in 2023, and missed four of the Clippers' six playoff games in 2024. He turns 33 next month, but he seems to have 45 year old knees: Leonard has not played at least 70 games in a regular season since 2016-17. There is no logical reason to believe that he will ever be healthy enough to lead a team on an extended playoff run.
The Clippers' second option is Paul "I call myself Playoff P" George. You can count on one thing from Playoff P: in more than half of his playoff series, he has shot .420 or worse from the field. He was his reliably unreliable self in 2024 versus the Mavericks, shooting .411 from the field, including 6-18 (.333) in game six and 4-13 (.308) in game five.
The best thing that happened to minimize the damage to Playoff P's reputation is that the Clippers signed James Harden to be the starting point guard and be the third scoring option.
This year, Harden disappeared in game five versus the Mavericks and he scheduled a 5-16 concert in game six as the Mavericks wrecked the listing Clippers. With Harden running the show, the Clippers shot .415 from the field, including .258 from three point range. The "stat gurus" rave about Harden's efficiency and insist that we should not rely on the "eye test." So--without even describing all of the ways that Harden ruins an offense and destroys team chemistry--we can just look at his individual numbers and his team's numbers and understand that it is very unlikely that he will ever be the best player (or second best player or third best player) on a legit championship contender. This was not an outlier performance, either--this is yet another line added to Harden's pathetic elimination game resume, which also includes nine points and five turnovers for Philadelphia in a 112-88 loss to Boston last year (that one will be hard for even Harden to top, but I believe that he can do it).
When the best player is out, the second best player disappears, and the third best player disappears, it is not surprising that a team loses. No further explanation is needed (but credit should be given to what Dallas did well, and as noted above, I will discuss that in an upcoming article).
However, I can hear the peanut gallery shouting, "But, but, but, what about Russell Westbrook? How can we blame this whole fiasco on him? The Lakers did it, so why can't the Clippers do it, too?"
There is no sugarcoating the reality that Westbrook did not post good numbers versus the Mavericks; he averaged playoff career-lows across the board—including 19.0
mpg, barely half his career average. A third of his field goal attempts were three pointers, well above his career norm.
It is worth remembering that in last year's playoffs--his first with the Clippers, after joining the team in midseason in the wake of the Lakers shipping him out and trashing his reputation--Westbrook averaged 23.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg, and 7.4 apg. Then, Westbrook played well at the start of this season before the Clippers traded for Harden. The Clippers slumped after Harden arrived, then played better after Westbrook volunteered to be the sixth man so that Harden could dribble the basketball until it was as flat as a pancake as the starting point guard. Westbrook broke his left (non-shooting) hand on March 1, had surgery, and came back in just three weeks. We regularly hear about LeBron James' ankle and other assorted ailments, and there are always injury alibis provided for Anthony Davis and Joel Embiid--but the fact that Westbrook is playing with a recently broken hand is never mentioned. Broken hand recovery time is typically at least two months, which means that the best case scenario is that Westbrook's hand is just now rounding into form--assuming that his injury was typical and that he did not reinjure it during the past five weeks. Whether due to injury or the design--or lack thereof--of the Clippers' offense, Westbrook spent much of the Dallas series camped out behind the three point line. To put it mildly, that is not a skill set strength for Westbrook, who is at his best on the move to the hoop with the ball in his hands. Of course, with Harden and George taking turns monopolizing the ball and bricking shots, there is not much room for Westbrook to get touches on the move.
Again, there is no denying that Westbrook was not productive versus the Mavericks--but it is burying the lede to focus on the fourth option who is playing with a recently broken hand instead of focusing on the chronically injured first option, and the disappearing acts performed by the second and third options.
Speaking of the invisible men, Playoff P has a player option after being tied for the NBA's seventh highest salary in 2024. Some "experts" suggest that the Philadelphia 76ers should use their salary cap space to bring in Playoff P for $50 million per season--and what team does not need a 34 year old with a long history of playoff underperformance? All the 76ers need after signing Playoff P is to bring in Chris Paul, "the best leader in the NBA." Paul's tremendous leadership was fully evident when the Golden State Warriors finished 10th out of 15 teams in the West before losing in the Play-In Tournament.
Harden was a bargain last season, ranking a mere 28th in salary. He is a free agent, and it will be interesting to see who ponies up $30 million or more per season to get an up close view of the full concert tour.
Doncic Shines, Harden Disappears as Mavericks Rout Clippers 123-93 to Take 3-2 Series Lead
"Lookin' at my Gucci, it's about that time."--Beastie Boys, "Time to Get Ill"
Like clockwork, James Harden looked at his Gucci in a pivotal game five and decided it was time to get ill, producing a "Harden" and a "concert tour" in the same contest: more turnovers (four) than field goals made (two)--the "Harden"--and a field goal percentage that looks like a concert tour date (2-12 for an ice cold winter performance). Harden had a game-worst -25 plus/minus number, and his triple single (seven points, seven assists, four rebounds) sealed the L.A. Clippers' fate at home as the Dallas Mavericks ran, jumped, and dunked to a 123-93 win, the worst margin of defeat in Clippers' playoff history. Paul George scored 15 points on 4-13 field goal shooting, and his game-high 11 rebounds were not nearly enough to make up for his anemic scoring, particularly with Kawhi Leonard out due to injury and Harden invisible due to being Harden.
Luka Doncic dominated for Dallas, scoring a game-high 35 points on 14-26 field goal shooting while also dishing for a game-high 10 assists. He outscored George and Harden combined in game five, which is enormously important because the game five winner in a series tied 2-2 goes on to take the series more than 80% of the time. Doncic scored almost as many second half points (20) as George and Harden scored in the entire game combined (22). Doncic has led the league in playoff scoring in each of the past two
seasons, and even though he is hobbling around with various injuries he
is still averaging 30.2 ppg versus the Clippers.
Maxi Kleber added 15 points off of the bench, while Kyrie Irving and Jaden Hardy scored 14 points each.
The Mavericks' excellence under pressure is the main story--along with the reality that Jason Kidd is an underrated coach--but Harden's horrific play must not be ignored. I've been saying it for a decade, but it seems like no one listens and no one learns: no team with James Harden in a key role is going to win a championship--and if you liked game five Harden, wait until you see elimination game Harden.
It was hilarious to watch people get so excited when Harden played reasonably well earlier in this series. Harden was selected to the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, so there is a responsibility and an expectation for him to play well during playoff games. Keep in mind that Harden was selected over Chris Bosh, Adrian Dantley, Alex English, Artis Gilmore, Dwight Howard, Bernard King, and Tracy McGrady (among others).
It should surprise no one that with the series on the line Harden fell apart, because he has done this over and over and over again.
Harden looked at his Gucci, and he knew it was about that time.
