Tag: l.a. clippers

Russell Westbrook argued with a heckler who was bizarrely wearing a balloon hat on his head

This was so intense you might not have noticed the balloon hat.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Russell Westbrook had a heated interaction with a fan at Spectrum Center in Charlotte.

Westbrook, who recently returned from an extended absence due to a left hand injury, approached someone who had attended the game between the Clippers and Hornets.

According to reporter Jeremy Grandison, who captured a video of the exchange, the person at the game was heckling Westbrook during the first half of the game. As a result, the former MVP decided to talk to the fan. It was so intense that you may not notice the fan was wearing a balloon hat.

WARNING: Some language in the video might not be safe for work.

Unfortunately, this happens all too frequently with Westbrook.

We have seen that he gets especially upset when anyone shows disrespect for his name or his family.

But this is the first time that we have seen Westbrook have such a heated back and forth with someone who was wearing a balloon hat on his head.

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James Harden was absolutely mesmerized by this poster dunk from LeBron James

James Harden could not believe what LeBron James had just done.

Even at 39 years old, LeBron James continues to stun his fans and his opponents alike with his athleticism on the basketball court.

During a Lakers victory over the Clippers in Los Angeles on Sunday, the four-time NBA Finals MVP threw down what was likely his most impressive dunk of the season.

LeBron finished with 25 points (11-of-19 FG), eight rebounds and seven assists in the win. But nothing was more memorable than his slam on Paul George during the third quarter, in which he took off from nearly the free-throw line.

Everyone watching the game was blown away by the highlight play but no one had a better view of it than Clippers guard James Harden.

The 2018 NBA MVP (who is a very expressive individual and often has reactions that turn into a meme) seemed like he could not believe what he had witnessed from LeBron on this possession:

Just look at Harden’s reaction and it tells you everything you need to know about how the other players around the league perceive LeBron.

They’re just as stunned as the fans are when they see him defy normal aging conventions in sports.

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Russell Westbrook hit Chris Paul with the iconic Dikembe Mutombo finger wag after blocking his shot

Westbrook had an amazing tribute to a legend on this blocked shot.

During a victory over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, L.A. Clippers guard Russell Westbrook defended Chris Paul and blocked his shot.

Late in the second quarter right before the first-half buzzer, Paul attempted a jump shot 10 feet away from the basket. Westbrook quickly approached him from behind and was then able to viciously reject the field goal.

This was just the tenth block of the season for Westbrook, so it made sense that he would want to celebrate against his longtime on-court rival (and his friend).

But the celebration he chose was especially iconic as Westbrook decided to roll with the fabled Dikembe Mutombo finger wag after the play.

You can almost hear the “no no no no no!” coming from Westbrook’s index finger following this possession.

What made the celebration even better was watching the fans join along as the Clippers handed another loss to the Warriors.

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Ranking the 7 NBA contenders (the Bucks!) who should consider trading for Alex Caruso

We need to see Alex Caruso play for a winner.

Alex Caruso has already played an important role in winning an NBA championship and his talents are better suited with a contender.

Even after just a few games, unfortunately, it already seems like the dysfunctional Bulls will not afford him that opportunity in Chicago.Ā So for the sake of all parties involved, it might be the best-case scenario for the franchise to trade him to a team where he actually has a chance to win.

For example, he proved his value again while defending Kevin Durant against the Suns on Wednesday. Caruso had a game-high plus-minus (24) in a one-point loss against Phoenix.

Ricky O’Donnell agreed that it makes more sense for Chicago to cash in on Caruso now, offering the following thoughts (via SB Nation):

“Itā€™s a shame Carusoā€™s impact is being wasted on a team as hopeless as the Bulls. He deserves to be playing the type of meaningful games late the season that Chicago isnā€™t good enough to be involved in. If the Bulls ever decide to blow it up, Caruso should be the first player they trade. Heā€™d be a great fit on any contender, and his ability to change the game goes so far beyond his box score numbers.”

Caruso was mentioned as a potential player on the move before the trade deadline last season and the Bulls reportedly coveted multiple first-round picks in return.

