Clippers beat the Blazers, 127 to 105

showed up again. You brought some energy and this Clippers team, it took it out to the court with them. I really think developing that sixth man. They called it the twelfth Man up in Seattle. This is a six man like atmosphere where the Clippers just get a little bit of an extra boost out here in a jolt as a mere coffee. Showed that in the second half and specifically in the fourth quarters, they would pour it on.

A mere coffee was sixteen of his nineteen points in the fourth Clippers win big, this time over the Portland trail Blazers after they got into a game that was a little bit dicey where I felt like they let go and missed an opportunity to really put Portland away early. Not easy in today's league, even when you're up by twelve at twenty four to twelve in the first quarter to end a game that early because of the three point shooting. But the Clippers defense was phenomenal to start

off the ballgame. They were so connected. Five guys on a string, Chris Dunn, guys that steal and turn over he got on Anthony Simons, one of the better young players in this league in the second half, where he got it in the back court, just picking him up ninety four feet and causing a turnover on the near sideline. That's freaky stuff. You don't see that very often at this high of a level in the National Basketball Association. From a guy like Anthony Simons. Dunn was just wrecking them.

I cannot believe some of the defense he was able to play. There was defense on Kamara at the three minute mark of the second quarter that caused a turnover, and then a dun steal to Norman Powell in the second quarter for a dunk. But what he did to Anthony Simons was nasty. That was early in the third quarter, picking him up full court, setting the tone as the Clippers did to start off first and third quarters. To start off halves, we've seen they've been better in that area.

Their best two quarters are the first and third quarters. Net rating wise, they've been top five in first quarters, which I know is kind of a paradigm shift for Clipper Nation to expect them to start fast. Now they are. They're playing great to start ball games, and then they start fast and third quarters where they have a net rating this top ten. But the Clippers had to put together a run near the end of that third quarter to really gain some separation against this Portland trail Blazers team.

It was highlighted by the James Harden three to end the third quarter. Of course, spectacular play. I think it was against a double team to make it ninety one to seventy eight heading into the fourth. But I felt like when it was seventy five seventy and midway through the third, Mobama comes in. He gets here's a block on Camara. James Harden's getting to the line. Bomba hits a three to put the Clippers up by ten. After Portland had another turnover. Then Bomba had a steal on Denny.

Bomba had a steal on Jeremy Grant. James Harden hits a three. Now they go up ten to up thirteen. At eighty three seventy, Kamara matches it with a three, and that's when Grant had the strip steel on Terrence Man, who was down for some time. We knew something was wrong. He was looking at his left hand. I was hoping it was just a dislocation. They could pop it back in like Gary Vedy did Kobe Bryant back in the day in La. It wasn't fractured left middle finger. For

Terrence Man. We're guessing is going to be out for some time. He left to go to the locker room, was clenching that left hand. Amrr comes in. Then I keep saying DeAndre because dj Derek Jones, not DeAndre Jordan, but he's got crazy hops. He almost had I don't know, the dunk of the year on Denny got to the line instead, but then Mobamba had another block. Amir hits a three, and then James Harden hits that three and they're up ninety one to seventy eight heading into the

fourth quarter. But Harden stayed out there. We thought, is he really gonna play the entire second half again? Well he didn't have to. They showed some killer instinct early in that fourth quarter. That's what I'm gonna take away from this Clippers game. They really execute when they had to to get James Harden rest on the front end of a back to back because the Clippers were shot out of a cannon to start the fourth quarter. Harden, Emir, Jordan Miller, Obamba and Niko Batoum, the same guys who

ended the third quarter, came back out there. Jordan Miller goes baseline for a reverse layup to start it. Then Batoom has this crazy low trajectory passed to a mere coffee for a three pointer. More to come. It's ninety six seventy eight. Then James to Batoomb who goes behind his back to Jordan Miller for three and the Clippers are up twenty one. Time out get James Harden now the game just like that awesome execution. Oh and guess

who comes in Norman Powell floater three layup. He gets to thirty in I don't know a minute and a half. He ended up leading the Clippers with thirty points. Norman Powell on just fifteen shots in twenty five minutes. He outdid his performance Sunday night against Denver efficiency wise, or he had twenty eight points in twenty five minutes Tonight thirty in twenty five. It was like he he was gonna be on the minutes restriction, was like, I gotta get get it in now because they're gonna pull me

when I get to twenty five minutes. I don't know what the minutes restriction is. Maybe it's twenty eight thirty, but I guess we'll never know, as Kanye once said, because he went eleven of fifteen, five of seven from three, and had thirty points in twenty five minutes. Norman Powell, this was his seventeenth game of the season, and the efficiency it's not stopping guys, you can't slow him down.

