Clippers Basketball | Love The Game

[SuperNova854]

update right now

 

[SuperNova854]

Ralph Lawler - Monday, September 28, 2009 @ 4:37 pm

Ralph Lawler - Monday, September 28, 2009 @ 4:37 pm

A big turnout Monday for the Clippers' 2009-10 Media Day at STAPLES Center in downtown Los Angeles.

The 18 players went through the obligatory picture taking, autograph signing and media schmoozing between 12 noon and about 3:00 pm. Local TV trucks were lined up outside the building and mic-toting reporters were everywhere.

Much of the attention, of course was centered on Blake Griffin, the college player of the year from Oklahoma who the Clippers tabbed as the first player chosen in the June NBA Draft. The personable 20-year-old rookie says he "Loves L.A." He noted that it was a "little bit bigger than Oklahoma City." I added, it’s a little bit bigger than Oklahoma!

Other tidbits: Coach Mike Dunleavy expressed pleasure at the players' overall level of conditioning. He really thinks that a healthy Clippers team can be in the playoff mix. The believes at least two of the eight spots in the West will be up for grabs this season.

New Assistant coach John Lucas is thrilled to be back in the league. He is especially high on what he’s seen of veteran point guard Baron Davis and 7-foot center Chris Kaman. Both Dunleavy and Lucas feel they can better utilize Baron’s enormous talent.

Davis himself looked more fit than he was at anytime last season. He claims total focus on the task at hand which is an absolute reversal of last season’s disaster.

Kaman has been in town for two months getting ready to rebound from last year, a season in which he missed 48-games because of injury. Chris is so happy to have access to the team’s new training center where he’s been scrimmaging 5-on-5 for the past two weeks. He says incoming power forward Craig Smith has been sensational in these scrimmages. Kaman thinks Smith and sweet shooting Rasual Butler were key off-season acquisitions.

I had brief "hellos" with returnees DeAndre Jordan, Marcus Camby, Al Thornton and Steve Novak. All are almost giddy in their excitement about the coming season.

Oh, and Craig Smith, who grew up in L.A., reminded me that he’s been listening to me since he was a little kid. Oh well, aside from that, it was a darn nice day.

Camp opens in Playa Vista with two-a-days on Tuesday. Things are looking good.​

 

[SuperNova854]

Ralph Lawler - Tuesday, September 29, 2009 @ 1:15 pm

Ralph Lawler - Tuesday, September 29, 2009 @ 1:15 pm

The Clippers 2009 Training camp opened Tuesday morning at their training center in Playa Vista.

17 players went through a series of conditioning and basketball drills under the watchful eyes of Head Coach and General Manager Mike Dunleavy and his staff. All things were good except for the fact that rookie gem Blake Griffin was sidelined with a minor knee bruise suffered in a pick-up game last week. He is listed as "day-to-day." Griffin spent his time on an elliptical machine and then went through some strenuous stretching exercises displaying truly extraordinary flexibility for a man his size.

Dunleavy seemed pleased with the opening session as he saw a better level of conditioning than he’d witnessed at camp a year earlier. He cited center Chris Kaman and shooting guard Eric Gordon as players who came to camp in top-notch shape.

There was a "buzz" among the players over the inspirational talk given them by veteran point guard Baron Davis at the camp’s tip-off dinner a night earlier. Baron really put it all on the line in promising a renewed commitment to winning. If Davis plays close to the top-15 NBA talent he possesses, there’s no telling how good this Clippers team could be. He knows there is a lot of weight on his shoulders and he seems fully ready to accept it.

It was clear on opening day that there are some shooters on this roster. Rasual Butler, Eric Gordon, Kareem Rush, Anthony Roberson and Steve Novak were knocking down shot after shot all morning long.

It’s good to be undefeated and full of hope. That’s what the opening of camp is all about. The guys will be back in the gym at 6:00 pm. ​

 

[SuperNova854]

Ralph Lawler - Wednesday, September 30, 2009 @ 3:19 pm

Ralph Lawler - Wednesday, September 30, 2009 @ 3:19 pm

An uneventful day two at the Clippers' training camp. Young camp hopeful Taj Gray sat out the morning session. He was stationed on the sidelines next to fellow former Oklahoma star Blake Griffin, who is recovering from a bruised knee. Gray was sitting out with a sore right knee. Neither injury is serious.

Now you understand why they added four players to the team’s 14-man roster last week. Head Coach and General Manager Mike Dunleavy was still able to field three full five-man teams in spirited end-to-end action.

In a reversal from past years, the contact work is done in the longer morning session with the evening part of the two-a-days limited to non-contact work and largely to the repeating and repeating of the pages in the team’s play book. That work is done 5-on-0.

You certainly note the presence of new assistant coach John Lucas. The highly respected three-time NBA head coach fills the gym with his energy and enthusiasm. He and Tony Brown appear to be excellent additions to the Dunleavy staff that includes returnees Kim Hughes and Fred Vinson.

