Thunder Make History + Knicks and Clippers Go Up

Summary

The Athletic NBA Daily: Thunder Make History + Knicks and Clippers Go Up
Release Date: April 25, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of The Athletic NBA Daily, hosts Xena Keita, Dave DeFore, and Esfandiar Baraheni delve into a thrilling night in the NBA playoffs. The episode covers three pivotal games: the Oklahoma City Thunder's historic comeback against the Memphis Grizzlies, the New York Knicks' decisive win over the Detroit Pistons, and the Los Angeles Clippers' commanding victory against the Denver Nuggets. With expert insights from award-winning reporters Andrew Schlecht and Alex Spears, the discussion provides a comprehensive analysis of each game’s key moments, strategic maneuvers, and the implications for the respective playoff series.

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1. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies: A Historic Comeback

Overview

The Oklahoma City Thunder delivered one of the most remarkable comebacks in playoff history, overturning a 27-point deficit to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies. Central to this narrative was the injury of Memphis star John Morant, which significantly impacted the outcome.

Key Moments and Analysis

• John Morant’s Injury:
  John Schlecht (04:04): "He went and took the free throws and then was able to just gingerly walk himself back to the locker room. Won't know more about the injury probably until tomorrow, but it does not look good for Ja."

  Morant’s injury occurred late in the second quarter when he was inadvertently undercut by Lou Dort during a transition play. This incident not only sidelined a pivotal player but also shifted the momentum in favor of the Thunder.

• Thunder’s Adjustments:
  Xena Keita (05:40): "OKC unbelievably adjusted. They woke up. They started playing a lot better on defense. Chet Holmgren went off for 23 points in the second half. Alex Caruso was unreal."

  The Thunder's ability to adapt defensively, led by Chet Holmgren's stellar performance, was instrumental in staging the comeback. Their defensive intensity and hustle plays, including eight steals and three blocks in the second half, stifled Memphis’s offense.

• Grizzlies’ Struggles:
  John Schlecht (07:28): "The talent deficit just got down so far for Memphis. Whenever Scotty Pippen Jr. is playing as your best player and like your best creator, like your best creator, and there's no shade to Scotty Pippen Jr. He's had a great season."

  Memphis struggled with offensive production post-Morant, relying heavily on Scotty Pippen Jr., whose performance couldn't bridge the talent gap against the Thunder's depth and resilience.

Notable Quotes

• Xena Keita (08:14): "This game was such a description of everything that OKC has to offer from their ability to adjust in real-time, in real game situations, their ability to bounce back, be resilient."

• John Schlecht (09:57): "The talent deficit just got down so far for Memphis... the Thunder, a really good team, but also the talent deficit is part of why they had the second largest comeback in the history of the playoffs."

Implications for the Series

With the Thunder now leading the series 3-0, the Grizzlies face an uphill battle. The injury to John Morant adds uncertainty to Memphis’s prospects, raising questions about their ability to recover and compete effectively in the remaining games.

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2. New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons: Knicks Steal the Win

Overview

In a high-stakes playoff duel, the New York Knicks edged out the Detroit Pistons with a narrow victory of 118-116. Hunter Patterson provided on-the-ground insights from Little Caesars Arena, highlighting the intense atmosphere and key performances that led to the Knicks securing the win.

Key Moments and Analysis

• Tim Hardaway Jr.’s Performance:
  Andrew Schlecht (15:36): "Tim Hardaway Jr. was 5 for 5, possibly 6 for 6 at one point."

  Hardaway Jr.'s flawless shooting early in the game set the tone for the Knicks, energizing the crowd and establishing a scoring rhythm that the Pistons struggled to counter.

• Bench Contributions:
  Andrew Schlecht (16:54): "Detroit's bench was pretty huge. They won the bench battle and scoring there between them in New York 49."

  The Pistons’ strong bench performance posed significant challenges for the Knicks, particularly with key players like Malik Beasley and Tobias Harris contributing crucial points. However, the Knicks managed to maintain composure and execute effectively in crunch time.