You can't. He's coming to his right and when he gets that little hopstep dribble skip, you know he's pulling up and it is cash. I think it was five for eight from three Sunday night. He's five for seven tonight. I'm guessing he's gonna be over fifty percent now from three on the season. After this game, a mere Coffee was shooting forty two percent from three coming into this one.

He goes five to seven from three, but after the Clippers shot only thirty three percent from three in the six games without Norman Pale, Well, you can see the impact the last two games. Now back with him, it just makes life and spacing so much easier for the Clippers because against Denver they ended up with what eighteen threes, eighteen of thirty nine, that's forty six percent from three, and then tonight they end up going nineteen of thirty seven.

That's fifty one percent from three. That is the Norman pal effect. When teams have to account for a guy like that, it gets other guys good looks. And really, anytime Norman pal is pulling up from beyond the arc, it's a very good look right now. X Mango Project said Norm gotta be an All Star this season. Timothy says batoom extra passes are so nice. I missed them

last year. Yeah. From the hardened pass to batomb after Harden was triple teamed to batomb five Jordan Miller for that three in the fourth right before the time out to get James Harden out of the game. That was the sequence right there put the Clippers up twenty one. The ball movement was just beautiful. It was hopping. Al said, Norm's getting like three assisted game. Now. Got a lot of great layups this game. Yes, he did, and got

some good boards too. Norm plays some low man defense early on after the Clippers started off by doubling and trapping the ball handler for the Portland Trail Blazers, which completely threw them off. And Norm actually played really good defense on DeAndre Aiden who caught the ball in the short roll and Norm was waiting for him. Played good defense and got the rebound. Norm Powell is playing like an All Star. He had the first bucket off a hardened feed to start the game, made it to nothing.

The Clippers then got a shot clock violation. That is a Norm three. It's five to Ozho. Then that low man defense by Powell. Then he gets another three wins, twelve to five. He's already eight points, another three. He's got eleven points in the first quarter. Second quarter, lay up as soon as he came in. Then I lay up going to his left. Midway through the second quarter, just bleue past Denny. I made forty six to forty four. He had what was it was it eighteen points in

the first half of Norm Powell. He just got back twenty points. Sorry Norm, shortage of two. He was seven of eight from the field and three of four from distance in the first half. But Denny Abadi, he's still he had fifteen points himself. They obvious excuse excuse me they Abdia had fifteen points in the first half and really kept Portland afloat. He was six of eight and three of three from three. DeAndre eight and also was eating against a viatz Zubas. Again, I didn't have a

great game. I don't know what it is against DeAndre eight, and he seems to be struggling against him certainly as of late. But even when he was in Phoenix at times, Zoo ended up twenty eight minutes four of eight eight points ten boards. He kind of rided the ship a little bit in the second half, and he had two blocks near the end of the second quarter beat to Zoobots that were impressive, two great possessions defending the rim

for Big Zoo. I did like seeing that as I'm watching DeAndre Aid and I'm walking on the court now postgame. Hear it into a dome after the Clippers make it nine straight eight sixty six ninety seven two five seventy, eight sixty six ninety seven two five seventy Kyle from Brooklyn, You're first up here on Clippers Talk after they win big over the Portland Trailblazers here at the dome. What's up, Kyle?

He's gonna be fantastic. A shot, it was gonna be fantastic.

says this is not about Kawhi. This is about the organization and making sure that you protect a player from himself and you wait to bring him back until he's one hundred percent ready to go. I'm not worried about Kauwhi's mindset or does Kawhi want to play right now. No, like this is being overly cautious, understandably with a player that is this injury prone and this importance to this team.

