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Every weekday until the NBA season starts on October 27th, I will be asking a question that's bugging me (QTBM) about the upcoming campaign and attempt to answer my own query. Comments are welcome.
The Los Angeles Clippers have the talent to be really good, even out in the loaded Western Conference. Call it a curse, a series of unfortunate events, or the fumbling around by owner Donald Sterling - the Clippers cannot be consistently good. Consistently bad, however, is another story.
The last time the Clippers made the postseason three years in a row, they were called the Buffalo Braves (1974-76), and that was the only time they've ever performed the consecutive playoff appearance trifecta. How about back-to-back playoff appearances, any consistency there? Of course not. The only other time they went back-to-back was in 1992 and 1993, getting bounced both times in the opening round. Other than that, add in the other two appearances in 1997 (first-round exit) and 2006 (conference semi-finals loss) and you have to wave your hand in front of your nose.
Well, I think they actually turn it around, and considering the 19-63 record from last season, they do it big. Uh oh, I'm sure villification will rain down on me now.
It all starts wtih Baron Davis, the mercurial point guard with tons of charisma, game, and affability, but also a horrible shooting eye and health as reliable as a butter knife in a gunfight. Yet, it wasn't that long ago that he had the entire Bay Area praising him like a demi-god when B-Diddy played with the Golden State Warriors, a marriage that probably should have never divorced. However, the NBA is a business and the legend goes that Davis thought that Elton Brand was going to stay with the Clippers to form a dynamic duo. So much for that.
Maybe it was because he felt misled and sort of stuck with his decision based on false information or maybe even the pressure of playing in his hometown, but the Baron did not seem completely happy in his first year in the Clip Joint. However, Clippers fans, take heart in knowing that after his first full season in a new city (I'm counting the Hornets move to New Orleans here, as well as his stay in the Bay), he distinctly improves the following season. Sure it's hard to amp things up at 30-years-old, but I believe Davis can do it and lead the Clippers to a .500 record.
What?!?!
A 22-game improvement is certainly a tall order, but it's not like Boom Dizzle has to do it all by himself. In the backcourt, Davis will start with Eric Gordon, the sophomore two-guard ready to increase his production of 16.1 PPG on a respectable 45.6% shooting from the field and 85.4% from the line in 2009-10 and certainly has the tools to do so. Sebastian Telfair, who averaged 12.4 PPG and 4.7 APG in 29 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves after the All-Star break will back-up Davis and should prove capable doing so. Rasual Butler joins the Clippers backcourt and is an excellent role-playing, team-first player that will defend the top offensive guard without a problem.
In the frontcourt, the Clippers are loaded, particularly at the four and five positions. Heralded rookie Blake Griffin joins a jam-up of power forwards and centers that includes Marcus Camby, Chris Kaman, DeAndre Jordan, Craig Smith, and Brian Skinner. Of course, Camby and Kaman are the bigger names here as both are board and blocking stalwarts with Kaman being a better scorer and Camby a better defender. It is possible for both of them to be on the floor to form a Twin Towers tandem, but can both stay healthy enough to do so? In the past two seasons, Kaman has played in 31 and 56 games after averaging 74.5 games the previous four years. Camby only played 62 games last season, his first year in the Clip Joint, which brought back talk of his fragility after playing in 79 and 70 games respectively the two previous seasons. Both being healthy will go a long way in the Clippers being, not only surprising, but respectable. Thus far the plan is for one of them to start and the other to come off the pine, which should maximize their efforts and save them from a visit by the injury bug. Hopefully.
The youngsters, Griffin and Jordan, hang out a lot according to their tweets and both seem laid-back, but not afraid to put in the work, particularly Griffin who has a reputation of going hard in workouts, which can only influence Jordan to reach his upside. I don't think Griffin will be a savior per se, but he'll definitely make a difference as he's athletic, strong, able to run and finish (something Davis will surely use to his advantage), has a non-stop motor, developing a strong inside-out game, and has an NBA body entering his first season in the league. I've heard "he's an athletic Karl Malone" and that's high praise/expectations indeed. Starting at the four right off the bat, added with Griffin's willingness to work makes me a believer. Smith has proven to be a very good player off the bench from his days with the T-Wolves and will bring some scoring from the power forward position.
At the three, Al Thornton showed improvement from his rookie season when he averaged 12.7 PPG to 16.8 PPG his second season thanks to an increase in minutes. Thornton won't wow you, but you can put him down for at least 15 points per night. Ricky Davis is past his prime, but it still serviceable and can get on a hot streak out of nowhere, but he'll need to stay healthy in order to make things happen as he only played 36 games last season.
The Clippers are a collection of seeming extremes in regards to age with their main players either being 30 or over - Davis (30), Camby (35) - or 20 years old - Griffin and Gordon. Can the veterans and wet-behind-the-ears youngsters mesh? They'll have to in order to meet my lofty goal of them finishing with a .500 record and really to me, it'll start by having Baron Davis smile alot and having fun, finding that youthful enthusiasm we all had as kids. For the Clippers, it'll be the point guard that runs the show and not only dictate what happens on the floor, but also the wins column.
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You're a good man for trying to tackle this question, because their roster just scares and confuses me. There is enough talent there to be a playoff team, or maybe it just all falls apart and they win 19 games again. Considering it is the Clippers, my money would have to be on the latter until proven otherwise.