Holiday Season in Clipper Nation

(Originally posted on December 26 on LAist)

Happy holidays to Clipper Nation.

Apparently the Clippers took the idea of a holiday break literally, as they have been on virtual vacation for the last two weeks, spreading holiday cheer to their opponents by losing six straight until beating Houston on Saturday (who happened to be playing without their two all-stars, Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady).

Clipper posts have been sparse over the last few days, but here's what you may have been lucky to have avoided missed out on since the last CW (returning next week):

- Clips feeling nostalgic for the Chris Ford years, suffer multiple embarrassing losses to conference foes San Antonio, Utah, Portland, and Dallas (LA Times)

- For once, you can't blame the Clippers' problems on Donald Sterling's cheapness: Mike Dunleavy signed a four-year $22 million contract extension, despite the team firmly nestled in last place

- Clipper Nation sounding like lobbyists for NAFTA, hope for a trade to shake up the ranks. Man-crush Allen Iverson escapes instead to Denver to join the sissy-punching Carmelo Anthony. Insistent on adding some thug passion to their roster, Clips turn their attention to Ron Artest while Corey Maggette keeps his bags packed.

- More infirmary issues: Sam Cassell may need to rest his heel, which is slowing him down. Surprisingly, no one else on the Clips is suffering from any movement-affecting injuries; it just looks like it when the other team keeps blowing by them for easy buckets.

- With $55 million guaranteed in the bank, Chris Kaman decides that he can finally afford a trip to see Jose Eber about improving that "crazy ax murderer in the woods" image (post-haircut photo above, pre-haircut photo here). Fortunately, his new image includes playing Santa Claus to a bunch of underprivileged kids.

AP photos by David J. Phillip and Mark Slocum

Searching for Answers

(Originally posted on December 16 on LAist)

So LAist has tried to refrain from piling on the already crowded media bandwagon (such as here, here, and here) for the Clippers to make a certain move for a certain tattooed superstar.

But after watching yet another dismal, uninspiring double-digit loss to Portland last night on the heels of two absolute beatdowns by San Antonio and Utah, it's time to let this voice be heard.

Make. A. Move.

Everyone has been saying that the Clippers have been underachieving, that they have an immensely talented team that is just out of sync. They've had injuries to key players, such as Chris Kaman, Sam Cassell, and Corey Maggette. They were worn down from an overly ambitious travel schedule during the offseason and preseason.

Excuse after excuse after excuse.

Twenty-two games is a large enough sample size that we can make some rational assessments about the team. The verdict? They are entirely mediocre. The words made famous by Bill Parcells, Dallas Cowboys coach, ring true: "You are what your record says you are."

The Clips are 10-12, in last place in the Pacific, and losers of 10 of their last 14. Not terrible. But not good.

Make. A. Move.

Let's face it, if you turn on the TV and watch them play the game, they don't look like a team that belongs in the upper echelon. It's not like the Clippers are beating themselves with a lot of turnovers or defensive lapses. They simply look ineffective and outmanned - offensive sets without purpose, shaky perimeter defense, poor outside shooting. The Clipper fan in you says, "wait a minute, I saw these guys play last year, they should be way better than this." The basketball fan in you says, "you know what, they just don't have it; something's missing."

Make. A. Move.

So what is missing? This space noted the team's lack of a true alpha dog, someone capable of willing a team to victory when the situation dictates it. The team is seemingly playing without emotion and fire, burdened by something, whether it be raised expectations or locker room whispers from trade rumors. And fair or not, the fans are jumping off the Clippers' ship just as fast as they boarded last year.

But there is an answer out there. The Answer. Allen Iverson.

He's listed at 6-feet, 183 pounds, though it's probably closer to 5'10", 165. He comes with an entourage rivaling that of Vincent Chase. He has a long history of run-ins with the law, from brawls to weapons to marijuana. He's created controversy with his fire on the mic. And he hates practice.

He's also a career 28.1 per game scorer, third all-time, and four-time scoring champ. He's averaged 41.7 minutes a game over ten-plus seasons. He's an MVP, an Olympian, a seven-time All-Star, three times a first-team all-NBA player (and another three times on the second-team). He's in SLAM Magazine's Top 75 Players of all-time.

Most importantly, he is a warrior, a guy that leaves it all out on the floor. A guy that will take the big shots, that can change a game by his presence. He brings a fire and intensity that few in the league can match. In short, he brings everything that the Clippers are lacking.