They're fourteen to nine without their best player. But we know what could happen in a playoff series if you get a healthy Kawhi. This Clippers team, uh, they could beat ay one.

dome is home. This is Clippers Talk here on five seventy l A Sports looking for postgame audio or some quotes coming out from coach Lou but got some good notes here from Chris Taylor. Our leads statistician James Harden's scoring by quarter seven in the first, four in the second, twelve in the third, including that big three pointer at the buzzer over a double team top side edit up with twenty three in the ball game, six of fifteen, three of ten from distance. Not his most efficient night,

but he led them in the plus minus. He was a plus twenty seven, seven assists, four turnovers, again twenty three points and thirty one minutes for James Harden, so didn't have to play thirty five, but did have to

go above thirty tonight against Portland. I really love the decision that Coach lou made though, to keep the momentum going into the fourth quarter with that group that got up by thirteen at the end of the third, and to run them out there for what two minutes to start the fourth before pulling James Harden because they got up by twenty one. Just great focus and execution by

the Clippers to begin that fourth quarter. The Jordan Miller reverse, a mere Coffee three, Jordan Miller three, time out, just a quick Edo run in less than two minutes, in a minute fifty seven, Clippers up ninety nine to seventy eight. That was it. That was game. They still brought in Norman bow though, who then scored what a quick seven points.

Norm got a couple of layups, a three pointer, Big Zoo did have a putback after he missed an easy one after Jeremy Grant blocked him in the fourth quarter, and then a mere Coffee just went radioactive. As Brian Seman would say, sixteen points in the fourth quarter, sixteen of his nineteen insane, as good as norm was. He started five to five from the field. Do you guys know what a mere Coffee started from the floor?

at you in waves. They got so many guys that are solid two way players that do it on both ends. Like a Mere Coffee, who is having his best season as a Clipper so far. He is the start he has had going back to preseason. I remember the first game in Hawaii. I want to say he had nine points at the very end of that game in like three minutes and just like it looked like a man amongst boys against Golden State's backups. And he played well throughout the entire preseason and all of it carried over

into the regular season. I'm guessing he's shooting around forty three from three now so far after tonight's game. Yeah, he went five to seven from three. But what did he start shooting? Wise? Nor made his first five shots? How many in a row did a mere coffee make? As people are talking about eighton versus beats the Zoo Boss, I think it just throws Big Zoo off because eighten, he didn't make a three tonight. I don't believe he took one in the far side corner, which was reminiscent

of the one he made. He only took one and he missed it, but was reminiscent of the one he made at Into It Dome. That was a big shot. And they're one six, one oh five victory here just a month ago. But I think it's the fact that DeAndre Ayton has that mid range and Zoo's in drop and he's given him that shot, but then when he comes up on him, DeAndre Aiden's able to get around him. He's just a tough cover and he probably has some confidence against Big Zoo. It's not like he had a

crazy game. DeAndre Aiden only had three boards, probably because he was playing away from the basket some but sixteen points. He knocked down a couple in the mid range. One was over James Harden, one was Zoo was just daring him. Fifteen footer made it. I don't know where it is. And the numbers they're not so lopsided that I joke that it's like how some bonus is to Anthony Davis, where he just destroys him every time. It's not like that with DeAndre Aiden and a Vitza Zubas. It's not

look at the overall numbers of the matchup data. Some of it is just because DeAndre eight and his average four more minutes head to head against Viza Zubats, so he's had more time to accumulate numbers. But tonight Big Zoo, like Sunday, just didn't have his best offensive game, didn't have his best touch around the basket. Still, I don't think he was terrible, but I'm very happy the Clippers have Mobamba guys. Because third quarter Mobamba cooked the three pointer,

the blocks, the steals. Mobama came in and was a presence, played really hard. I like the upgrade at backup center. I like Mobamba. I think he is an obvious upgrade and I thought so this offseason that he'd be better than Mason Plumbley. That's all I wanted. And I think it's been well, it's only been a few games. What are they eight and one now with mo Obama since he came back from injury, but I've been impressed and three point shooting can come around because he started a

little bit cold from the outside. I know Dime has called him like a fake stretch big or something, Dime dropper. I just really really like the way this team is playing, how they're playing together, the way they're starting halves, the way they have you know, battled through some adversity when it got closed in this game, when they knew they had to give starters rest okay, come out and put them away early in the fourth quarter. They did it