• Defensive Stalwarts:
  Andrew Schlecht (18:34): "Isaiah Stewart, as we mentioned, didn't play game three, but he'll possibly be back in the mix for game four and it'll take a gang of bodies to stop Kat."

  The Knicks’ defensive strategies, especially against Detroit’s big men, were pivotal in limiting the Pistons' scoring opportunities and forcing turnovers at critical junctures.

Notable Quotes

• Andrew Schlecht (17:55): "Tobias was scoring in the 20s, consistently being almost more of a focal point offensively. But it seemed as if his task shifted to being more of a defensive stalwart in this third game."

• Xena Keita (22:06): "Nothing crazy with some dust-ups. So now going into game four, you know, what are you expecting in terms of how Detroit is going to be able to handle that physicality and also get a win at Little Caesar's Arena?"

Implications for the Series

With the Knicks taking the lead in the series, Detroit faces the challenge of overcoming both the Knicks' offensive firepower and their defensive adjustments. The Pistons will need to address their scoring inefficiencies and bolster their defensive tactics to regain momentum in the upcoming games.

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3. Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets: Clippers Dominate

Overview

The Los Angeles Clippers showcased their dominance with a decisive win over the Denver Nuggets, marking their second series lead. Host Dave DeFore provided an in-depth review of the game from the newly opened Intuit Dome, highlighting the Clippers' strategic execution and the Nuggets' defensive lapses.

Key Moments and Analysis

• Clippers’ Offensive Onslaught:
  Dave DeFore (26:20): "They were taking warm-up Threes like these were wide open shots they were taking."

  The Clippers exploited Denver’s defensive gaps, particularly beyond the three-point line, capitalizing on open shots and maintaining a relentless pace that overwhelmed the Nuggets.

• James Harden’s Impact:
  Dave DeFore (28:24): "James Harden, 20, had 20 points in the first half, and then he just kind of slowed down... he was attacking the basket, and then he hit so many threes."

  Harden’s versatile scoring—combining aggressive drives with sharp three-point shooting—was instrumental in maintaining the Clippers' lead and disrupting the Nuggets’ offensive flow.

• Denver’s Defensive Struggles:
  Dave DeFore (29:46): "Denver just their communication outside on the perimeter was non-existent."

  The Nuggets' inability to effectively communicate and defend the perimeter allowed the Clippers to exploit open shooting opportunities, leading to a significant point differential by game’s end.

Notable Quotes

• Dave DeFore (27:14): "The Clippers have done a really great job of embracing the fan part of this. This was a fun time even though it was a blowout."

• Dave DeFore (30:47): "I actually think one of the big problems for Denver is not enough production from Nikola Jokic and in ways that aren't necessarily points or assists or rebound."

Implications for the Series

With the Clippers leading the series 2-1, they position themselves strongly to advance further, leveraging their strategic gameplay and depth. The Nuggets, grappling with inconsistent performances and defensive vulnerabilities, will need to make significant adjustments to counter the Clippers' offensive strategies and contain their key players like Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.

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Conclusion

This episode of The Athletic NBA Daily provided an insightful analysis of a pivotal night in the NBA playoffs. From the Oklahoma City Thunder's historic comeback and the Knicks' clutch performance against the Pistons to the Clippers' dominant display over the Nuggets, the hosts and guests offered a comprehensive breakdown of each game's critical moments and strategic elements. As the playoffs progress, these discussions offer valuable perspectives for fans and analysts alike, highlighting the resilience, adaptability, and strategic prowess of the competing teams.

Notable Closing Remarks

• Dave DeFore (33:01): "Evan Mobley did."

• Xena Keita (33:02): "I just wanted to make sure that you guys knew that."

These closing notes provided a light-hearted end to the episode, reaffirming key recognitions and maintaining the episode's engaging tone.

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Stay Updated

For ongoing coverage and in-depth analyses of the NBA playoffs, tune in to The Athletic NBA Daily from Monday through Friday, and catch the full-length Saturday "Slam n’ Jam" episodes with Andrew Schlecht and Alex Spears.

