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Sunday Jan 29 5PM
at Denver Nuggets (Pepsi Center) Following Game
Monday Jan 30 7:30 PM
vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
TV: NBA TV (Staples Center)
Clippers Standings
Clippers Record: 10-6, 1st Place Of Division. Playoff Seed # 4 In Conference.
Your Los Angeles Clippers and you, the fans, are what this site is all about. We want to create the best medium for you to talk about LA Clippers Basketball and to get up-to-the-minute Clipper rumors and news in a blog format where you can easily make comments. Now that Chris Paul is a Clipper, how will the team fare? What do you think of the Dwight Howard to Clippers trade rumor? There is also an active Clippers Message Board to discuss anything Clippers or the NBA and chat about the most recent game. We Clipper fans have been described as some of the best fans in the NBA- we hang with our team through thick and thin (well- mostly thin in the past). Now with the arrival of Blake Griffin and CP3 the better days are here let's share the excitement and thoughts about our Clipper Team together here urging on the Clip Ship. If you have any suggestions/requests to make this site a better experience for you please contact us and let us know! Go Clips and go Clipper Nation!
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JamFan's Fast Break - Lakers Win But The Battle For LA Not Over
Posted by: JamFan on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 - 08:09 AM
If you are the Clippers you brag about how they have won 3 of 4 meeting so far if you include the preseason. If you are the Lakers, you brag that in the regular season it is all even up and they won the most recent battle. The truth is that the battle continues with one game remaining in April. The truth is that this battle will not be settled after that game. This is going to be a long dragged out fight for the hearts and minds of basketball fans in LA.
Some LA sportwriters won't even admit that this is a rivalry. Are you kidding me? Those guys are in denial. Laker boot lickers. This rivalry, this Battle for LA, will continue on to the end of the season and into the playoffs. Imagine what a battle we will have on our hands if the Lakers and Clippers meet in the playoffs. Wow!
The team that finishes the season at the top of the Pacific divsion, wins the Western Conference Championship, goes to the finals, and become World Champions, wins the battle. Maybe neither team makes it that far. But how far each team goes will be the measuring stick of which team is the team of the future. The Lakers, as presently constructed, will go as far as Kobe can carry them. But Kobe, Fish, Gasol, and World Peace, are aging vets who are on their way out. The Clippers with Blake, CP3, DJ and Bledsoe are on their way up. The Clippers already have their team of the future. The Lakers will eventually have to rebuild.....and pretty soon.
Even with the loss last night, this is a story of two teams suddenly heading in two different directions. The Clippers have recently defeated the World Champion Mavs, the Heat, and the Lakers, to send a message that they can play with the best in the league. Chris Paul was injured in their last meeting with the Lakers and including that game the Clippers have won 4 of their last 6. Mo Williams was also out for part of that stretch.
On the other hand, the Lakers, prior to last nights game, had lost 4 of their last 5 and 3 in a row. Now they are heading towards a very long road trip where they play 8 of 9 on the road. In their only recent victory they scored a whopping 73 points. They have only scored over 100 points once this season and that was in the second game. Increasingly, it has become the Kobe Bryant show. Andrew Bynum is having some nice games as well. The point guard play continues to suffer because they need to rely on Fish who is suddenly looking very old and slow. Their biggest problem is that their bench is giving them nothing.
The Clippers bench is a different story. We got Mo, and he has been on a tear lately. We also bring in Randy Foye, Reggie Evans, and Ryan Gomes, who make the second unit a formidable foe.
Last nights game could have been different if CP3 and Billups had hit better that 3 of 16 shots. The Clippers were ahead for most of the game. But in the 4th quarter the Lakers really clamped down on defense. The Clippers let Kobe score 12 of his 24 points down the stretch. We fumbled away the game. In the end, the game was close. But in the Battle for LA, close doesn't matter.
Posted by: JamFan on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 - 09:52 AM
Los Angeles is dominating the All Star Voting for the Western Conference in a way that has never happened before. The Lakers seem to always have guys among the leaders. Now, with the emergence of the LA Clippers, the West All Star team could start 4 players from Los Angeles.
With the latest voting update on January 19th, the starting lineup would be Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul at guard, Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin at Forward, and Andrew Bynum at Center. DeAndre Jordan is currently second in the voting for center, so he is likely to become an All Star for the first time as well. Chauncey Billups is getting votes but is currently 10th among guards.
Every year we all look at the All Star ballot and wonder who in the hek is making up the list of candidates. Every year there is a player on the ballot who hasn't played at all due to injury, or who is riding the pine due to lackluster play. This year we have Metta World Peace averaging 5ppg. Grant Hill is living it up with 8ppg. And Lamar Odom is having a disappointing season with 7ppg.
So who did they leave off the ballot? Caron Butler. Are you kidding me? He is a former All Star who is having one of his finest seasons for one of the most exciting up and coming teams in the NBA. And he doesn't even get a look. Averaging 15ppg, he is scoring triple the points Metta World Peace is producing. This is a travesty. Hopefully, Caron will be added by the coaches. But there are other small forwards who are deserving as well. Moreover, if he isn't added to the roster, it could be because the Clippers will already have 3 All Stars on the roster. But this doesn't change the fact that he should have been on the ballot.
Dwight Howard is leading all votes with Kobe coming in #2. Andrew Bynum has a big lead at Center in the West, while DeAndre Jordan has a slim lead over Marc Gasol. It is important for Clipper fans to vote early and often for DJ to make sure he earns a spot on the team.
If the Clippers get 3 players on the All Star team, it will be the first time it has ever happened. If CP3 and Blake become starters, it will be the first time the Clippers have ever had two players achieve that as well. This is going to be a season with a lot of achievements that have never happened before. Western Conference Champions? Trip to the Finals? World Champions? Stay tuned. This is going to be a season to remember.
