1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Have the Rockets replaced the Clippers?

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by R94, Mar 2, 2017.

  1. R94

    R94 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2011
    Messages:
    786
    Likes Received:
    793
    For the last few years the clippers have been considered one of the elite teams. Now I'm wondering after last night and after this season if the Rockets will take/ or already have taken the Clipper's place among the elite in the NBA. It also doesn't seem the clippers as currently constructed will be together much longer.
     
    da_juice, BigShasta and Lawlruschang like this.
  2. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2002
    Messages:
    56,653
    Likes Received:
    48,745
    The Clippers are definitely on the downside - I don't see the current team getting past the second round.
     
  3. larsv8

    larsv8 Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2007
    Messages:
    21,663
    Likes Received:
    13,914
    All of their pieces verbally committed to resigning.

    Seems like they will be around for a bit longer.
     
    Lawlruschang likes this.
  4. apollo33

    apollo33 Member

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2009
    Messages:
    20,397
    Likes Received:
    16,589
    They have all the pieces to contend, but somehow some way never makes it past the second round. whether by injury or pure choke
     
  5. Killatron 2000

    Killatron 2000 Punk Rocket

    Joined:
    Jan 19, 2017
    Messages:
    1,628
    Likes Received:
    4,684
    Their ship has sailed. Go Rockets!
     
    Tfor3 and BigShasta like this.
  6. FTW Rockets FTW

    FTW Rockets FTW Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2011
    Messages:
    27,724
    Likes Received:
    21,397
    Rockets have always been elite in the regular season. Haven't you heard that we have the 3rd most winningest record in the last 10 years in the regular season...
     
  7. DustinS

    DustinS Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Nov 5, 2007
    Messages:
    541
    Likes Received:
    382
    If the Clippers are smart, they will "retool" this offseason. Blake and Doc are likely to be gone.
     
  8. W22_STREAK

    W22_STREAK Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2008
    Messages:
    8,008
    Likes Received:
    616
    Doc Rivers is atrocious. Chris Paul is too old. Also the even more egregious trades that saw them trade away Kyrie Irving and Eric Bledsoe for nothing ultimately set them up for a decade of mediocrity.
     
    Tfor3, BigShasta and Newlin like this.
  9. PhiSlamma15

    PhiSlamma15 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2014
    Messages:
    4,581
    Likes Received:
    1,047
    quite frankly it seems neither the Rockets or the Warriors have been afraid of the Clips over the past couple years including last year circus of a season
     
    Stormy1234 likes this.
  10. steddinotayto

    steddinotayto Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2001
    Messages:
    19,116
    Likes Received:
    20,869
    If they ever get a full or even 90% season out of Griffin + 100% season out of Paul then maybe they can get back to elite status. You can't contend in the West if your top two players "take turns" getting hurt.
     
    Lawlruschang likes this.
  11. justtxyank

    justtxyank Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2005
    Messages:
    42,752
    Likes Received:
    39,420
    You might be using the word "mediocrity" wrong. Just maybe.
     
    jbasket, HayesIsBack and c1utchfan925 like this.
  12. lnchan

    lnchan Sugar Land Leonard
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2010
    Messages:
    9,111
    Likes Received:
    11,941
    They were gone once they blew that lead against us.
     
  13. W22_STREAK

    W22_STREAK Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2008
    Messages:
    8,008
    Likes Received:
    616
    Well I think it's the utmost appropriate and accurate term to describe the Clippers right now. Not good enough to do anything substantial, not bad enough to see anything through the draft. Almost no good young players so basically no room for organic growth. A serious lack of tradeable assets. Enormous salaries are tied up on their books, including an immensely overpaid GM/Coach. The definition of mediocrity.
     
  14. MrButtocks

    MrButtocks Contributing Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2005
    Messages:
    7,311
    Likes Received:
    5,314
    I gave my opinion on the Clippers in the game thread in the GARM, but I'll make this point here. They were never elite and have always been flawed, mostly due to the lack of consistent defense and an old school offense. They are a solid, not great team. They are 3-5 in playoff series in the CP3 era and all three of their series wins went to seven games; they barely squeaked by in those. That's not dominance. If they were that good they would have been able to crush somebody by now, but they always seem to be a step behind the top teams.

    If we could beat them without Bev and DMo, while they were fully healthy and we were starting Jason Terry at point, then they were never better than us to begin with. Hell yeah we're better than them at this point.
     
    seeingred, Nick_713, da_juice and 2 others like this.
  15. c1utchfan925

    c1utchfan925 Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2006
    Messages:
    1,942
    Likes Received:
    323
    The Clippers had "potential" to be title contenders when Doc Rivers took the head coaching job after Vinny was fired. He did some good things, helped motivate Jordan to become more complete big man, and also has helped the younger Rivers to actually be a contributing player on a playoff bound team. Outside of that as much progress as Blake Griffin has made, his injuries coupled with Paul's injuries have held the teams record back.

    The Clippers are a top heavy team, they have 3 top 10 players (if you were to rank them per position) but they lack a lot of depth and bench production. If JJ, Crawford, and Rivers are all playing well that team has the ability to win every game they play. Most times, they're stuck with depending solely on Griffin and Paul for points. Paul is a great PG if not one of the top 3 point guards playing in the league right now, but he's more of a true point guard who passes first and scores second. He's never really been a offensive minded PG since his early years in the league.

    This current Rockets team has enough talent to keep up with any team in the league but we live and die by the 3 point shot. I don't think we'll get credit or respect from the media until we can get to the finals under Mike D'antoni. Every time I hear the opposing sides' commentating, they'll praise him for his offensive genius and then proceed to knock his resume down stating "his style doesn't work in the playoffs". They were pretty damn close to beating San Antonio until Horry hip checked Nash that one series. If they had won, I doubt we'd have D'antoni as our current coach.
     
  16. J.R.

    J.R. Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2008
    Messages:
    108,237
    Likes Received:
    158,322
    Clippers were always overrated. Every year the media labeled them one of the "favorites". I look forward to their [potential] breakup this offseason.
     
  17. Os Trigonum

    Os Trigonum Contributing Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2014
    Messages:
    73,222
    Likes Received:
    111,400
    Are you suggesting . . . the Rockets have made the Clippers obsolete??

    :cool:
     
    Pen15clubber and arubato like this.
  18. larsv8

    larsv8 Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2007
    Messages:
    21,663
    Likes Received:
    13,914
    Their general management is atrocious.

    Rivers has had years to build a bench and hasn't done ****. I will never get over that Austin Rivers contract. What a joke.

    Look at what Morey has done with our bench, compared to theirs and you can't really see the difference it makes.
     
    Richie_Rich likes this.
  19. DreamShook

    DreamShook Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2008
    Messages:
    71,072
    Likes Received:
    115,130
    I think Doc is a little overrated as a coach and is doing poor job as "general manager". Clippers desperately needed to make a move and they did nothing. Their roster is not bad at all IMO. They have 3 all-stars for goodness sake.
     
    Embrace the clutch likes this.
  20. HayesIsBack

    HayesIsBack Member

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2015
    Messages:
    1,975
    Likes Received:
    337
    Doc never got the clippers a real backup PG, so his little boy had no competition.

    Every time CP3 sat or was injured, the Clippers sucked. Doc gave his son a contract more than twice his worth, and that was after playing him minutes that his play didnt warrant.
     
    Richie_Rich likes this.

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now