myClipper NATION

Everybody is different...

2010-02-06T00:12:47Z

Kim will cut a lot of the film watching down and then we’ll go over everything on the court.
Photo by: Juan Ocampo (NBAE/Getty Images)

I would like to start off today’s Journal by saying that Mike Dunleavy was a great coach. Obviously everybody is different, so Kim will coach us much differently than Mike did. Kim’s a player’s coach. He’s the type to ask us what we want to do and how we feel about certain things. I like Kim a lot and I think he’s really going to help us out.

Practice was very different today from what we’re used to. We watched a lot of film with Mike, and it helped us see what we did wrong and what we did right. Instead, Kim will cut a lot of the film watching down and then we’ll go over everything on the court instead. If it’s something like a pick-and-roll, we’ll come out to the court and we will run that pick-and-roll until we get it right. He’s cutting everything down and making it more intense for us. I think everybody likes that. Practice was a lot shorter today, but it was really intense.

We all know that he’s not going to come in as our interim coach and then all of a sudden we’re going to win all 33 games, but we’re going to try and win as many as we can. Hopefully we’ll get off to a new start by getting a “W” tomorrow against the Spurs. I’m really excited about that game because I love playing against future Hall-Of-Famer Tim Duncan.

I don’t really want to talk about our road trip, because not only did we lose more games than anybody wanted to, I lost my video camera. Seriously. I finally got a new one when we were in Minnesota, then we lost that game and I was mad so I didn’t bother recording anything new. It’s a shame, too. I had a lot of good footage for you. I’ll say this much: it’s good to be back home. I was getting really tired of sleeping in a hotel. As soon as I got into my house I just sat on my couch and just… ahhhhhhhhhh. It felt so good. I had lunch with Blake yesterday. He’s doing well, he’s rehabbing right now. I can’t wait until he’s actually playing. I’m ready for him to come back; we all are. I know he is.

Then Sunday… is there something going on this Sunday? I feel like I’m forgetting something. Oh, that’s right. Two teams other than the Cowboys are playing for the title, so I really don’t care. Personally I think that the Cowboys should show up in uniform and win the game anyway. All ~~bitterness~~ ~~anger~~ ~~disappointment~~ joking aside, I want the Saints to win. I think that the city could really use that after all it’s been through since Hurricane Katrina back in 2005. Either way I’ll be happy with the outcome because I also like Peyton Manning a lot. If the Colts win, that’s cool, but if New Orleans wins that’s a plus.

Just in case I don’t get a chance to check in before the All-Star break, because I’m going home to Houston pretty much as soon as we get back from our game at Golden State, I want to make sure that ALL of you tune in and vote for Eric Gordon in the first ever All-Star Slam Dunk-In on Friday night. Eric does have a couple of dunks that are going to be really nice. I don’t want to say what it is, but his first dunk is going to be… bouncing fun. Depending on how high he jumps and how hard he dunks it, I would give him a 10 out of 10. It definitely won’t score less than a 9.

Before I go, I want the fans to all take notice of Brian Skinner’s goatee the next time you come to a game or watch us on TV. It is more radioactive these days. I think it looks like queso dip. Gross. I won't be eating any queso dip on Sunday now, that's for sure.

Until next time,
- DJ
dj@clippers.com
@deandrejordan

P.S. Just because I don't have any video, doesn't mean I can't share some footage with you. Here is some from our new Interim Head Coach

Road Trip!

2010-03-03T18:59:56Z

Yet Another one of our Favorite NBA team's games… but on the road this time…

Hi Clipper Nation! Nikki here, heading down the I-10 with Melissa driving and Teresa sleeping in the backseat as I am writing as small as I can on a blank page from last night’s Suns program. What a trip! Where to begin? Well, I’ll start by saying that I am so happy that nine of us managed to find a weekend in our busy schedules to follow our team on a road trip to Phoenix. Back in August at our Clippers Spirit retreat, our Director Audrea asked us all to come up with a personal goal for the season and a team goal for the season. My team goal was for all of us to take a team road trip. Well, with a little organization and a fun goal in mind, this adventure became a reality for the nine of us and boy, what an experience it was! I’ll do my best to give you the “play-by-play,” but really, the trip will be difficult to describe, for it completely exceeded all of our expectations and was a trip I don’t think any of us will forget!

5:30 pm: Arrival
We all arrived safe and sound. Some via car, others via flight. Car #1 got the pizzas, car #2 got me (from the airport). The game plan was as follows: check-in, pizza, get ready “Clippers-style,” pizza, go!

Did I mention that our trip was filled with one surprise after the next? Our first surprise came to us at check-in. Lauren’s uncle surprised us with a stay at the Hilton Suites (which we found out about on Wednesday at the Clippers vs. Pistons home game). Then, upon our arrival, we discovered that our one suite suddenly turned into four! We were so overwhelmed and were sure this was a mistake. Turned out it wasn’t. Lauren’s uncle really wanted to make sure we were taken care of and enjoyed our trip to the utmost! We were so thankful for this and I wanted to thank him personally on myClipper NATION, so… THANK YOU LAUREN’S UNCLE! We really appreciated your kindness and generosity!

6:15 pm: Off to the Game!
Surprise #2: our “transportation” (that Lauren’s uncle arranged for us too!) was to arrive at 6:15 pm. So we all hustled to get ready (which is not easy for nine girls, let me tell you) and were down at the lobby promptly at 6:15 pm to find out that there was a silver stretch Hummer limo waiting for us! Now being a group of nine young women, we don’t really live so luxuriously, so seeing that limo in front of the hotel and knowing it was ours, really made us feel like movie stars. The trip definitely was off to a good start!

Check out Our silver stretch Hummer limo!

7:00 pm: US Airways Center
We arrived at the Sun’s US Airways Center in style! The limo dropped us off at the pavilion where we danced our way all the way to the ticket office. They had a DJ outside the arena, making for an exciting entrance. And of course, since dancing is what we do best, we couldn’t help ourselves but do one of our routines in the middle of the promenade when the DJ played our song! (I know, it’s true… we actually did! See video haha)

The Suns Dancers’ Director met us at the ticket office and had an escort take us to our seats. We were very taken care of and were eager to watch our Clippers play a great game as well as watch the Suns Dancers perform. It was going to be such an exciting night!

7:15 pm: Reece’s Surprise…
Any fan of Clipper Nation knows the old “Fear the Beard” saying that so perfectly suites our beloved, Baron Davis. Well, leave it up to Reece to go to the costume store and pull out nine beards from her purse! Oh yes, she did. And oh yes, we wore them proudly.

8:20 pm: Half Time
We were just having the best time ever! Melissa got us some nachos to enjoy, the Suns dancers already performed once, and it was a close game. What more could we ask for? We were cheering like crazy and even ran into a few fellow Clippers fans. Things were going great!