right away. And Jordan Miller, Jordan Miller, you know, I wanted to see him from game one. He started this game with a fallaway floater. The second quarter, he misses a floater but then got the put back He's quick to boards. That's something I noticed in summer league. He's so athletic and just has a nose for the basketball when it's coming off the ram. He knows when he misses,

and it's not often on the floater. He started I think six of seven, then he had a layup in transition that made it forty two all in the second quarter. He did have some defensive lapses where Banton blew by him, where anthrety Simon's got the step on him, but he had that no look to Terrence Mann in the second quarter for reverse and up. Note, guys, Jordan Miller was the first guy off the bench tonight. He came in for Chris Nunn. How about that? Coach lu said, he's

earned distrust. Sure looks like it right. It's one thing to say that, it's another to give him even more minutes, a longer leash. He was playing a lot with the starters, certainly with James Harden out there. This comes from Joey Lynn on X at Joey Lynn two ends with an underscore at the end. Jordan Miller said he's constantly asking his veteran teammates questions. Quote. I even asked Kawhi questions

tonight and he helped me out awesome. Jordan Miller said, I'm trying to make it hard when everybody is healthy to keep me off the floor. Ooh, I like it. I like it. Norton Powell postgame was praising James Harden's leadership dating back to the summer when he was organizing those team workouts. He said, it's carried over into the season. This team is close guys. Pale said, quote A lot of Vets don't do that in the they do their own thing. I don't think James Harden can help himself.

He's just a hooper, like he wants the ball. He doesn't miss games, so you might as well get the guys together, right. But the leadership has been outstanding as a Clipper for the knock on him being that, like you know, he's some selfish player or doesn't care as a partier. Has that been the case at all? So? Coach lou said, there's been times when the Clippers wanted to rest James Harden, but he won't sit out. He called off Chris Dunn when was it late second quarter?

He had just hit a couple of shots and he called off Chris Dunn, who was trying to come into the ball game. Because the first make by James Harden I want to say it was at the one forty two mark of the first quarter. Yeah, he hit a three. Then he had a layup to make it fifty fifty at the three thirty seven mark in the second quarter, and at one point he waved off Chris is done from coming in. And you guys notice that too. So this is fact from Coach Lou. He won't sit out.

Coach Lou said, quote even when we want to sit him down, when we have four games in five nights, he doesn't want to do it. I love the mentality. And he's looking better. He's looking more spry. It looks like he has more burst explosiveness. We've noticed that too. Ax. He said, we were starting to look scary, but we need to eat more. I et plenty today. Check out that picture that Brian Seman took and texted me that I put on x I follow out of May. He caught me in four k eating some cookies at the

cookie bar. Hear it into it Dome pregame wasn't my best moment. He had a good laugh. Everyone had a good laugh. I guess at my expense. The last time I eat a cookie here, I didn't know I was being watched. The paparazzi, TMS was out there and the bushes. Brian Semon doing me dirty like that basity. Ric seven said, James is getting his legs. X Mango Projects said, we got the version of Harden that has more wisdom because

he is older. Oh you wouldn't say older. You said you were starting to because James Harden doesn't like that word that he's an old player or old. He's thirty five years young. Alfie said, Season two Starting five with James Harden will be fire. I haven't watched season one. Ray said, season legs have arrived. Plus, don't forget he's going to be a co star on the next season of Starting five.

up the stairs over here to our section. Where are we at Big Bro twenty five is live section twenty five up here, And I'm walking up the stairs in just a little bit of a ways and I already ran seven miles And he comes running up the stairs and laughs at me and goes ten percent huh as he passes me by going up the stairs. Friends like these, I'm telling you, all right, we'll take a quick time out. We'll come back. We'll get to your phone calls. I know we got Sean and Inglewood.

than that, Okay, you can, you can. I thought when they were up twelve but twenty four to twelve and they were just being absolute dogs defensively against Portland early, that they were gonna put the game away early. Put it on ice. It was getting late early for Portland is what I thought not to be unfortunately, but they regrouped and I thought they kind of hit the reset button with their defense, and they were much better in the third quarter, specifically when they started to open things up,

the effort was much better. They found their defense again after there was some slippage after the first six minutes of the game. I'm fine with that. I like seeing a team that can, you know, flip the switch here and there. Oh, we have an update. So the Clippers we got their two games. Now that they are not making it to the knockout rounds. We know the two games that are being scheduled. Friday, December thirteenth, Clippers in Denver taking on the Nuggets. I knew that was gonna happen.