Posted by: JamFan on Monday, January 09, 2012 - 09:02 PM
Clipper Blog
Friday Jan 27, 2012 - The top teams are all winning on the road. Houston and Memphis crawl out of the lottery. Chicago and Oklahoma continue to roll. New York has fallen back into the lottery having lost 7 of their last 10. Boston remains a lottery team but has now won 3 straight. No team has crawled up out of the lottery since out last update. The Clippers have a really tough road schedule ahead so we will find out what they are made of. VDN has taught them how to do what? No decernable offense being run. Just winning on athleticism.
1 Oklahoma City Thunder 13-3 ~ Won 9 of 10 and 3 in a row. Durant and Westbrook are to hard to stop.
2 Chicago Bulls 16-4 ~ Rose has them firing on all cylinders, almost unstoppable. .
3 Miami Heat 13-5 ~ Move back up after a couple of wins. 6-3 on road.
4 Denver Nuggets 13-5 ~ Won 5 straight, starting to put it all together. 7-3 on road.
5 Indiana Pacers 11-4 ~ Keep moving up. Won 7 of last 10 and 7-4 on road.
6 Philadelphia 76er's 12-6 ~ Won 6 of their last 10. Coming back to earth a bit. Lost to NJ.
7 Orlando Magic 12-6 ~ Why would Howard want to be traded from this really good team?
8 Atlanta Hawks 13-6 ~ Won 7 of last 10, 5-5 on the road. Spurs beat them by 22.
9 San Antonio Spurs 12-7 ~ Only 1 loss at home but only 2 wins on the road. Won 2 straight.
10 LA Clippers 10-6 ~ Beat the Heat, Lakers & Mavs, but only 1 road win. Won 7 of last 10.
11 Utah 10-6 ~ Great at home, only 2 wins on the road.
12 Dallas 11-8 ~ Won 7 of last 10, but Dirk not 100%.
13 Memphis 9-6 ~ Had Won 6 straight to crawl out of the lottery, but now lost 2 straight.
14 LA Lakers 11-8 ~ Won 6 0f 10. Can't score over 100. Only 1 road win.
15 Houston 10-8 ~ Won 6 straight to crawl out of the lottery, 8 of last 10. Only 3 road wins.
16 Portland 11-8 ~ Started strong but now have dropped 6 of their last 10.
The Lottery Teams-
Boston, New York, Phoenix, Golden State, Minnesota, Toronto, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Sacramento, New Jersey, Charlotte, Detroit, New Orleans, Washington.
I rank teams based not just on their win/loss record. I put extra weight on how they have played lately, strength of schedule, and how they are playing on the road.
Posted by: JamFan on Monday, January 02, 2012 - 01:11 PM
Clipper Blog
It's a bird, it's a plane, no....it's Superman. And he's able to leap tall buildings with a single bound. For the fans of Lob city, if Dwight Howard, the best center in the NBA, is saying that he is willing to don his cape and fly to Lob Angeles, then it seems like a dream come true. But rumors of sources close to Dwight Howard saying he has added the Clippers to his list of acceptable destinations appear to be premature. Both the Magic and Dwight Howard have since come out and said that "officially" it is untrue. In other words, there is no official request to be reported. "Unofficially?" Who knows?
For Dwight Howard it he does add the Clippers to his wish list, it is the best decision he ever made. When you compare what the Clippers have to offer compared to his other options, there is no comparison. Dallas.....have you been to Dallas? Nice town but not really all that exciting. No beaches, no tinsel town, no action. But yep, they got cowboy hats. New Jersey.....soon to be Brooklyn? This team just does not have the players in place to make them any better than Orlando. Maybe not nearly as good. The Lakers? This is a proud franchise but the problem is that the key players are senior citizens who are on their way out not on their way up.
Enter Lob City. The Clippers have young studs who are on the rise. If you added Dwight Howard to starting lineup of Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups, Caron Butler, and Blake Griffin, you might as well start saving up your money to buy tickets to the finals. This is the team that is a sure thing for Dwight Howard. And he gets to come to the largest media market in the world.
But getting him here is not a slam dunk. If he waits for free agency, under the new CBA, the Clippers would have a hard time signing him with all the other obligations that they have moving forward. CP3, Blake, and Dwight would all be max players. We are getting Chauncey for chump change this year but would have to sign him to a normal contract next year. Caron's contract would continue for another couple of years. The contracts of Mo Williams and the 10Mil we just gave to DJ add to the problem. But I'm sure the Clippers would find a way. They would have to unload a couple of contracts for future draft picks.
One way out is to fashion a trade. If Dwight signals he is not signing again in Orlando, then they are compelled to get best deal they can in return for his services. But he can literally choose his destination. All he has to say is that he won't sign with a team that is trying to trade for him and that team will have to back off. They can't give up key assets to rent Dwight for a couple of months only to have him go off and sign with someone else when free agency begins.
Dwight Howard is having his best season yet. He is averaging 20ppg with 15rpg while shooting 58% from the floor. His also sports a lofty 25EFF rating. His resume includes being on the All-NBA First Team for the fourth straight season. He was Named NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the third consecutive season, becoming the first player in NBA history to capture the award three straight times. He was also selected to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team for the third straight season. He also just finished second in voting for NBA Most Valuable Player. Currently, he has the most votes of any player for the All Star game.
The Clippers, in order to trade for Dwight, are going to have to give up some really good pieces. Orlando would probably like to get a Center in return, but that would mean giving up DJ and his 10 Mil contract. How would Blake feel about that? They are best friends and it is the reason that the Clippers matched in the first place to retain DJ even though the price was pretty stiff. Another expendable piece is Mo Williams. But Mo is become more valuable than most people could have imagined as our 6th man. If a trade involving DJ, Mo, Bledsoe, and a first round pick could get it done, the Clippers would have to make that deal. Wouldn't they?
With DJ we are a playoff team. If we can hold on to Blake, CP3, Caron, and Chauncey and add Dwight Howard, we are the World Champions. This is the reason you find a way to get it done.
Posted by: JamFan on Thursday, December 15, 2011 - 08:33 AM
Clipper Blog
There was a media blitz the last couple of days on ESPN and every other sports outlet announcing the arrival of Chirs Paul to LA. Paul's press conference had a record attendence by the press for Clipper event. Many of the press want to annoint the Clippers as the new rulers of LA. Some want us to prove it first. Well, that starts Monday night.