9:30 pm: Meeting the Suns Dancers
The game ended and our Director Audrea, coordinated with their Director Kari, a special meeting for our two dance teams. We walked down to the court and were so anxiously greeted by their team of 15 dancers. All the girls were so nice and we enjoyed briefly getting to know each other and talk “dancer talk.” Lastly, we took a group photo, said our goodbyes, and thanked their director and Game Coordinator for making us feel so welcomed on their home turf. All in all, I’d say that it was more than a great night and wanted to thank all those who made this possible for us!

We would like to thank the Suns Dance Team for making this road trip possible!

1:40 pm (2/27): Back to LA
Well, our trip finally was coming to an end. We couldn’t have asked for a better time! Jessie found us a cute Mom and Pop’s Café for breakfast, and then we hit the road. It was mid-afternoon and we were homebound. Mission Clippers Road Trip… successful!

Thank you, Clipper Nation for reading and I hope you enjoyed hearing about our road trip as much as we enjoyed taking it. It really is a special thing to be on a team like the Clippers Spirit. Although we love dancing and are proud representatives of the Los Angeles Clippers, I feel privileged to say that we are all great friends too and it’s experiences like this that make this team more than a dance team for me. Until next time, as always, go Clippers!

Yours Truly,
Nikki

Blazers, Sprinkles and... Churros!

2010-02-01T22:55:45Z

The Blazers Dancers came to visit on January 18th.

Hello Clipper Nation!

In any normal situation, 35 women in one dressing room is an almost fool proof recipe for at least one missing costume and several less than desirable attitudes. But on January 18th when the Clippers hosted the Nets, the Portland Trail Blazers Dancers came to visit us and we could not have had a better time! Unfortunately our normal Los Angeles 80 + degree weather was not on hand to greet them. They left Portland rain for Los Angeles rain.

It just so happened that I was not scheduled to dance at this game, so I got to spend a lot of time talking with the girls and show them around the arena. Upon our arrival to the STAPLES Center, the 16 Portland Dancers and their friendly Director, Michelle, were greeted by our Director Audrea. They were taken down to our locker room (which was adorned with a "Welcome Blazers Dancers" sign made by our very own crafty Nikki). The Blazers Dancers feasted on our welcome yummy breakfast treats - red velvet cupcakes from Sprinkles that Shannon picked up. There are no Sprinkles shops in Portland, so we wanted to them to experience this delicacy.

We wanted to make them feel at home, so Nikki designed a "Welcome Blazer Dancers" sign.

Introductions were made and they seemed just as eager to compare notes on the highlights of being NBA dancers as we were. One of the cool things we compared was the electricity of the crowd during a winning game. Because there are no other professional basketball or football teams in Portland, the Portland community makes sure to pack the Rose Garden for every game. The dancers described the noise as "deafening cheers coming all the way from the rooftop!"

After watching our court rehearsal, we all convened in our locker room for a little girl talk, as the Spirit dancers got glammed up for the game. I loved hearing about the various experiences as an NBA dancer over the years from Melissa, who has been a member of the Blazers Dance Team for eight seasons. Talk about true leadership! She is one of their captains and received a great opportunity through one of the Portland Trail Blazers sponsors. She was allowed to drive a car from the sponsor this entire season and was given a Flip Mino video camera so that she could video blog about it.

The Blazers Dancers were so gracious and cheered enthusiastically for every Spirit performance during the game. They were also featured numerous times on the JumboTron.

We ended the day with a delicious dinner at Rosa Mexicano where we got to socialize.

We ended the day with a delicious dinner at the Rosa Mexicano restaurant across the street at L.A. Live. The word “stuffed” does not even begin to describe how full our bellies were after a delicious meal of fresh guacamole and chips, enchiladas with beans and rice, and warm Churros (my personal favorite!). The general Manager, Jose Fuentes, was so kind and sent us home with doggie bags and even gave me a bag of fresh warm chips to share with my roommate. Both Dance Team Directors (Audrea and Michelle) sat at their own "coaches table" and allowed us girls to mingle and chat it up with each other. We can only imagine that they were sharing Director’s notes and the similarities and differences between the teams.

Dinner included guacamole and chips, enchiladas with beans and rice and, my personal favorite, warm Churros!

Rain or not, the ladies had a great time. They went to Magic Mountain (yes, even in the rain) and went to a taping of “The Price Is Right”. Veronica made it to contestant's row, but unfortunately she did not make it on the stage… but she still won some great prizes!

Meeting the Blazers Dancers was truly one of the highlights of this season and hopefully we can go visit our beautiful sister Meeting the Blazers Dancers was truly one of the highlights of this season and hopefully we can go visit our beautiful sister team sometime soon!

I found out on Twitter...

2010-01-15T20:08:50Z

I thought when I talked to him that he was going to be all heartbroken, and he was, but he’s keeping a positive attitude and he really just wants to hurry up and get the surgery so that he can start rehabbing and get ready for next year.
Photo by: Noah Graham (NBAE/Getty Images)

Well Clipper Nation… I’m sure you’ve all heard about Blake by now. The news spread so quickly that I honestly found out about it because somebody had posted it on Twitter before I had a chance to even talk to him. I was like… huh. So I called him up and he confirmed he was going to have surgery. I’ll be honest, I thought when I talked to him that he was going to be all heartbroken, and he was, but he’s keeping a positive attitude and he really just wants to hurry up and get the surgery so that he can start rehabbing and get ready for next year. That’s Blake. I just don’t want him to harp on it. The rest of us are all like… I don’t think “upset” is the right word for how we’re feeling because it’s not his fault… but we’re definitely disappointed he can’t play this season. We all feel sorry for him; we know how badly he wants to play. During practice he’s been sitting on the sidelines, just itching to participate in drills. He knows he can’t and it’s got to be so stressful for him. He wants to play. He hasn’t played all year. It sucks. I’m not going to lie, it sucks. But we can’t dwell on it. We have to move forward. He hasn’t played all season, and we’re still just under .500. We had a slow start and this road trip has hurt us, but we’ll bounce back, no doubt.

Our road trip ends tonight against the Lakers and then we have three home games before we hit the road for eight games in two weeks. We are going to approach tonight’s game the same way we approached it last week… you know, when we won by 11 points. (Which was so much fun, by the way.) We have to try and contain Kobe as much as possible and we have to win the rebounding game. Pau Gasol should be playing tonight, and everybody’s been saying that every game he hasn’t played the Lakers haven’t scored 100 points, which shows you how valuable he is to that team. And for the record, playing against Pau Gasol and Marc Gasol is totally different. The only thing that’s similar is the hair, and that’s only a little bit. Pau plays with more finesse and Marc is more of a bruiser.