Yes, he's 31 years old with a ton of mileage. Yes, he's a career 41.7% shooter and notorious for not jelling with teammates. Yes, it may cost the Clippers Shaun Livingston (the "next" Magic) and Corey Maggette (who's already on his way out anyway) and a number one draft pick (of which they have an extra one because of the Cassell-Jaric heist). Yes, it could be a disastrous move, given AI's monstrous contract ($39.8 million) over the next two years and his potential to blowup team chemistry.

But he could also be the guy that pushes the Clippers into elite status, the missing piece of the puzzle. He's a bona-fide superstar that will instantly sell tickets, jerseys, and TV broadcasts. And as seen through the passion of Sixers fans for him, he'll give the team a guy that Clipper Nation can rally behind.

The Clipper front office wants to exercise patience, reluctant to give up Livingston, who has the potential to be a star player in his own right, and to sacrifice their cap position. Clipper Nation has been waiting for 23 years for the team to be a legitimate force in this league, to be worth talking about and investing our energy in, to not have to be overshadowed by the Lakers. We're tired of being patient.

Make. A. Move.

AP photo by Manu Fernandez

Merry Christmas, Coach

(Originally posted on December 14 on LAist)

The coffers have been opened up again. Mike Dunleavy will be sticking around as coach of the Clippers for another four years.

Though rumors of an extension have been circulating for weeks, the Clips and their general finally inked a contract which is said to exceed $22 million over four years, making him one of the highest paid coaches in the NBA.

Owner Donald Sterling has once again exhibited a willingness to spend to generate a winning product. Sterling has historically cycled through coaches like Paris Hilton cycles through boyfriends, paying cheaply for washouts from other teams or inexperienced hires. Prior to Dunleavy’s hire before the 2003-04 season, the Clippers had had 12 coaches (including interim) in 19 seasons. Barring some unforeseen circumstance, Dunleavy will begin next season as the longest-tenured coach in franchise history; the immortal Bill Fitch is the only previous Clipper coach even to last four seasons.

Critics have railed on some of Dunleavy’s in-game strategies and substitution patterns, highlighted during last year’s Phoenix series when he put untested rookie Daniel Ewing in to guard Raja Bell, who subsequently drained a game tying three-pointer at the end of the first overtime in a critical game 5 (which of course the Clips ended up losing). They’ve also noted his inability to get talented teams over the hump, such as the end-of-Showtime Lakers in ’91 (losing in the finals to the Bulls) or the combustible Blazers during the late ‘90s (who can forget the epic Game 7 loss to the Lakers in the ’00 Western Finals).

While those criticisms have validity, they also ignore what Dunleavy has brought to the team: stability, credibility, and proven leadership. He’s provided an anchor to develop young players, a respected voice to connect with veterans, and a presence to attract free agents that historically never came to the team. Sam Cassell would not be wearing the red, white, and blue if Dunleavy weren’t on the bench.

Is he the right guy for the job and is he worthy of the hefty raise he’s receiving? Only time will tell. He certainly has to bear some of the responsibility for this season’s struggles so far. But he also deserves some of the credit for raising the level of expectations in Clipper Nation to the point where a 10-11 start is considered a significant disappointment.

Now coach, if you need any advisers to help kick-start the team, I wouldn’t ask for but a fraction of those $22 million George Washingtons…

AP photo by Kevork Djansezian

The CW (Clipper Weekly), 6th Edition

(Originally posted on December 11 on LAist)

Current Record: 10-9, 3rd Pacific

Last Week: The Clippers finally won a road game after seven losses to open the year, closing off a week in which they won the two games they should have (Miami, Memphis) and got embarrassed in the big road test against a real contender (San Antonio). While the wins were not terribly sharp performances (17 and 18 turnovers, respectively), the Clips at least managed to hold the fourth quarter leads by making enough stops down the stretch, something they hadn’t been doing the past couple of weeks. Chris Kaman still looked out of sync coming off his sprained ankle, but his activity level was higher (though he still can’t hit the broadside of a barn with his shot).

Quick Take: This is a big-time prove it week for the Clippers to demonstrate whether they are truly capable of being in the upper echelon or are just another also-ran: they play the top three teams in the league (Spurs, Jazz, Rockets), all at home. While Mike Dunleavy has continued to mess with the rotation, it appears that Shaun Livingston is now the starting point guard for the foreseeable future. Livingston gives the Clips the ability to push the pace more to score easy buckets in transition, which is important given the team’s inconsistency in the halfcourt offense. He would be well-advised to feed Elton Brand in the post, who is finally showing signs of the ‘old’ Elton, having scored more than 25 points three out of the last four games, after only doing it twice in the first 15 games. It would probably also help if someone could make an outside jumper – besides Cuttino Mobley (48.7%), the Clippers are a heinous 26.5% from long distance, which isn’t giving Brand and Kaman much operating room inside.