Add another player who has been making shots early on – Ricky Davis has been red hot in both half court and full court drills. He could be a bit of an X-factor this season. He’s a versatile wing player who has averaged as many as 20-points a game in a season during his 11-year NBA career. He seems to have his legs beneath him again this year and a resilient season from him would give the coach an unexpected added lethal weapon off a potentially very deep bench. Keep an eye on Ricky Davis, who is coming off the worst season of his career. He battled knee problems from start to finish last year and says he feels better now than he has in a long, long time.

Round two of the two-a-day regime begins at 6:00 pm. ​

 

[SuperNova854]

Hopefully Ricky Davis can do good this year

 

[SuperNova854]

Ralph Lawler - Thursday, October 1, 2009 @ 12:53 pm

Ralph Lawler - Thursday, October 1, 2009 @ 12:53 pm

Coach Mike Dunleavy sent his squad through a series of energetic scrimmages today at the team’s Playa Vista Training Center. It marked the first formal scrimmages during the team’s training camp, which opened Tuesday.

Kareem Rush knocked down a buzzer-beater to lead the white team to a come-from-behind victory in the first eight minute game. DeAndre Jordan dominated the boards throughout the three scrimmages where-in the blue team won two of three.

Among the stand-outs: inside play by Craig Smith, out-side shooting by Ricky Davis, Rasual Butler and Steve Novak and active scoring from Al Thornton.

The downside, back-up point guard Sebastian Telfair suffered a left ankle sprain minutes into the morning drills.

Telfair sprained his left Ankle early in Thursday AM practice. He spent the rest of the morning getting treatment. It is not believed to be serious as he is listed as day-to-day.

The guys lace ‘em up again this evening. ​

 

[mike3]

Articles are looking great, i agree, hopefully Ricky can improve this season

 

[SuperNova854]

Yea by the sounds of it Ricky has been trying real hard this year. I'm looking at doing a 3 man rotation at the starting SF spot this year. Between Thornton, Butler, and Davis.

 

[mfbmike]

rofl, just made me remember Ricky Davis going down for my entire season in Pacers chise with a torn ACL.

 

[SuperNova854]

Lulz, 2k9 ftl

 

[SuperNova854]

Ralph Lawler - Friday, October 2, 2009 @ 1:23 pm

Ralph Lawler - Friday, October 2, 2009 @ 1:23 pm

A good solid morning Training Camp session for Mike Dunleavy’s Clippers today. The best sight was seeing rookie Blake Griffin on the court for running and shooting drills. He’s been cleared for non-contact work and expects to participate fully by next Wednesday which would likely make him available to play in the second pre-season game at home against Portland on Friday, October 9th.

Coach gave his team the night off tonight and expects to work them hard tomorrow morning before departing Saturday afternoon for Oakland, where they’ll play the Golden State Warriors Sunday night at 6pm (KFWB-AM980).

Second year shooting guard Eric Gordon continues to sparkle in team scrimmages. He’s slimmed down a little which has given him added quickness and it shows. He has spent some time at the point guard position and is growing more comfortable there. He was a point guard throughout high school and did not move over to the shooting guard position until college at Indiana. Sebastian Telfair (ankle) will not make the trip to Oakland, so Gordon can be expected to get some minutes at the point in the pre-season opener against the Warriors. Griffin will make the trip but will not play Sunday.

So far so good in week one of camp. The work resumes tomorrow morning at 9:00 am.​

 

[SuperNova854]

should I make a new thread, or keep this one?

 

[SuperNova854]

Starting 5 Preview: Baron Davis

Starting 5 Preview: Baron Davis

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydPAyqRtdNk"]YouTube - baron davis 2009 clipper highlights[/ame]

Baron Davis, 6'3" 215 lbs
Career Statistics: 16.9 ppg 4.0 rpg 7.3 apg 1.9 spg 0.4 bpg
Summary: He's a force of nature, as capable of dragging a team down as he is of lifting it up. His dispute with coach Mike Dunleavy on how the team should play clearly had the former effect last season. But supposedly Davis and Dunleavy met to hash out their differences shortly after the season ended and have since lunched together a few times and been in regular contact by phone.

Dunleavy will have to let Davis have the reins if he comes into camp in shape and ready to ride the Clippers' many horses effectively. Word is he's spent equal time working out and traveling all over the globe -- China, India, Europe -- so it'll be interesting to see where that has left him on the fitness scale.

Understand this: Griffin or no Griffin, injury-riddled or injury-free, the Clippers will be as good as Davis makes them. Or Dunleavy lets Davis make them. ​

 

[SuperNova854]

Starting 5 Preview: Eric Gordon

Starting 5 Preview: Eric Gordon

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME3Q2SNGNMY"]YouTube - Eric Gordon - Clippers Mix[/ame]

Eric Gordon, 6'4" 222 lbs
Career Statistics: 16.1 ppg 2.6 rpg 2.0 apg 1.0 spg 0.4 bpg
Summary: Eric Gordon is a fantastic natural scorer with superb range, he is a fearless shooter. His powerful frame and fearlessness make him play a game much bigger than his height, and he is also an excellent passer, defender, and a solid rebounder for a 2-guard.