If we were using sport cliches from the past, we would say that "Showtime" is about to once again shine in LA. But that would be a Laker thing. So welcome to Lob City. One member of the press even asked Olshey if they were going to trademark the name. Our Lob City show is going to be better than Showtime. Sure, Magic Johnson was quite the show running the break. But it was nothing compared to what we are all about to experience. Sure they had fast breaks. But we will have fast breaks along with two high fly acts sailing above the rim for thunderous dunks as recipients of Chris Paul's artistic log passes. Lob City.....I like it.
Thursday night on every sports show including ESPN, they didn't talk about how much what we gave up in the trade. It was all about Chris Paul lobbing alley oop passes to Blake Griffin. It was all about how we are now the team in LA. It was all about how all the stars in hollywood who used to sit courtside at Laker games, are lining up to get their courtside accomodation for Clipper games. ESPN even ran a poll about which team in LA was the best.
We have stolen their thunder. ESPN declared that we now have the "IT" factor. The Clippers are now hip and cool. The fans will want to come. Players will want to come. The hollywood stars will be drooling to be here.
Today, Chauncey Billups and Chris Paul, along with Caron Butler, will be in LA. Training camp will be a media blitz like LA has never seen. These 3 players represent a changeover in our starting lineup. Blake Griffin is the only full time starter from last season that still remains, with DeAndre Jordon slated to fill the last spot at center.
Just try to get a seat for the scrimmage on Sunday. It will be crazy. The 2 preseason games with the Lakers now take on a whole new meaning. We are only 4 days away from tip off.
Things are so bad at Lakerland that Stephen A Smith proclaimed that Kobe Bryant will ask for a trade before this season is done. Wow.
Chauncey Billups Arrives in LA - Clippers Match for DeAndre Jordan
Posted by: JamFan on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 - 08:37 AM
Clipper Blog
Chauncey Billups had indeed arrived in LA. Coach Vinney Del Negro said that he had spoken with him and he was excited about the opportunity to play with the Clippers. He will have his physical and a dinner meeting with Vinney. After that we should expect him to be on the practice floor as soon as possible.
The Los Angeles Clippers raided the NY Knicks by placing the winning big for amnesty player, Chauncey Billups, who was waived by the NY Knicks. The Knicks were to have paid him over 14 Mil this season and the Clippers engaged his services for a mere 2 Mil. What a deal!
Chauncey Billups is a 5 time All Star who many would think should be washed up by now at age 35. Last season Billups went for 17ppg and 5.4 assists while shooting a hefty 43% from the field and 40% from the 3. It just so happens that last years numbers surpass his career numbers. It could be that Billups is just like a fine wine and is getting better with age. Important for Clippers fans is that Chauncey's nickname is Mr Big Shot, because he has a history of being willing to take the big shot down the stretch and hitting game winners. This is an area that has been sorely lacking for the Clips in recent years.
This pick up softens the blow in case the Clippers do not get Chris Paul. On the other hand, if the trade for Paul does go through and Eric Bledsoe is included in the deal, the Clippers would still have two viable PG's in Billups and Mo Williams. It is interesting to note that Billups scoring and shooting percentages can be compared to Chris Paul's numbers last year. But as a playmaker, Paul is superior and has a lot more assists. Not to mention that Paul is 10 years younger than Billups. Either way, Paul would be a 2 year rental while Billups is one year rental.
It was a big Monday for the Clippers as they also matched the offer the Warriors made for the services of DeAndre Jordan. A four year deal at over 10Mil per season would on the surface seem to be much for a 23 year Center who only average 7ppg while starting most of the games last season. Moreover, DJ is one of the most embarrasing free throw shooters in the history of the game. Teams were starting to employ the Hack a Shaq on DJ late in games prompting the coach to have to pull him from the game at times. Let's hope that DJ was shooting 1000 free throws a day during the off season.
On the other hand, DJ is a monster rebounder, shot blocker, and can also finish on the break. His slam dunks are more like Power Slams. The earth shakes. At age 23, he has not only made steady progress each season in the league, but figures to continue to improve.
At the end of last season we started to see DJ score in ways other than the Slam. He hit a few jump hooks and utilized other spin moves scoring off the glass down low. If he can continue to develop that offensive side of his game he has the chance to become the complete player that would deserve the contract he just received.
Posted by: JamFan on Monday, December 12, 2011 - 10:43 AM
Clipper Blog
The Los Angeles Clippers have done what done what many of their fans prayed that they wouldn't. They have included Eric Gordon in a trade package for Chris Paul. Even though early reports say that they pulled Eric Bledsoe out of the deal, they still included Chris Kaman, Al Farouq Aminu and the Minnesota 1st round draft pick. It seems that Stern has now received the deal that he wanted.
Fans might wonder what in the heck Clippers management is thinking. The team now has 4 point guards and only Randy Foye at shooting guard. You would have to think that they will announce that they are going to use Chauncey Billups or Mo Williams, or both, at shooting guard. This is a lot of assets to give up for a player who at best is a guaranteed two year rental.
After the Clippers made a bold move in bidding for the services of Chauncey Billups, who just so happens to one of the premier point guards in the league, you would have thought that they would be less likely to include Eric Gordon in the package. I expect GM Olshey to receive a lot of criticism from sports writers and from fans.
Monday morning it looked like if the deal goes down it will include Eric Bledsoe, Chris Kaman, Al Farouq Aminu, and Minnesota's first round draft pick. By Monday night ESPN was reporting that the deal is dead. It seems that Stern insisted that the deal included all of the original pieces and Eric Gordon. Clipper management wisely backed off citing that the price was now to high. The Clippers then announced that they have stopped negotiating the trade and have backed off just like the Lakers did..
