Los Angeles Clippers News

Clippers' Neil Olshey worked his way up from bit parts to leading role
Comment
March 11
Los Angeles Times
 
"Neil Olshey's long and winding path from fledgling actor in New York to new general manager of the Clippers was one of those road trips guided by a series of fortunate coincidences and conversations. One of the more telling twists in the road was directed, not by an influential player agent or front-office executive, but a venerable stage actor who achieved a measure of fame on the hit TV series "Law & Order." This was well before Olshey moved west and started helping out with coaching duties at Artesia High or his first fortunate meeting with then prep star Jason Kapono, who would be the first of his many clients (and future NBA stars) in private-workout hoop sessions. Olshey recalled ..."
Will Donald Sterling get the message?
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March 11
Los Angeles Times
 
"Dear Donald, Jenny Diver, oh Sukey Tawdry, look out Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown. Yeah, that line forms on the right, babe, now that... Donald's back in town! Forgive me, I'm so overjoyed at the sight of you being you again after all these years of acting like an NBA owner. Look at it from my perspective for once. You were a treasure and then you were gone, or, worse, ordinary. It was like seeing the Abominable Snowman on a commuter train in a suit and tie, reading the paper. Apparently, reports of your passing were greatly exaggerated! You Da Don again! Da Don And Only! The Don of Dons! Not that it's great news for Clipper Nation. If you're really you, everything could soon be in ..."
Losing Mike Dunleavy feels like addition by subtraction for Clippers
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March 10
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Bill Plascke
"After 26 years and two winning seasons and one playoff series victory and zero championship credibility, it's finally, wonderfully happened. The Clippers have run out of things to blame. The final sawing of the limb upon which Mike Dunleavy has been sitting for the last month — the fallen coach is now the felled general manager — has cleared the last of the thick and messy brush. If Clippers fans look up today, they can see the limit to this team's possibilities. It's called, rather improbably, the sky. Of course, as long as Donald Sterling is still the owner, that sky could still be falling. But for the first time in a long time, it is clear enough to see, close enough to touch, and real ..."
Clippers fire Mike Dunleavy
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March 10
Los Angeles Times
 
"Welcome to two-stage firing ... Clippers' style. The Clippers put a new twist on that old phrase: They thought Mike Dunleavy was so nice, they fired him twice. Technically speaking, Dunleavy stepped down as coach last month when he seemed unable to penetrate the deep malaise of his players. On Tuesday, the other part of his job description, general manager, vanished with about five weeks left in the regular season. Talk about the long (delayed) goodbye. The news blindsided Dunleavy. And this is saying something, considering he has worked for his share of mercurial NBA owners, Herb Kohl in Milwaukee before joining Donald Sterling of the Clippers."
Salt gets rubbed in Clippers' wounds -- again
Comment
March 7
L.A. Daily News
 
"As one of the newest members of the Clippers, Drew Gooden found out what many who have played with the franchise might have felt like after playing a game in Utah. "I think our legs caught up with us," Gooden said. "It's tough to play here." It has been for the past 41 games at least, including the Clippers' 107-85 loss to the Jazz on Saturday at EnergySolutions Arena. The loss dropped the Clippers to 1-40 in their past 41 games against the Jazz at Salt Lake City. The Clippers had lost at home the night before to Oklahoma City and fizzled in the second half, they scored just 13 in the fourth quarter."
Jazz defeats the Clippers easily this time
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March 7
Los Angeles Times
 
"Mehmet Okur scored 27 points and Carlos Boozer got his 40th double-double of the season with 17 points and 17 rebounds, leading the Utah Jazz over the Clippers, 107-85, on Saturday night. Deron Williams had 10 points and 10 assists for the Jazz, who atoned for getting upset by the Clippers less than a week before. The Clippers had lost at home the night before to Oklahoma City and fizzled in the second half, scoring just 13 in the fourth quarter. Drew Gooden had 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Clippers. Chris Kaman added 12 points and 13 rebounds and Baron Davis had 11 points and eight assists for the Clippers, who held off the Jazz 108-104 on Monday. The Clippers started strong ..."
Kevin Durant scores 32; Thunder beats Clippers, 104-87
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March 6
The Oklahoman
 