This road trip has been really weird. We all found out about Blake not long before our game against the Hornets, but that’s not what tripped us up in New Orleans. That was just Chris Paul. Again. I can’t explain it. Oh my goodness. He is awesome. It’s tough playing against him. All eyes are always on him. He can see the whole floor, he’s a great passer and he just makes everybody on his team better. It was tough playing them on Wednesday night.

We let the win in Memphis get away from us on Tuesday. That game was just plain crazy! For those of you who didn’t see or hear about it, the game was delayed about 40 minutes because of a water main break. I have never seen anything quite like that in my life. We didn’t know what the problem was at the time; all we knew was that somebody made an announcement that everybody had to leave the building. Baron was shooting free throws, and he went up to take a shot but then he stopped. He saw everybody get up and run. He said he thought the fans were getting ready to do the wave, but then once he saw everybody start to run out the building he just left the ball and took off. We had to leave the building, so we all got on the bus and waited for about 10 minutes. Then we went back in the building and waited for about five minutes, but then security told us we had to go back outside. So then we were outside for another 15 minutes. Finally we resumed the game and there was about 10 minutes left on the clock. So we played, and then we lost. We should have won that game. No excuses. We should have won that game.

Alright, this has got to be a short and sweet entry this week. I’ve got to get focused before tonight’s game. I will be taking lots of video footage on our upcoming road trip. Look for it soon. I also want to remind you to help out Haiti however you can. The NBA has teamed up with Unicef to provide emergency assistance to victims in Haiti. For more information on how you can help, click here. My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to all of you.

Until next time,
- DJ
dj@clippers.com
@deandrejordan

P.S. Once again... how about them Cowboys?

"The Week That Was"

2010-01-11T18:21:13Z

Coach Mike Dunleavy has found a winning combination with the Butler, Camby, Kaman, Gordon and B. Davis starting lineup.
Photo by: Noah Graham (NBAE/Getty Images)

When all is said and done this season we may look back at the week ahead as “The Week That Was”.

There is a lot on the line for the Clippers this week. They climbed within a game of .500 with Sunday’s workmanlike 94-84 victory over a decent Miami Heat team at STAPLES Center. That makes four straight wins – the team’s best winning run since opening the 2007-08 season at 4-0. Moreover, the Clippers have now gone 14-9 since opening the season with only three wins in their first 12 games. Coach Mike Dunleavy has found a winning combination with the Butler, Camby, Kaman, Gordon and B. Davis starting line-up. As a starting group, they’ve won seven times in their eight starts together. So things are looking good.

Here comes “The Week.” It will be four games in give nights on four different courts in three different cities. It all begins in Memphis against the Grizzlies on Tuesday night. The Clips have won two of three from the Griz. Both wins were in Los Angeles, and the second one on November 29th saw them come from 20 down to win by 10. Memphis easily won on their home court in a prior match-up in the Mid-South. They are at .500 and playing their best ball of the season right now. They have gone 17-10 after a 1-8 start.

It will be back-to-back for the Clippers against the Hornets in New Orleans on Wednesday night. They’ve knocked down six straight wins after falling three games under .500. They key in these two games is that these are two of the teams that are standing between the Clippers and a spot in the playoffs. The Hornets have stung the Clippers twice this season. They scored a 28-point win in LA and then won again in the Big Easy. That win accomplished without all-star point guard Chris Paul. Big challenge for the Clippers in the second game of the back-to-backs on Wednesday.

The Lakers will be seeking some revenge against the Clippers on their home hardwood on Friday. There’s no question that the upstart Los Angeles team got the attention of the defending NBA Champions with last week’s 102-91 upset victory.

The season’s most pivotal week concludes on Saturday night with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers at STAPLES Center. The Clippers have already beaten the Lakers, Boston, Portland, Oklahoma City plus Denver and they look to severely test the Cavs who will be playing the final game on a demanding five-game West Coast road trip.

The stakes are high for this improving Clippers team. Sweep the four game set and they’d be three games above .500 at week’s end. Lose all four and (shudder) they’d be five games under. The most likely result would be somewhere in between, I suspect, but the potential rewards and penalties are huge. It should be quite a week. Each of the four games will be televised in HD on PRIME TICKET.

For further comment or discussion you can contact me on Twitter @ohmeomy or on Facebook at facebook.com/ralphlawler.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-06T20:04:16Z

I have to say this Spirit Team is awesome. We have a lot of fun together and we have pushed ourselves to get twenty brand new dances on the court with even more to come.
Photo by: Noah Graham

Happy New Year Clipper Nation! I hope you had a spectacular New Year's. I know I did after the Clips’ 104-88 win over the 76'ers at home!

This first half of the season has flown by. How does that always happen? In the spirit of the New Year and nearly half of the season behind us, let's talk resolutions. I have to say this Spirit Team is awesome. We have a lot of fun together and we have pushed ourselves to get twenty brand new dances on the court with even more to come. For the Spirit, I look at our resolution as more of a constant work in progress. We have come a long way since the beginning of the season. But there are always areas for improvement. I think for us each season is more of a constant pursuit of betterment. Everyone has their own individual goals. Working towards those goals along with settling in more and more as a team will only make us stronger. Each year the dance team is very different, but it is always fun to see when that particular team begins to gel and work as a well oiled machine. Our rehearsals are becoming smoother and you begin to see everyone truly relish their time out on the court.

We have a lot of things to look forward to in the New Year including the return of Blake Griffin. The Spirit will also be hosting the BlazersDancers, the Portland Trail Blazers’ dance team later on in January. They are coming to Los Angeles for dance workshops and we are excited to get to know them and learn about their team.

Time to sign off, Clipper Nation. Hopefully I will see you at tonight’s home game against the Lakers!

Have a great New Year!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T00:34:06Z

KG can post up but he can also shoot the long jump shot so you have to go out and guard him. I like playing against him.
Photo by: Noah Graham (NBAE/Getty Images)

Hey Clipper Nation. Can you believe it’s the end of 2009 already? I can’t believe it. After the game tonight I’m going to go home and play video games. By myself. I know, very exciting. I’ve been thinking a lot about what my New Year’s Resolution should be, and I’ve decided that I am going to stop procrastinating so much about anything. For example: my mom will call me and ask if I’ve taken my clothes to the cleaners yet, and I’ll tell her I plan to do it the next day. She’ll call back the next day and I still haven’t done it. Actually, I still haven’t taken my clothes to the cleaners. I’m going to have to do it tomorrow. That’s when I stop procrastinating so much. And yes, for the record, this does include writing more Journal entries for you all. That’s my personal New Year’s Resolution. For the team, I want us to stop having any excuses.