Transcript

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[Xena]

Good morning and welcome to the NBA Daily. Coming up, we cover a busy night across the association. The Knicks went up to one after a dueling fight with the Pistons. And Hunter Patterson was there at Little Caesars to break it all down. Dave DeFore went to the wall at into it Dome. He lived to tell about it and of the Clippers decided win over the Nuggets. And Andrew Schleich is here. He's got to talk about the win that OKC had in Memphis and as well as John Morant going down. Let's start with Andrew. Morning. How are, how are you dealing after that chaotic game last night against the Grizzlies?

[John]

I'm still trying to figure out how I'm feeling, to be honest. I think, I think anybody that watched that game kind of felt a little bit of everything as the Thunder fought back and John Morant goes down. I mean it was just a range of emotions from that one.

[Xena]

No, literally it was a roller coaster. You start the game and Memphis comes out punching hard. They're scoring and shooting and I mean Scotty Pippen went 4 for 4 with his first four threes. It was, was a barrage in Memphis and they came out punch 40 29. But early in that game, just after seeing Jimmy Butler get hurt, get undercut inadvertently by Ahmed Thompson last night or two nights ago, then last night, Lou Dort ends up in the same situation in a transition break situation. Scottie Pippen's going up the court, Lou Dort's trying to do one on two slips and undercuts John Morant. That's going up. Josh falls hard on his hip like it was crazy. He got up. Andrew.

[John]

Yeah, yeah. I was so surprised when he took the free throws too because he had to be helped up by two people that were helping him to the locker room. And he's told basically, hey, you can't come back in the game unless you take these two free throws. And he, he clearly did not ever come back in the game. I didn't really think there was a chance of him coming back with the way that he was moving, but he wanted to at least give himself a shot. So he went and took the free throws and then was able to just gingerly walk himself back to the locker room. Won't know more about the injury probably until tomorrow, but it does not look good for Ja, at least. I mean, I'd be. I'd be pretty surprised if he played again in the series.

[Xena]

Yeah, I mean, it was such a tough fall. And it's important to note for context where the Grizzlies were at this point. When he went down, the team was up 67:40 with three minutes remaining in the second quarter. Ja had contributed 16 minutes, 15 points, five assists. He was the crux of everything they were doing. The pace, the offense, everything was flowing. And, you know, until the second half. Through the second half, at least. I mean, the second quarter, Memphis held onto that. And in the third and fourth quarter, the games flipped. And you can say what you want in terms of, yes, OKC unbelievably adjusted. They woke up. They started playing a lot better on defense. Chet Holmgren went off for 23 points in the second half. Alex Caruso was unreal, but it was a different game with Jaw. How did Jaws exit, impact Memphis, and then how did OKC capitalize on it?

[John]

Yeah, I mean, it's all about shock creation there for Memphis after John Morant goes down, because who's getting downhill. Scotty Pippen was not able to generate points in the second half. He was one of six from the field. And then it's like a lot on Jaren Jackson, who had 12 points in the second half, but they only had 31 points total. As to OKC, 63 in the second half, it's really tough. Like, they got a lot of, like, really nice complimentary players. Like, Desmond Bain is one of the best complimentary players in the league. I think Pippin's had a really good season as well, but nobody else can really generate a shot. And then on the other side, you have Chet, like you said, going for 23. Shea scored 13. He struggled in this one. Another kind of weird game from Shea, who had five fouls for a vast majority of the fourth quarter, but still hung in there. And then you have shot creation from J Dub as well. And then that paired with the eight steals they had the second half and the three blocks. And just like the. The hustle plays like everything was back for okc. And there were still times where you thought, man, this is. This may not happen for them. And I think one of the crucial plays that maybe won't get talked about, I think Crusoe is going to be talked about a ton, and I think the play of chat will be. But there was a challenge call from Mark Degnal on what was what became a moving screen on Zach Eaty. But had he not challenged that? That's three free throws for Scotty Pippen Jr. Going to the line. And that was a. I think the Grizzlies were up three at that point. And so if that turns into a six point game, you know, maybe the Thunders still win it just because the momentum had swung so far. But, you know, that's. That's one thing that, that Mark Dangal can do to affect the score is to, you know, win challenges like that.

