The Clippers overcame deficits to get past the Mavericks and Jazz, but they admit it’s a bigger challenge to be on the brink of elimination in the Western Conference Finals, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. After losing at home to the Suns Saturday night, L.A. will need three straight wins to salvage its season, starting Monday at Phoenix.
“Definitely a different feeling,” Terance Mann said. “There’s no room for error. Just got to take it a game at a time now. Just got to try and go get Game 5 and be ready to try to force a Game 7.”
Shooting was the biggest issue for the Clippers in Game 4 as they connected at a 32.5% rate from the field and were just 5 of 31 from three-point range. They had 12 chances in the fourth quarter to tie or take the lead, but weren’t able to convert any of them.
“Just got to take it one game at a time. Just focus on Monday’s game, that’s it,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “Not focus on winning three games. Got to take it one game at a time, and that’s got to be our mindset. We beat Utah and won four games in a row. So it’s very doable. We’ve just got to make sure we’re locked in and understand what we’re doing offensively.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Kawhi Leonard is considered unlikely to return for Game 5, and Clippers teammate Paul George believes that’s the best decision, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Leonard hasn’t played since suffering a knee injury nearly two weeks ago. “I can’t speak for him, to the health of Kawhi,” George said. “If he’s not 100 (percent), we don’t want him out there. I mean, that’s just as a brother, as a teammate. His health long term is more important than what’s going on now.”
- Landing the No. 7 pick in Tuesday’s lottery adds to the return the Warriors got in the deal that sent D’Angelo Russell to Minnesota for Andrew Wiggins, notes Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Bay Area. Russell was acquired from the Nets in a sign-and-trade for Kevin Durant, but he wasn’t in Golden State’s long-term plans. The Warriors were able to flip him to the Timberwolves for Wiggins, who is a better fit, and got valuable draft compensation as well.
- Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times examines the benefits of the sale of a minority stake in the Lakers to Dodgers owners Mark Walter and Todd Boehly.
series is over. LA missing late game free throws blew two games. LA could have been up 3-1 at this point. PG is a choker
It’s a conundrum though, they wouldn’t be in the WCF without PG.
Actually D’lo was a player Meyer wanted but when it came apparent he can’t play any defense they flip him to T-wolves. GSW wanted more than a 1st round pick for him but the market didn’t have enough teams willing to throw in much. My guess is they trade 1 of their 2 picks for a good vet.
when the trade was made ppl were saying they were planning on flipping him once Klay returned. not sure if I agree with you.
As a wolves fan I’m still upset with Dlo for going to Warriors instead of going to Wolves in sign-and-trade. He wanted to come here but then jumped at the Warriors opportunity not realizing he was just being used as an asset which made the team he ended up with weaker.
From memory the Wolves were over the cap so they couldn’t sign Dlo and they didn’t have enough contracts and/or assets to get him in a sign and trade. I remember thinking at the time that the Warriors didn’t want to lose Durant for nothing so there must’ve been a wink wink agreement that they would then on trade Dlo to the Wolves – the Wolves would get their man and out of Wiggins contract which they didn’t want and the Warriors got a starting SF and because his contract was so big they got a first round pick for their troubles
Yeah but Wolves and Warriors were both over the cap…and in a sign-and-trade the player decides where they are going. Nets would have gotten Wiggins or they would have involved a 3rd team. Even if they had to give up a 1st they could have protected it much better because the nets didn’t have leverage in that situation.
Bob Meyer said the complete opposite.link to sports.yahoo.com
Nope. The expectation from day 1 was that the Warriors would flip Russell sometime before the following season (when Thompson was supposed to return). Meyers never denied that was a possibility which basically was confirmation that it was his expectation and intention. Had Russell suddenly turned into an efficient off ball scorer who played defense maybe minds would have changed but that was never going to happen.
The trade to T-wolves took a lot longer because the T-wolves refused to give up more than a 1st round pick. Warriors were negotiating with other teams but D’Lo price was going down not up. Bob Meyers direct quote from July 15, 2019 “We didn’t sign him with the intention of trading him”. So you are saying Bob Meyer lied and he told you he lied?