Last night’s loss to Portland was tough. We should have won that game and we all know it. Brandon Roy just hurt us down the stretch, man. Him and Jerryd Bayless. People were sulking yesterday, but you have to realize we have another 51 games to play in the season. I kept saying to everyone, “We have another one tomorrow. We have to focus on that game and stop harping on the last one.”

Did you all see our win over Boston on Sunday? I was celebrating before Baron even made the shot. That game was fun. Kevin Garnett’s been one of my favorite players since high school, so it was really cool to get to play up against him. He was injured when we played Boston last year, so this was my first chance to play him. He’s different to play against than so many of the other centers in the league because he’s so much more versatile. He can post up but he can also shoot the long jump shot so you have to go out and guard him. I like playing against him.

I got to go back home to Houston when we played the Rockets last week. It was cool to be there because I missed home. I didn’t get to stay for Christmas because the team left the day after our game, but I did get to spend time with my family so I was happy about that. My mom is coming out to LA on January 15th so I’ll get to see her again. My youngest brother Avery is apparently doing really well in basketball back home. All of the coaches in his league are calling him a “beast,” which is pretty crazy. I ended up getting Avery a new myTouch phone, I got Bret a Powermat, one of those things you can charge your phone on, and then Cory got a new Macbook. Santa Claus was good to them this year.

Me? I got world peace. And another scarf. I also should be getting something from Steve Novak tomorrow. He was my Secret Santa on the team, but he said that it didn’t get here in time for Christmas. (I’m still waiting, Steve.) I still have no idea what he got me. He kept saying he was going to get me a Flip Mino, and I just looked at him and blinked. I mean come on Steve, I have one of those. I just need to use it more. (New Year’s Resolution #2, folks!) I was Rasual’s Secret Santa. I got him some really nice cologne. And I gave it to him on Christmas.

Before I forget, my boy D-Ro (Derrick Rowland) broke his leg. The bone came out and everything and he had to have surgery. I wanted to take a moment to wish him a healthy and speedy recovery.

Almost game time, Clipper Nation. I will leave you with a very special video. Remember how I had to learn the “Thriller” dance at Media Day? I also had to sing, “Auld Land Syne,” and let me tell you, it was not easy. I hope you have a happy and safe New Year’s, Clipper Nation!

Until next time,
- DJ
dj@clippers.com
@deandrejordan

P.S. How about them 10-5 Cowboys?

That's More Like It

2009-12-28T18:34:12Z

One second on the clock – time expiring a milli-second after the ball left his hand – SWISH! – Clippers win!
Photo by: Noah Graham (NBAE/Getty Images)

Now that’s more like it. Sunday night’s 92-90 thiller over the mighty Boston Celtics was what we’ve been waiting for since day one of the 2009-10 Clippers season. It is even more amazing coming on the heels of the Christmas Day Massacre in Phoenix.

I loved the feeling at STAPLES Center from the moment I arrived around 4:00 pm. Everyone had a little special edge about them. As the crowd of more than 19,000 began filtering into the arena an hour or so later, it was obvious this was more than just another night in a long 82-game season. Green Celtics jerseys dotted the landscape as they do everywhere the Celtics play, but this was very much a pro-Clippers house. Expectations were mixed in the wake of the debacle in Arizona just two nights earlier. Some cynical fans feared the worst. Others felt the Clippers would rise to the moment an provide a serious challenge to the team the L.A. Times had just ranked as the best in the league. The latter proved to be the case.

It was a great game throughout. The Clippers led early by four and trailed by as many as 11 in the third quarter. But they responded each time the Celtics threatened to break open the game. Marcus Camby sat out his first game of the season for the Clippers and Head Coach and General Manager Mike Dunleavy turned to little used 21-year-old backup DeAndre Jordan to fill in for the 35-year-old veteran. DJ did just fine. His length and athleticism were a positive factor and helped force Rasheed Wallace into a 4-16 shooting night.

The real stars of the game though were Baron Davis and Chris Kaman. They looked like genuine NBA All-Stars out there. What I loved about Kaman was that he remained an offensive factor in the second half. His bottom line of 27 points and 12 rebounds against Kendrick Perkins stands out as one of his best all-time efforts. And how about Baron? He had forced overtime a year ago in Portland with a last second shot, but this was his first, genuine game-winner with the Clippers. One second on the clock – time expiring a milli-second after the ball left his hand – SWISH! – Clippers win!

The closest thing to this in recent memory was Steve Novak’s buzzer-beating game winner against New Jersey last season. But those were the Nets. These were the Celtics. The crowd stood throughout the final minute of play. All those days and nights of frustration melted away as Baron’s shot rotated slowly and surely toward the goal and finally settled gently into the net. Euphoria swept over the building and all things seemed possible again.

I do love this game.

For further comment or discussion you can contact me on Twitter @ohmeomy or on Facebook at facebook.com/ralphlawler.

"Rock Star"

2009-12-11T19:50:36Z

Assuming a January appearance by Griffin, all things remain possible.
Photo by: Noah Graham (NBAE/Getty Images)

The Clippers are enjoying their longest schedule-break of the season outside the five-day All-Star break in February. The timing isn’t bad. It allows for some minor nicks and bruises to heal and gives the coaching staff ample time to prepare for the major tests provided Sunday and Monday by San Antonio and Washington, respectively.

It also give us a moment to reflect on the team’s 9-12 start. Clipper fans would, no doubt, like to see that record reversed and it doesn’t take a lot of revisionist history to figure how easily that could have happened considering a handful of narrow defeats and late game collapses. Still, heading into the weekend, 9-12 leaves the Clippers within 2½ games of eighth place Oklahoma City in the Western Conference playoff race. They really aren’t in such bad shape considering the injuries to young stars Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon. The Clips will need some help to get back in the hunt but unsuspected help is almost certain to come in the form of an untimely injury to a key player on a contending team. I truly wish that on nobody, but history indicates it is almost certain to happen. A major injury can turn a team’s season upside down. So the Clippers just need to stay on the fringes of this thing and stay ready. Assuming a January appearance by Griffin, all things remain possible.