Last week the Clippers reportedly spoke with Chris Paul for 90 minutes, and during the conversation Chris Paul apparently signaled that he would include the Clippers on his list of possibly destinations so long as the core of the Clippers lineup remained in tact. If Eric Gordon was included in the deal, then one key player would be gone. However, after that conversation, the Lakers made an offer that was eventually turned down by Stern. When the Lakers pulled out of negotiations, and with the Knicks unable to make a offer that included Amare Stoudamire work, the Clippers became the front runners to deal for CP3.
A deal that included Eric Gordon would be a tough pill to swallow for the fans and Clipper management. We would in effect be giving up 3 players who were drafted in the top 8 spots of the draft. The deal as it is currently reported gives up a premier shooting guard in Gordon, a center who is a former all star, and a 2nd year small forward who would certainly be riding the pine behind Caron Butler. Giving up the 1st round draft pick is also a very valuable asset that is being traded away because it could become the #1 pick.
I was not in favor of a package that included Eric Gordon. But a starting lineup of Chris Paul at PG, Chauncey Billups at SG, Blake Griffin at PF, Caron Butler at SF, and DeAndre Jordon at Center is a formidable lineup. Also, the Clippers can look forward to most games selling out this season.
So where is the biggest downside? Reports say that the Clippers have asked for Chris Paul to pick up the remaining option year on his contract. That would only guarantee the Clippers of having his services for two years with no guarantee that he will sign an extension down the road. The Clippers are hopeful that they can sign Chris to a Max extension a couple of years from now. But what happens if after two years, Chris decides to move over to the Lakers and play with Kobe Bryant. As Kobe heads towards retirement, Chris Paul would become the face of the Lakers. With the Clippers, Chris will have to share that spot light with Blake Griffin.
The opportunity of playing with Blake has been cited as one of the main reasons Chris Paul was interested in the Clippers. You might have noticed that even though there were other big name teams interested in Caron Butler, he decided to come to LA as well. In the past, Donald Sterling and the Clippers history of futility, were two big reasons why players wouldn't come here. That is no longer the story. That story changed with the emergence of Blake Griffin.
Posted by: JamFan on Thursday, December 08, 2011 - 09:13 PM
Clipper Blog
As soon as the lock out was over we had plenty of trade rumors involving the Clippers swirling around. Clipper Management had other ideas. Before they would enterain any trades they had to make sure the team was better even if a trade was never made. That put two priorities on the table. They needed to sign DeAndre Jordan and they needed to fill the one hole in our lineup that was keeping the team from making more progress. They needed a small forward who could make a difference.
They had to work fast because the top 3 players would likely go fast. So they met early in the week with Caron Butler. There were several other teams interested including the Nets and the Spurs. Reports say that the Net had an offer on the table for 4 years and 30 Mil.
This time the Clippers won a free agent battle. Caron Butler agreed to a 3 year deal for 24 Mil instead of the deal the Nets had offered. We will probably hear more later on about why Caron decided on the Clips but one report suggests he was excited about playing with Blake Griffin. Face it, with the Clippers he has a guaranteed starting job and the opposing defenses will all be focusing on Blake. That just opens up the floor for Caron. Expect his numbers to go up.
This signing is a return to LA for Butler. He was the 10th player drafted in 2002 by Miami and spent his 3rd season here in LA with the Lakers. That season he averaged numbers that were similar to his career totals of 16.6ppg along with 6rpg while shooting a career 44% from the floor.
The Clippers can always use more outside shooting but Caron has never been that good of a shooter from the 3, hitting on only 32% of his attempts during his career. Oddly enough, last season in 29 games before he got hurt, he hit his career best of 43% from the 3.
Many Clippers fans thought if they couldn't trade for a top small forward they would just rent one for one year. Next summer that have Minnesota's first round pick and it should be at least a top 5 pick if not the top pick. 4 of the top 5 players in that draft are small forwards and one of them is being touted as the second coming of Christ himself.
Another option was to go shopping next summer with cap space to buy a franchise player. They are under the cap now and with Kaman's expiring contract along with others, they would have the funds to offer a max contract to the player of their dreams. They have now gone in another direction. The 3 year deal eats up part of that cap space. The offers that DJ is reportedly getting will also eat up some more if the Clippers match.
So, it seems more likely than ever that Kaman will get traded now. His expiring contract won't mean quite as much to the Clippers because they will no longer be in Max contract territory next summer. If they trade Kaman now, then for who? If the team can keep DJ the lineup is now solid at every position and the bench is pretty good as well. Don't be surprised if the Clippers try to package Kaman and Minney's #1 pick in an attempt to bring in one of the top players in the league. That way they keep their core players in tact . If that trade is for a center, then DJ is gone. That will only happen if the center is Dwight Howard. If they can't get Dwight, they probably match unless some team just goes crazy and offers DJ over 10Mil a year. The answer just might come pretty soon.
Posted by: david on Tuesday, December 06, 2011 - 05:35 PM
Clipper News
The lockout shorted 2011-2012 Clippers NBA schedule has been released. There will be two pre-season games and then the Clippers start the season on the road vs the Warriors on Christmas Day. The Clippers have a road-heavy April schedule. To make the playoffs it is prudent for the team to be in good shape in terms of the standings and playoffs heading towards that home stretch.