This Week:

Monday: San Antonio (PRIME, 7:30 pm) – the Spurs will be smarting after the Lakers ambushed them last night, so the Clips will need to play their best ball to improve upon last week’s 29-point woodshed job that wasn’t even as close as the score indicated. Tony Parker continually got into the paint against Livingston to set up easy shots for everyone else (15 assists). Expect the Clippers to play with greater energy than Friday, particularly Brand who played extremely tentatively against Tim Duncan, with only 10 points and 3 boards to show for it.

Wednesday: Utah (PRIME, 7:30 pm) – coach Jerry Sloan just registered his 1,000th career victory, a testament to his teams’ consistent (read: boring) play over the years. Last month, the Jazz executed flawlessly on offense to end the Clips’ five-game winning streak, despite not having Andrei Kirilenko in the lineup. Kaman will have to play considerably better, both in defending Memo Okur (27 points in first meeting) and rebounding – Utah is by far the leader in rebounding margin.

Friday: at Portland (PRIME, 7:00 pm) – the Blazers are firmly nestled in last place in the Northwest, but have played with more intensity than last season’s mail-in job. Jarrett Jack has been a nice surprise, playing quality minutes at point. Zach Randolph hasn’t been a surprise, putting up huge numbers at the 4, while also upholding the Jailblazer tradition by flipping the bird to the Indiana crowd in front of more than 50 friends and family members. Frame that one for this year’s Christmas card.

Sunday: Houston (KTLA-CW, 12:30 pm) – the Rockets are leading the league in points allowed and FG% defense; on the flipside, they’re also near the bottom in points scored (23rd) and shooting % (22nd) – in other words, they’re like the NBA version of the Baltimore Ravens. Tracy McGrady is battling back issues again, which means Yao Ming is a one-man wrecking crew. If T-Mac is still out, the Clips will likely surround the Houston center with big bodies to force other people to shoot (and most likely miss). Of course, at 7’6”, Yao may just decide to shoot it himself anyway.

AP photo by Eric Gay

Off the Schneid

(Originally posted on December 10 on LAist)

Seven months. It was seven months ago today that the Clippers had won their last road game, prior to last night’s 89-82 breakthrough against Memphis. In that time, Kid Rock and Pam Anderson got married three times and divorced, Carrie Underwood was still the reigning American Idol, and Mel Gibson and Michael Richards were still best known for their body of work instead of their big mouths.

It’s been a long time.

Now, a win over the worst team in the league really shouldn’t be cause for celebration, especially considering the Clippers are the last team in the L to get a road win. But the Clippers have been so mediocre and inconsistent, no wins can be taken for granted. After getting housed on Friday against San Antonio, it was good to see the Clips bounce back with a stronger performance. Elton Brand, who has been a bigger focal point of the offense lately, led the way with 26 points and played shut down defense on the Grizzlies’ Hakim Warrick. Sam Cassell gave his strongest off-the-bench performance of the season with 18 points.

Hopefully it won’t be another ten games until the Clips learn how to win away from Staples again. The good news is they get four of the next five at home where they’ve been the bully for most of the year, instead of the bullied.

AP photo by Jim Weber

The CW (Clipper Weekly), 5th Edition

(Originally posted December 5 on LAist)

Current Record: 8-8, T-4th Pacific

Last Week: Running in place. On the plus side, the Clippers finished off the week by demolishing the Eastern Conference leading Magic, shooting an insane 60.3% from the field. The Clips also had an easy win against the last place Grizzlies to end their five game losing streak which also provided a show of offensive efficiency. However, in the critical division matchups against the Kings and Lakers, the Clips fell flat. LA shot an abysmal 30.6% against Sacramento, tanking it in the fourth quarter by missing 19 of their last 20 shots over the final eight minutes. In the big rivalry rematch, the Lakers once again showed that they are the currently the best team in the city, executing a crisp game plan to pick apart the Clipper D. Kurt has the wrap on that game.