K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago has reported that Caruso remains “constantly sought after” by contenders. His trade value is likely higher right now than ever (which likely makes a deal very difficult for asset-poor teams like the Suns) and a bidding war may be on the horizon.

It is unclear if he could fetch multiple first-rounders in this market but if he were put on the block, the following teams should sprint to put in an offer:

Nets fans hilariously chanted ‘Daryl Morey’ at James Harden during win over the Clippers

This was too funny.

James Harden did not receive the warmest welcome from fans in Brooklyn when the Clippers played the Nets on Wednesday.

Harden, who helped improve the title odds for the Clippers after he was traded from the 76ers, has had a somewhat awkward start to his tenure with Los Angeles.

It got even more awkward during the first quarter when the Nets, a different team from which Harden had demanded a trade within the past two seasons, hosted the former MVP at Barclays Center.

Setting the tone still early in the game, he was met with chants of the name “Daryl Morey” while he was at the free-throw line.

Morey, the president of basketball operations for the 76ers, had a very long working relationship with Harden. The executive even had a painting of the guard commissioned for his home.

But the two had a very public falling-out and Harden called Morey a “liar” this past offseason. So the chant from Brooklyn fans was an especially clever way to get in his head assuming it was loud enough for him to hear.

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The Clippers should trade Terance Mann for James Harden if they’re not convinced he’s a starter

Why are the Clippers so attached to Terance Mann?

Although the regular season starts in just over a week, we have no resolution about where 76ers star guard James Harden will play next season.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Harden “has not been present” with the team since Sunday. But we may not have a resolution to this saga any time soon.

There is apparently a “sizable gap” between the 76ers and Clippers when it comes to the negotiations on a potential deal for Harden, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

One of the main hurdles to jump through is whether or not the Clippers would willingly attach Terance Mann. However, according to league insider Jake Fischer, the Clippers are currently “unwilling” to include Mann in any deal for HardenĀ (via Yahoo):

“Morey has been adamant he wants the Clippers to send a second first-round pick, plus a future pick swap and expiring contracts in exchange for Harden, according to league sources. Los Angeles has indicated no desire to part with more than one first-rounder and has little reason to do so, knowing there arenā€™t other bidders aggressively pursuing Hardenā€™s services. The same goes for the Clippers parting with talented forward Terance Mann, sources said.”

So based on the aforementioned reporting, we can likely assume that if the Clippers decided to put Mann on the table, they could have Harden.

Mann was reportedly a coveted target of the Trail Blazers in talks for Jrue Holiday before he the former NBA champion was traded to the Celtics. The Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Keith Pompey, however, went as far as to say that Mann is “untouchable” in these particular talks.

While one would assume that their desire to hold on to Mann means they value him as a core member of the organization, that’s potentially not true.

Justin Russo noted that Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said the starting power forward spot could go to Mann but he is also competing with vets like Robert Covington and Nicolas Batum.

That doesn’t make a ton of sense considering Covington and Batum were both hardly in the rotation for L.A. last season. Both logged their lowest minutes per game since their rookie seasons.

So why isn’t Mann beating these guys out for a certain starting spot if he is considered untouchable by the front office?

For what it is worth: They reportedly offered Mann to try and acquire Kyrie Irving last season, per The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor. Perhaps that just means that the Clippers don’t really want Harden all that much.

Despite all of the deserved criticism that we can throw at the 2018 NBA MVP, durability is not an issue for him. He has played at least 75.0 percent of all possible games for his team in all but two of his 14 professional seasons.

Since joining the Clippers in 2019-20, however, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have both struggled with durability. Leonard has played in 52.2 percent of all possible games for L.A. while George has appeared in 61.3 percent.

Harden is still an elite playmaker and led the league in assists last season.

But maybe his rumored interest in becoming a scoring champion once again, as well as his willingness to demand trades, has given franchises pause about surrendering assets or offering him a long-term deal.

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Joel Embiid on James Harden trade request: ‘Hopefully … his mindset can be changed’

Harden and Embiid were reportedly “partying” together in Las Vegas on Saturday.

One of the most noteworthy developments of the NBA’s offseason so far was a trade request from Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden.

