The Clippers Passing Out Horse Heads For The Fans Sitting In The Wall In An Attempt To Get Into Nikola Jokic's Head Is Elite Mental Warfare

Juan Ocampo. Getty Images.

With tonight being a crucial Game 3 between the Nuggets and Clippers in just what so happens to also be the first playoff game ever in the brand new Intuit Dome, you knew the Clippers were going to bust out all the stops. This was their first chance to truly create a playoff homecourt advantage in a home that was actually theirs. This moment is why they created The Wall, which proved to be a legimate weapon when it came to forcing missed FTs.

So what was their plan with the Nuggets and Nikola Jokic in town? How do you possibly distract the best basketball player on the planet? Easy. You go after his heart

Now THIS is playoff basketball!! Steve Ballmer you beautiful crazy sonofabitch, you've done it again! Horse heads for the fans in The Wall? That's brilliant. If there's one thing we know with absolute certainty is that Nikola Jokic loves horses wayyyyyyy more than he does basketball. That's the type of elite mental warfare that can win you a series. Add this to the fact that The Wall actually resulted in the lowest opponent FT% in the entire league, this is exactly what you should be doing in this position. This is how you build a culture and an identity. 

To be fair, you also run the risk of this motivating Jokic. Perhaps he sees all these horses and decides to go extra hard as a way to honor them. Maybe they give him the boost that only your one true love can give. So really, it's a gamble, but one I think you have to make. In the playoffs, you have to throw everything against the wall and see what sticks. To do it in an innovative way like this, that rules. That's what the playoffs should be all about.

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As I write this, it also might be working. Jokic has been relatively quiet in the first half and the Clippers are kicking ass. While we can't say for sure this is a result of the horse heads, you have to be out of your mind to think it could possibly be anything else.