Quick Take: With the Clippers offense being so hot and cold, it is no surprise to see them hovering around .500. Chris Kaman’s ankle injury, which forced him to miss four games, gave Mike Dunleavy an excuse to play around with his lineup in an effort to generate more consistent performance. In the win against Orlando, he inserted the struggling Tim Thomas (30% shooting over past seven games) and Shaun Livingston (only 6.5 points per game over past ten games) into the starting lineup in search of a spark, leading to a 20-point outing for Thomas and a season-high 10 assists for Livingston. Whether or not this can be a permanent solution remains to be seen, but Dunleavy must do whatever it takes to shake up this team and get them playing up to their potential.

This Week:

Tuesday: Miami (PRIME, 7:30 pm) – the defending champs still seem to be suffering from a post-championship hangover, sitting at two games below .500 and only 3-6 at home (they were 31-10 last year). Shaq is sidelined with torn cartilage in his left knee. Once upon a time superstars Antoine Walker and Gary Payton are playing like they want to join the Diesel on the bench, shooting 39.6% and 36.1% from the field, respectively. But the Heat still have Finals MVP Dwyane Wade, seventh in the league in scoring, who is capable of taking over games in spite of an aging supporting cast.

Friday: at San Antonio (PRIME, 5:00 pm) – well, Tony Parker had a good week, locking up a certain desperate housewife (see picture above). And the Spurs? Ho hum, going about their business, first place in the Northwest division, with Tim Duncan, Parker, and Manu Ginobili leading the way just like always. It’s always hard to hate on the Spurs because they’re always good and play sound (if uninteresting) ball. The Clippers can definitely make a statement by taking out this tough team in their gym.

Saturday: at Memphis (KTLA-CW, 5:00 pm) – as proven this past Wednesday, the Grizz just aren’t very good. But they try really hard. On the back end of a back-to-back roadie, this could be a letdown game if the Clippers aren’t careful; these are the games the Clips can’t afford to lose as they try to climb back up the standings. Long-limbed forward Hakim Warrick was a matchup problem with his impressive athleticism and surprising ball skills in the first meeting; it will be interesting to see how Dunleavy adjusts his lineup to account for him.

AP photo by Chris Pizzello

Wake Me Up When September Comes

(Originally posted December 4 on LAist)
(Featured on Bruins Nation on December 4)



As Monday morning dawns in Los Angeles, the reality of Saturday’s big game at the Rose Bowl is finally beginning to settle in. Bruin supporters across the city will be arriving at the office decked out in blue, actively seeking out their Trojan colleagues to vent their seven years of frustration and embarrassment into an enormous cathartic release of joyous celebration (and smack talking).

It is a new day in LA. The Victory Bell resides in Westwood once again.

We’ve already had multiple postings about the various after-effects of the game. From the football perspective, it is a season-making win for the Bruins and a devastating loss for the Trojans. As Adam pointed out, there are potential implications for the coaching staff as a result of this astounding turn of events. But there could be other wider implications as well.

I wrote a few weeks ago about the identity crisis that UCLA football has suffered from since 1998, not so coincidentally the last time that the Bruins had beaten USC. The indictment from the college football community was that UCLA was a soft team, one that occasionally made some noise on a national scale, but generally lacked the physical and mental toughness to be taken seriously. And with the amazing run of success that the Trojans have had under Pete Carroll, the Bruins were becoming an afterthought even their own city. This win was the first signal that UCLA may be redefining itself into a solid, disciplined, efficient team that plays with heart and guts.

Without question, USC had superior talent on both sides of the ball, with more heralded coaches. Didn’t matter. UCLA simply outplayed the number two team in the country. There were no fluke plays, no major mistakes that USC made to give the game away. UCLA outstrategized and outworked USC. The Trojans had three times the number of penalties (9-3). On most of the critical plays of the game for USC’s offense, the Bruin defense was so dialed in that it appeared they knew what play was coming. John David Booty, the Pac-10’s leading passer, was the one who seemed flustered by the relentless pass rush of the UCLA front four, while Pat Cowan, the lightly regarded backup, made plays by keeping his composure even when the pocket broke down. If you had never watched a game of football before in your life and knew nothing about either of the teams, you would have thought that UCLA was the better team.

This is a major paradigm shift in the UCLA camp. Certainly, one win does not change the fact that the team lost five games and has a long way to go to close the gap with the USC program. And it does not all of a sudden mean that Karl Dorrell will necessarily lead the Bruins to a new level of success. But the win is HUGE in terms of getting players and recruits bought into the idea that the UCLA program is legitimate, that it isn’t just second fiddle to USC. It showed that the leadership, which has been often questioned by Bruin fans, can put the players in the best position possible to win. As we saw, a team’s confidence and belief in itself can lead to great things. UCLA stood toe-to-toe with USC and the Trojans were the ones who flinched.