Harden being Harden should not obscure the fact that the self-proclaimed "Playoff P" entered the chat as well. Paul George might be Harden's long lost cousin, because they have the same playoff DNA: when all the chips are down, they fall down. George shot .420 or worse from the field in nine of his 18 playoff series prior to 2024, and he is hovering just above .420 in this series heading into a win or go home game six. In his three playoff games when his team faced elimination since joining the Clippers, George has shot 6-15 (.400), 5-15 (.333), and 4-16 (.250), so it will be fascinating to watch Harden and George work their game six magic on Friday night in Dallas.
The two NBA teams in L.A. appear to be on different trajectories, with the Lakers slumping and the Clippers ascending.
The Lakers started the season 14-9--including a 6-0 performance in the NBA Cup (their NBA Cup championship game win versus the Indiana Pacers does not count in the regular season standings)--but they are just 3-9 since the NBA Cup, and they are 10th in the Western Conference standings. The 17-18 Lakers are in danger of missing the playoffs for the second time in the past three seasons, which would be embarrassing for a team featuring LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who are both members of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.
Considering how much hype was heaped on the Lakers just a few months ago, it is funny that the Lakers have just three more wins this season than they did at the same point last season. A year ago, LeBron James' p.r. team in the media worked nonstop to convince the world that Russell Westbrook was the main reason for the Lakers' poor play. The Lakers traded Westbrook for Malik Beasley, D'Angelo Russell, and Jarred Vanderbilt on February 9, 2023, and I asserted that the Westbrook trade did not improve the Lakers' playoff chances. Although the Lakers advanced to the 2023 Western Conference Finals, in retrospect it is apparent that their playoff run was (1) not as impressive as it may have seemed at first and (2) not indicative that the team had improved in a sustainable way: the two teams that the Lakers beat in the playoffs--the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors--have collapsed this season, and the Lakers were swept 4-0 by the Denver Nuggets, the first legit championship contender that they faced. The "triumphant trio" (as I derisively termed them) of Beasley, Russell, and Vanderbilt did not accomplish much during the 2023 playoffs; in game four of the Western Conference Finals, Beasley and Vanderbilt did not play, while Russell scored four points in 15 minutes as the Nuggets closed out the series.
The notion that trading Westbrook for the "triumphant trio" turned the Lakers into a championship contender was laughable at the time, and looks absurd now; the "experts" who praised the trade are now struggling to figure out how to admit that they were wrong without retracting their Westbrook slander and without assigning any blame to James, whose fingerprints are all over the Lakers' personnel moves since he joined the team.
This season, the Lakers rank 13th in defensive field goal percentage, 16th in points allowed, 17th in points scored, and 19th in rebounding; they are mediocre (or worse) at both ends of the court, and it is unlikely that they will come close to repeating last season's fluky run to the Western Conference Finals. On Wednesday night, the Lakers lost 110-96 at home to a Miami team sans Jimmy Butler. James had a game-worst -20 plus/minus number while scoring 12 points on 6-18 field goal shooting; that bad performance is an aberration in an otherwise strong season for James, but it cannot be denied that he seemed more focused on winning the NBA Cup than on leading the Lakers to a top four seed. If the Lakers continue to implode, it will be fascinating to see how Dave McMenamin, Brian Windhorst, and the rest of James' p.r. team spin the debacle in a way that absolves James. Without Westbrook to serve as the scapegoat, who will be the next fall guy? Coach Darvin Ham should keep his head on a swivel.
While the Lakers are floundering, the Clippers have won 18 of their last 23 games. They lost six straight games after trading for James Harden (who was inactive for the first of those games), but now they have the fourth best record in the Western Conference. The main reason for the Clippers' success is Kawhi Leonard, who is not injured or load managing for the first time since he led the Toronto Raptors to the 2019 NBA title. Leonard has played in 29 of 33 games this season; the Clippers are 19-10 with Leonard and 2-2 without him. Paul George, who has not played in more than 56 games in a season since 2018-19, has played in 31 games this season, and he has been a strong second option.
For a decade I have insisted that the best role for Harden is third option on a championship contender, and he is in that role now for the first time since he was the third option for the Oklahoma City Thunder when the Thunder reached the 2012 NBA Finals before falling to the Miami Heat (Harden was the nominal third option during his brief stay in Brooklyn, but Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Harden were rarely on the court together for a variety of reasons). Harden's numbers with the Clippers are solid, but the 76ers' success this season after trading Harden demonstrates that (1) Harden's assists are fungible and (2) Harden's individual numbers do not create wins. Harden consistently disappears in the playoffs, and it is a good bet that he will disappear in the 2024 playoffs, so even though Harden is finally in the ideal role it remains to be seen if Leonard's ability to produce in the clutch can outweigh Harden's annual playoff "concert tours."
Westbrook's role in the Clippers' success should be mentioned. Westbrook finished last season with the Clippers after the Lakers discarded him, and he played well as a starter for the Clippers before willingly accepting a reserve role this season after Harden joined the team. Westbrook ranks second on the team in both rebounding (6.5 rpg) and assists (4.7 apg) while averaging 11.8 ppg in just 23.9 mpg. Westbrook is unselfish, he is a great teammate, he rarely misses games, and he plays consistently plays hard. The Lakers could sure use a player like that!
TNT's NBA Cup Doubleheader Features a Blowout and a Matchup of Contrasting Basketball Philosophies
In the first game of TNT's NBA Cup Tuesday night doubleheader, the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the San Antonio Spurs, 123-87. The Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 28 points, grabbed six rebounds, passed for five assists, and swiped a game-high seven steals; he made the All-NBA First Team last season, and he continues to demonstrate that he is an elite level player. Josh Giddey showcased his all-around game by contributing 18 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and two blocked shots while shooting 7-11 from the field. Jalen Williams was the only other Thunder player who scored in double figures (11 points), but Oklahoma City's balanced attack featured five other players who scored eight or nine points each as the team shot 46-89 (.517) from the field. Although the Thunder played well against a flawed Spurs team and have started the season with a 7-4 record, it should be recalled that the Thunder built this roster by tanking, and teams that tank do not win championships.
Zach Collins and Julian Champagnie led the Spurs with 13 points each, while 19 year old rookie Victor Wembanyama scored eight points on 4-15 field goal shooting as he posted a "Harden" with more turnovers (five) than field goals made, though he did control a game-high 14 rebounds. It should not be surprising that a Spurs squad that tanked to get Wembanyama has started the season with a 3-8 record: Wembanyama is a talented but raw and inconsistent player, and it is not reasonable to expect him to lead this team to the playoffs. It is a disservice to Wembanyama--and disrespectful to the NBA's established great players--for media members to keep hyping up Wembanyama as opposed to giving him some time for his body and his game to develop.
