New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season

[jadis]

Clippers just signed Milos Teodosic, a Serbian who is considered to be the top point guard in Europe.

Have to say that the Clippers have made a nice recovery since Chris Paul left to go to the Rockets.

This sounds more like a Jerry West move than Doc Rivers...not that I care who gets credit as long as it makes the Clips better.

Regarding the Warriors' recent signings, I certainly understand Omar Caspi, he is a solid player. Presume they think they can get Nick Young under control....good luck with that.

Will be fun to watch Draymond Green get a technical foul for beating up someone on his own team - Mr. Young is undisciplined to say the least.

And one more Clippers' plan that I read - The are interested in yet another former Celtic - Tony Allen. At least it's NOT Ray Allen.

And I agree, Clippers seem to be moving in the right direction after losing CP3. In retrospect, a team can't flourish when a player has bad blood inside him, like Kobe or Shaq.

 

[WLVCA]

I would gladly accept Tony Allen as a Clipper. Man can play some D.

Since I am not a Celtics fan, I would take Ray Allen, too (a few years ago).

 

[jadis]

I would gladly accept Tony Allen as a Clipper. Man can play some D.

Since I am not a Celtics fan, I would take Ray Allen, too (a few years ago).

Haha...

And now that the Celtics are in a better position to compete for the ECFs, I am all for the western teams in trying to dislodge the Warriors, since PG and JB have moved to the West - it's a good sign. And definitely, I am hoping that the 'new look' Clippers (in West they trust) go very far (second round and above is good).

 

[WLVCA]

Clippers beat the Lakers in OT....but its only Las Vegas Summer League so it doesn't count.

Lonzo Ball made his debut and started out great with a beautiful pass from near the 3 point line for a jam. Then went 2 for 15 for three pointers.

He'll get better.

 

[jadis]

Clippers beat the Lakers in OT....but its only Las Vegas Summer League so it doesn't count.

Lonzo Ball made his debut and started out great with a beautiful pass from near the 3 point line for a jam. Then went 2 for 15 for three pointers.

He'll get better.

It's a good league to get the new kids play time and feel the game as a pro. Ball will get better no doubt. Even Kobe shot air balls early one.

 

[jadis]

Lonzo Ball vs Jayson Tatum. Celtics beat the Lakers in a sold out summer league game in Las Vegas. Lonzo had a great game, and showing what he can do. Dazzling court vision with those bullet assist passes. He's 6'6" so he can 'view' the court much better as a tall guard. Triple double for Ball but Tatum had a great night with 27 points.

 

[WLVCA]

Jayson Tatum and Lonzo Ball both looked good in that game. Still so very early to tell but perhaps these two guys will help lead the way back to the old days when the Lakers and the Celtics were both great teams and brutal competitors.

Celtics are well on their way to being great again and the Lakers are finally headed in the right direction and poised to add key players through free agency in 2018.

 

[Gregadd]

Let us not be too hard on the Lakers. Time finally solved the Kobe dilemma - what to do with aging superstar.
Nepotism also has been dealt with.
Maybe they will be positioned to take advantage of the next round of free agency.

 

[jadis]

Let us not be too hard on the Lakers. Time finally solved the Kobe dilemma - what to do with aging superstar.
Nepotism also has been dealt with.
Maybe they will be positioned to take advantage of the next round of free agency.

Maybe in a few years, there will be yet another Celtics Lakers Finals. Nothing comes close - not even Warriors Cavs even if they go for 5 yrs in a row. That was all about hosing down James.

I've seen videos of the top 4 in the summer league and they all are doing very well. Unfortunately, Fultz suffered an ankle injury and will mostly be gone for the Summer league.

 

[jadis]

A new face of the Celtics (good thing he's not THE new face of the Celtics). Looks alone tells you he can bang and bruise with the biggest of them. Coming over from Detroit, Aron Baynes. Give him a mask and he could double as Bane (from Batman).

 

[WLVCA]

I watched more NBA Summer League this year than I have in the last 4 or 5 years. Doc didn't play rookies and Clippers had few draft picks so it wasn't interesting to me.

I've watched all 3 Clipper games so far this year. Reminds me of the old days back in 2001, 2002, 2003 when the Clippers weren't very good and I watched Summer League games hoping and praying for that miracle player to show up from the draft or from the scrap heap or castoffs from other teams.

Not that it means a lot but the Clips have gone 3-0 so far and some of the young players have really looked like they have some potential. Doc and Steve Ballmer were at the game tonight, too, and it looked like they were having fun.

So far the post CP3 era has been OK.