"Kevin Durant scored a game-high 32 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder cruised to a 104-87 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night at Staples Center. The Thunder never trailed after taking a 6-4 lead with 9:23 remaining in the first quarter, and it was just the type of performance the Thunder needed, a game that never was in doubt following its worst defeat of the season two nights earlier at Denver. "We felt like this was a real important game for us," said Nick Collison. "We haven't played the way we did in Denver pretty much all year. So we knew we needed to come out and have a totally different mindset and really be sharp. I think we did that." With the win, the Thunder ..."
Thunder shows Clippers what a playoff contender looks like
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March 6
Los Angeles Times
 
"As lightning-quick turnarounds go, it's hard to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder. One year removed from a last-place finish, the young and vastly improved Thunder appears bound for the playoffs. The Clippers are headed nowhere except for another draft lottery, a 104-87 loss to Oklahoma City on Friday night at Staples Center the latest setback in a season gone terribly wrong. But there's hope for a speedy turnabout, and the Thunder could provide a blueprint. Oklahoma City's roster was largely built through the draft, with five of its top players having spent their entire careers with the organization. The Thunder is also exceedingly young. Its roster includes five rookies, three second-year ..."
In six games, Drew Gooden has made his presence felt
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March 5
Los Angeles Times
 
"Drew Gooden said he would make people wonder why he keeps getting traded. By doing so, he is prompting the Clippers to ponder whether they should keep him. The veteran forward has been a big addition in six games with his latest NBA team, averaging 15.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in 32.5 minutes per game. He had never averaged that many points or minutes with any of his previous eight teams. "I'm getting an opportunity, and I'm thankful for that," Gooden said Thursday. Gooden has capably filled the void created by the departure of Marcus Camby, recording two double-doubles and falling one rebound short of a double-double twice. "He's versatile," Clippers interim Coach Kim Hughes said. "He ..."
Clippers cited for lack of effort in 127-101 loss to Suns
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March 4
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Clippers already have amassed a season's worth of losses, so what's a few more? Defeats are acceptable, interim Coach Kim Hughes said Wednesday evening, as long as the Clippers fully exert themselves and continue to develop for next season. Of course, Hughes wasn't sure whether he could say even that about his team following a 127-101 loss to Phoenix at Staples Center. The Clippers struggled to keep up with a Suns big man for the second time in six days and faded badly during a third quarter in which they were outscored by 21 points. "I thought some of us started feeling sorry for ourselves, and that bothered me," Hughes said. "I didn't think we ran back on defense at all." Not that it ..."
Clippers aim for stretch fun, beginning with victory over Utah
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March 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"The NBA playoffs, Clippers edition, are under way. The television ratings may not be so great. No trophies will be awarded. But a significant chunk of the Clippers' remaining games could have a surprisingly do-or-die feel for a team long out of the playoff hunt. Or, as Clippers interim Coach Kim Hughes put it, trying to beat teams headed for the playoffs is "your whole reason for playing" with the postseason no longer a realistic possibility. The Clippers looked plenty motivated Monday night at Staples Center during a 108-104 victory over playoff-bound Utah, though things got more than a little hairy in the final few minutes as the Clippers nearly squandered a 17-point lead. Utah guard ..."
Clippers' DeAndre Jordan experiencing arrested development
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February 26
Los Angeles Times
 
"What's good for Drew Gooden and the Clippers may not be so favorable for the development of DeAndre Jordan. After starting twice and averaging 27 minutes in the first three games after the Clippers traded Marcus Camby, Jordan has seen his playing time plummet since Gooden joined the Clippers. Jordan played 17 minutes Monday against Charlotte and only 15 minutes Wednesday against Detroit. The Clippers won both games, and interim Coach Kim Hughes said Gooden would start at power forward for the foreseeable future. Still, Hughes acknowledged Thursday that he would try to balance the needs of his team with Jordan's need to grow in his second NBA season. The 6-foot-11 center is one of only five ..."
Pistons' Rip Hamilton has rare foul night
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February 26
Detroit Free Press
 
"As has been his custom this season after Pistons games, Rip Hamilton sat at a locker, resting his sore right ankle in a bucket of ice and reading the stat sheet. He probably was wondering how a guy who made 51 straight free throws could shoot 2-for-8 from the line in Wednesday night's 97-91 loss to the Clippers. But after some reflection, Hamilton was back to joking with teammates. Every player has had one of those nights, and after 10 seasons in the NBA, Hamilton wasn't about to dwell on it. "Yeah, it's crazy," he said. "At one point and time I thought I couldn't miss a free throw, and tonight I missed six. But it happens. Just when you think you can't miss, a thing like this happens. ..."
Clippers' motivation comes in all forms
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February 25
L.A. Daily News
 columnist Vincent Bonsignore
"Baron Davis was minding his own business walking around Staples Center on Wednesday when he ran right into Clippers owner Donald Sterling. It was one of those awkward, boss-employee moments where the boss does most of the talking and the employee just nods his head up and down saying, "Yes, sir. You bet, sir. Absolutely, sir." It's hard sometimes to make Davis a sympathetic figure. Here is a guy with all the talent in the world, yet he's just as much an enigma now as he was the first day he arrived in the NBA from UCLA in 1999. Which does he want more? To win, to be the best player he can be, or to further all his outside interests, such as producing movies? Sometimes with Davis it's hard ..."
Clippers put together third straight win
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February 25
L.A. Daily News
 
