Stephen A. calls the Clippers A CATASTROPHE & calls for WHOLESALE CHANGES! | First Take
Summary
TLDRThe video script features a passionate discussion about the disappointing performance of the Los Angeles Clippers, specifically highlighting the underwhelming contributions of George James Harden and Russell Westbrook, who combined for just 28 points on a poor shooting night. The speaker calls for 'wholesale changes' in Los Angeles, expressing frustration with the team's lack of energy and urgency, especially in crucial moments. They criticize the absence of star player Kawhi Leonard due to injury and his limited impact on the team's marketability. The speaker also praises the opposing player, Luca Dončić, for his exceptional control and confidence, contrasting him with the Clippers' lifeless performance. The summary emphasizes the need for the Clippers to establish their own identity separate from the Lakers and to rely on dependable players, questioning the current roster's ability to compete at a high level in the playoffs.
Takeaways
- 🏀 Harden and Westbrook's poor performance: The combination of George James Harden and Russell Westbrook only scored 28 points with a shooting percentage of 8 for 36.
- 😤 Disappointment in Los Angeles: The speaker expresses frustration and calls for 'wholesale changes' in the Los Angeles Clippers team.
- 🤔 Doubts about the Clippers' ability to compete: The speaker questions the Clippers' ability to compete with the Lakers and emphasizes the need to establish their own identity.
- 🚫 Concerns over Kawhi Leonard's availability: The script highlights Kawhi Leonard's frequent absences in both regular and playoff games, affecting the team's performance and marketability.
- 📉 Inconsistency of key players: The speaker criticizes the inconsistency of players like Paul George and James Harden, especially during the playoffs.
- 🤷♂️ Lack of urgency and energy: The script describes the Clippers' performance as lifeless and lacking in energy, particularly in a pivotal game.
- 👎 Public reaction to the game: The audience's disappointment is palpable, with some even比喻ically 'throwing up' in response to the team's poor performance.
- 🌟 Luka Doncic's outstanding performance: Despite the Clippers' issues, Luka Doncic is praised for his control, confidence, and ability to carry his team.
- 🧐 The impact of non-marketability: The script discusses how a lack of focus on marketability can lead to a disconnect with the fan base and a decrease in team enthusiasm.
- 💰 Steve Balmer's investment questioned: The speaker suggests that the Clippers' owner, Steve Balmer, needs to reconsider his personnel choices given the team's ongoing issues.
- 🤔 The challenge for the coaching staff: The difficulties faced by coaches like Doc Rivers and Mike D'Antoni in strategizing with such inconsistent player performances are mentioned.
Q & A
How did George James Harden and Russell Westbrook perform in the game discussed in the transcript?
-George James Harden and Russell Westbrook combined for just 28 points on 8 for 36 shooting, which was considered a significant underperformance.
What was the speaker's opinion on the need for changes within the Los Angeles Clippers?
-The speaker strongly advocated for wholesale changes within the Los Angeles Clippers, suggesting that the team needs a major overhaul to improve its performance.
What was the speaker's view on Kawhi Leonard's impact on the team and his injury?
-The speaker acknowledged Kawhi Leonard's injury and did not question its legitimacy. However, they criticized his lack of availability for a significant portion of games and his perceived lack of contribution to marketing the brand.
How did the speaker describe James Harden's performance in the game?
-The speaker was highly critical of James Harden's performance, describing it as a catastrophe and pointing out that he scored only seven points in the game.
What was the speaker's opinion on the Los Angeles Clippers' playoff record when James Harden scores 10 or fewer points?
-The speaker noted that the Clippers have a record of 4 and 8 in playoff games where James Harden scores 10 or fewer points, indicating a significant impact on the team's success.
How did the speaker assess the overall performance of the Los Angeles Clippers in the pivotal game five?
-The speaker described the Clippers' performance as atrocious, lifeless, and disgraceful, with no excuses for their lack of energy and effort.
What was the speaker's view on the role of Paul George in the game?
-The speaker mentioned that Paul George struggled in the game, contributing to the team's overall poor performance.
What was the speaker's perspective on the importance of being marketable for a team's success?
-The speaker emphasized the importance of being marketable and having an allure to attract a fan base, which they believe can influence the team's culture and performance.
How did the speaker compare the performance of Luca Dončić to that of the Los Angeles Clippers?
-The speaker praised Luca Dončić's performance as that of a superstar with supreme control and confidence, in stark contrast to the Clippers' performance.
What was the speaker's suggestion for Steve Balmer, the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers?
-The speaker suggested that Steve Balmer needs to rethink his personnel and possibly drive potential players around LA to show them the lifestyle and convince them of the city's appeal.
