3 years ago
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SAN DIEGO — No Kawhi, nary sweat.
Although the Clippers injured superstar won’t beryllium lacing up his New Balance sneakers for enactment for, well, “no 1 knows” rather however long, his teammates aren’t lacking for assurance up of the 2021-22 season.
Especially not Senior. Junior either.
Veteran guardant Marcus Morris Sr. and rookie defender Brandon Boston Jr. some person brought a steadfast spot of swagger to the proceedings astatine the Clippers’ grooming campy this week astatine San Diego State, wherever Tyronn Lue’s squad has been practicing astatine successful the JAM Center gym wherever a ample recognizable “KL” thenar people hangs connected a banner successful grant of Leonard, the Aztec legend.
Morris – who said his troublesome sore genu is person to 100% this play than it was during the Clippers’ Western Conference finals tally – proclaimed Wednesday that the Clippers’ fortunes past postseason would person been antithetic if …
“If I was 100%,” said the 11th-year forward, whose career-high 47.3% 3-point shooting percent past play was the second-best people successful the NBA. “I spot we would person been successful the Finals.”
And if anyone missed Brandon Boston Jr.’s on-court bravado during Summer League play successful Las Vegas (where the 19-year-old averaged 13 points successful 24 minutes connected 44.1% shooting), helium introduced himself astatine campy similar this: “I picture myself arsenic a bucket.”
“I tin people astatine each 3 levels,” the erstwhile Chatsworth Sierra Canyon standout explained. “Anytime I get the ball, I consciousness similar I tin enactment it successful the hoop.”
That conception is supported by the Clippers’ play-by-play broadcaster, Brian Sieman, who listed Boston’s bucket-getting among the highlights he’s observed astatine signifier this week.
Reggie – His positivity is contagious, you tin archer however blessed helium is to beryllium here
TMann – making plays, finishing
Hartenstein – talented passer, truly tin play
Luke – Being aggressive, knocking down 3's
Brandon Boston: Getting buckets – helium tin people
— Brian Sieman (@BSieman) September 29, 2021
But Boston seems assured successful his cognition of thing other too: He’s got plentifulness to learn.
“With the vets coming in, it’s really good, really fun, due to the fact that you get to larn from them,” helium said. “Me being 1 of the youngest guys connected the team, conscionable soaking up and being a sponge and asking questions erstwhile I don’t cognize nothing.”
Fortunately for Boston, Morris isn’t shy astir spilling honorable advice.
“He’s going to fto you cognize erstwhile you’re incorrect and decidedly thatch you,” Boston said, recalling an lawsuit already erstwhile Morris volunteered immoderate suggestions connected guarding the station – 1 facet of a nascent antiaircraft repertoire that needs importantly much enactment than his basket-making, according to Lue.
“That’s 1 happening I noticed astir him,” Boston said of Morris. “He didn’t attraction what anybody had to say, helium conscionable came and grabbed maine successful beforehand of everybody and conscionable fto maine cognize however to bash it and he’s truly conscionable 1 of the astir genuine vets, I could say.”
ANTI-REPLAY
Between past June 18 and grooming camp, immoderate Clippers fans mightiness person gone backmost and re-watched immoderate oregon each of their team’s riveting 25-point rally successful Game 6 of the second-round playoff bid against the Utah Jazz, a comeback that punched the team’s summons to the Western Conference finals for the archetypal clip successful franchise history.
Know who said helium hasn’t felt the request to rewind the portion connected that historical evening astatine Staples Center?
Terance Mann, the prima of that evening.
“I haven’t, not really,” said Mann, who erupted for a career-high 39 points. “I spot highlights that I get tagged successful (on societal media) and worldly similar that, but I’m benignant of implicit that.”
That makes consciousness to Lue, who said earlier Thursday morning’s signifier that helium would diligently rewatch his games arsenic a young NBA player, but not needfully those successful which helium played well.
“I beauteous overmuch watched the things I needed to bash better, I didn’t truly ticker the things I did good,” Lue said. “Because I wanted to conscionable support improving and marque definite I’m getting amended and marque definite I tin cleanable up the mistakes that I’m making.”
So, a nighttime arsenic splendid arsenic Mann’s? A crippled by a second-round draught prime successful his 2nd NBA play shooting 15 for 21 from the field, becoming the 3rd Clipper to descend 7 3-pointers successful a playoff crippled portion besides equaling his scoring full for the archetypal 5 games of the bid combined with 25 points successful the 2nd fractional alone?
“I don’t request to ticker it,” Mann said. “I cognize what happened.”
"Terance Mann is unstoppable!"
39 points for Mann ‼️pic.twitter.com/WgM7XBvrrw
— Yahoo Sports NBA (@YahooSportsNBA) June 19, 2021
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