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The Clippers' New-School Shenanigans Against Portland

Look, I've seen a lot of basketball in my day. Played a little, coached a little, watched a whole lot. And what I'm seeing from these Clippers, especially against a team like Portland? It's not the basketball I grew up on. Not by a long shot. They beat the Trail Blazers 119-103 on December 26, 2025, and then again 114-107 back on October 26, 2025. Two wins, sure. But how they're getting them, that's the real story.

In that December game, James Harden went off for 34 points. And some of these guys, they're chucking up threes like it's a game of Horse. Brook Lopez had 31 points in that same game, including a career-high nine 3-pointers. Nine! In my era, if you hit nine threes, you were either a magician or the other team forgot how to play defense. More likely, you were riding the bench for taking so many ill-advised shots. We played inside-out, worked the post, got physical. This stuff? It's all flash and no substance.

Portland's Plight: A Mirror of Today's Game

Here's the thing: Portland isn't exactly a juggernaut these days. They finished the season with 38 wins and 38 losses, barely scraping by for a .500 record. The Clippers, on the other hand, ended up with 39 wins and 36 losses, just a hair better. It’s not like either of these teams are playing for championships, not with this style of play. Back in the 90s, when you saw teams like the Bulls or the Sonics, they had an identity, a grit. These recent Clippers-Blazers games, like the 114-107 win for the Clippers in October, just highlight how much the game has changed from fundamental basketball to an open-gym shootaround.

Real talk: The Blazers' problems are indicative of the league's overall direction. Too much reliance on individual heroics, too little on team defense and disciplined offense. They’re getting outscored in quarters like that first one against the Clippers in October, where L.A. dropped 34 points to Portland's 23. That’s just sloppy. Give me a low-scoring slugfest any day over these high-flying, no-defense affairs. It's a spectacle, not competition. And frankly, it's boring for anyone who appreciates the nuances of the game.

I predict that until teams remember what made basketball great – defense, passing, and fundamentally sound play – we'll keep seeing these glorified exhibition games where the score looks more like a football match than a real basketball contest.