What was the speaker's final verdict on the Los Angeles Clippers' performance in the discussed game?
-The speaker concluded that the Clippers should be ashamed of their performance, which they described as disinterested, lethargic, and lacking in urgency.
Outlines
🏀 Disappointing Performance by Clippers' Stars
The first paragraph discusses the underwhelming performance of George James Harden and Russell Westbrook, who scored only 28 points combined with an 8 for 36 shooting record. The speaker expresses their disappointment and calls for a major overhaul in Los Angeles, suggesting that the Clippers need to establish their own identity and not just compete with the Lakers. They criticize Kawhi Leonard's injury record and its impact on the team's marketability, and question the reliability of Harden and Westbrook in crucial playoff games. The summary ends with a description of the Clippers' poor performance in a pivotal game five, where they failed to match the energy of their opponents.
🤔 Harden's Consistent Inconsistency in High-Stakes Games
The second paragraph focuses on the lack of energy and inspiration from the Clippers' players, particularly Harden, who is known for his inconsistent performances in crucial games. The speaker points out Harden's history of disappearing in pivotal moments, contrasting his regular-season scoring prowess with his lack of aggression in the playoffs. The summary also addresses Paul George's variable performance and the need for the Clippers to play inspired basketball in the absence of their star player, Kawhi Leonard. It concludes with praise for Luka Doncic's supreme control and confidence, which overshadowed the Clippers' lackluster display.
😡 Clippers' Lack of Marketability and Fan Engagement
The third paragraph emphasizes the Clippers' need to focus on being marketable and building a strong fan base. The speaker argues that the lack of focus on marketability creates a distance between the team and its fans, leading to a lack of urgency and enthusiasm. They describe the owner, Steve Balmer's, enthusiasm at games, contrasting it with the players' apparent disinterest. The summary ends with a strong criticism of the Clippers' disgraceful performance, suggesting that the players should be ashamed and that changes need to be made to ensure the team shows up with the necessary energy and commitment.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Performance
💡Playoffs
💡Efficiency
💡Injury
💡Marketability
💡Coaching
💡Superstar
💡Fan Base
💡Playoff Games
💡Energy
💡Culture
Highlights
George James Harden and Russell Westbrook combined for just 28 points on 8 for 36 shooting, a significant underperformance.
The speaker calls for wholesale changes in Los Angeles, indicating dissatisfaction with the current team dynamics.
Mentions that even if the team wins game six and seven, it might not be enough to change the current narrative.
James Harden's performance is criticized, with only seven points scored in a pivotal game.
Russell Westbrook is described as a 'noshow' since getting ejected in game three.
Paul George's struggle is highlighted, pointing out the team's reliance on inconsistent star players.
The Clippers are urged to establish their own identity, separate from the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kawhi Leonard's injury is acknowledged, but his impact on the brand and marketability is questioned due to frequent absences.
James Harden's scoring record in playoff games is scrutinized, pointing out 12 games where he scored 10 or less points.
The lack of energy and lifeless performance by the Clippers in game five is condemned.
The speaker criticizes the team's performance as 'atrocious' and 'disgraceful', especially in a high-stakes game.
Steve Balmer, the owner, is urged to rethink the team's personnel, implying they are not good enough.
The absence of a superstar's inspiration on the court is noted, with the team failing to elevate their play.
James Harden's performance in big spots is discussed, with the speaker expressing disappointment.
Luca Dončić's exceptional control and confidence during the game are praised, contrasting with the Clippers' performance.
The final outcome is acknowledged as less important than the effort and spirit with which the game was played.
The Clippers' lack of urgency and enthusiasm is criticized, with the speaker questioning their commitment.
The impact of a non-marketable superstar on team culture and fan engagement is discussed.
Steve Balmer's enthusiasm at games is compared to the perceived lack of energy from the players.
The speaker concludes with strong disapproval of the Clippers' performance, using vivid imagery to describe the fans' reactions.