[Xena]

This game was such a. A description of everything that OKC has to offer from their ability to adjust in real time, in real game situations, their ability to bounce back, be resilient. I mean, they got punched in the face in the first half and came back in the second in a different way. Their chess play, the way that Mark Daniel called that challenge even, I mean, the intelligence of this team in comparison to some of the moves that were made late game. You think about Zach Edie in that last play with Zack Edie and Alex Caruso getting a jump ball and Zach Edie, who is at least a foot taller than Caruso, going up on the jump ball and extending his full arm. Or was it with Shay? I think it was with Shay against extending his full arm.

[John]

It was.

[Xena]

Or was it with Door? That's what it was. Thank you. Against Door?

[John]

They're all the same. They're all the same. They're all these just like intense perimeter defenders.

[Xena]

Yeah, I'm like going through the route, but yeah, it was just like, why would you do that? That jump ball is yours. And so there were so many moments like that in which Memphis just fell apart at the end of the game. And say what you want, if John Morant was on the floor, maybe there's less of those mistakes. But there were still open looks that they got at the end of the game that they missed and they missed opportunities. So now series is 3, 0, Oklahoma. It feels as if they have already won the series, but they still have one more at home. What is going to be the answer, especially if John Morant doesn't come back?

[John]

Yeah, I'm not sure that there's a real answer. I think that this game three was, was the one. I think this was the one for Memphis to get. You know, they had the crowd behind them, they had the energy. Like you said, they. They sucked the thunder in the mouth to start this one and really probably should have won this game. Like, I don't know that the thunder, like, quote unquote deserved to win this game. But I, I think Honestly, like the talent deficit just got down so far for Memphis. I mean, Whenever Scotty Pippen Jr. Is like playing as your best player and like your best creator, like, and there's no shade to Scotty Pippen Jr. He's had a great season. But on the other side you have the MVP and you have the second pick in the draft and Chad Holmgren, like, I just don't, I don't, I don't know. I mean, I think there was clearly the Thunder, a really good team, but also the talent deficit is part of why they had the second largest comeback in the history of the playoffs, you know?

[Xena]

Yes. I'm happy you brought that up.

[John]

Yeah.

[Xena]

Because that's, I mean one OKC consistently has been in these kind of conversations throughout the season of being in the largest, the second largest, the top 10 largest comebacks or leads, you know, and then the Grizzlies end up on the other end of that spectrum. I think it was our teammate Esperani that like broke down some of these stats on, on X of like how many times the OKC has been a part of it. Tied for the second largest comeback in NBA history. They have the largest halftime comeback at that 29 points. And then the Grizzlies on the other hand, have been part of three of the five largest comebacks, two of which they've lost. This game is included in one brutal 2020, 2012. They lost against the Clippers, 27 point loss. And then the one time they did win was against the Wolves in 2022. This feels sad for the Grizzlies for so many reasons.

[John]

It does.

[Xena]

I know. Shouldn't laugh, shouldn't laugh, but it does. It's like you're, you're at the end, you're the brunt end of these bad situations. It. And you keep finding your way into these situations, which is a good thing. You're in the playoffs and yet the talent isn't enough to surpass some of these situations. You're looking at Thomas Isalo and you're like, you're in a tough position. You're looking at this team. You don't have your star player anymore. This series feels as if it's going to end already. Are you looking to the summer?

[John]

Yeah. I mean if you're Memphis, I think that you have to try to focus on game four as much as possible. But I think that you, you can't help but think about the roster moves that need to be made now. I don't really expect them to make any big moves with Jaw or Jaren, expect Jaren to get that supermax deal or Bane. But you certainly just have to go find other NBA caliber players. I mean, you can, you can look on the bench for the Thunder of the guys that were sitting on the bench at the end of that game and it's like, hey, we'd probably take three of you out here on the floor. You know, like John Contra so deep is. Is not the guy you want taking that corner three at the end of the, like, that's a very, very important three. And a guy that was clearly not ready to. To take or make that three. And so they need to find guys that have the ability to take and make those kind of shots. You know, it's about, I mean, finding those role players. It's about finding like the Anthony, another D, Anthony Melton, like a guy that was really good for Memphis back in the day, you know, Kyle Anderson, like, they've had a lot of really good role players, but they've let them all kind of slip through their fingers and, you know, now they're left with a lot of young guys and guys that have proven to not be guys that you can play in those spots. So, yes, you don't want to look to this. You don't want to look to the summer quite yet, but I don't know how you could look at this roster and not. And not be in that place.

