Clippers at Thunder Game Day 2025-12-18

Please post your predictions for the game coming up versus the Thunder. The guys must do what well to get the W? Which opposing player(s) should LA be wary of? Will the game be bombs away by both teams or defensively-oriented? Go Clips!

Ouch- hopefully guys keep this under 20?

Clippers nice start up 10-2 w/o JH. Bogie starting in his stead.

Clippers got stops but offensive rebounds by OKC lead to 2 B2B 3's by Holmgren

Now turnovers and bricks, and the Clips have lost the lead

Just shoot the ball vs all this dribbling my goodness

No dribbling there- feed to Zu inside who sends it to the cutting Leonard for 2

Clippers trying to hang around- doing a sold job moving the ball, but just a few too many TO's and open looks by OKC.

Ugh- SGA is really heating up now

Nifty move by Bogie for the layup inside, now the rare double-clutch layup by Zu, and the Clips have sliced it to 6.

Unfortunately in a matter of a minute, turnovers sandwiching a long 3 by Joe and it's back up double digits.

This is ridiculous- 2 more turnovers right after the timeout as guys can't even get a shot up. Clippers on the ropes- might as well spend another timeout.

Oh me oh my- 2 more turnovers, two more buckets by the Thunder

Now Kawhi misses the 3, trots outta bounds, and the Clippers allow yet another fastbreak

Sadly these type of big runs by opposing teams are all too common this season. I don't understand why the guys keeping allowing that- commit a hard foul or something. Better than giving up all these layups, and can help slow the game down.

This Thunder commentator is drunk or something. Joe slams into Kawhil's back causing him to tumble over, and he claims that's "incidental contact" lmao. And dude is crying about OKC not getting as many FTs as Clippers when OKC is shooting a bunch of 3's and jumpers.

Good hustle by Sanders diving for the ball there. But come on- Clippers give up two more layups matador style. Ole! Please commit a foul to prevent the layup for once.

Batum is still hustling- nice chase down block.

28 turnovers, and just an unwillingness to give fouls to stop layups were the main issues this game. Guys overdribbling at times and then not able to deal with double teams. Instead of making OKC pay, Clips coughed up the ball instead.

If you look at the +/- numbers... Bogdanovic & Dunn both had a +1 AND 5 fouls. Leonard had a -24 and committed ZERO foul. Zu at -14 had just 1 foul.

It was hard to see our lack of ball handling. Kobe is doing.... way too young.... things... and Dunn is horrible...

....but he gets a pass because he's one of how important he is to our defense and energy.

We look so much more watchable without Harden. I'm so sick of seeing multiple cones on defense.

I don't care about the foul grifting and the skill set. At least these lineups promote ball movement.

The way we were tonight showed me a much clearer picture with how to build the roster ahead.

Unfortunately, Harden will be back before DJJ.... so it's back to Square 1....

Highlights:

That's because the defensive approach is misguided. If you are an inferior team, or at least trying to develop a identity, every play has to be earned. The motto must be "we will not concede easy baskets." It doesn't matter if you rack up fouls; every foul has to be hard. None of this trying to "defend clean" only for the ref to award free throws on minimal contact�"which happens constantly with this team. We need a "dog" mentality, and I don't mean that disparagingly; a "dog" mentality means defending with fury and energy. It seems like Leonard is afraid to play with intensity on every play, maybe because deep down he’s afraid of getting injured, I don't know. But wandering around the court and acting like a star is what’s weighing this team down. And Harden, while he still has offensive flashes, is non-existent on defense. Zubac, Batum, Bogie�"they are players without toughness, without that mentality we need. Who on this team actually has it? Maybe Dunn is the closest, but he is too limited. We’ll spend many nights like this, lamenting the team's mentality and its washed-up stars. There’s no encouraging future: no lottery picks, a mediocre coach, a directionless front office, an owner who only cares about the business (or is poorly advised), and a fan base that hopes things will change one day. Maybe it won't happen, but for some reason, we’re still here waiting for a change of course. Who cares if we lose today? We know we aren’t winning a championship anytime soon, so why this "win now" push? It makes no sense. Better to build a mentality; build today for the future. Prepare the team to win later, not now. Make smart signings, not just to fill spots or bring in aging stars for marketing purposes. Who is....

100%. This team isn't going to outgun many teams- it's going to take intense defensive effort to get some W's. Doesn't matter if it's ugly- as long it's a W at this point.