By the way, that Aron Baynes is scary looking.

 

[WLVCA]

Lakers were up by 28 at one point but the Kings came roaring back to make it a game, finally losing 95-92.

I never heard of point guard Alex Caruso before but he played a heck of a game for the Lakers tonight - he hustled for 18 points and 7 assists.

Lonzo will keep Caruso off the court. Hope another team gives Alex a shot.

Ball was hurt so he didn't play so no showdown with Fox. Great game to watch in the 4th quarter anyway.

 

[jadis]

I watched more NBA Summer League this year than I have in the last 4 or 5 years. Doc didn't play rookies and Clippers had few draft picks so it wasn't interesting to me.

I've watched all 3 Clipper games so far this year. Reminds me of the old days back in 2001, 2002, 2003 when the Clippers weren't very good and I watched Summer League games hoping and praying for that miracle player to show up from the draft or from the scrap heap or castoffs from other teams.

Not that it means a lot but the Clips have gone 3-0 so far and some of the young players have really looked like they have some potential. Doc and Steve Ballmer were at the game tonight, too, and it looked like they were having fun.

So far the post CP3 era has been OK.

By the way, that Aron Baynes is scary looking.

I'm surprised that Doc even coached in the summer league. Usually it's the assistants playing the new players. If all the new additions can make up for the 20 something points of Chris Paul then it would be a good thing. Austin should really prove something now that he has something to prove re those paternity favoritism issues.

And I'm quite happy that Boston finally has a mean lookin lumber to block shots and rebound, we haven't gotten such real estate since Big Baby.

 

[WLVCA]

Didn't mean to mislead - Doc was just observing the game with Ballmer.

Sam Cassell is coaching the Clippers' Summer League team.

 

[jadis]

Didn't mean to mislead - Doc was just observing the game with Ballmer.

Sam Cassell is coaching the Clippers' Summer League team.

Ah, that sounds more like it. For a while there I lost track of Sam Cassell, good to know he's with Doc. But in retrospect, where else?

 

[Steve Williams]

I hope you guys are correct about the Clippers as they always seem to rebuild around the mantra of "we want it now" rather than lets build around our youth, our draft choices and the future". Seems to me they are in that same zone once again.

I still believe the team would do better with a different coach and punt Doc upstairs (although he has proved nothing to me about his management skills. I hate to say this but it's been my feeling for a while. This plus the nepotism to son Austin

Wouldn't it be ironic as the Lakers who are taking the youth and rebuild for the future approach just might reach the finish line before the Clippers

 

[WLVCA]

Many members of Clips Nation are unhappy with Doc. I wouldn't be surprised to see him leave after this season if the team isn't headed in the right direction - voluntarily or not. He definitely has not developed any younger talent and it looks like there are some young guys worth developing now. Summer League isn't always the best indicator as we all know due to the level of competition though.

Lakers now have Magic and the Clippers have Jerry West so I expect both teams to look in new directions.

I'm not so sure about Lonzo Ball to this point. Dennis Smith (Mavs), De'Aaron Fox (Kings), Markelle Fultz (76ers) and Jayson Tatum (Celtics) have looked better to me than Lonzo Ball in Summer League . He's 5th so far among rookie point guards plus he has some serious daddy baggage and plays in his home town so he has some obstacles to overcome.

After 5 years in the wilderness the Lakers do have a glimmer of hope - if they can sign the best free agents in the Summer of 2018. That presumes Magic can conjure up some of that old Dr. Buss voodoo again. The elder Buss always pulled a rabbit out of his hat.

 

[WLVCA]

The monsoon returned to Tucson last night and we got 1 1/2" of rain here - and we needed it.

It also cooled off so I walked outside today and listened to the Bill Simmons podcast from yesterday.

You have to take Simmons with a grain of salt but he made two NBA observations - one about the Lakers and one about the Clippers.

He presented his theory that LeBron, Paul George, John Wall and Boogie Cousins would all sign with the Lakers next year. Lakers will have the cap room and each of those players will be available in free agency. That would be interesting to watch presuming LeBron will still have gas in the tank.

He then applied the Patrick Ewing theory to the Clippers. The Ewing theory is that the Knicks were better when Ewing was injured - they went to the Finals when Ewing couldn't play in 1999. He thinks the Clippers might be better without getting brow beaten by Chris Paul. Interesting theory and I hope he is right!

 

[jadis]

Lakers have signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a 1 year $18m contract. All I remember with this guy was in a highlight recap, the announcer said this about Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: with a name like that, you've got to be good!

 

[Gregadd]

LeBron's wife will not leave Cleveland (Akron)