In the second game, the Denver Nuggets defeated the L.A. Clippers, 111-108. The Nuggets, even without injured All-Star caliber guard Jamal Murray, are a complete team. Nikola Jokic is the best player in the world, a scoring/rebounding/passing dynamo who--contrary to popular belief--is one of the best athletes in the NBA. Jokic led the Nuggets in scoring (32 points) while posting game-high totals in rebounds (16) and assists (nine). He shot just 8-23 from the field--missing several shots that he normally makes--but he drained all 14 of his free throw attempts. Jokic's deft passing plus the extra defensive attention that he attracted helped the Nuggets to shoot 39-73 (.534) from the field. Aaron Gordon (20 points, five rebounds, five assists) and Reggie Jackson (18 points, four assists) provided excellent support to Jokic's dominance.
In contrast to the Nuggets' well-oiled championship machine that was built organically and functions as a cohesive unit, the Clippers feature four star players--Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden--and try to overwhelm their opponents with pure talent instead of relying on cohesive execution. George scored a game-high 35 points on 13-26 field goal shooting, but the Clippers shot just 37-86 (.430) from the field. Leonard won two NBA Finals MVPs (2014, 2019) as the efficient focal point of his team's offense, but versus the Nuggets he ranked third on the team in field goal attempts (14) behind George and Harden (15).
The Clippers actually had a very solid squad after Westbrook joined the team late last season, but Harden has proven his all-around impact by simultaneously destroying the
Clippers' offense and defense, both of which cratered right after the Clippers foolishly acquired him from the Philadelphia 76ers.
The crunch time offense with Harden on the court is quite a sight to
behold, with Harden bricking layups and the Nuggets triple-teaming Leonard while daring anyone else to beat them; meanwhile, the Nuggets
worked over the undersized Clippers in the paint, closing the game on a 19-9 run, doing most of that damage after Harden replaced Westbrook down the stretch. Harden treated that fourth quarter like it was game seven in the playoffs, scoring zero points on 0-1 field goal shooting while posting a -6 plus/minus number; he will be a real treat for Clippers fans to enjoy during the playoffs, assuming that the Clippers can right their listing ship and make the playoffs. The Clippers are 0-6 since trading for Harden, including 0-5 when Harden has played.
Jokic and company make no excuses with Murray being out, in marked contrast to many other players and teams that continually whine and complain about not having enough talent. Harden, perhaps the NBA's "Whiner in Chief," calls himself "The System" but the reality is that his slow-paced, overdribbling game is systematically destroying the Clippers. Harden emphasizes that he did not have a training camp this season while neglecting to mention that the reason he did not have a training camp is that he pouted his way out of Philadelphia, much to the delight of 76ers' fans who have watched their team thrive in the wake of Harden's departure.
TNT's Charles Barkley correctly noted that (1) the Clippers made their best run versus the Nuggets when Harden was not in the game, and (2) the Clippers' lack of size is a major problem.
Westbrook was the only Clippers' starter with a positive plus/minus number (+1) even though his boxscore numbers were not impressive (eight points on 4-12 field goal shooting, six rebounds, three assists). Westbrook thrives in the open court, but now that the Clippers have sold their soul to Harden they are consigned to playing at a slower pace while Harden dribbles the air out of the ball. I feel great sympathy for Westbrook. First, LeBron James and his media lapdogs tried to destroy Westbrook's reputation. Then, Westbrook finally escaped to the Clippers, who understood how to utilize his skills and who played well with him running the point--until Harden showed up and wrecked everything.
It is obvious that the Clippers with Harden will win a game at some point, and that they will win a fair amount of regular season games just based on talent alone--but the only conceivable way for this team to make any noise in the playoffs is to hand the first team offense back over to Westbrook while assigning Harden with the task of running the second unit.
Suns Overcome Westbrook's 37 Points, Take 3-1 Series Lead Over Shorthanded Clippers
Kevin Durant (31 points, 11 rebounds, six assists) and Devin Booker (30 points, nine rebounds, seven assists) led the way as the Phoenix Suns overcame an 11 point deficit and a sensational 37 point performance by Russell Westbrook to defeat the shorthanded L.A. Clippers, 112-100. The Suns' third future Hall of Famer, Chris Paul, started slowly but finished with 19 points and a game-high nine assists. It is way too soon to say whether or not the Suns are a legitimate championship contender; right now, they are facing an injury-depleted team, so we do not know how the Suns will react when they play against a team that can match up with them--and we also do not know if Durant, Booker, and Paul can stay healthy for an extended playoff run.
The Clippers were without the services of Paul George--who will likely miss the entire series due to a knee injury--and Kawhi Leonard, who missed a second straight game as he nurses a knee injury. The absences of George and Leonard personify the failure of load management: the Clippers load managed George and Leonard all season with the express goal of having both players available for the playoffs, but neither player is available now.
Meanwhile, Westbrook almost singlehandedly kept the Clippers in the game, shooting 17-29 from the field while also contributing six rebounds and four assists. Clippers not named Westbrook shot 23-63 from the field (.365), and no Clipper other than Westbrook scored more than 14 points.
Westbrook is just the sixth player in franchise history to post back to back 30 point playoff games, and he is averaging 26.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, and 7.3 apg while shooting .460 from the field (including .409 from three point range) in this series.
After the game, Westbrook said, "We make no excuses around here. We
just got to make sure we rally around each other, keep competing
and leave it on the floor." It is refreshing to watch and listen
to a player who is truly a "no-excuse" player, as opposed to players who claim to be "no-excuse" players only to then offer up many
weak excuses.
Westbrook's detractors insisted that D'Angelo Russell would be a better fit for the Lakers, particularly in the playoffs. Russell's career playoff numbers are 14.8 ppg, 5.3 apg, 3.4 rpg, and .345 FG%. That includes 12.0/5.5/5.5/.321 in two playoff games with the 2023 Lakers. Russell's playoff career-highs (not all in the same game) are 26 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds.
Westbrook's playoff career averages are 24.5 ppg, 7.9 apg, and 7.2 rpg.
D'Angelo Russell's best playoff game ever is, quite literally, an average playoff game for Russell Westbrook.
Brian Windhorst, Dave McMenamin, Amin Elhassan, and everyone else who
wrote or said nonsense about Westbrook should be forced to watch this
game while writing over and over--Bart Simpson-style--"I will stop
making inaccurate statements about Russell Westbrook." Westbrook is not
washed up, he is not poisonous in the locker room, and he can make
significant contributions to a winning team even when he is not shooting
well. Those are all demonstrable facts evidenced not just in this one
game, but throughout Westbrook's Hall of Fame career.
Even the best basketball analysts can make incorrect evaluations or predictions. What is egregious about the conduct of Westbrook's detractors is that there is no objective evidence to support the awful things that they repeatedly said about him. It is not difficult to see that Westbrook (1) still has plenty of burst and explosiveness, (2) still plays hard, (3) still rebounds well in traffic, even versus bigger players, (4) still sees the court very well and passes his teammates open (as opposed to merely passing to open teammates), and (5) still is capable of scoring 25-30 ppg if given sufficient opportunities.