Blake Griffin brings so many intangibles to the table. Follow me on this: I was struck by the fan appeal of Dwight Howard in the wake of Orlando’s victory over the Clippers on Tuesday night. The Magic center could hardly get off the court because of the clamour of the fans. He stood in front of the press table right near our broadcast location with the fans straining for a close up glimpse of the 24-year-old super-star and physical phenom. As he tossed a wrist band into the crowd behind us, a couple of beer-toting fans lunged to catch the wrist band… their beer flowing through the air and onto my partner Mike Smith’s back. Mike was drenched. (The closest he’s been to a beer in his entire life, I might add.) As Howard wended his way toward the court exit, the fans surrounded him and hounded his every step. He was a “Rock Star” of a magnitude matched only in the NBA by LeBron James. He finally removed his jersey and tossed it to the delirious and adoring crowd. Wow, I marveled and then I thought back to Las Vegas this past summer. Blake Griffin was given very similar treatment at the Vegas Summer League. He was far and away the main attraction at the games in the Nevada desert. He was the “Rock Star” player in a city of stars. Fans swooned whenever they saw him at the gym or at the team hotel. He was followed and fawned after wherever he went. Security had to sneak him in back doors of the hotel to avoid the mobs. A further reminder this past Sunday at the L.A. Auto show at the downtown convention center. DeAndre Jordan and Griffin both made late afternoon appearances. Fans were happy to see DJ. They went nuts to see Griffin. This young 20-year-old has never played in an NBA game and fans were going crazy just to get a glimpse of him. He has the charisma, bright smile and adonis-like build to match Dwight Howard. He is a star to be on and off the court. He fills every room with his presence the minute he enters and he’ll do the same thing to the Clipper lockerroom when he suits up for the first time, for real. Blake will never be the shot blocker that Howard is, but he’ll be a similar physical presence and a surperior and better-rounded offensive player. Clippers fans are in store for a real treat. It was fun having Howard here for one night. We will soon have Griffin here every night. Get your seat belts ready.

For further comment or discussion you can contact me on Twitter @ohmeomy or on Facebook at facebook.com/ralphlawler.

Good Tests Abound

2009-12-07T18:16:18Z

Good tests abound in the next week. The 16-4 Orlando Magic check in on Tuesday with Dwight Howard and Vince Carter.
Photo by: Noah Graham (NBAE/Getty Images)

The Clippers are midway through their longest homestand of the season. The ledger shows two wins and a single loss. 20 games into the season the record is 9-11. At least four of those losses felt like they could or should have been wins: at home vs. Phoenix, Oklahoma City and Toronto and on the road at Indiana. If they’d won just two of those four, the record turns around to 11-9 and the Clippers would be No. 8 in the West right now. But, if I had gills, I could swim the English Channel under water. 9-11 is the reality. However, we are reminded that despite the early season injuries and often uneven performances, the Clippers remain very much in contention in the highly competetive Western Conference. Remember too that the Clippers have won five of their last seven and are an impressive 6-1 in the last seven games in which Eric Gordon has played.

There are no more than four super teams in the West: the Lakers, Suns, Nuggets and maybe Dallas. The final four spots in the playoff grid are wide open. Even the upcoming six-game holiday road trip lists only one team with a better record than the 11-9 that I outlined above. That would be the Christmas Day present with the Clippers at Phoenix. This Clippers team has every reason to believe it can win most nights. They have played Phoenix and the Lakers down to the wire. They have beaten Denver. They did that without their June draft prize, Blake Griffin. Imagine how good the Clippers can be a month from now.

Good tests abound in the next week. The 16-4 Orlando Magic check in on Tuesday with Dwight Howard and Vince Carter. The Magic are really good and they’ve won seven straight on the road. The Clippers will then have four full days to get ready for Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs, who they’ll meet at 6:30 on Sunday the 13th. If you can’t join us in person you can follow the Clippers all season long in HD on Prime Ticket.

We will surely have a better feel of just how good this Clipper team can be before they hit the road in Mid-December.

For further comment or discussion you can contact me on Twitter @ohmeomy or on Facebook at facebook.com/ralphlawler.

Say What?

2009-11-30T19:36:07Z

The building hasn’t rocked like that for a Clippers game in a couple of seasons.
Photo by: Noah Graham (NBAE/Getty Images)

It was the greatest five minutes of basketball any Clippers team has ever played. It may well have been the best five minutes of basketball any NBA team has ever played. Say what? Hey, they missed only one shot and one free throw down the stretch. That was it. They shut out the opposition. How do you get any better than that?

Let’s review the video tape of the final five minutes of the Clippers stunning 98-88 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday afternoon. The Clips had trailed by 20 in the third quarter. They were still down by 16 going into the fourth. Almost seven minutes into that last period, they’d trimmed only four points off that deficit and still trailed 88-76. The final 5:07 belong in a Clipper time capsule.

First, Kaman scores on an awkward looking left-handed hook shot to cut it to 10. It’s still a 10 point difference with four minutes to go. This is where "Amazing" happened. Marcus Camby returned to the Clippers’ lineup. Gay misses two free throws. Thornton rebounds and outlets to Baron Davis, who drives and scores to cut it to 8 with 3:50 remaining. Kaman gets a steal and Gordon is fouled on a scoring drive to the basket. His free throw is good and the three-point play makes it a five point game. 3:28 remaining on the clock. Mayo misses; Camby rebounds; Thornton misses; Kaman rebounds and gets fouled. He makes both foul shots and it’s a three-point game with 2:43 to go. 12-seconds later, Camby steals the ball from the now shell-shocked Grizzlies. Thornton gets fouled and makes one of two from the line. Memphis 88, Clippers 86 with 2:25 on the clock. Camby blocks the next Memphis shot; Gordon rebounds and drives the length of the court to tie the score at 2:03! The Clippers had out-scored the Grizz 12-0 in three minutes of play. And they weren’t done yet.

They’d score 10 more points in the final 1:40 to log an improbable 98-88 victory. The final 5:07 showed the Clippers out-scoring Memphis 22-0! The Clippers made eight of their final nine shots, while the Grizzlies missed their last eight, turned the ball over three times in five minutes and had two shots blocked. It was positively glorious. The building hasn’t rocked like that for a Clippers game in a couple of seasons.

The win gave the team an 8-6 record for the month of November. It is their first winning month since January of 2007. It was also four wins in five games with the next five played in the comfort of STAPLES Center. There are some good teams coming in but the only ones to have winning road records this season are Houston (5-4) and Orlando (8-2). This is a chance for the Clippers to climb back into the playoff hunt. They are currently (as of Monday morning) only two games off the play-off pace. A good first two weeks of December can put them right back in the hunt.

Whatever happens next the Sunday win was one that will not be soon forgotten. It was a truly memorable 600th career coaching win for Mike Dunleavy and a job well done by all.

For further comment or discussion you can contact me on Twitter @ohmeomy or on Facebook at facebook.com/ralphlawler.

Let's Enjoy the Moment

2009-11-29T22:55:58Z

Let’s enjoy the moment. Three wins in four tries and a six-game home stand on the horizon.
Photo by: Allen Einstein (NBAE/Getty Images)

Yeah, I know it should have been a 2-0 Road trip for the Clippers, but 1-1 still leaves the team with three wins in their last four as a catapult into a rather leisurely six-game home stand that stretches from November 29th all the way to Dec. 14th. It’s the longest run of consecutive home games for the entire season and an ideal opportunity to repair the team’s current 7-10 record.