Transcripts
George James Harden and Russell
Westbrook combined for just 28 points on
8 for 36 shooting all right St and I'm
going to start with you since you said
it was nice and uh not sunshiny there in
LA how disappointing were PG-13 Harden
Russ last night it was a catastrophe
there's no way around this and and and
listen I want I want to say this off the
top um and you could put Andrea in legs
up on the screen because I want to say
this I want I want to see their face
when I say this I want wholesale changes
in Los Angeles I I I I Steve balma just
needs to blow it up enough's enough okay
enough's enough now we don't expect now
if there's something change a change
takes place and somehow some way a
talloo squad because he's fully capable
of pulling this pulling this off because
he's an exceptional coach turns things
around they come out and win game six
and they come back to win game seven
that might be a different story but I
don't expect that to happen we see James
Harden we've been raving about it we saw
him perform in a couple of games this
series we saw what he did in a couple of
games without kawhai anded averaging
over 30 and then what what happens last
night seven points really really this is
what we're talking about here what the
hell was that about Russell Westbrook I
I mean Lord since he got himself ejected
in game three he's been a noshow we got
to look at that particular situation and
then you ultimately watch Paul George
struggle the way that he struggled last
night this is what I'm trying to say
about the Los Angeles Clippers at some
point in time you can't be about trying
to compete with the Los Angeles Lakers
lak l a nation is Lake a nation they got
their fan base and what have you but the
bottom line is you're not going to be
them you got to establish your own and
in order to establish your own you've
got to have Dependable bodies to rely
upon kawh Leonard is your star I want to
State this for the record again nobody's
questioning the sincerity or the
legitimacy of his injury we know he's
injured but he is the absolute worst
Superstar you could possibly have ever
because he's not available for 48% of
his regular season games he's not avail
able for more than 30% of the playoff
games okay he seems to miss it when it
counts most and he does absolutely
positively nothing to Market your brand
and because he doesn't do anything to
Market your brand because he doesn't do
anything to market the sport all of a
sudden now you got to rely on other
players to come through for you Paul
George is spectacular one day one day
he's ordinary James Harden is
spectacular one day another time always
during the playoffs he's an absolute no
show they're 4 and eight in playoff
games where James Harden scores 10 or
less points how the hell are there 12
different games where you score 10 or
less points in a playoff game when
you're one of the most prolific scorers
the game of basketball has ever seen
these are the question marks and then to
have the audacity the the unmitigated go
to come out there and to look lifeless I
mean they got blown out last night they
got blown out last night ladies and
gentlemen it wasn't like Luca dropped 35
and Kyrie had 40 Kyrie had 14 points Max
ker comes off the bench in 19 minutes
and hit five threes Luca did what he
said he was going to do no answer from
the Los Angeles Clippers whatsoever I
saw people sitting Courtside y'all
thought they had popcorn bags no they
didn't they had bags there to throw up
in they wanted to vomit because they saw
the Los Angeles Clippers stink up the
joint the way that they did it was
popcorn in those bags people were
practically throwing up with what the
hell they saw it was an atrocious
performance a lifeless performance no
excuse whatsoever in a pivotal game five
knowing you got to go back to Dallas for
game six knowing what you did to them in
game four knowing you could beat this
team to come out in front of that fan
base which was stacked last night the
building was filled and you still put up
a performance like that it was dis
disgraceful disgraceful and if they get
their butts whipped in game six not only
will people not be surprised they'll say
thank you for mercifully putting an end
to this season Steve Balmer needs to
rethink who he has there as his
Personnel it's not good enough it's not
good enough period this team needed to
be ignited with energy and they didn't
get it from anyone usually that's rust
who can come in and ignite the team with
his performance on the floor he
struggled knocking down shots he
struggled with his efficiency those
three Westbrook Harden and PG eight of
36 combined is just not going to get it
done but to me Stephen A when your
Superstar is out you want to play great
for them you want to play great and
hopefully get a chance to get them back
on the floor you want to play inspired
basketball on your home court for your
Superstar and you don't see that
happening you didn't see that happen to
a dramatic effect with this Clippers
team was an opportunity for them to step
up after Harden and PG played extremely
well in the last game they just dropped
the ball on this one but to me it was
the dropped shoulders the uninspired
like they had no life they had no energy
Stephen A you and I have been on the
show how many times talking about James
Harden in big spots and nobody's been
harder on him than me and last night was
exactly what you expect from James
Harden in a moment like that and it's
not just what happened in Philadelphia
um because people want to point to the
two 40o games he had against Boston last
year well he had five other games where
he averaged 11 points a game and shot
25% from the field in a seven game
series including getting annihilated on
the road in a game seven go all the way
back to his Houston days he had moments
where literally you can't believe what
you're watching because you're talking
about a dude that led the leagan scoring
when he was in Houston and then decides
on a given night in a playoff game a
pivotal game he's just not going to
shoot the basketball in the first
quarter and you go where is the dude