Teams say all the time that they have no intention of trading a player and then they do… countless examples. One is when Clippers traded Blake. It’s called gamesmanship not lying. Because they wanted to keep the max slot and get an asset instead of just losing KD, so they say “hey let’s see how he fits” — knowing full well he most likely doesn’t fit well
arc89, yes Bob Myers lied. It was obvious at the time, it is obvious now.
That’s not true at all. The warriors wanted to keep their max slot open. Only way to do that was to get a player in return for Durant in the sign an trade. Everyone knew Russell wasn’t gonna be with the warriors for long. They got Wiggins and his max slot and the 7th overall this year. Now if they ever wanted to swing for the fences and try to acquire a max contract player, they have the ability to do so.
Not according to Bob Meyer press conference.
Arc, number 1. Do you really think he’s going to say, “we plan on trading as soon as we can”? NO GM would say that in that moment. Not one. 2) what kind of negotiating tool says *let the world know you’ve already decided you’re trading someone before he steps on the floor*. Go to a car dealer and tell them you’ve already decided you’re buying THAT car and then try to negotiate and finally, 3, he spells his name Myers, not Meyer or Meyers but apparently you don’t believe that either.
Yes he does , its pretty funny bc GSW constantly uses the media for their gain(s) in situations like these over the years …. You’d think he’d learn by now but GSW does attract a lot of these “new fans”
So your statement can be made for every NBA player. My statement is that BM did say it when many here said he did not say it. My response is to those who said BM never made that statement.
Your statement seemed a lot more like “Myers wanted Dlo because he planned to keep him and that’s what he said but then he found out he couldn’t play D”
…when I’m reality he already knew about the D and it was an obviously bad fit at the time and warriors just wanted an asset that they 99% likely would be flipping
Bob Myers.
That assumes they could get a max-slot player by trading Russell (or Wiggins). But no way could that happen since he was overpaid at max, and at the time, it was thought hard to trade stars. They did do it, but for another overpaid max… So the same problem but with a high first bonus.
If that was the plan, the plan cost a lot of money for that #7 and maybe a couple play-in games.
Karma was bad all along, blocking Russell from Wolves, promising a BB education that is not evident yet (and IMO not likely received).
Actually all 6 in this thread sound correct, but from different angles.
But you can Trade D’lo or Wiggins who make a lot but not current max along with another player plus draft capital. That’s the situation the Warriors are in now they are over the cap but they have Wiggins plus a lot of draft capital to use to get a better player than Wiggins. That’s what having a wiggins does for you, plus they definitely rehabilitated his value to some degree
If BM plan was always get Wiggins from T-wolves he only made the team even more over cap than before. To many GSW fans think BM is a genius when he has made so many bad decisions.
Plan wasn’t to get Wiggles, plan was to get assets which they did in the pick plus keep a max slot available on their over the cap team…Wigs is an asset because of the salary, but he also fits the team alright too if they keep him which they likely won’t so they can get some other better max player. When they do that you can tel me how dumb Myers’ moves have been.
Wiggins is mostly salary to another team that has a budget. He’s a frill none can afford. There is no talk of another team desiring him or his contract.
Adam37, Myers messed up until he can bail himself outwith a trade, which is unlikely, or the #7 turns out, which is more likely.
Probably MIN has already bailed Myers out with that bad Russell/Wiggins trade, but Myers did not know that when he added Russell at max to the Durant S&T. Lacobs had to OK the expense.
How did he possibly mess up? The ownership group is fine paying the tax and he knew he’d get an asset in return for D’lo. He got probably better than expected in the Wolves lottery pick. And Wiggins salary, while an overpay, is not that high of an overpay since the cap went up since it was signed. He enables them to trade for a higher salaried player which they couldn’t do if they didn’t have him since they are over the cap.
“He enables them to trade for a [max]”
Hows that working so far? Nobody has wanted to supply a max to get Wiggins.