So, why is there so much Westbrook hate?
I have stated my informed answer to that question before so I will not repeat myself, but it is worth emphasizing that any qualified and objective observer would not say the things about Westbrook that so many so-called experts have said. Hubie Brown and Jeff Van Gundy never bashed Westbrook.
Read between the lines, take out the words typed in bold, and you will understand not only media coverage of the NBA but media coverage of many subjects.
Load Management Fails Again as Well-Rested Kawhi Leonard Sits Out Game Three With Knee Injury
Load management does not work.
The L.A. Clippers entered the 2022-23 regular season with a team that--led by Kawhi Leonard and Paul George--could have reasonably expected to contend for the number one seed in the Western Conference en route to battling for the NBA title. Instead, the Clippers load managed their way to a 44-38 record and the fifth seed in the Western Conference, meaning that they are unlikely to have homecourt advantage in any playoff series. Paul George played 56 games, and Kawhi Leonard played 52 games. The Clippers went 32-24 when George played, and they went 33-19 when Leonard played; based on those winning percentages, the Clippers were on a 47 win pace when George played, and they were on a 52 win pace when Leonard played. The Clippers went 23-13 when Leonard and George both started, a .639 winning percentage that projects to 52 wins in 82 games.
During the 994 minutes when Leonard and George were on the court together, the Clippers outscored the opposition by 8.2 ppg. How good is that? The 1997-98 "Last Dance" Chicago Bulls had a 7.1 ppg point differential during the regular season. For a variety of reasons--including but not limited to sample size, rules changes, and style of play changes--those numbers do not mean that the Clippers with Leonard and George are as good as the sixth championship team of the Bulls' Jordan-Pippen dynasty, but those numbers indicate that the Clippers with Leonard and George are very good.
The Clippers intentionally sacrificed regular season wins and rhythm based on the notion that Leonard and George would be fresh and healthy for an extended playoff run, even if that meant starting each series on the road.
Following the load management strategy did not produce the results that the Clippers expected or wanted. George is out with a knee injury that may sideline him for the entire postseason, and Leonard missed game three of the Clippers' first round series versus the Phoenix Suns. Leonard is listed as day to day, which basketball fans realize could very well mean that we don't see Leonard play again until next season.
Without Leonard and George in game three, Norman Powell poured in 42 points and Russell Westbrook added 30 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds, but the Suns won, 129-124. The idiots who slandered Westbrook before, during, and after his tenure with the Lakers look even more foolish now, but the larger story for the Clippers is that--as great as Westbrook can still be--without Leonard and George they do not have enough firepower to counteract Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, and Chris Paul.
When Leonard plays, he embodies everything that is great about basketball: he plays hard at both ends of the court, he does not engage in nonsense or histrionics, and he is much more interested in team success than individual glory. He also plays at an elite level: in the first two games at Phoenix, he was the best player on the court, averaging 34.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, and 6.0 apg with shooting splits of .545/.600/.882 as the underdog Clippers obtained a split to seize homecourt advantage.
Based on physical talent, skill set, and mentality, Leonard takes a back seat to no NBA player of the past 10 years.
Unfortunately, this load management foolishness is robbing us of the opportunity to watch Leonard's greatness.
The counter-factual that some proponents of load management might mention is that without load management Leonard may not have been available for the playoffs--but that notion is easily dismissed as irrelevant based on several facts: (1) George load managed just like Leonard but George is not available for the playoffs; (2) if Leonard's body is so fragile that he needs to miss 30 out of 82 games to be available for the playoffs then it is unlikely that he will ever again be durable enough to survive a playoff run to the NBA Finals, which realistically involves playing in over 20 games; (3) there is no proof that whatever advantages may accrue from resting outweigh the disadvantages that almost certainly accrue from becoming rusty and out of condition (even if the resting players work out, nothing that they can do approximates actually playing NBA basketball).
I hope that Leonard and George get well soon, and that after they get well they stop load managing.
Injuries Dominate the Headlines in the Second Quadrupleheader of the 2023 NBA Playoffs
The NBA's second quadrupleheader of the weekend unfortunately featured injuries to two of the league's top players plus a key player for the Miami Heat: Memphis All-Star Ja Morant hit the floor hard after driving to the hoop versus the L.A. Lakers and injured his right hand to the extent that he could not return to action, and Milwaukee's two-time regular season MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a lower back contusion that ended his day in the second quarter versus Miami. Also, Miami's Tyler Herro--the Heat's third leading scorer during the regular season (20.1 ppg)--broke his hand and will probably miss the rest of the playoffs.
Injuries to key players are an X factor that can alter series--and seasons. Hopefully, Antetokounmpo and Morant will return to action soon, and Herro will be full strength for next season.
Anthony Davis (22 points, game-high 12 rebounds) and LeBron James (21 points, 11 rebounds) controlled the paint as the Lakers outrebounded the Grizzlies--who are without the services of injured big men Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke--45-34. The inside work of the Lakers' two superstars opened up opportunities for the rest of the Lakers. Rui Hachimura scored a team-high 29 points, Austin Reaves chipped in 23 points--including 14 points on 5-5 field goal shooting in the fourth quarter--and D'Angelo Russell added 19 points.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored a game-high 31 points, but the Grizzlies need more than five rebounds and two blocked shots from their Defensive Player of the Year award candidate. Desmond Bane added 22 points and a team-high six assists, but he shot just 6-18 from the field. Ja Morant scored 18 points on 8-13 field goal shooting through the first
three quarters, but he suffered his hand injury with 5:48 remaining in the fourth quarter, and the Grizzlies missed him down the stretch. Dillon Brooks (15 points on 5-13 field goal shooting) needs to talk less before the game and play better during the game.
The Lakers led 32-27 at the end of the first quarter, but Jackson Jr. powered his way to 11 second quarter points as the Grizzlies outscored the Lakers 38-27 in the second quarter to claim a 65-59 halftime advantage.
Hachimura's 12 third quarter points on 4-4 field goal shooting helped the Lakers outscore the Grizzlies 37-25 to make the score 96-90 Lakers with 12 minutes remaining in regulation. The Lakers led 105-101 when Morant got hurt, but it would be naive to say that because the Lakers were ahead with Morant in the game that the Lakers would have won anyway; no one can say for sure what impact it would have had on both teams had Morant been available for the last half of the fourth quarter.
Jackson Jr. hit a three pointer to pull the Grizzlies to within 113-112 at the 3:11 mark of the fourth quarter, but the Lakers finished the game with a 15-0 run in the final 2:36 to
create a deceptively large final margin. It looked like TNT's game feed
had been replaced with some combination of "Shaqtin' A Fool" and
highlights (lowlights?) of the Washington Generals as the Grizzlies jacked up wild shots, turned the ball over, and forgot how to play defense.