I just knew it. I knws it. I'd be don't i'd be knowing the other game Monday, December sixteenth, Utah here against the Clippers. I'll take that exchange. I'll take that. Those are your two rescheduled games with the Clippers not making the knockout round in the nd season tournament. I'll sign up for that. The Denver game is gonna be rough, that's gonna be tough game. But guys, they're only going to have from let's see when we got here. What's

today's date? Where am I? From December fifth? So after tomorrow's game. From December fifth to December eighteenth, the Clippers are only playing three games in thirteen days. From December fifth to December eighteenth. There is rest for the weary. Finally it's happening. I can't believe it. It's a scheduling miracle. It's an early Christmas miracle, a late Thanksgiving miracle, festiveest miracle.

It beautiful. Finally, I'll sign up for that. The three games are Clippers Houston on Sunday, then Clippers in Denver Friday the thirteenth, and Clippers taking on Utah back here at into it Dome December sixteenth. I will take it. I'm good with that. How do you guys feel about the scheduled games? One really tough one one against Utah that you gotta win? Right? Can the Clippers sign Jordan Miller? They don't have an open roster spot right now, Here's

what I think is gonna happen. Guys, They're gonna make a trade. I'll take a time out and tell you who is going to be involved to get Jordan Miller on that standard contract, to convert the two way to a standard contract. I will tell you my plan for that coming up next final time out here on Clippers stock after they win over the Blazers Big one twenty seven to one oh five. Norman pal thirty points in twenty five minutes. Are you kidding me? He's better than

this current version of Paul George. In fact, early on when he was going on that heater and had fourteen in the first quarter, I said, it's like Norman Palell saw that Paul George scored twenty nine tonight and was like, Okay, bet guess what he ended up with thirty on fifteen shots. I've ad a Moslin and you're listening to a five seventy LA Sports.

Miller's two way to a standard contract. That's what I'm talking about. I gotta think that's a plan. I'm not saying they haven't been trying to find a landing spot for PJ. Tucker. It's not, is he He hasn't been productive over the last year, and he hasn't wanted to play for the Clippers because apparently what he wants to go to a place where he can play, and it's a contender as well. I don't know. I don't like it.

I'm glad they're classy and being accommodating to him, but at almost forty, couldn't he just be a good vet on the bench and help out guys on this team get some minutes here and there. I don't understand that. Speaking of guys, sometimes I don't understand Sean and Inglewood. Sean, you're on Clippers stop without a masahe Sean.

number one spot. They're also just two and a half games above the team that's out of the play in in the Minnesota Timberwolves, who they see tomorrow night. Clippers take it on the Tea Wolves right back here at into It Dome. Tip Off is at seven point thirty. We got pregame at six thirty. As the revenge tour continues. Not only did Norman Powell get revenge on a former team, Nico Batoum as well, it's been a while since he

was in Portland. But the Clippers made up for what I thought was the worst loss of the season, losing one oh six to one oh five about a month ago here at into a dumb against the Portland Trail Lazers. What a difference a month and a couple of days make as the Clippers now have one to ninth straight after losing fourth straight. Here at the tongst they are establishing a fortress. No one can breach the doors, no one can bring out the battering ram here against this castle,

Castle Blackstone Er. I don't know what's one of the names or the ringers. I can't remember. It's getting late. I'm precious, Pore, you get out of here. I do want to thank the Clippers organization, Ralph Lawler, Brian Seaman, Noah Eagle, Carlo Jimenez on the call, Chris Taylor, our lead statistician. Tonight, Joey helping out to big brother Jake Warner.

There's somebody who I've been thinking about a lot, and I gotta get back to doing this because I think enough time has passed where it's appropriate to start doing it. But I missed Dennis Agastino, who we lost over last year. He was our statistician. But the Clippers statistician to the stars is what I always said, because he's been doing it for a long time, and unfortunately we lost him over the last year. So we'll bring it back. But

stat of the night, we remember Dennis Agastino. I'm out Amsland. We'll talk to you tomorrow at six point thirty. That's our pregame show Clippers Minnesota and Rules right back here at into a Dome. Can they get to double digit wins here at the Dome? Tune in to find out, Talk to you, then hey them