Let’s review the trip before we look at what lies ahead. Wednesday at Indiana: the Pacers were without leading scorer Danny Granger and showed no willingness to put up a fight in the first quarter when they shot an anemic 17% from the field. The Clippers clearly failed to seize the opportunity to put the game away early as they scored just 19 points themselves to lead only 19-12 after one period of play. I mean the lead could have been 20. They would stretch it out to as many as 11 in the second half, but the Pacers began to make some shots and gain some confidence. Still, the Clips led by four entering the final quarter. Troy Murphy and Dahntay Jones could not make a shot early but could not miss in the fourth quarter. They out-scored the demoralized Clipper team 31-14 in the fourth. Final: Indiana 86, Clippers 73. Nine assists for the Clippers in the game and they make only 32% of their shots. Veteran Baron Davis (25 Points) and Marcus Camby (21 Rebounds) were the only players who seemed to be really on their games.

Friday at Detroit: the Pistons had a 13-game Winning streak over the Clippers, who had not won on the Pistons’ home hardwood since 2001. The Mike Dunleavy coached Clippers had never beaten the Pistons. Chris Kaman, in his seventh season with the team, had never enjoyed a win over the Pistons, who were the team he followed while growing up nearby in Grand Rapids, MI. It was time to change all that but it would not be easy. Not even easy with three top Detroit stars sidelined by injury: Rip Hamilton (ankle), Tayshaun Prince (back) and Ben Gordon (ankle). It was an all too familiar reminder of Indianapolis 48-hours earlier. The Pistons started well and led by seven at the half. Baron Davis and Chris Kaman were the Clippers lone offensive weapons. Detroit still led by one going into the fourth quarter. The Clippers knew how to finish on this night. Al Thornton scored a dozen fourth quarter points to lead his team to a rewarding 104-96 victory. 26 points for Kaman, 25 points and 10 assists for Baron, 19 points for Thornton and 6 blocked shots from Marcus Camby. 59% shooting and just 9 turnovers were a winning combination.

Time now for some home cooking. The Clippers have won their last two home games to lift their confidence going into this six-game stand. Three of the six foes on the schedule have losing records (Memphis, Indiana and Washington); two have winning marks (Orlando and San Antonio); and one is at .500 as I write this (Houston). Of the six teams, only the Orlando Magic have a winning record on the road.

Eric Gordon is getting his legs back after sitting out eight games. The team’s confidence is growing. The win over Denver showed they can beat a quality opponent at STAPLES Center and the determined finish in Detroit helped exorcize some old demons.

The stage is set for Mike Dunleavy’s club to get itself right back into the playoff hunt. They are only a couple of games off the pace right now and the next six provide a golden opportunity. It might take a 5-1 run to get them over the top. But that’s what it’s going to take to get back in the mix. 4-2 probably keeps them on the fringes but each home loss puts added pressure on a six-game road trip that looms in mid-December.

Let’s enjoy the moment. Three wins in four tries and a six-game home stand on the horizon. All six games will be televised on PRIME TICKET.

Oh, sorry about the snafu in the fourth quarter of our telecast from The Palace on Friday night. There was a small fire in the TV truck shared by the two teams. Both clubs lost their telecasts as the truck was powered-down and evacuated. We had audio-only for a while, video from the scoreboard for a while and I’m not sure what else. Sorry about that.

For further comment or discussion you can contact me on Twitter @ohmeomy or on Facebook at facebook.com/ralphlawler.

The Big 19-0 Run

2009-11-25T19:22:18Z

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of Chauncey Billups, dating back to the days when Mr. Big Shot was taking home fancy hardware like Finals MVP trophies and championship rings. When he was traded to Denver early last season, I was thrilled: this meant I got to see Mr. Big Shot play against the Clips at STAPLES Center not once, but twice now that he was back in the Western Conference. So it was bittersweet to see him stifled to a 5 point, 7 rebound performance last week. I always want to see him play well; but I'll take the 106-99 win over Denver any day!

Without further delay, this week's best once again comes from ClipperBlog.com's Kevin Arnovitz, who breaks down "The Big 19-0 Run" that the Clippers had against Billups and the Nuggets on Friday. Arnovitz puts it best: "It takes four minutes and ten seconds of basketball, and it catapults the Clips to their biggest win over the season."

Kevin Arnovitz is the creator of ClipperBlog.com and is a regular TrueHoop contributor. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ClipperBlog.

Please note: Mr. Arnovitz's thoughts and opinions are his and his alone. In no way do they necessarily reflect those of the Los Angeles Clippers organization. (But we watch his videos because he's a citizen of Clipper Nation.)

Check back next week with another video clip from around the web! If you'd like to submit a video for consideration - one you've created yourself or one you've seen online - e-mail the link to the video to clippernation@clippers.com and be sure to include your name and hometown. Go Clips!

Encouraging

2009-11-25T18:53:10Z

Despite all the highs (Denver) and lows (Toronto), the Clips are 6-5 in the month with three games remaining.
Photo by: Noah Graham (NBAE/Getty Images)

This should be an interesting week for the Clippers as they prepare to close the month of November. Despite all the highs (Denver) and lows (Toronto), the Clips are 6-5 in the month with three games remaining. If they can win two of those three, it will be their first winning month since January of 2007. High-scoring Eric Gordon is expected to come back this week and rookie sensation Blake Griffin returns next month. A winning November would certainly be an encouraging preface to December.

The Clippers open their longest home-stand of the season on Sunday when Memphis comes in for a 12:30 matinee game. If ever there was a way to jump start a big month, a six-game home-stand should be the way. Among the foes in the first two weeks of the month: Houston (T-Mac back?), Indiana (Danny Granger), Orlando (Dwight Howard), San Antonio (Tim Duncan) and Washington (Gilbert Arenas).

Both opponents on this trip are vulnerable. The Pacers have dropped four straight after a Tuesday night loss in Toronto. The Pistons return from a winless road trip this week to play Cleveland tonight. Detroit carries a five-game losing streak onto the court against the Cavaliers.

But I digress. We arrived in Indy about 9:00 pm EST last night. It’s going to be a cold and damp week in the Midwest: temperatures are in the 40s with rain showers in Indianapolis and possible snow showers in Detroit.

It’s also a homecoming week for several in our traveling party. Coach Mike Dunleavy will layover in Indianapolis after the Wednesday night game to spend Thanksgivng with son Michael and his wife. MD, Jr. has not played for the Pacers this season while recovering from knee surgery.

Young Eric Gordon also returns to his hometown, where he helped the Clippers to a double-overtime win over the Pacers last season. Eric has not played the past eight games because of a groin injury. He has targeted this game for his return. He’ll also have the chance to spend the holiday with family and friends.