Many media members relentlessly bash Russell Westbrook while praising the players who the Lakers acquired for Westbrook, so let's look how those players did versus Memphis in game one.
D'Angelo Russell had 19 points on 7-17 field goal shooting, plus seven assists. He is a career .349 playoff field goal shooter who shot .411 from the field in this game.
Jarred Vanderbilt had four points on 2-4 field goal shooting in 23 minutes.
Malik Beasley had zero points on 0-2 field goal shooting in 10 minutes.
Morant's injury looms as a giant question mark over this series. I thought that the Grizzlies had enough to overcome losing Adams and Clarke, but if Morant is out or very hindered then the Lakers will probably win this series even if Westbrook's replacements continue to shoot .391 from the field.
Miami 130, Milwaukee 117
The Heat rode a scintillating all-around performance by Jimmy Butler (35 points and 11 assists--both game-highs--plus five rebounds and three steals) and blazing three point shooting (15-25, .600) to an upset win over the number one overall seed in the 2023 playoffs. Bam Adebayo had an excellent all-around game (22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists), and Kevin Love made a significant contribution off of the bench (18 points, eight rebounds). Khris Middleton led the Bucks in scoring (33 points) and rebounding (nine rebounds). Bobby Portis had 21 points and eight rebounds, while Jrue Holiday had a symmetrical double double (16 points, game-high 16 assists).
Full credit to the Heat, but Antetokounmpo's injury was a major factor in this game, and is potentially a major factor in this series if he is out of action or seriously limited the rest of the way. How bad was Milwaukee's defense without Antetokounmpo? In 82 regular season games, the Heat scored 130 points or more just three times, and they scored less than 100 points 14 times.
The Bucks, who had not played since April 9, looked rusty in the first quarter, shooting just 8-20 from the field and trailing 33-24. Antetokounmpo suffered his injury late in the first quarter, subbed out of the game immediately, and he returned in the second quarter but he played less than 90 seconds while hobbling around before checking out of the game for good. The Bucks never led in the second half.
Losing Herro is a major blow for the Heat, but the outcome of this series hinges on Antetokounmpo's health; if he is able to play even close to his usual standard, the Bucks could very well win the next four games in a row--but if he is absent or compromised, then the Heat have a great opportunity to advance, though they are unlikely to shoot as well as they did on Sunday.
L.A. Clippers 115, Phoenix 110
In case you forgot or did not know, Kawhi Leonard reminded the world that when he is healthy (and not load managing) he is as good as any NBA player from the past decade or so. Call him the "dynasty killer." He ended the Heat's dynasty, he ended the Spurs' dynasty (by leaving the team), and he short-circuited Toronto's opportunity to be a dynasty (by leaving the team). Many people expected this game to be a coronation for the Phoenix Suns and Kevin Durant, but Leonard stole the show with 38 points on 13-24 field goal shooting while also contributing five rebounds and five assists. Eric Gordon (19 points) and Norman Powell (14 points) provided timely scoring, but it all may have been for naught without Russell Westbrook's energy and hustle. Westbrook had 10 rebounds--including a game-high five offensive rebounds--plus a team-high eight assists along with two steals and two blocked shots. There is no doubt that the Clippers need Westbrook to shoot better than 3-19 from the field, but Westbrook's fingerprints were all over this win: he hit two free throws to extend the Clippers lead to 111-108 with 17.7 seconds remaining in regulation, and then on the Suns' next possession he not only blocked Devin Booker's shot but he recovered the ball and threw it off of Booker's leg so that the Clippers would obtain possession. Westbrook had two big offensive rebounds in the final 2:43, including one that he converted into an assist on a Leonard three pointer that extended the Clippers' lead to 103-99.
After the game, Clippers Coach Ty Lue mentioned that he told Westbrook that he did not care about Westbrook's shooting because of all of the other contributions that Westbrook makes to winning. Westbrook in turn told the media how great it is to play for a team that values him as an all-around player and does not harp in his shooting percentage--a not veiled at all shot at his former team, the L.A. Lakers.
Durant played very well in his Suns' playoff debut (27 points, nine rebounds, game-high 11 assists), and Booker had one of the best all-around games that I have ever seen him play. The numbers (26 points, three assists, four steals, three blocked shots) do not tell the complete story of the impact that he had at both ends of the court. Deandre Ayton (18 points, eight rebounds) did a solid job, while Chris Paul struggled with his shot (seven points on 2-8 field goal shooting) but he led the Suns with 11 rebounds and he placed second on the team with 10 assists.
The Clippers, playing without the injured Paul George, trailed by as many as nine points on the road in the third quarter but they did not flinch. Leonard is clearly the team's best player--and arguably the best player in the NBA--but it is fascinating to watch the Clippers feed off of Westbrook's energy not long after the Lakers (and the media members who serve as LeBron James' p.r. flunkies) did Westbrook dirty.
Brian Windhorst, Dave McMenamin, Amin Elhassan, and everyone else who wrote or said nonsense about Westbrook should be forced to watch this game while writing over and over--Bart Simpson-style--"I will stop making inaccurate statements about Russell Westbrook." Westbrook is not washed up, he is not poisonous in the locker room, and he can make significant contributions to a winning team even when he is not shooting well. Those are all demonstrable facts evidenced not just in this one game, but throughout Westbrook's Hall of Fame career.
As Charles Barkley often notes, Westbrook plays hard, rarely misses games, and is adored by his teammates (with the obvious exception of LeBron James, who constantly provides reminders of why Pat Riley referred to "smiling faces with hidden agendas" after James fled the Miami Heat).
The Suns have tremendous talent--but can that talent develop the needed chemistry and stay healthy enough to win four playoff series and capture the franchise's first NBA title? The Clippers showed in game one that they will not be an easy team to eliminate.
Denver 109, Minnesota 80
Look up beatdown in the dictionary, and you will find a picture of the Denver Nuggets pounding the Minnesota Timberwolves in game one. The final margin does not reflect the extent of Denver's dominance, nor do the individual player numbers. Nikola Jokic scored just 13 points on 6-12 field goal shooting, but he snared a game-high 14 rebounds, and he slickly dissected the Suns' defense with an impressive array of post moves reminiscent of Kevin McHale in his prime. Jokic dropped six dimes as well. Jamal Murray led the Nuggets in scoring (24 points) and assists (eight) as each Denver starter scored in double figures while playing 33 minutes or less.
Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with an inefficient 18 points on 6-15 field goal shooting, which was par for the course as the Timberwolves shot 30-81 (.370) from the field. Karl Anthony-Towns had 11 points on 5-15 field goal shooting plus 10 rebounds, and Rudy Gobert scored eight points while grabbing a team-high 13 rebounds.
The Timberwolves are a talented team capable of playing better than this, but this game is a demonstration of the typical difference in class between the best team in the West and the eighth best team in the West.
