Maybe a hot take. I've seen people say this over and over with the trade talks. and Morey calling the Clippers unserious for him not being on the table.
It wasn't Kawhi, it wasn't Chris Paul, it wasn't Danny Manning. Terrance Mann has the unequivocally responsible for that win.
Clown us all you want. they had the worst owner in all of sports for most of their history. So I get it, it seems like nothing to a lot of other teams. But it's true. Going to the conference finals and Mann putting up 40+ in a 25 point come from behind win to eliminate the one seed and go to the conference finals for the first time? May not mean a lot to a team like the Celtics or the Lakers but it meant a lot to me, a Clipper fan since I was 9 years old and I'll be real, I never really thought that would happen and I thought we were just cursed. The only other one that might compare is Lou Williams having the 31 point comeback against the healthy golden state warriors in 2019. Largest in playoff history. But even then, the Clippers lost the series and it was the first round. It was cool.
A team may look at averages but that doesn't replace anything. Maybe they do cave and I'll look silly but I don't think the Clippers should. Harden is both an injury and flight risk. So a bit dear diary-ish but there ya go.
Mann better than 98% of the Sixers roster