[Russo] I was never fully onboard with the idea that the Clippers needed to get a point guard but the addition of James Harden has allowed Kawhi Leonard specifically to conserve so much more energy to be a menace on defense more often. You’re really seeing it this season.
by urfaselol
29 Comments
It’s a little unfair how they Harden for so cheap lol
His PnR game and vision unlocks offensive opportunities for the team (not just Kawhi, I’m talking Zu, Mann, and Powell) that just didn’t exist prior to him being there.
i remember Lowe(?) saying the Clippers were really bidding hard trying to get Jrue Holiday as well, before Boston made the deciding offer
really differing styles, in terms of Harden allowing Kawhi to rest offensively, and Jrue allowing Kawhi to rest defensively
Not sure if it has changed, but Clips defense goes from 29th to 2nd when Kawhi on the floor. And, Harden is leading the league in net rating with +338 since Dec 1st.
I asked the producer to pipe this into the Clippers’ locker room so I can talk to you, James. I hope you’re taking notes. I’m telling you in advance, you’re welcome for the wisdom I’m about to spew. Because, listen, I get on my knees every night and pray for someone to believe in me like Daryl Morey believed in you. You wanted a certain coach, they brought in Mike D’Antoni. You wanted to play a certain style, they played it. You wanted Dwight Howard, they brought him in and got rid of him when you were tired of him. You wanted Chris Paul, they brought him in and got rid of him when you were tired of him. They brought in your old friend Russell Westbrook. You wanted to go to Vegas on off days, they looked away. You wanted the team to stay over so you could go out at night, they changed the schedule. And it didn’t work, and you know what, you said I’m gonna break up with my woobie, not good enough. I see the bright lights in New York, I want to go there [with] my old pal Kevin Durant. It’s gonna work, the big three. And all after one year, you wanted out. You realized, oh my gosh, I took this guy for granted, the guy that believed in me. I want to go back with Daryl Morey. They traded Ben Simmons for you, how did they pull that off? And you know what, you went there and got a partner who got the MVP. He won the MVP and what did you say afterwards? You said, ‘They didn’t hand me the reins.’ You’re the point guard, you were holding the reins. And what did you do when you had the reins? You scored 9 points in Game 7 against Boston, you blew a 3-2 series lead. So they fired their coach, not good enough. You broke up with your guy who believed in you again. You said, ‘The bright lights of LA, that’s where I want to go.’ Let’s see how that works. Listen, James, have you ever had those friends who had bad roommates, over and over they complained about their bad roommates. … They never thought to be self aware enough that they’re the bad roommate. They’re the problem. Hey, James, you’re the problem. If this doesn’t work this year in this system with this team, then you’re going to go and point fingers at everybody else and you’re going to go back home and start swiping right for another team, and there’s not going to be anybody left. Because, James, you’re not the beard, you’re not the system, you’re the problem.”
Thanks philly!!! 🙂
Kawhi has it so much easier on offense, Harden just gets it to him exactly where he wants it instead of Kawhi having to dribble the air out of the ball to get a look like the last couple years
Shout-out Daryl Morey. You a real one
No shit getting an elite pg does that
All Kawhi needed was a PG, crazy thing is there’s arguably 10 other PGs in the league that are *better* than Harden.
Kawhi is just that special of a player, can’t even start his old PG Jackson next to Jokic, or his old 3rd option in Morris with Embiid. He’s taken dudes other guys who are *perceived* to be better than him can’t win with and *dominated* with those players.
He’s easily the best player in the NBA. Period.
Same thing Lakers trying to do to preserve AD and LeBron.
AD expending to much energy making up lapses on permiter D.
LeBron expending too much having to both playmake and score as the oldest player in the NBA.
Though Dlo and AR have stepped up on the offensive end, the defense has faultered in consistency.
I haven’t seen someone control the offense like this since the CP3 days man. So refreshing to watch.
I could have told you this when he got to LA cuz he was so free to move with Kyle setting him up on the raps and before that Tony Parker
bro that block on bulter jump shot and the one on the fast break. like jj said on broadcast, he is looking like vintage spurs defense kawhi. mvp hype yet?
Should Kawhi be in the MVP discussion? He is finally putting together a healthy season and in the last 10 games is shooting 57/52/93 and is, as always, an absolute shut down defender!
My biggest claim to bball knowledge is predicting clippers would be the 2nd best team in the west even when they were 0-5 with Harden
how the fuck do you watch basketball professionally and say that this version of the clippers didn’t need a true PG…..crazy man
Who watched this team and thought they didnt need a point guard??
When Kawhi taps back into 2015 defensive form for a handful of possessions, it’s one of the most beautiful sights to behold
[Williamson] I was never fully onboard with the idea that the Corral needed to get a sundae station but the addition of fudge swirl has allowed my glycemic index specifically to conserve so much more energy to be a menace on the scale more often. You’re really seeing it this season.
It’s not like they just got some point guard either. They got James fucking Harden.
The “put the ball on your best player/s hands” is not equal to “PG/Kawhi point guards” glad LFrank listened to the players about wanting a Point guard
To me this feels like the biggest no shit in the universe. Sometimes it is that simple. They have not had a point guard the entire time lmao
I really want Harden to get a ring. I’m a Clippers fan all the way this year.
Kawhi isn’t getting enough credit this season and should be legit in the MVP race. It’s a DISGRACE by the nba to post an mvp ladder with sabonis ahead of him. Kawhi is having one of the most efficient scoring runs of all time while destroying on D and his team is the best in the league by far since adjusting to Harden. He is the clear carry on the team and it’s gross to see.
This man is a generational talent on the level of anyone of ALL TIME when healthy and he gets no love. Luka is great, but straight up Luka can’t hold his jock because he’s a one sided player.
We’ll see how his knees hold up come playoff time.
Just wanna point out that one of the snarkiest and most condescending beat writers out there in Shane Young HATED this move and changed his tune on Twitter pretty much the first game the Clippers won after the 6-game losing streak with Harden. He was making pretty much the same arguments as Brian Dameris in his tweet replies.
Watching Kawhi play this season has been one of the many treats of being a every night nba watcher
Since harden was added to the group, the narrative is that he’s unlocking Kawhi. But the truth is harden needs Kawhi more than the reverse.