LeBron "No Excuses" James Offers Lame Excuses After Losing to the Clippers
Throughout his long and highly decorated career, LeBron James has often said that he is a "no excuses" player, and that his teams are "no excuses" teams.
Last night, James recited lame excuses after his L.A. Lakers lost 125-118 to the L.A. Clippers, the Lakers' 11th straight defeat at the hands of their crosstown rivals--a setback that will likely relegate the Lakers to the Play-In Tournament, an embarrassment for a team led by two players named to the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team (LeBron James and Anthony Davis).
Norman Powell led the Clippers with 27 points, while Kawhi Leonard added 25 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Former Laker Ivica Zubac contributed 17 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Bones Hyland added 14 points in 21 minutes off of the bench.
Russell Westbrook, banished by the Lakers in February and then signed by the Clippers, had 14 points and four assists (tied for team-high honors with Leonard and Powell) in 21 minutes. Dared by the Lakers to shoot, Westbrook shot 6-12 from the field, including 2-4 from three point range. Clippers Coach Ty Lue explained that Westbrook played slightly fewer minutes than usual because when the time came for Westbrook to be reinserted in the lineup during the second half the reserves were playing very well so Lue decided to stick with the hot hand. Westbrook made no secret of his joy after each shot that he made, but--even more significantly--when he
was not in the game he cheered enthusiastically for his teammates. Westbrook is an unselfish, team-first player.
I don't evaluate players and teams based on the outcome of one game, but
for everyone who has repeatedly issued negative hot takes
about Russell Westbrook based on one game or even one play, in order to
prove that you are not hypocritical you have no choice but to put some
respect on that man's name after this game, particularly considering how well Westbrook has fit in with his new team.
In his post-game interview, Zubac said of Westbrook, "He's a great dude. Great leader. Always happy, always positive. Helping everyone on the court. Helped me a lot. He leads us on and off the court. He's a great dude. So we just wanted to prove everyone wrong, prove all those rumors and that stuff that was said about him wrong. It just makes it better that it came in the biggest game of the season."
Leonard also praised Westbrook: "Every night he's coming out with energy, being aggressive no matter what game it is. He is helping us be a better team, be a faster team, and be more organized with him having the ball and pointing us in our spots."
The Clippers notched this big win despite being without the services of Paul George, who has finished as high as third in regular season MVP balloting and who was in the midst of another All-Star season before suffering a knee injury that has sidelined him indefinitely. The Clippers made no excuses before or after the game; they just showed up ready to play, and they got the job done.
Meanwhile, James was the only Lakers' starter who had a negative plus/minus
number (-10). Every other Lakers' starter had a plus/minus number of +8
or better. Plus/minus numbers for individual players can be "noisy" in
small sample sizes, but they can also tell at least part of the story when
combined with intelligent use of the eye test--and the eye test revealed
that James is a master of "stat padding": he may be better than any
great player ever at putting up huge numbers that have little to no
connection with team success (he is also very good at putting up huge
numbers that are connected to team success, which is why he has won four
championships).
It is often--and incorrectly--asserted that the NBA is a fourth quarter league. The reality is that many games are decided in the first quarter; that is when matchup advantages are often established, and that is when teams often build leads that are too substantial for the opposing team to overcome. Sure, teams can make runs--and that is part of how the plus/minus numbers can become noisy--but an early advantage often sets the tone and decides the outcome. Last night, the Clippers jumped out to an 8-0 lead as Westbrook assisted on the team's first two field goals before draining a three pointer. The Clippers led 37-31 at the end of the first quarter, and by halftime the Clippers were routing the Lakers, 71-52. Leonard (17 points), Powell (13 points), and Westbrook (12 points) had set the tone. Meanwhile, James scored three first half points on 1-6 field goal shooting while posting a ghastly -25 plus/minus number.
With the outcome not in doubt, James unleashed one of the great stat-padding performances in recent history, scoring 30 second half points as the Lakers trailed by double digits for most of the final two quarters. The Lakers are likely heading for the Play-In Tournament, but the very deliberate point of James' second half showing is to shift the narrative from the Lakers' sorry season to James' individual numbers: "How can anyone blame James?" is the narrative du jour. After all, James finished with a game-high 33 points on 13-20 field goal shooting while amassing eight rebounds and seven assists. There may not be a better example than this game of why I consistently insist--in direct opposition to "stat gurus"--that you cannot understand basketball merely by looking at selected statistics. James knows that most media members will promote his preferred narrative.
After the game, James--surrounded by an adoring, non-critical media throng, declared, "It was tough. It's one of the toughest games we've had this year. Coming off the road trip and even though this is a road game, getting back late
last night, but after an overtime game, this was a tough game for us. We started off the first half not playing Laker basketball...this was one of those scheduling
conflicts in the season and definitely got the best of us tonight."
By the time James finished his whining about traveling, road games, and the schedule, I expected the media members to give him a hug out of sympathy for the tough, tough challenges that he and his team overcame by playing a "road" game in Los Angeles after playing an overtime game the night before. Try to imagine Kobe Bryant uttering the words that James said--which is hard to do, because Bryant did not make excuses--and then imagine how the media would have covered such a loss and such excuses.
Dave McMenamin, who asserted after the Lakers traded Westbrook that Westbrook's presence in the locker room was equivalent to a "vampire"--a slanderous accusation unsupported by any evidence or on the
record comments--did not frame the Lakers' loss as an indictment of
James and Davis (who had a quiet, non-impactful 17 points and 11 rebounds). Instead, McMenamin questioned whether the Lakers' stars should
have played at all: "With three games remaining in the regular
season and playoff seeding on the line, the Los Angeles Lakers played
their stars Wednesday against the LA Clippers. The
question is, after a 125-118 loss in a game in which the Lakers trailed
by as many as 24 points, was it worth it when they could have just
prioritized rest in an attempt to be as spry as can be for the final two
regular-season games this weekend?"
McMenamin did his job--not to be a journalist, but to be a p.r. flack for James and deflect attention from James' first half disappearing act as the Lakers lost a critical game for playoff positioning. No one is interested in McMenamin's recommendations about load management, or his not so veiled implication that James' poor performance when the game was up for grabs is the fault of the coach who dared to put James on the court in the second game of a back to back. Instead of casting himself as some kind of basketball strategist,
McMenamin could have described what he saw: James disappeared when the game
was up for grabs with playoff positioning on the line. That is the lede, and McMenamin buried it like a vampire burying a victim.
Contrast James' approach, attitude, and performance with the approach, attitude, and performance of Kobe Bryant, as discussed in my recap of the 2018 NBA Finals:
Bryant has made some interesting comments in the past week or so about
comparing James to himself and to other great players (as quoted in a
recent article by Howard Beck): "Phil used to say this thing to me a
lot, when I was doing a lot on the court. He'd say, 'You have to do
less.' And I'd say, 'Well, my teammates got to step up more.' Phil would
say, 'Well, it's your responsibility to thrust the game upon them.'"