Your’re counting chickens before they hatch. The only bonus so far is the #7 this draft. Russell was a money trap too. He wasn’t getting a max… Neither BRK nor MIN could afford that.
Maybe Wiggins gets Porzingus, if Zinger does not take to Kidd or Kidd wants a shot at W. Or the pick might work out. Then GSW gets a benefit.
Dude you’re missing the point… Wiggins wasn’t going to be traded until this off-season at the earliest. They now have extra draft capital plus Wiggins to offer for a player. It may not work out this off-season but I would say it’s likely to happen… And if it doesn’t Wiggins is a pretty darn good fit for them even if he’s overpaid.
Also Russell could have absolutely gotten the same money from the Timberwolves it just would’ve required a sign and trade just like it happened with Golden State… Brooklyn would’ve done it because they would’ve gotten something back in return… Probably not as good as what the Warriors got for holding Russell hostage but they would’ve gotten something maybe it would’ve been a top 10 protected 1st
Your scheme relies on someone taking Wiggins off your hands. You’re not even suggesting who would and what the return will be. Why?— because nothing is likely that fits the dreams.
I get the point and smh.
Collecting players for their resale value does not work.
Could be Siakam… Wigs, Wiseman and #14 for Siakam. There are potential moves out there. Warriors should be willing to part with some combination of #7 and #14 and future 1st and also Wiseman, if it enables them to get a win now 3rd star. Wiggins salary enables that move. He’s not a positive asset on his own probably, but he’s a decent player who is overpaid but only 2 more years on contract.
It’s reasonable deal At the time of the Russell and Wiggins trade
Now
Wiggins trade value is very underrated
Wiggins has $65 million contract
Simmons $147 million
Tobias Harris $150 million
Fox $158 million
Ingram $158 million
And all of those guys are infinitely better than Wiggins.
Idk if Tobias is infinitely better…but he is better
Harris showed how much better he wasn’t in these playoffs. Other than Embid, Philly needs to clean house.
Also…they just have more years left on their deals lol
Wiggins is still getting paid 30m per to be a 4th starter.
Wiggins might be overpaid but he was actually really good for the warriors this year. If people watched the game they’d see his defense completely evolve and his shot making and shot taking much improved. 20 points a game and 38% from 3 with above average defense? I’ll take that. Only people who haven’t watched the majority of warriors game this year would think otherwise.
@mac Unfortunately people don’t watch warriors games so they don’t know how a player improves or develops but still talk about a player’s game like they know. The hypocrisy
I’ve watched Wiggins and agree he’s improved. He’s a really good role player.
But he’s still making $30 million a year.
Wiggins at 30 mil is an asset when you’re over the cap and want to try and get another Max player and could also add the draft capital they have
GSW fans just want his reputation improved so GSW can get rid of him.
All these people saying Wiggins is underrated, want to dump him. That is the tell.
Despite Wiggins projecting as a fit with Klay. But also a drag on winning momentum.
I’d take Wiggins over Simmons. Wiggins plays good D and isn’t afraid of taking a jump shot.
Will Philly do the swap?— no.
Everynody knows Wigs, it is not necessary to watch many GSW games.
I agree with Paul George if it’s an ACL sprain.
But if it’s just another type of sprain (I don’t think they’ve specified), then IDK—LA had a wide open lane to a ring if they had Kawhi this series. This may have been their best chance to get a ring. So it may have been worth the risk but it’s hard to say without knowing the exact diagnosis.
The Sixers will never win a title with Simmons and Harris. Love what Ingram brings as a scorer and the Sixers have long coveted wiggins. With that being said I see Simmons as a fit in Chicago or golden state but both need to ante up.
Simmons can’t shoot. How does that make him a fit?
Ante up? Simmons’ value is dropping like a rock. The Sixers would be lucky to find anyone to take him off their hands without attaching multiple firsts.
Dodger owners are buying a minority stake in the Lakers?
Did someone tell World Wide Wally?
Lakers bringing in a better front office in 3 2 1….
I bet he’ll have nightmares for months