[Xena]

Yeah, it's going to be a tough battle for them to try and get something going in game four. It's at home. We don't know what's going to happen with John Morant, but right now the Grizzlies have to get to their locker room and rally around each other because OKC is locked in. The brotherhood is apparent and I know they're feeling good being up three. Andrew, thanks for joining us. Thanks for breaking it down. We'll keep you guys updated on the NBA daily on what's going on with the Memphis Grizzlies. All right, guys.

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[Xena]

All right, we got Hunter Patterson here live from Little Caesars arena where the Knicks stole a game 118, 116 on the road. This is the first playoff game since 2019 in in Detroit and man, it seems from the TV that the vibes did not fail. Hunter, you were in there. Could you hear yourself? How are your ears?

[Andrew]

No, I tweeted at one point that I think I might lose my hearing behind another Tim Hardaway Jr. 3. So he hit. He was 5 for 5, possibly 6 for 6 at one point. And each time he touched the ball it seemed like the arena was kind of just waiting in anticipation for what would happen after he kind of got in that rhythm. There was a moment where Cade usually comes out about an hour before tip off and there's usually a bigger crowd than any other player because he's the guy on this team and there's usually a good amount but not really too much noise. But I was on my phone when he came out and I looked up because the noise was that loud and kind of just the anticipation that all the fans had for Kade in the game.

[Xena]

Yeah, no, I'm happy you actually brought up Tim and kade because those two were on point, especially Tim Hardaway Jr. He had 19 in that first game, dropped to zero in game two and had a bounce back game last night. But it seemed as if those two plus Paul Reed filling in with Isaiah Stewart that was out with inflammation in his knee, like they did their jobs and Then the bench stepped up. Talk a little bit about the way that the bench kind of helped fill the gaps and made this the duel that it was with New York.

[Andrew]

Yeah, I think Detroit's bench was pretty huge. They, they won the bench battle and scoring there between them in New York 49. So, I mean, the bench pretty much, yeah, held. Held up their end of the bargain. Malik Beasley seemed to get more comfortable as the game went on, but it was a struggle, I would say, for Tobias Harris, who at one point he. He was clinging 22 points. Although he did end up finishing with 5. Asar ended up having 7. Asar, he was below the 20 minute mark. Tobias played 31, although JB said post game it was kind of hard for him to get a rhythm due to being on the bench because of lack of, I mean, because of the foul trouble he had. But those two are guys who I would expect to have a little bit more to contribute offensively, especially for Tobias, who was coming off two good games in Madison Square Garden.

[Xena]

Yeah, I mean, Tobias was scoring in the 20s, consistently being almost more of a focal point offensively. But it seemed as if his task shifted to being more of a defensive stalwart in this third game. Whereas you could see when Karl Anthony Towns was being guarded by him, it was tough for him to score. But when Carl Anthony Towns had Jaylen Durant or Paul Reed like he was going to work, this was the game in which Kat kind of woke up and figured out, oh, I can score against Detroit's bigs and I can score kind of easy work against them. Like, how is Detroit going to adjust against the way that Katt played last night?

[Andrew]

I think just for one, he got in a rhythm from beyond the arc. He hit a few threes early on, and it seemed like that was a concerted effort by New York after he went scoreless in the second half of game two. So he was being force fed the ball a bit and I think that played right into his game plan. And what made him feel comfortable because once he saw a few threes go down, he was at that point kind of drawing the defense out and he was able to go by them and use his strength to get to the basket, get to the free throw line where he was seven of seven, didn't miss one. So I think the threes, as most shooters and just confidence scorers in this league go, you see a couple go down, that's all you really need to see. Especially like I said, coming off a scoreless 24 minutes in the second half of game two. So it'll be a challenge. I think. Isaiah Stewart, as we mentioned, didn't play game three, but he'll possibly be back in the mix for game four and it'll take a gang of bodies to stop Kat.