On the Trojan side of the ball, one loss obviously does not wipe out this incredible five season run; USC is still the conference champ and headed to yet another BCS bowl game in a “rebuilding year”. They have an ungodly amount of talent, and a young returning nucleus like the Bruins (16 returning starters for USC, 20 for UCLA), and should be primed for another national title push next season.

However, for the first time since perhaps Carroll’s first season in 2001 when the team was 2-5, some questions are actually being raised about the direction of the USC program. As alluded to by Tony, offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin is under heavy fire for perceived poor playcalling and halftime adjustments. Other Trojan fans are unsure if Booty is the answer for next season at quarterback, despite his gaudy numbers, because of his inability to deal with pocket pressure and his low release point.

While these are, in part, reactive comments after a difficult loss, it indicates at least a shred of doubt that has been absent during this run. In some sense, the aura of invincibility has been pierced even further than after the heartbreaking loss to Texas in last year’s Rose Bowl because of the way in which this game was lost. It is always the Trojans that make the clutch plays, that are most prepared, and that impose their will. It has been unfathomable for a USC team to simply get beat. Not anymore.

Fortunately for both teams, one more game is left in the season: UCLA will travel to the Emerald Bowl to take on reeling Florida St. while USC will return to Pasadena face a highly motivated Michigan squad snubbed by the BCS. For the Bruins, a win is necessary to continue all of the positive momentum from the upset. For the Trojans, a win will wash away some of the bitterness and restore some of the pride to a wounded team.

But most significantly, UCLA fans have 363 more days to savor the sweet taste of victory. And you can guarantee that there will be no shortage of savoring at the expense of the hated Trojans.

AP photo by Danny Moloshok

Who's the Man?

(Originally posted December 1 on LAist)



After watching the Kobe take over the first Laker-Clipper game last week in the fourth quarter, then watching the ensuing Clipper hangover that resulted in a five-game losing streak with multiple fourth quarter collapses, it became evident to much of Clipper Nation that something might be missing from this team. ESPN.com writer and Clipper season ticket holder Bill Simmons (the Sports Guy) hosted a chat about the team yesterday on Clippers.com, and articulated this very point: “They need someone who can score in the last 3 minutes of a game.”

Anyone who saw Kobe hang 52 on Utah in last night's dismantling of the Jazz knows what it looks like to have a player who can score whenever he wants to and whenever he needs to. For the Clips, it is unclear who this player is. Sam Cassell is fearless and loves to take the big shots. This season, he’s been the guy that has shown the stones most frequently, surprisingly leading the team in scoring (can you imagine where the team would be if they hadn’t resigned him?). But it is unreasonable to expect that at 37, he can consistently deliver the goods all season. Elton Brand seemed to breakthrough last season into superstar status, but his frequent disappearing acts offensively and inability to regularly generate his own shot suggest that he isn’t necessarily the solution either. Maggette. Mobley. Thomas. Nice players, not alpha dogs.

The Clippers are a good team. No one disputes this (despite the sluggish 7-7 start). This team should win 50 games; anything less would be a disappointment. Historically, in Clipper Nation, 50 wins would call for a ticker tape parade. But the bar has been raised. Fans now want a deep playoff run, not just a quick dip in the pool; they want a great team. In order for the Clippers to evolve into that championship caliber team, they need someone that can be the man, night in and night out.

So far this season, seven different players have led the team in scoring in their fourteen games. Corey Maggette, who comes off the bench, has been the high scorer most frequently at four games. This speaks volumes to the depth and balance that the Clips have. It also speaks volumes about the identity of the team, or lackthereof. The Lakers, for better or worse, clearly are Kobe’s team. Who do the Clippers “belong to”?

Thinking about the recent champions, virtually all of them had an alpha dog, a bonafide crunch-time player: D-Wade, Tim Duncan, Shaq/Kobe (maybe one alpha dog too many), Jordan, Hakeem. The only team that didn’t totally fit the mold was the ’04 Pistons, but even they had Chauncey Billups (Mr. Big Shot) and a suffocating defense. Ensemble casts may be great for TV shows like Lost or Grey’s Anatomy, but not so much for winning rings.

It will be interesting to see whether the Clips can buck conventional wisdom and win with a solid team of good to great players, or whether they’ll need to go out and find that last piece to put them over the top.

AP photo by Kevork Djansezian