The rest of the team will make the short hop north to Detroit right after tonight's game against the Pacers. Center Chris Kaman will spend Thanksgiving with his family at their home outside of Grand Rapids, MI. The team beds down at an idyllic community in suburban Detroit called Birmingham. We never get so much as a peak at the Detroit skyline. We land in at a regional airport in Pontiac and the Pistons play their games in the affluent suburb of Auburn Hills. Not sure how the PRIME TICKET broadcast team will spend Thursday, but I’m sure we’ll find a turkey and trimmings to share.

It’s back to work on Friday for a morning shoot-around in preparation for the Pistons at The Palace where the Clippers have not won since February of 2001.

Join us for both games on your season-long TV Home for Clippers Basketball, PRIME TICKET at 4:00 pm (PT) on Wednesday vs. the Pacers and FS West at 5:00 pm (PT) Friday vs. the Pistons.

For further comment or discussion you can contact me on Twitter @ohmeomy or on Facebook at facebook.com/ralphlawler.

Just One of the Guys

2009-11-18T17:20:30Z

I can't decide whose leisure suit is better: Blake Griffin's powder blue homage to Jim Carrey in "Dumb & Dumber" or DeAndre Jordan's custom made pink velvet blazer and blue bowtie from last season. Either way, Blake's Dora the Explorer backpack may just be the best of the rookie hazing that this year's class has to offer, which brings me to this week's Clip of the Week.

How could I not choose ESPN The Magazine's video of Blake Griffin's rookie hazing-filled life? I dare you to find me a better one.

Be sure to check back next week with another video clip from around the web! Don't forget, if you'd like to submit a video for consideration - one you've created yourself or one you've seen online - you can e-mail the link to the video to clippernation@clippers.com and be sure to include your name and hometown. Go Clips!

Hats Off to the Guys

2009-11-16T19:59:02Z

Thornton had his best game of the season. His 20 points included a couple of rim-rattling slam dunks, the likes of which we'd not seen from him since last season.
Photo by: Layne Murdoch (NBAE/Getty Images)

I've never seen a road trip in the NBA more welcome than this one. The home horrors and a three-game home losing streak left behind in Los Angeles in the smoldering ashes of Friday's flame-out against the Toronto Raptors. It was a game in which the Clippers collapsed in the second half and surrendered a 22-point lead en route to a 104-89 defeat.

What a difference a road-game makes. The Clippers came into Oklahoma City to face the young Thunder who had just beaten the powerful San Antonio Spurs in Texas and also owned an 83-79 win over the Clippers in Los Angeles. The trip to Oklahoma allowed the team to clear its mind of the recent past and worry about a hostile crowd on the road rather than the hostile atmosphere in their own house at STAPLES Center.

The local fans had gotten restless during the teams' struggles against New Orleans, Oklahoma City and Toronto. A promising three-game winning streak had been erased with the three-game losing skid. The road journey allowed the team to put that behind them, It allowed the team to bond by getting together in Oklahoma City on Saturday night to watch the pay-per-view boxing match. It allowed the coaching staff and the players to refocus on the task at hand - an inviting three-game trip against teams they'd played just a week earlier in L.A.

I was impressed early on when the team got to Oklahoma City. The L.A. Times was harping on the firestorm surrounding head coach Mike Dunleavy. Impervious to all of that, the coach just honed in on finding a way to get a win Sunday night. The Thunder’s game on Saturday in San Antonio was not available on TV at the team hotel. Undeterred, the coach hooked up his Slingbox and watched the game off his home television set through NBA League Pass. He charted plays, made notes and held an early Sunday morning meeting with his staff.

Meanwhile, struggling small forward Al Thornton reached out to assistant coach Fred Vinson, asking if he could get out on the court before the team's Sunday AM shoot-around. The player and the coach got there an hour early to work on Al's shot and, more specifically, his "explosion." The benefits were clear Sunday night as Thornton had his best game of the season. His 20 points included a couple of rim-rattling slam dunks, the likes of which we'd not seen from him since last season.

Another good sign arose when high scoring center Chris Kaman was the first player on the court before the Thunder game. He'd come over early despite still feeling ill from a virus that had hit him last Wednesday. His extra work paid more dividends as he knocked down 10 of 15 shots and scored 25 points in the Clippers 101-93 win.

Hats off to the guys. They played hard and well from start to finish in the road trip opener. Yes, a 13-point lead evaporated and that did conjure up some worrisome images of recent losses, but they came on strong with a riveting defensive effort in the final period, out-scoring the Thunder 26-17 in the fourth quarter.

The win lifted the spirits of the team and the fan base. The struggling New Orleans Hornets (without Chris Paul) and the 2-8 Memphis Grizzlies lie ahead on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Win those and there'll be a much different mood in STAPLES Center when the Clippers return on Friday to face the Denver Nuggets.

The final two games on the road will be live at 5:00 pm on PRIME TICKET both nights.

For further comment or discussion you can contact me @ohmeomy or facebook.com/ralphlawler.

NIGHT VISION GOGGLES!

2009-11-14T00:03:37Z

Y'all like my night vision goggles? I'm so glad I got the collector's edition!

What's up Clipper Nation? It's time to take a break from Modern Warfare 2 and check in with my favorite fans. Can I just say that I am addicted to that game right now? The collector's edition that I got is so cool! It came with... wait for it... NIGHT VISION GOGGLES! It also came with a gel mask to rest the night vision goggles on top of. It's real good, man. The goggles aren't for the game; they're just for my enjoyment. So far I've only worn them twice – I turned off all of the lights in my living room and I was just looking around. I'm so glad I got that collector's edition.

So we lost the last couple of games, which I'll get to in a minute. First I want to deliver the good news, which is that we won three straight. Our first win was against the Timberwolves, who we beat 93-90. That was a fun game. One of my high school friends, Jonny Flynn plays for Minnesota. At the end of the game, he and I were talking a little bit of trash to each other. Then I blocked his shot. That was awesome.

Then we beat the Warriors 118-90. That was a really fun game for me. (For those keeping score at home, I had 13 points and 5 rebounds.) That turnaround jumper that I made in the fourth quarter? You may never see that again in my entire career. I'm shooting 100% for jump shots, but whatever. It's cool.

Then we beat Memphis 113-110. It was really exciting to win three in a row. Then we lost to New Orleans... it seemed like we were the ones that played the night before, not them. The game was pretty close until the third quarter. We should have beat them. We should have beat Oklahoma City on Wednesday, too. The thing is we know we're a good team and we know we can win. We just have to find a way.