[Xena]

Yeah, that seemed to be the thing that Stewart was able to keep Kat from doing the work early. Like he kept pushing him out and making it hard for him to operate in the mid post or even to have clear looks in transition. We saw the catch and shoot threes that Carl Anthony Towns had early in the game and you're right, I think that that kind of opened things up. He ended up with 31 points, 10 of 18 from the floor, 4 of 8 from 3, and then also a hundred percent from the free throw line. Seven for seven. That's a big factor. Detroit fouling and Detroit playing with this physicality, like that's going to be what my eye is on in the fourth matchup because out of all the matchups last night, I mean this was the closest one from tip to buzzer. So going into game four, it's going to continue to be physical. It's going to get even more physical. There were texts thrown around, there were some, some dust ups.

[John]

Right.

[Xena]

Nothing crazy with some dust ups. So now going into game four, you know, what are you expecting in terms of how Detroit is going to be able to handle that physicality and also get a win at Little Caesar's Arena?

[Andrew]

I think the, the passion and intensity in here is going to be pretty consistent from game three to Game four on Sunday. I think one of the biggest things as far as what I just got from the locker room and post game interactions, the team, as far as the Pistons, don't seem any less confident than they did at the beginning of the game. We spoke with the sar, Tim Cade, jb and from the top down you hear JB say things like we're not deflated. To a question he asked about the way in which they lost, which could seem a bit deflating. But he responded back quickly, pretty prompt, saying we're not deflated at all. This isn't a locker room full of anyone who, or any players who are looking to hold their heads or, or are down on themselves. And it was pretty consistent from, like I said, the top down. From JB to Tim to K to Assar. They each seemed to not just say that they weren't flustered, but they seem to have a sense of calm about them. So I think they're going to look to regroup. A lot of shots didn't fall. It was, like we said, a rough go for Malik Beasley at one point. Tobias Harris, I. I don't see him scoring five points again, only five points again in this series. So I think pretty consistent with what they were saying. Shots weren't falling, but their confidence is exactly where it was before the game started.

[Xena]

Now, before I let you go, I want to mention this. Two things. Number one, the other day, we had a live morning shoot around, and I asked the guys, who do you think is kind of like the Little Caesars equivalent of an NBA player? Meaning you can count on him. It's going to be hot and ready. He's got to be pretty consistent wherever you go. And Andrew Schlecht immediately guessed the Detroit Pistons player that I was thinking of when I asked this question. And I want to ask if you know who I'm talking about, especially after his performance tonight.

[Andrew]

Got you. I mean, I feel like I would be obligated to say either Tim or Dennis.

[Xena]

Dennis. It's Dennis.

[John]

Dennis.

[Andrew]

Okay.

[Xena]

Come on. Dennis Schroeder was amazing tonight for Detroit.

[John]

No.

[Andrew]

Yes. Yes. He.

[Xena]

I mean, I like the way he played.

[Andrew]

Yeah. I think him being a veteran, him having the most playoff games under his belt on this team, there's been times where he'll pull the team together, especially when it's getting loud in here and the crowd is getting frustrated. The Knicks might be on a run. He does a really good job of bringing the team together. He has a lot of just the intangibles that you would want from a veteran. So he uses those intangibles. He brings the team together. He make sure they're constantly communicating. Dennis is literally, if you watch him, whether he's in the game on the bench, he's literally reminds me of myself. He's always talking. So, hey, he's talking about things much more productive. I'm just chatting. But he is someone like you said, who is just consistently consistent for this team.

[Xena]

Yeah. Okay. Last thing I have to ask you about is that ending, because I still don't know what happened the last. You know, Jalen Brunson gets fouled. He goes to the free throw line. He is coached by his dad essentially to miss the free throw, and the ball goes up, hits the back of the brim. Buster goes off, but no one touched it. Then Detroit gets the ball to go out of bounds. Jalen Duran is assigned the out of bounds role. Throws it out of bounds, but then they get the ball back. You got to walk me through that. I'm so confused as to how the game ended.

