Attentively bringing the National Basketball Association to you

Tag: Nicolas Batum

Law Murray: The Clippers Are “Pretty Injury-Proof”

Nearly 14 months after his last meaningful NBA game, Kawhi Leonard has entered training camp with a noticeably more muscular frame. (@LAClippers on Instagram)

Subscribe on Apple PodcastsSpotify | Stitcher | RSS

After a grueling, injury-marred 2021-22 season, in which the Los Angeles Clippers clawed their way into the play-in games but failed to advance any further, the Clips have returned for NBA preseason with a clean bill of health and championship expectations. We’ve brought back our friend Law Murray, Clippers beat reporter for The Athletic, to help us delve into the team some are calling the deepest in the NBA. He discusses the highly anticipated comeback of superstar Kawhi Leonard, what to expect from John Wall, the task ahead for coach Tyronn Lue and much more in this in-depth conversation.

5:34-6:11: “We always talk about “if healthy.” We always talk about that being such a big swing factor for all teams, but the Clippers, everyone’s more sensitive because they’re just waiting for something bad to happen. Well, this is a pretty injury-proof team. Obviously you don’t want critical injuries that cost guys months or injuries that guys can’t return from within the season, but you got a minor injury or you have recurring repeated injuries, yeah, that’s disruptive. But this team is going to roll out talent every night; there’s just too many guys.” Continue reading

Doug Branson: Charlotte Hornets “Definitely in Win-Now Mode”

Screenshot 2016-02-18 13.15.45

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS

The crew interviews Doug Branson, host of Hive Talk Live, on the state of the upstart Charlotte Hornets. He expounds on the various factors that have led the team to overachieve this campaign after self-destructing near the end of last season. Chief among these are the play of Charlotte’s most valuable players, Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum, the invaluable contributions of glue guy Marvin Williams, remarkable bench play and the team’s 3-point shooting makeover.

1:40 – 2:30 on Courtney Lee replacing the unstable P.J. Hairston: “Courtney Lee provides a consistency at the starting wing position that the Hornets did not have with P.J. Hairston…There certainly were issues ever since he (Hairston) has been here with staying in shape, with having a professional attitude, with consistency on the court in terms of his 3-point shooting and defense…(He) was a situational starter in there to guard the other team’s best wing to basically give Nic Batum a chance to play well offensively in the fourth quarter.”

3:35 – 4:25 on how ready the Hornets management is to win: “Let there be no doubt: the Hornets are definitely in win-now mode. They were in that mode last season, and they were just hit with injury after to injury to key guy after key guy. We’ve seen the sequel to that movie this season, but, fortunately, Kemba Walker has been able to stay healthy…The goal has always been to win a playoff series. That’s step one, because the Hornets haven’t won a playoff series since the early 2000s…You can’t attract the free agents you need to take the next step (otherwise).”

Continue reading

© 2024 On The NBA Beat

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