December Opponent Time
Mon 19 @ LA Lakers Preseason 7:30pm
Wed 21 vs LA Lakers Preseason 7:30pm
Sun 25 @ Golden State 7:30pm
Wed 28 @ San Antonio 5:30pm
Fri 30 vs Chicago 7:30pm January Opponent Time
Sun 01 vs Portland 6:30pm
Wed 04 vs Houston 7:30pm
Sat 07 vs Milwaukee 7:30pm
Tue 10 @ Portland 7:00pm
Wed 11 vs Miami 7:30pm
Sat 14 vs LA Lakers 7:30pm
Mon 16 vs New Jersey 12:30pm
Tue 17 @ Utah 6:00pm
Wed 18 vs Dallas 7:30pm
Fri 20 vs Minnesota 7:30pm
Sun 22 vs Toronto 12:30pm
Wed 25 @ LA Lakers 7:30pm
Thu 26 vs Memphis 7:30pm
Sun 29 @ Denver 5:00pm
Mon 30 vs Oklahoma City 7:30pm February Opponent Time
Wed 01 @ Utah 7:30pm
Thu 02 vs Denver 7:30pm
Sat 04 @ Washington 4:00pm
Mon 06 @ Orlando 4:00pm
Wed 08 @ Cleveland 4:00pm
Fri 10 @ Philadelphia 4:00pm
Sat 11 @ Charlotte 4:00pm
Mon 13 @ Dallas 5:30pm
Wed 15 vs Washington 7:30pm
Thu 16 @ Portland 7:30pm
Sat 18 vs San Antonio 12:30pm
Mon 20 @ Golden State 7:30pm
Wed 22 vs Denver 7:30pm
Tue 28 vs Minnesota 7:30pm March Opponent Time
Thu 01 @ Sacramento 7:00pm
Fri 02 @ Phoenix 7:30pm
Sun 04 @ Houston 4:00pm
Mon 05 @ Minnesota 5:00pm
Wed 07 @ New Jersey 5:00pm
Fri 09 @ San Antonio 5:30pm
Sun 11 vs Golden State 6:30pm
Mon 12 vs Boston 7:30pm
Wed 14 vs Atlanta 7:30pm
Thu 15 vs Phoenix 7:30pm
Sat 17 vs Houston 12:30pm
Sun 18 vs Detroit 12:30pm
Tue 20 @ Indiana 4:00pm
Wed 21 @ Oklahoma City 5:00pm
Thu 22 @ New Orleans 5:00pm
Sat 24 vs Memphis 12:00pm
Mon 26 vs New Orleans 7:30pm
Wed 28 vs Phoenix 7:30pm
Fri 30 vs Portland 7:30pm
Sat 31 vs Utah 7:30pm April Opponent Time
Mon 02 @ Dallas 5:30pm
Wed 04 vs LA Lakers 7:30pm
Thu 05 @ Sacramento 7:00pm
Sat 07 vs Sacramento 7:30pm
Mon 09 @ Memphis 5:00pm
Wed 11 @ Oklahoma City 5:00pm
Thu 12 @ Minnesota 5:00pm
Sat 14 vs Golden State 12:30pm
Mon 16 vs Oklahoma City 7:30pm
Wed 18 @ Denver 6:00pm
Thu 19 @ Phoenix 7:30pm
Sun 22 vs New Orleans 6:30pm
Tue 24 @ Atlanta 4:30pm
Wed 25 @ New York 5:00pm
Posted by: JamFan on Thursday, February 17, 2011 - 09:28 PM
Clipper Blog
Little did we know at the beginning of the season that Blake Griffin would become the toast of the town come NBA All Star Weekend. Blake already is the human highlight reel that gets featured every night on every TV sports show whether the Clippers win or not. However, the buzz on this years All Star Weekend is all about how bad the Lakers are playing, how Kobe is no longer the giant killer he once was, and how there is a new kid in town, Blake Griffin. The Buzz has shifted. And it is killing Laker fans. Many of the them can't even face what is going on. Kobe, for the first time in his career is starting to show his age. He is having to alter his game because his legs just can't carry him they way they once could. And those last second game winning shots are just not falling like they used to. Moreover, he can't take over a game late in the 4th quarter and secure a win as often as he used to.
Except for KCAL (channel 9) Sports, it is now all about Blake. But how did we get here?
So far this 21 year old has only played a little over a half a season as a rookie.
Keep in mind that Kobe as a rookie only had 7.2 ppg and 1.9 rpg and no double doubles.
OK, the warmup!
2009 Naismith College Player of the Year
2009 John Wooden Award
2009 Adolph Rupp Trophy[71]
2009 Oscar Robertson Trophy[72]
2009 AP All-American First Team[73]
2009 Sports Illustrated Player of the Year[74]
2009 AP National Player of the Year
2009 Athlon Sports Player of the Year[75]
2009 FoxSports.com Player of the Year[75]
2009 Coaches' Big 12 Player of the Year[72]
2009 Sporting News Player of the Year[75]
Drafted #1, not #13.
Won rookie of the month in November, December, and January.
Has 39 double doubles in 47 games, second in the NBA
Neither Shaq, nor Tim Duncan, nor Dwight Howard exceeded 19 in their rookie year. Blake might hit 50...maybe even 60.
27 double doubles in a row. No modern day player has exceeded that as a rookie.
Has the 5th all time longest streak of double doubles with 20 points and 10 rebs only behind Wilt and 3 others.
#3 in the NBA Rebounds.
Has two 40+ games as a rookie, first time in 15 years.
#12 in the league in scoring.
#1 in the league in free throws....opposing teams are forced to foul him
#1 in the league in And 1's.
23ppg - 12.7rpb - 3.6apg while hitting 52% from the field
Shooting 50% from the 3. And you thought he could only Slam it.
Hasn't really accomplished much in his first 47 games as a rookie, has he?
As a rookie Kobe didn't accomplish any of this....nada...no rookie of the month much less rookie of the year. His measly 7.9ppg and 1.9rpg only got him the pine come all star weekend. In fact, his own team wouldn't play him very much. He did win the Slam Dunk contest. But if you look at his numbers and if you were around back then, you know he didn't really start to become the Kobe we know until his 3rd season. And the rest is of course history.
But that was then and this is now.
Enter Blake Griffin. Playing with all the fire of a man possessed. ESPN is buzzing. Everyone wants to know......
Will Blake Griffin lead the Rookie team to a win?
Will Blake Griffin win the game MVP honors?
Will Blake Griffin win the Slam Dunk Contest?
Will Blake make a spectacular alley-oop SLAAAAMMMM Dunk in the All Star game that will be on every All Star highlight reel?
Will Blake Griffin walk on water?
And what will Kobe do? Who cares. He is old news. Just playing out the string. I hear he wants to be an actor.