that I watched all year and then you
look at the coaches Doc Rivers Mike
Danton scratching their heads trying to
figure out how are we supposed to win
when a guy that dominates the ball to
that extent plays like that with that
little aggression and and just lifeless
in his approach to the game and this is
exactly what James Harden has given us
to expect in these spots now Paul George
as well has had moments like this but I
think to a lesser degree because here's
what I'll say about James Harden as a
superstar Talent which he is his floor
is so low that on a given night when he
hits that floor and goes into these dark
places where he just gives you nothing
offensively you can't overcome it
because he's got the ball too much you
need him to play close to the level that
he does at his best he doesn't have to
be great every night and that team's got
a lot of help on it but you can't play
like you did last night where you
literally don't show now the last thing
must say about it is this I don't think
it would have mattered last night
because what you saw in Luca donic was a
superstar playing with Supreme level of
control and confidence he looked every
one of his teammates in the eye and said
I got this watch and he dismantled him
he controlled the pace he controlled the
possessions he was decisive he got to
his mid-range didn't take quite as many
of those step back threes that he wasn't
hitting in the first four games he got
what he wanted he owned them on that end
of the floor it calmed everybody down on
his team and then allowed everybody else
hey help me out a little bit but I got
this so I don't think it would have
mattered how they played last night the
way Luca looked the look in his eye the
competitiveness it was all Air a
superstar on display who has shown
repeatedly what he is capable of in big
spots hell with that hell with that it's
not about whether or not it would have
mattered that's that in terms of the
final outcome it matters how you show up
to perform they lose the game we're not
crucifying them we understood that this
is a series that could go either way we
picked the Mavs but we understood it
could go either way you're going back
and forth back and forth back and forth
remember they're up 31 on Dallas Dallas
comes back takes the lead before they
ultimately lose the game we understand
how this could go the issue with the
Clippers is the lifelessness it's the
lack of urgency in key pivotal moments
it's the boneheaded it's the lethargy
it's this listen and I've said this when
it came to the Los Angeles Lakers at
times throwing aside LeBron and because
it wasn't applicable to them remember
when I said Tim legy and Andre you was
busy doing a marvelous wonderful job
with the NCAA tournament and stuff like
that and I was getting all over the
linkers Christine members this okay I
talked about how Jeanie bus and Rob
pinka look man I literally told Genie
bus up th the genie bust the Linda
ramises of the world the Rob pinkas of
the world hell I would have told Magic
Johnson had he answered my damn call I'd
have said yo what you need to do is grab
a couple of these brothers and and just
drive them around LA and look at this
these Clear Blue Skies and this this
sunshine and and the palm trees and and
ask them you want to be here you know
there there there plenty of other places
to go they ain't like this you sure you
want to be here that's what Mr Balman
needs to do with some of these clippers
but the problem is you can't you know
why you can't because he keeps falling
for the oky do invested in a Kawai lenit
who makes sure he does just enough to
get his bag to get those guaranteed
dollars and then after that this brother
ain't at work now we know he's injured
and I understand that and I'm not
questioning that but what I'm saying is
when you combine the lack of
availability with the inab with the
refusal to be remotely marketable you
ultimately Infuse a level of of ambiance
or or whatever it is that that that
dictates a culture and that level of
nonchalance that lack of urgency that
distance from being marketable from
being promotable here's what happens
guys and legler Andrea and you notice
cuz both of y'all smart as hell along
with you Christine y'all will take when
I say this it's gonna hit home for you
see when you don't focus on being
marketable when you don't focus on
having an allore and a level of
attraction you know what that ultimately
invokes that revokes a distance between
you and your constituency your fan base
or whomever it is you Live and Let Live
you go home they know you're about that
so they don't have the urgency either
and it compromises the fervor the
adrenaline the enthusiasm and everything
that comes with it to build a fan base
look at Steve borma Courtside I'm at
Clippers games y'all I was there last
night the man is a billionaire he don't
need this this is chump Chang to him he
don't need this this man is at Courtside
and have to time he's showing more
enthusiasm and more energy than the
players he pays come on come on that's
what happened last night I'm telling you
right now I saw at least two people that
looked like they were ready to throw up
I won't say their names but they had
brown bags and was no damn food in there
was no popcorn in there they wanted to
throw up and I don't blame them the
Clippers last night just last night the
Clippers were in utter disgrace they
should be ashamed of their damn selves
and if I'm tyo I don't I want out I want
to get the hell out of there I want to
coach a team that I know is going to
have players that's going to show up so
I can prove my medal as a coach as
opposed to being compromised by dudes
that can clearly play they it ain't they
ain't scrubs now which is why I'm going
off because they better than that these
brothers can play they ain't scrubs I
don't give give a damn how great Luca
donic is Andrea Tim they Clippers ain't
that bad they ain't that bad they were
disinterested they look like a bunch of
Brothers running around that that that
was suffering from bloatedness and gas
or something it was horrible it was
horrible
[Music]
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