With the other personnel changes on the Clippers' roster, Gordon's shot chart is likely to change dramatically. He'll be in the spot-up shooting role originally envisioned for him and feast off double-teams opponents throw at Griffin and Chris Kaman. Look for Gordon to shoot in the mid-40s on 3s and be among the league leaders in TS%. The trade-off is that he'll probably do it on fewer shots and his scoring average might drop to the 14-15 range. ​

 

[SuperNova854]

i all for the new thread. it starts it off fresh and makes it easier to follow from the start.

Ima edit my first post with links to different stuff, like a table of contents

 

[SuperNova854]

Starting 5 Preview: Al Thornton

Starting 5 Preview: Al Thornton

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wZPbWa7so8"]YouTube - Al Thornton Highlight Reel[/ame]

Al Thornton, 6'8" 220 lbs
Career Statistics: 14.7 ppg 4.8 rpg 1.3 apg 0.7 spg 0.7 bpg
Summary: Thornton is a talented pure scorer with a nose for the basket, he has a nice first step and good leaping ability to get to the rim in a hurry. He loves to drive the lane and draw fouls, and is a very good finisher. Thornton is also flashes a solid outside jumper and good rebounding effort.

While Thornton is solid on defense, he could bring more in that area. He is a good outside shooter his 3-point range needs work. He isn't a big passer, and could stand to put on a little bulk for all those drives to the bucket. ​

 

[SuperNova854]

Starting 5 Preview: Marcus Camby

Starting 5 Preview: Marcus Camby

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cO69gSXWL4"]YouTube - Marcus Camby Mix by BIG PAT[/ame]

Marcus Camby, 6'11" 235 lbs
Career Statistics: 10.7 ppg 9.8 rpg 1.9 apg 1.0 spg 2.6 bpg
Summary: Camby is one of the league's most active low-post players. He is a truly dominant rebounder and shot-blocker who does a great job of avoiding fouls. Offensively he has a nice short-range game, he does a good job on put-backs, and he hits his free-throws. Offensively he's limited (as a lack of small-ball skills make it hard for him to create his own shot). Over the years he has been highly injury-prone.​

 

[SuperNova854]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sk55SbXRkQ"]YouTube - "Something You Forgot" A NBA Chris Kaman Mix[/ame]

Chris Kaman, 7'0" 265 lbs
Career Statistics: 10.4 ppg 8.3 rpg 1.2 apg 0.5 spg 1.4 bpg
Summary: The Caveman missed more than half of last season, and has missed 77 games the past two years. But fantasy vets can't erase the memory of the 55 games in 2007-08 when Kaman showed signs of becoming an elite fantasy center, posting nearly 16 ppg, 13 rpg, and 3 bpg. Expecting a return to those numbers with Marcus Camby and Blake Griffin in the fold is foolish, but letting Kaman slip too far on draft day would be too. He is one Camby injury away from as many minutes as he can handle, and he's proven he can handle them well when healthy. Camby is almost the same way, making them among the few hoops duos that brings to mind the fantasy football running back handcuff.​

 

[SuperNova854]

added icons to main post in Table Of Contents

 

[SuperNova854]

Clippers Basketball | Love The Game

2008-2009 Recap

Even by the low standards of this franchise's cursed history, 2008-09 was an especially forgettable campaign. Expected to challenge for a playoff spot in the West, the Clippers were plagued by injuries and in-fighting and won only 19 games; amazingly this was only their seventh-worst record in 25 seasons in Los Angeles.​

The Clippers relied on castoffs like Mardy Collins, Fred Jones, Alex Acker, Jason Hart and Mike Taylor for 3,572 minutes, or more than 40 a game. Only rookie guard Eric Gordon provided a bandage, as well as one of the few positive stories from the Clippers' season, by averaging 16.1 points per game.​

Up front the Clippers were ravaged by injuries, as the theoretically potent trio of Randolph, Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby combined to play only 132 games. The reserves here didn't fare quite as poorly, as DeAndre Jordan had a solid rookie season and Steve Novak established himself as a rotation player, but the injuries still left the Clips devoid of star talent.​

Settings
Number Of Players: 1
Season Length: 82 Games
Play NBA D-League Games: On
Team Chemistry: On
Player Roles: On
Progressive Fatigue: On
Lineup Management: On
Simulation Strategy: On
Prospect Scouting: On
Player Trading: On
Trade Deadline: On
Trade Override: Off
Allow CPU Trades: On
Preseason Games: On
Injuries: On
Headline Ticker: On
Substitution Method: Fatigue
Conference Quarterfinals: Best of 7
Conference Semifinals: Best of 7
Conference Finals: Best of 7
NBA Finals: Best of 7
Quarter Length: 8 Minutes (for now)
Sim Quarter Length: 12 Minutes
​