We need to get Blake and Eric back. They're both doing alright, but I think Blake is getting kind of antsy. He's not allowed to do much during practice so... he'll find ways to entertain himself. Today he recorded a video of himself eating an English muffin. I'd show you but he deleted it from the camera. He needs to get back on the court – it'll benefit us and him. He's sad he can't play, but he's a good sport about it. I know he wants to travel with us next week but he can't because he's got to stay in town for his treatment. I told him we could still talk on Skype. (Side note: Blake and I are both practicing our magic tricks. We're both at the top of our game right now. We'll probably have to put on a show for Clipper Nation.)

When Blake doesn't go on the road trips with us, I'll have to go out to eat with some other people, like Richard Williams our Strength and Conditioning coach. I've told you before how he doesn't let me eat sweets, so when we go out to dinner I'm not allowed to get dessert. It sucks! Every single time we go to dinner, we'll go out somewhere like Yard House or Grande Lux Café or CPK, which all have my favorite dessert on the menu – a brownie with caramel on it, then ice cream then more caramel and a cherry on top. They'll even decorate your plate for you. Whenever I'm out with Rich, the waiter will come over and ask if we want to see the dessert menu. I'll look over at Rich and he'll just give me that knowing look and I have to tell the waiter, "No thank you." I can't even look at the waiter when I'm saying it. I always like dessert. The good news is, he's not on Twitter so he doesn't know about that delicious brownie sundae I got when I went out to dinner last week.

I have to get ready for tonight's game, but before I go... how about them Cowboys? We're 6-2 and I'm very proud of my team. I want to give a special shout out to my AAU basketball teammate and college buddy Martellus Bennett, who plays tight end for the Cowboys. Also, yesterday was my mom's birthday, so I want to wish her a happy birthday on my journal! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Until next time,
- DJ
dj@clippers.com
@deandrejordan

Snubbed

2009-11-11T22:33:10Z

I’m happy that Baron Davis got recognized... but where are Chris Kaman and Eric Gordon on the Ballot?
Photo by: Noah Graham (NBAE/Getty Images)

I'm sitting here looking at the 2010 NBA All-Star Ballot. I’m trying to avoid screaming out loud.

Trust me, I understand the drill here. It’s the fans’ game. They vote for who they want to vote for. But the league, or a panel of “experts” puts the names on the ballot. It’s the league’s menu and the fans choose from that menu. I’m looking at the menu. Think I’ll order an Eric Gordon appetizer and then I’ll have Chris Kaman for my main course. WHOOPS!

The Clippers’ two best players aren’t even on the ballot! Leading scorer #1 and leading scorer #2 aren’t even a choice for the fans. Oh yeah, fans can write them in. It’s a nice thought but a strategy sure to end in frustration.

Somehow, the “experts” decided that Clippers power forward Marcus Camby was a better choice at Center than Kaman. Camby doesn’t play Center for the Clippers. Kaman starts and DeAndre Jordan backs him up. They opted for the more veteran Camby. I’m not saying Marcus should not be on the menu, but he’s a forward. He could have been listed there instead of Al Thornton who did make the ballot. Meanwhile, fans have a choice of Sacramento’s Hawes or 11 other guys instead of Kaman at center. I know it’s not easy when you have to draw this thing up in the first week of October, but give me a break.

No better news in the backcourt where Eric Gordon was snubbed for, let’s say Tracy McGrady or Ramon Sessions. They knew full well in early October that McGrady was going to miss a big chunk of the season. And Sessions over Gordon? Be happy those guys aren’t in charge of your Fantasy draft.

I’m happy that Baron Davis got recognized. He certainly belongs on the ballot. That’s the distinction here. We aren’t talking about who is or is not having an All-Star season we are just developing our menu of the best candidates at each position. Impossible to believe Kaman and Gordon don’t make the list.

In reality, none of the Clippers candidates were going to be voted in as starters by the fans. So this may be much ado about nothing. Kaman is the one who is having the All-Star numbers. If it continues, he will still get the eye of the Western Conference coaches who fill out the balance of the All-Star rosters after the fans choose the starters.

The bottom line is this Clippers team is getting no respect. The reality is - the way to get it is to win and win consistently. That's the challenge at hand.

Off the Charts

2009-11-09T23:43:21Z

Eric Gordon is the other player worthy of special praise. The 20-year old from Indianapolis is a scoring machine.
Photo by: Andrew D. Bernstein (NBAE/Getty Images)

Nothing cleanses the mind and purifies the soul like a win. Sounds simple, but it’s the truth in the world of the National Basketball Association where all judgments are based on wins and losses.

The Clippers opened the season with four straight losses to some of the Western Conference’s top teams. But 0-4 is 0-4. The teams they lost to won an average of 52 games last season.

Well, what the schedule maker giveth, he also takes away.

The next seven games on the docket would be against teams that averaged only 29 wins last year. Coach Mike Dunleavy’s team jumped at the opportunity with back-to-back wins over Minnesota and on the road at Golden State. Now they dive into the season’s first prolonged homestand: a stretch of four games in seven days against Memphis, New Orleans, Oklahoma City and Toronto. The Raptors are the only team of the quartet to open the week with a winning record. If the Clippers can but win three of the four, they’d be back to .500 and it would be a solid recovery from that 0-4 start. A sweep would lift them to a winning record for the first time in the young season.

After Friday night’s 118-90 victory over Golden State in Oakland, all things seem possible. Veteran point guard Baron Davis remains the team’s catalyst. He is a force of nature when he plays with the determination and focus exhibited against his former team. Center Chris Kaman has started well in seasons past, but this is off the charts. Through the first two weeks of play he is averaging a whopping 22.5 points a game. That’s enough to rank him as the highest scoring center in the league. If Davis keeps playing like Baron and Kaman approximates anything close to this level of play, this is a very good Clipper team.

Eric Gordon is the other player worthy of special praise. The 20-year old from Indianapolis is a scoring machine. He consistently gets his team off to a good start. They’ve scored 30 or more points in the first quarter in four of their last five games. Gordon has averaged nine points a quarter in those opening periods. He went for 12 in the opening stanza of the back-to-back wins over the Timberwolves and the Warriors.

The team still needs to sort out the small forward position and find a way to reduce turnovers. The Clippers remain a work in progress but now we are starting to see the progress.

Every game in the homestand will be televised live in HD on PRIME TICKET. Stay in touch with me @ohmeomy or facebook.com/ralphlawler.

The Telfair-Smith Dance

2009-11-10T05:17:56Z

I like videos. No, scratch that. I LOVE videos. Particularly videos about the Clippers, Clipper Nation or the Spirit Dance Team (I try to learn the dance moves myself... not gonna lie). So I decided that each week on MCN, I'm going to post my favorite Video 'Clip' of the Week for Clipper Nation to enjoy.

This week's best comes from ClipperBlog.com's Kevin Arnovitz, who breaks down the "Telfair-Smith Dance."Arnovitz is the creator of ClipperBlog.com and is a regular TrueHoop contributor. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ClipperBlog.