Harden opted into the final year of his contract with Philadelphia with the expectation that the 76ers would find him and his expiring contract a new home for next season.

While the odds initially implied that Philadelphia was not likely to retain Harden and that he could potentially end up with the L.A. Clippers, there is nothing surprising about Harden’s potential exit.

That being said, if the NBA’s reigning MVP Joel Embiid had his way, the dynamic duo would try to run it back for one more shot at the title.

Embiid spoke toĀ ShowtimeĀ reporter Rachel Nichols about the trade request. Here is what he said:

“Disappointed. But then, I also understand, it’s business. You know, people make decisions and I’m more appreciative of the way he’s handled the whole situation. We’re going to be boys forever. [I] want him to come back, obviously, so we can go out and accomplish what we want, which is to win a championship. So hopefully … his mindset can be changed. But other than that, I’m just so happy to be his friend. You know, we close. We’ve grown since he got here. That’s what I’m excited about.”

That is certainly an interesting response from Embiid, who was reportedly “partying” with Harden in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

Perhaps the trade request that Harden initially issued could eventually get revoked and Philadelphia does, indeed, give it another shot with this core in place for next season.

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Mic’d up video captured a hilarious exchange between Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook

“I don’t want no problems, gangsta!”

One of the most interesting storylines of the postseason thus far is the battle between former teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Durant and Westbrook, who have each won Most Valuable Player trophies during their careers, were selected in back-to-back drafts by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now, they face off in the first round of the postseason in the Western Conference.

After playing alongside one another for one of the most promising young cores in NBA history, there is now a microscope on both of them whenever they interact on or off the court. That continued during Game 3 of the first round between the L.A. Clippers and the Phoenix Suns.

Durant was at the free-throw line when mics caught him saying “I don’t want no problems, gangsta!” to Westbrook.

Westbrook, who played tight defense (and had a hard foul) when he was matched up with Durant, has clarified there is “no beef” between the two players. He added that he has nothing but respect for everything Durant has accomplished.

The two players exchanged words on the court during an intense moment earlier in the series. But it was nothing but love between them after the game.

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‘Oklahoma got a star’: Paul George compliments Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in latest podcast

“He’s one of the best young guys that don’t get talked about enough.”

In the latest episode of LA Clippers star Paul George’s podcast, he spoke about the knee sprain he suffered against the Oklahoma City Thunder along with other subjects.

One of the topics involved Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whom George complimented. As most know by now, both players were involved in the massive trade in which the Thunder acquired Gilgeous-Alexander and several first-round draft picks in exchange for George in 2019.

Gilgeous-Alexander has blossomed into one of the best players in the league, averaging over 31 points on 62.5 true-shooting percentage this season.

Here’s what George had to say about Gilgeous-Alexander:

“It’s no rivalry, bro. I want the best for him. I’m happy he’s succeeding. Watching him and (seeing) what he’s doing, I don’t think (anybody predicted) he’ll be this good. But he’s elite. He’s one of the best young guys that don’t get talked about enough. But it’s no rivalry; he’s not somebody I look at and be like, ‘Damn I gotta out-compete him’ because of the trade. When it happened, I reached out to him like, ‘Yo kid, just do you. Keep hooping. I’m a big fan of yours.’ It’s love, It’s love between me and him. Shoutout SGA. Oklahoma got a star there.”

To watch the entire podcast episode, you can search “Podcast P with Paul George” on streaming apps. The full podcast episode — which was published on Monday — can also be watched below:

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PHOTOS: Best images from the Thunder’s 127-105 loss to the Clippers

The best photos from the Thunder’s 127-105 loss to the Clippers on Thursday.

On the first night of an important back-to-back, the Oklahoma City Thunder suffered their first loss of the season against the LA Clippers, 127-105, on Thursday.

Without Paul George, who will likely miss the remainder of the regular season with a knee sprain, Kawhi Leonard picked up the scoring load. He finished with 32 points on 13-of-15 shooting. Russell Westbrook also contributed to the win with 24 points and seven assists.

Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was superb in his 27 minutes. He finished with 30 points on 10-of-15 shooting.

Let’s look at some of the best photos from the Thunder’s 22-point loss to the Clippers.