[Andrew]

Yeah, there was a lot. So initially there was a call that was a bit of a contentious point post game where the ball was inbounded. It looked like Jalen Brunson caught it in the front court, took it with him to the back court, and there was no backcourt call there. They fouled him. He was able to get to the line, and I think that was what led to the. The missed free throw. So that. That was one. We have a pool report on. We. We have some answers from the crew chief, Zach Zarbon. I don't think we got an explanation as to why they didn't review to see how much time maybe was on the clock on the miss free throw. It was all a pretty confusing last few possessions. But I. I have some audio I have now pool report from a referee that I can kind of try to parse through and put some stuff together on. So I was just as confused as you watching it live. But apparently, as far as the backcourt goes, Jalen Brunson had an established possession of the ball, so he kind of just dropped it and let it go in the backcourt. But we didn't get an answer. Unfortunately, for the.

[Xena]

The free throw situation on the broadcast, it said that his momentum was being counted for as to how he ended up in the backcourt. Either way, that is a perfect segue into Go read Hunter. Pat Patterson at the Athletic. Hunter, thanks for joining us and breaking down this game.

[Andrew]

Appreciate you. I'm always happy to be on.

[Xena]

I got to switch seats with Dave DeFore because he was at the game while I was at home last night. Dave, you went out to the Clipper Nuggets game, which is probably the fiercest battle so far in the West. But the blowout was kind of unexpected last night. It was actually the most quote, unquote, boring game. But it was very exciting to see. The very first game at Intuit Dome, you went and saw the wall in person. What was it like?

[Dave DeFore]

I. I think this is a fantastic gimmick, and I actually hope more teams will do things for their fans like this. You know, I've been to a lot of Euroleague games and games around Europe, and people constantly want to compare NBA atmosphere to that because it looks crazy, right? You've got, like, people rioting. There's flares, there's fireworks. You know, they had fireworks during the national anthem inside, which I was surprised by. But the wall itself as a character is such a great part of the arena. It's almost like the big Green Monster, you know, at Fenway Park.

[John]

Right.

[Dave DeFore]

It's a thing.

[Xena]

Yeah.

[Dave DeFore]

And the people there were so bought in. You know, it was like, like we talked about the Oklahoma City Thunder fans, how they all wear the shirts. Well, it's mandatory there. But also you wouldn't want to be in that group and not go along. I mean, you guys saw the decapitated horse heads they were wearing. It was a little bit of. And were they trying to make Nikola Jokic an offer that he couldn't refuse?

[Andrew]

I don't know.

[Dave DeFore]

But it did work. They got him to miss a free throw. I mean, honestly. Look, I, it, it's, it's easy to be like a cynic when teams are trying things, but I think the Clippers have done a really great job of embracing like the fan part of this. You know, we've been given the Thunder a lot of credit. Shout out to the Clippers. This was a fun time even though it was a blowout. But, and I can't help but think like the Clippers got energized by the crowd a little bit. I mean they came out and just blew these guys out.

[Xena]

Let's talk about that game because you know, you talk about embracing the fans. The fans embrace the Clippers. This was a playoff atmosphere. You're always a little concerned about a new arena, what that's going to look like, how the fans are going to acclimate and also what's the team going to look like in that atmosphere. But the Clippers looked at home at ease. James Harden came out killing in the first half, I mean, and then it just continued to thread all the way throughout with Norman Powell kind of taking up where he left off. 11783 Denver could not handle overall what Clippers could do inside and outside. Break us down. Like where were the number one holes for the Denver offense and defense?