Posted by: JamFan on Thursday, October 28, 2010 - 09:12 AM
Clipper Blog
The Clippers need a new look and a new outlook. After years of disappointment, Clipper fans turn their lonely eyes to a new hero they hope will change the fortunes of a team without much hope.
The opening game of this new season ended in a loss to the Portland Trailblazers. For Clipper fans, this game was a glimpse into the future. A future for a team that will be led by Blake Griffin.
It is now undeniably Blake Griffin's team. Before the season started, ESPN couldn't speak of the Los Angeles Clippers without mentioning Blake Griffin's name in the same breath. During last night's game, the ESPN announcers were having a love affair with Blake. He earned it. In every city that the Clippers visit during their road trips, the home teams will promote ticket sales for Clippers games with Blake Griffin served up as the main course.
So what did Blake do to deserve all of this. Being drafted #1 doesn't hurt. But he plays like a man determined to destroy the other team. He is working so hard that his effort practically embarasses the effort of his team mates. If his mates finally decide to step up and become a new type of Clipper team, a team that plays hard for 48 minutes, it will be because of Blake's leadership. The other players will either get on board or Blake will paddle the boat without them. Unfortunately, he can not win without them.
Last night's opening game of the season exposed the work that still needs to be done. Blake certainly has one ally in his quest to take the Clippers to the playoffs. That is Eric Gordon. Eric is certainly the Clippers most improved player. His work this summer with Team USA has raised his game to a new level. Together Blake and Eric combined for 42 points hitting 18 of 31 shots.
So how did the Clippers lose? The other starters, Kaman, Davis and Gomes, only hit 8 of 35 shots. Byron Davis looked like a very average PG. His defense was just a token effort, and he only had 3 assists to go along with 4 TO's. Kaman had 11 rebounds but missed several chip shots around the rim, a problem he has had for some time. Gomes only hit 1 of 6 shots and only had 3 rebounds.
The only other bright spot was Rasual Butler, who hit for 16 points on 4 of 6 from the 3. If Rasual could do that every night instead of disappearing at times like he last season, he will be a valuable part of this lineup.
One of the Clippers most glaring problems is their bench. Except for Butler and Craig Smith, we have a bunch of unproven and very young players who can not be relied on to produce. Randy Foye is being called upon to be the backup PG, but he can not even come close to carrying Steve Blake's shoes. DJ will do a yomens job as back up center, but the rest will need a lot of time to mature into a cohesive unit. It will be on the job training. In the NBA, our bench is going to be chewed up and spit out.
Last night, Butler actually made the case to be the starting SF. However, if he was moved into the starting lineup, then we wouldn't even have one reliable outside shooter off the bench. Craig Smith, who did not play last night, scores his points in the paint.
Somehow, Blake Griffin, a rookie, will have to find a way to motivate this team to rise up and play way beyond their immediate potential. He will do this by example. He will play with wreckless abandon. Unfortunately, that is the scariest part of the Clipper's nightmare. Blake's high fly act puts him in a vulnerable position to get hurt again. Without him, this team can not, I repeat, can not make it. If he stays healthly, he is a double double machine waiting to happen. He is now one of only 4 players in the history of the NBA to have a double double in his first game as a rookie. He is likely to be Rookie of the year.
Blake Griffin is now the new face of the Clippers. Where he goes, the Clippers will follow.
Posted by: david on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 - 01:58 PM
Clipper News
October Opponent Time
Wed 27 vs Portland 7:30pm
Fri 29 @ Golden State 7:30pm
Sun 31 vs Dallas 12:30pm
November Opponent Time
Mon 01 vs San Antonio 7:30pm
Wed 03 vs Oklahoma City 7:30pm
Fri 05 @ Denver 7:30pm
Sat 06 @ Utah 6:00pm
Tue 09 @ New Orleans 5:00pm
Wed 10 @ San Antonio 6:30pm
Fri 12 vs Detroit 7:30pm
Mon 15 vs New Jersey 7:30pm
Wed 17 @ Minnesota 5:00pm
Thu 18 @ Indiana 4:00pm
Sat 20 vs New York 7:30pm
Mon 22 vs New Orleans 7:30pm
Thu 25 vs Sacramento 7:30pm
Fri 26 @ Phoenix 6:00pm
Sun 28 vs Utah 12:30pm
December Opponent Time
Wed 01 vs San Antonio 7:30pm
Fri 03 @ Denver 6:00pm
Sun 05 @ Portland 6:00pm
Mon 06 vs Sacramento 7:30pm
Wed 08 vs LA Lakers 7:30pm
Sat 11 vs Memphis 12:30pm
Sun 12 vs Orlando 6:30pm
Wed 15 @ Philadelphia 4:00pm
Fri 17 @ Detroit 4:30pm
Sat 18 @ Chicago 5:00pm
Mon 20 vs Minnesota 7:30pm
Wed 22 vs Houston 7:30pm
Sun 26 vs Phoenix 12:00pm
Mon 27 @ Sacramento 7:00pm
Wed 29 vs Utah 7:30pm
January Opponent Time
Sun 02 vs Atlanta 12:30pm
Wed 05 vs Denver 7:30pm
Sun 09 vs Golden State 12:30pm
Wed 12 vs Miami 7:30pm
Fri 14 @ Golden State 7:30pm
Sun 16 vs LA Lakers 12:30pm
Mon 17 vs Indiana 12:30pm
Wed 19 vs Minnesota 7:30pm
Thu 20 @ Portland 7:30pm
Sat 22 vs Golden State 7:30pm
Tue 25 @ Dallas 5:30pm
Wed 26 @ Houston 5:30pm
Sat 29 vs Charlotte 7:30pm
Mon 31 vs Milwaukee 7:30pm
February Opponent Time
Wed 02 vs Chicago 7:30pm
Fri 04 @ Atlanta 4:30pm
Sun 06 @ Miami 9:00am
Tue 08 @ Orlando 4:00pm
Wed 09 @ New York 4:30pm
Fri 11 @ Cleveland 4:30pm
Sun 13 @ Toronto 3:00pm
Mon 14 @ Milwaukee 5:00pm
Wed 16 @ Minnesota 5:00pm
Tue 22 @ Oklahoma City 5:00pm
Wed 23 @ New Orleans 5:00pm
Fri 25 @ LA Lakers 7:30pm
Sat 26 vs Boston 7:30pm
Mon 28 @ Sacramento 7:00pm
March Opponent Time
Wed 02 vs Houston 7:30pm