Bryant added these pertinent thoughts and observations:
All I thought about as a kid personally was winning championships. That's all I cared about.That's
how I valued Michael. That's how I valued [Larry] Bird. That's how I
valued Magic [Johnson]. It was just winning championships. Now,
everybody's going to value things differently, which is fine. I'm just
telling you how I value mine. If I'm Bron, you got to figure
out a way to win. It's not about narrative. You want to win
championships, you just gotta figure it out. Michael gave me some really
good
advice after the '08 Finals: "You got all the tools. You gotta figure
out how to get these guys to that next level to win that championship."
Going into the 2010 series, I said, "Listen, Boston, they got Ray Allen,
they got Paul Pierce, they got [Kevin] Garnett, they got Sheed
[Wallace], the talent is there. They're stacked." That was the first
superteam. [Michael] kind of heard me lament about it, and he just goes,
"Yeah, well, it is what it is; you gotta figure it out. There's no
other alternative." And that's the challenge LeBron has. You have pieces
that you have to try to figure out how to work with. Excuses don't work
right now...
It has everything to do with how you build the team, from an emotional
level. How do you motivate them?...Leadership is not making guys better
by just throwing them the ball. That's not what it is. It's about the
influence that you have on them to reach their full potential. And some
of it's not pretty. Some of it's challenging, some of it's
confrontational. Some of it's pat on the back. But it's finding that
balance, so now when you show up to play a Golden State or a Boston,
your guys feel like you have the confidence to take on more.
There is a lot of wisdom contained in those remarks but three points
stand out: (1) This is not about "narrative" but about results. James is
too often concerned more about controlling the "narrative" than he is
about doing whatever it takes to win; (2) great players historically
have been judged largely based on championships won, because every
player has possible excuses/contextual factors to mention but the best
of the best figure out how to get the job done; (3) leadership is not
just about throwing the ball to players (particularly in situations when
the great player should be assuming the obligation to score) but about
empowering those players to improve on a daily basis.
The media narrative states that James is a great teammate and leader.
The reality is that his tenure ended badly the first time in Cleveland
(and may end badly this time as well) and his tenure in Miami ended with
the great Pat Riley referring to "smiling faces with hidden agendas."
At some point, a resume contains too many black marks to go to the top
of the list, no many how many positives are on the resume as well. I
have often said that James confounds me more than any other Pantheon
level player and that remains true. I am disappointed that he not only
injured himself during the 2018 Finals but that he waited until he got
swept to reveal the injury, an announcement that not only comes across
as a weak excuse but also takes attention away from what the Warriors
accomplished. For me, the enduring image of this series will be the several sequences in game three during which the Warriors set fake screens and James switched off of Durant unnecessarily as opposed to accepting the challenge of guarding the eventual Finals MVP down the stretch.
What Bryant said about James in 2018 could be applied to James' whole career, including the Lakers' lackluster, excuse ridden 2023 season: "And that's the challenge LeBron has. You have pieces
that you have to try to figure out how to work with. Excuses don't work
right now..."
In Tim Grover's lexicon, Kobe Bryant was a "Cleaner": "When things go wrong and everyone else starts to panic, the Cleaner is
calm and unflappable, cool and steady, never too high or too low, never
too happy or too depressed. He never sees problems, only situations to
resolve, and when he finds the solution, he doesn't waste time
explaining it. He just says, 'I got this.'"
If you understand the game, then you can articulate various reasons why Kobe Bryant was a greater player than LeBron James. If you don't understand the game but are willing to play "the game"--the influence peddling game of promoting certain narratives--then you can make a lot of money being paid to tout nonsense!
A Way Too Early Assessment of the New Look Clippers
A few days ago, I provided A Way Too Early Assessment of the New Look Lakers. In that same spirit, I present two paragraphs about the new look L.A. Clippers, who have played three games since acquiring Russell Westbrook after the 2017 regular season MVP was traded by the Lakers to the Jazz and then negotiated a buyout so that he could sign with the team of his choice. Every stated fact/statistic in both paragraphs
is accurate, but one paragraph uses facts/statistics out of context
while the other paragraph places facts/statistics in context. You can
think about this as the difference between writing for the "Galaxy's
Leader in Sports" versus writing for an independent website that is not
beholden to a particular agenda or particular interests.
Paragraph #1:
"Since acquiring Russell Westbrook, the L.A. Clippers--who had won their previous two games--have gone 0-3 while giving up an average of 139.0 ppg, which would be the worst points allowed defense in NBA history if the Clippers maintained that pace for a full 82 game season. Westbrook scored 17 points or less in each of those losses while amassing a total of 13 turnovers. The Clippers are now clinging to the Western Conference's sixth seed, just a half game ahead of the Dallas Mavericks."
Paragraph #2:
"Since acquiring Russell Westbrook, the L.A. Clippers lost a 176-175 double overtime shootout versus the Sacramento Kings, the third seeded team in the Western Conference that had previously split a pair of games versus the Clippers this season. After that close decision in the second highest scoring game in NBA history, the Clippers had just one day off before traveling to Denver to face the Western Conference leading Nuggets, who had already beaten the Clippers three straight times this season. The Nuggets prevailed again, 134-124, but this time the Clippers pushed them to overtime after losing by at least 10 points in regulation in each of their three previous contests versus the Nuggets. The Clippers then had one day off before returning home and dropping a 108-101 decision versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. In his first three games as a Clipper, Westbrook averaged 16.0 ppg, 9.3 apg, and 5.7 rpg with shooting splits of .529/.444/1.000."
Read
both paragraphs again to consider how it is possible to state facts yet
not tell the truth (a tactic frequently used by propagandists in a
variety of fields, not just sports media).
The stretch run will be interesting. It seems like the Clippers are going to stop load managing Leonard, and attempt to solidify their playoff rotation in the final regular season games. The Clippers' offense with Westbrook at the helm has been very good because Westbrook pushes the pace while relieving Leonard and George of primary playmaking responsibilities. The challenge for the Clippers is to tighten up their defensive communication and rotations. The Clippers were very competitive against two of the top three teams in the West, but there is no doubt that a home loss to the Timberwolves is disappointing.
Kings Edge Clippers in Second Highest Scoring NBA Game Ever
When the smoke cleared from one of the wildest shootouts in NBA history, the Sacramento Kings defeated the L.A. Clippers 176-175 in double overtime. Kings Coach Mike Brown, long known for the excellent defensive teams that he has mentored, said after the game, "From a fan’s standpoint, I can see how this game would have been a lot
of fun to watch. There was unbelievable shot making and
great defense. There was high-level talent that was on display. Kudos to
the players." No one would argue that this was a defensive struggle, but--unlike the NBA All-Star Game--this was not an embarrassing exhibition of uncontested shots: the teams combined to commit 55 fouls and attempt 71 free throws, so the players provided more than a little defensive resistance.