[Dave DeFore]

Well, it was obviously, I mean a three point line, right? Like Denver just their communication outside on the perimeter was non existent. I mean there were multiple times where they left Kawhi Leonard wide open. I mean and you would see like just the body language drooping. And you know, the narrative from this will be that the Clippers hit a lot of shots. But you know, I'm sitting here watching and I'm tracking to my, you know, I've got my notebook, right. I didn't, I didn't bring a laptop. I like to do this on paper. I can't find it right now. But I, I'm telling you, these guys were taking, they were taking warm up Threes like these were wide open shots they were taking. So, you know, I. Look, we. We saw the Nuggets look tired in game two. We saw him look exhausted in this game. I don't know how the Nuggets bounced back. You know, it's a day and a half because this is a. It's a 3:00 Pacific start, and it is, you know, 10:30 Pacific right now. So they don't even have two full days to kind of recruit. And they looked like they had no legs. But the Clippers, you know, give them credit, right? Not only did they not look tired, but they never stopped. I mean, they were pushing the ball in transition. You mentioned James Harden, 20, had 20 points in the first half, and then he just kind of slowed down, you know, but that first half, it was like lightning quick early Houston Rockets, James Harden, he was attacking the basket, and then he hit so many threes that I lost count. Just a great overall game from the Clippers.

[Xena]

Yeah, James ended up with three threes on the night. Five, six from the free throw line. Overall, 20 points. But as you mentioned, it was just the onslaught. It wasn't just James. It was also Nick Batum that came in and produced Kawhi Leonard. Of course, I'm trying to figure out to me, the Clippers have this advantage because even in game one, everyone thought the Clippers should have had that one, right? And they, you know, they. They were able to get a win on the road, but it was like they. They should have been able to grab that. Now they're at home, they're looking comfortable. They have all the aspects you need in the size inside in Zubots. That was grabbing offensive rebounds like it was his side job, his side hustle. I want to know if I'm looking at the way to keep the Denver Nuggets from getting a win on my home court. How do they shut down the production that was coming out of Nicola Jokic? Because it feels as if he's the only thing that Denver has going for them.

[Dave DeFore]

Well, I actually think one of the big problems for Denver is not enough production from Nikola Jokic and in ways that aren't necessarily points or assists or rebound. Like he needs to be productive in getting Zubac off the court. Like, this is like the key to them winning any more games in this series. They have got to get. They've got to get Ivy Zubac in foul trouble and get him off the court. When he. When they started the second quarter, Denver started a little small. Zubot dominated. They finally bring in DeAndre Jordan to try to stop the bleeding. But you know it's DeAndre Jordan, right? Like, that's not. That's not enough. And part of this is maybe Denver doesn't have the personnel for this. But I think you've got to say, look, Jokic, you already do everything. And it sounds crazy to ask this guy to do more, but I do think they have to go at Zubac, especially in the next game. If they lose the next one this series, it feels like it's over. As you mentioned, this could easily be 30 in favor of the Clippers, and we're looking at a team that. With the Nuggets, I mean, disarray is the first word that comes to mind for me when you watch them, the body language. I mean, Aaron Gordon's still dealing with this calf thing. In the first quarter. First six minutes of the game, he had 11 points, and he has two the rest of the game. The shot just disappeared for him. And I. I do think that Denver started out okay. I mean, you look at the paint points, they were. They were pushing the ball and they were getting early post ups, a lot of backdoor cuts. I feel like it was like eight points off of cuts from the corner on dunks. And I mean, these guys, they. They have a system, but they just don't have the. They don't have as many horses to roll out there, you know, with Nikola Jokic.

[Xena]

Okay, well, the clippers now are 2:1 in the series. Feeling very comfortable with their vets behind it, kind of pushing things along. Kawhi James. This is where they've been. This is. This has been their comfort zone for a while. Dave, it is so fun asking you questions and getting your insight. We're going to close this out. Appreciate you guys waking up with us. On behalf of Hunter Patterson, Andrew schlecht, and Dave DeFore, I'm Xena Cata. We appreciate you guys waking up with us. Oh, before we go. Draymond Green did not win Defensive player of the Year. Evan Mobley did.

[Dave DeFore]

Evan Mobley.

[Xena]

I just wanted to make sure that you guys knew that. Exactly. I don't know if you knew that, but now you do. All right, guys, we'll head out of here. Enjoy the rest of your day.