Sat 05 vs Denver 7:30pm
Mon 07 @ Charlotte 4:00pm
Wed 09 @ Boston 4:30pm
Fri 11 @ New Jersey 4:00pm
Sat 12 @ Washington 4:00pm
Mon 14 @ Memphis 5:00pm
Wed 16 vs Philadelphia 7:30pm
Sat 19 vs Cleveland 12:30pm
Sun 20 vs Phoenix 12:30pm
Wed 23 vs Washington 7:30pm
Fri 25 @ LA Lakers 7:30pm
Sat 26 vs Toronto 7:30pm
Wed 30 vs Dallas 7:30pm
April Opponent Time
Fri 01 @ Phoenix 7:00pm
Sat 02 vs Oklahoma City 7:30pm
Tue 05 @ Memphis 5:00pm
Wed 06 @ Oklahoma City 5:00pm
Fri 08 @ Dallas 5:30pm
Sat 09 @ Houston 5:30pm
Wed 13 vs Memphis 7:30pm
Vinnery Del Negro To Be Next Los Angeles Clippers Coach
Posted by: JamFan on Wednesday, July 07, 2010 - 07:47 AM
Clipper Blog
An organization email has gone out saying that the Los Angeles Clippers will soon officially announce Vinney Del Negro as their new head coach. After showing interest in a host of possible coaches including Byron Scott and Mark Jackson, in the end it all came down to only two interviews with Dwayne Casey and Vinney Del Negro.
Even though GM Niel Olshey made comments that would lead you to believe that he was leaning towards Dwayne Casey, the interview process seemed to favor Del Negro. Dwayne Casey received an office visit and a cup of coffee, while owner Donald Sterling, President Roeser, and GM Olshey took Del Negro out on the town. So, maybe the fix was in from the beginning.
Vinney took over a Chicago team that had a poor record the previous year finishing 33-49. He then took a young squad of Chicago players with lots of injuries to the playoffs twice before being fired. But it seems that he was fired for having conflicts with the front office, not for his lack of success on the court. So, he doesn't seem like a guy who is just going to roll over to the whims of the owner and GM. He will establish himself as the coach of the team.
In Chicago, Del Negro went 41 and 41 two seasons in a row to reach the playoffs, only to be knocked out in the 1st round each time. His first year he was knocked out by the Celtics. This year he lost in the 1st round at the hands of Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Knicks asked Lebron if the signing of Amare Stoudemire would keep him from coming to New York. So one has to wonder if the Clippers asked Lebron whether or not the hiring of Vinney Del Negro was a deal killer in their attempts to bring Lebron to LA? Or, if you combine the Del Negro hiring with the proposed signing of Big Sofo, does it fortell that the Clippers have given up on their quest to bring Lebron to LA? Only time will tell.
Los Angeles Clippers Score with Al-Farouq Aminu and Eric Bledsoe- The Chief Has Arrived
Posted by: JamFan on Friday, June 25, 2010 - 08:51 AM
Clipper Blog
The Clippers scored big time when the 6th best player in the draft fell to them as they took Wake Forest's Al-Farouq Aminu with their 8th pick. The 20 year old Aminu is a high fly act who was the first player from Wake Forest to lead the ACC in rebounding since Tim Duncan. He led Wake Forest in scoring with 16ppg and 11rpg and had 44 blocks. He also led the ACC with 19 double-doubles, and had nine 20 and 10 games.
He did all this while having to switch away from his normal SF position to play PF in his second season, because of team needs. With his 7'4" wingspan, he rebounds and blocks shots with great skill. His motor allows him to constantly get out on the break where he finishes with scary alley oop slam dunks.
This season he had some really monsterous games. He posted 23 points, 17 rebounds and a career-high six blocks at UNC Greensboro. Also grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds vs. William & Mary. Managed to tally 26 points, 18 rebounds and three blocks vs. Xavier. He opened the year with 25 points and 13 rebounds vs. Oral Roberts. Also, registered 24 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks vs. Maryland.
Even though Aminu shot nearly 50% from the field during his 2 years in college, he only hit 27% from the 3 last year. Clippers GM Niel Osshey leaked out that they had actually worked out Aminu on June 1. It was not reported. Upon receiving a promise from the Clippers, Aminu stopped working out for teams. This means he really wanted to be in this town and on this team and sacrificed the chance to be drafted even higher. Instead, he started personal workouts just up the road at Cal Lutheran with legendary shooting coach David Hopla. Video workouts show much improvement in his outside shot. He already has all of the other tools to be sucessful in the NBA.
Al-Farouq means "the Chief has arrived." He is the decendent of Nigerian Kings, and Clipper fans are praying that he will show is royal stature on the basketball court.
The big surprise of draft night for the Clippers was a trade that brought highly touted 19 year old Eric Bledsoe to LA. Playing in the shadow of PG John Wall, the #1 pick, and 4 other Kentucky players drafted in the first round, Eric is a player who could have easily been a top 10 pick. We only gave up a future first round draft pick that is heavily protected. The Clippers have an extra future 1st round pick anyway because of the MInney pick that we own.
Eric played SG for Kentucky but was an All American PG coming out of high school. At Kentucky he deferred to Wall as the starting PG. For the Clippers he will likely move back to his normal PG position where he displays a high intensity, fast paced game.
Eric showed much improvement late in the season on his outside shooting and finished with 46% from the field and 41% from the 3. With his shooting ability, and his ability to run the break, is he the future starting PG for the Clippers? If he manages to cut down on turnovers and play better under control, the answer could be yes.