The only game in NBA history featuring more points was Detroit's 186-184 triple overtime win over Denver in 1983.
Malik Monk led the Kings with 45 points plus six assists off of the bench, while De'Aaron Fox added 42 points and 12 assists. The Kings lead the NBA in scoring this season, averaging 120.6 ppg prior to last night's game, and they have the third best record in the Western Conference.
Kawhi Leonard paced the Clippers with 44 points on 16-22 field goal shooting, his highest scoring game since he tore his right ACL in 2021. Paul George had 34 points on 9-18 field goal shooting, plus 10 rebounds and five assists. That tied for George's sixth highest scoring output in 46 games played this season. The efficient, high scoring games by Leonard and George with Russell Westbrook as the starting point guard are not surprising: many great players have had their best games--and best seasons--playing alongside Westbrook, who is one of the best point guards ever at pushing the pace to find open teammates. Westbrook finished with 17 points, 14 assists, and five rebounds in 39 minutes in his Clippers debut. His plus/minus number was +3, and he tied the franchise record for most assists by a player in his first game with the team. He committed a game-high seven turnovers, and he fouled out in the second overtime, the only two blemishes on an otherwise excellent performance; look for those two numbers to be headline material for some commentators, the same commentators who will neglect to mention that the Clippers enjoyed a 175-169 lead with 1:49 remaining when Westbrook received his sixth foul. That late collapse with Westbrook on the bench hints at his value, and at how much the Clippers desperately need his point guard skills to organize their attack.
After the game, the Clippers did not make excuses or search for scapegoats, a marked contrast from the behavior of the town's other NBA team. George praised the team's recent acquisition of Westbrook: "We needed a point guard. We needed somebody that you saw tonight, somebody to get us in offense, somebody to get us easy baskets and a floor general. That was just a necessity that we needed."
This is not about spinning a one point loss in a high scoring game to assert that the Clippers are now poised to win the NBA title; this is about noting that (1) Westbrook is far from washed up (contrary to the propaganda being spewed against him), (2) Westbrook's skills--when properly utilized--match up very well with what the Clippers need, and (3) there is good reason to believe that Leonard and George will become more prolific and efficient than ever with Westbrook running the show. The Clippers have to prove that they can stay healthy, and they have to demonstrate consistent physicality/commitment to defense, but anyone who is reflexively anointing the Phoenix Suns as the most difficult team to guard after the acquisition of Kevin Durant may want to keep an eye on the Clippers.
The L.A. Lakers have played five games since trading Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz. The Jazz bought out Westbrook, who was just signed by the L.A. Clippers. Westbrook is scheduled to make his Clippers debut tonight versus the Sacramento Kings. It is way to early too make a meaningful and objective evaluation of the new look Lakers, and there is no data yet about how the new look Clippers will perform--but that does not stop media members from making bold proclamations about how great the Lakers will be and how Westbrook will "ruin" the Clippers, so let's dive in and join the fun!
Below are two paragraphs. Every stated fact/statistic in both paragraphs is accurate, but one paragraph uses facts/statistics out of context while the other paragraph places facts/statistics in context. You can think about this as the difference between writing for the "Galaxy's Leader in Sports" versus writing for an independent website that is not beholden to a particular agenda or particular interests.
Paragraph #1:
"Since trading Russell Westbrook, the L.A. Lakers--who have languished below the .500 mark all season--have gone 3-2, including two wins versus the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors. The Lakers' winning percentage sans Westbrook and projected over 82 games indicates that the Lakers are now a 50 win caliber team. Last night, the Lakers routed the Warriors 124-111 while shooting 16-30 from three point range despite LeBron James scoring just 13 points on 5-20 field goal shooting. Malik Beasley, one of the players acquired in the Westbrook trade, led the Lakers with 25 points. Beasley shot 9-16 from the field, including 7-11 from three point range. The Lakers have made at least 10 three point field goals in each of their past three games."
Paragraph #2:
"Since trading Russell Westbrook, the L.A. Lakers have gone 3-2. In the Lakers' first game without Westbrook, LeBron James did not play, nor did the players acquired for Westbrook, and the Lakers lost to Milwaukee, 115-106. James also missed each of the Lakers' next two games, a win versus the Golden State Warriors (sans Stephen Curry) and a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. James returned to action as the Lakers beat the New Orleans Pelicans (sans Zion Williamson) and the Golden State Warriors (sans both Curry and Andrew Wiggins). Overall, in the past five games the Lakers are scoring 114.8 ppg while giving up 111.6 ppg; their season averages are 117.1 ppg scored and 118.1 ppg allowed, but this five game sample size is not only small but it includes two games against a Warriors team that is now 29-30 plus a game versus a Pelicans team that is 30-30 but just 13-18 this season without Williamson. The Lakers have shot 53-147 (.361) from three point range since trading Westbrook, a slight increase from their season three point shooting percentage (.340)--but that five game sample includes three games without James, who leads the team in three point field goal attempts per game (6.9) despite shooting just .310 from beyond the arc this season. The Lakers now go on the road to face Dallas, Memphis, and Oklahoma City, three games that will provide a better measuring stick of how good the new look Lakers are than games against struggling teams who are missing their best player."
Read both paragraphs again to consider how it is possible to state facts yet not tell the truth (a tactic frequently used by propagandists in a variety of fields, not just sports media).
The stretch run will be very interesting. If the Lakers demonstrate sustained improvement, it will be mostly because of better defense, and the most significant factor for the Lakers' defense is not the newly acquired players but rather the health and productivity of Anthony Davis, who anchors the defense in the paint and who finishes defensive possessions by grabbing rebounds. The Clippers have been a solid team this season despite Kawhi Leonard and Paul George each missing a significant number of games. Westbrook can provide paint scoring, rebounding, and playmaking while enabling the Clippers to push the pace and get easy transition baskets. If Leonard and George can stay healthy, the Leonard-George-Westbrook trio could be very formidable.
"A work of art contains its verification in itself: artificial, strained concepts do not withstand the test of being turned into images; they fall to pieces, turn out to be sickly and pale, convince no one. Works which draw on truth and present it to us in live and concentrated form grip us, compellingly involve us, and no one ever, not even ages hence, will come forth to refute them."--Alexander Solzhenitsyn (Nobel Lecture)
"The most 'popular,' the most 'successful' writers among us (for a brief period, at least) are, 99 times out of a hundred, persons of mere effrontery--in a word, busy-bodies, toadies, quacks."--Edgar Allan Poe
"In chess what counts is what you know, not whom you know. It's the way life is supposed to be, democratic and just."--Grandmaster Larry Evans
"It's not nuclear physics. You always remember that. But if you write about sports long enough, you're constantly coming back to the point that something buoys people; something makes you feel better for having been there. Something of value is at work there...Something is hallowed here. I think that something is excellence."--Tom Callahan