Deep in the second round the Clippers were fortunate to draft Willie Warren. Rated as a late 1st round pick on a few mock drafts and at one time rated to be a lottery pick, Willie is another young 20 year old with a lot of promise. He shows great skills creating shots in one on one situations hitting 52%, and shot 48% from the field in half court sets. He finished the season shooting 52% from the 2, but only 31% from the 3.
Coming out of Oklahoma, he should be a favorite of Blake Griffin whom he played with as a freshman. Will he make the team and be reunited with his old team mate? I bet Blake hopes so.
Overall, it was a big night for the Clippers. Aminu and Bledsoe will be great players for them for years to come and Warren just might be the biggest surprise of them all. I have a feeling we are going to have an awesome Summer League Team as we unite these 3 players with Blake Griffin. It should really be something to watch. If DJ and Eric Gordon play as well, we could be seeing the future starting lineup for the Clippers a few years down the road.
Jamfan's 2010 NBA Mock Draft- Los Angeles Clippers To Draft Aminu
Posted by: JamFan on Sunday, June 20, 2010 - 10:30 PM
Clipper Blog
Most Mocks say that it's Gordon Hayward or Al Farouq Aminu more than any other players. However, Gordon Hayward is never ranked higher than 8, and Aminu is ranked higher than 8 on almost all mocks except for the ones that say the Clippers are going to get him. So, according to most mocks, if Aminu is available at the 8, the Clippers are gong to draft him.
New information says that Golden State is going with Udoh. With Sacramento taking Cousins and Detroit going Big either with Davis or Monroe, Aminu will fall into the Clippers lap. If that happens, will they take Aminu, or go with Babbitt or Henry. I now say they won't pass up Aminu. He is just to much of an athletic freak and because of the 7'4" wingspan, he has the most upside. So, it's Aminu.
1- WAS- John Wall PG
2- PHI- Evan Turner SG
3- NJ- Wesley Johnson SF
4- MIN- Derek Favors PF
5- SAC- Demarcus Cousins PF
6- GS- Greg Monroe PF
7- DET- Ed Davis PF
8- LAC- Al Farouq Aminu SF
9- UT- Luke Babbitt SF
10- IND- Gordon Hayward SF
11- NO- Xavier Henry SG/SF
12- MEM- -Paul George SF
13- TOR- Cole Aldrich PF
14- HOU- Patrick Patterson PF
*Sleepers who could move up and be a lottery pick-
Epke Udoh
Hassan whiteside
Avery Bradley
* Player most likely to be a surprise & drop-
Demarcus Cousins originally Mocked at #3, drops to #7
Cole Aldrich or Greg Monroe could move up and the Golden State spot.
I feel good about my top 3 picks. Things gets crazy after that. There could be trades. And it only takes one team to make a surprise pick and then the whole board starts to fall apart. I expect to only get about 4 of the remaining picks right after the first 3. If I do that good, I will probably be one of the top Mocks in the Draft. OK, now it is your turn, hit the discuss button below and either praise me or rip me.
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If you are the Clippers you brag about how they have won 3 of 4 meeting so far if you include the preseason. If you are the Lakers, you brag that in the regular season it is all even up and they won the most recent battle. The truth is that the battle continues with one game remaining in April. The truth is that this battle will not be settled after that game. This is going to be a long dragged out fight for the hearts and minds of basketball fans in LA.
Los Angeles is dominating the All Star Voting for the Western Conference in a way that has never happened before. The Lakers seem to always have guys among the leaders. Now, with the emergence of the LA Clippers, the West All Star team could start 4 players from Los Angeles. 
Friday Jan 27, 2012 - The top teams are all winning on the road. Houston and Memphis crawl out of the lottery. Chicago and Oklahoma continue to roll. New York has fallen back into the lottery having lost 7 of their last 10. Boston remains a lottery team but has now won 3 straight. No team has crawled up out of the lottery since out last update. The Clippers have a really tough road schedule ahead so we will find out what they are made of. VDN has taught them how to do what? No decernable offense being run. Just winning on athleticism.
There was a media blitz the last couple of days on ESPN and every other sports outlet announcing the arrival of Chirs Paul to LA. Paul's press conference had a record attendence by the press for Clipper event. Many of the press want to annoint the Clippers as the new rulers of LA. Some want us to prove it first. Well, that starts Monday night. 
Chauncey Billups had indeed arrived in LA. Coach Vinney Del Negro said that he had spoken with him and he was excited about the opportunity to play with the Clippers. He will have his physical and a dinner meeting with Vinney. After that we should expect him to be on the practice floor as soon as possible. 
The lockout shorted 2011-2012 Clippers NBA schedule has been released. There will be two pre-season games and then the Clippers start the season on the road vs the Warriors on Christmas Day. The Clippers have a road-heavy April schedule. To make the playoffs it is prudent for the team to be in good shape in terms of the standings and playoffs heading towards that home stretch.
Little did we know at the beginning of the season that Blake Griffin would become the toast of the town come NBA All Star Weekend. Blake already is the human highlight reel that gets featured every night on every TV sports show whether the Clippers win or not. However, the buzz on this years All Star Weekend is all about how bad the Lakers are playing, how Kobe is no longer the giant killer he once was, and how there is a new kid in town, Blake Griffin. The Buzz has shifted. And it is killing Laker fans. Many of the them can't even face what is going on. Kobe, for the first time in his career is starting to show his age. He is having to alter his game because his legs just can't carry him they way they once could. And those last second game winning shots are just not falling like they used to. Moreover, he can't take over a game late in the 4th quarter and secure a win as often as he used to. 
The Clippers need a new look and a new outlook. After years of disappointment, Clipper fans turn their lonely eyes to a new hero they hope will change the fortunes of a team without much hope. 
October Opponent Time 
December Opponent Time 
January Opponent Time 
March Opponent Time 
An organization email has gone out saying that the Los Angeles Clippers will soon officially announce Vinney Del Negro as their new head coach. After showing interest in a host of possible coaches including Byron Scott and Mark Jackson, in the end it all came down to only two interviews with Dwayne Casey and Vinney Del Negro. 