"Forgive the Clippers if they seem a little taken aback by a three-game win streak after a whirlwind of trades. Is this team meshing a little quicker than it thought it might after a coaching switch and multiplayer deals changed the team's complexion? "Absolutely," forward Rasual Butler said. "But it wasn't unexpected." Well, that was about how Wednesday's win over Detroit unfolded. The Clippers fought back from a 12-point deficit to win 97-91, surviving a near four-point play while protecting a four-point lead with eight seconds left at Staples Center. Butler's 3-pointer from the wing with 25.3 seconds left erased a one-point deficit, then Butler blocked a shot by Rodney Stuckey as the ..."
Clippers' streak hits three
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February 25
Los Angeles Times
 
"How's this for a capper? The Clippers may have cleared salary cap space for a marquee free agent . . . and improved themselves in the process. It's beginning to look that way, with the early returns on a pair of trade-deadline deals continuing to exceed expectations Wednesday night at Staples Center. A Clippers team that had a playing-out-the-string feel just a week ago rallied from a nine-point third-quarter deficit to defeat the Detroit Pistons, 97-91, for its third consecutive victory. Clippers new and old alike contributed to the team's latest triumph. Big men Chris Kaman and Drew Gooden recorded double-doubles and forward Rasual Butler shook off his shooting woes to make several big ..."
Newly acquired Travis Outlaw provides spark off the bench
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February 24
Los Angeles Times
 
"Travis Outlaw's debut with the Clippers was emblematic of his career in Portland. Only a few minutes after entering the game Monday night, the small forward made a 22-foot jumper. He followed with a pair of three-point baskets in the second quarter to give the Clippers a 13-point lead during an eventual 98-94 victory over Charlotte. His final line: 10 points on four-for-six shooting and one rebound in 15 minutes. "It felt pretty good," Outlaw said Tuesday. "There's a lot more tweaking to my game, and I'm hoping as the season goes on I can quickly make the adjustments." Outlaw was a sparkplug with Portland, leading the Blazers' bench in scoring a team-high 38 times during the 2008-09 ..."
Newcomers lift Clippers in win
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February 23
L.A. Daily News
 
"Baron's back was back, but could that help the Clippers put up back-to-back victories? They coughed up another big lead, then had a reversal of fortune with a late video review and scored a 98-94 win over Charlotte on Monday at Staples Center. Chris Kaman had 18 points and 13 rebounds and the Clippers got a boost from their newcomers to record consecutive victories for the first time in more than a month. The bolstered bench was so different, interim coach Kim Hughes had one reaction: "Shocking." The Clippers, with Travis Outlaw and Drew Gooden making their debuts, built a 13-point lead in the second period but reverted to the turnover-prone form that has dogged them in the past four ..."
Clippers make it two in a row with 98-94 victory over Bobcats
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February 23
Los Angeles Times
 
"A new draft pick will join the Clippers this summer, probably of the bouncing-ball variety. The team also hopes to add a healthy Blake Griffin and, if its sales pitch hits the mark, a prime free agent. Until then, the trio of reinforcements who arrived Monday night at Staples Center will have to do. Baron Davis returned from a sore lower back and Drew Gooden and Travis Outlaw made their Clippers debuts a success during a 98-94 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. Clippers center Chris Kaman made two free throws with 1 minute 38 seconds left to break an 89-89 tie and, after Charlotte's Raymond Felton missed a three-point attempt, Eric Gordon made an off-balance runner in the lane to give the ..."
Baron Davis could return to Clippers' lineup Monday
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February 22
Los Angeles Times
 
"Just when Steve Blake was beginning to settle in as the Clippers' point guard, here comes Baron Davis. The veteran could reclaim his starting spot Monday night at Staples Center against the Charlotte Bobcats after sitting out the previous two games because of a sore lower back. Davis practiced Sunday but said he still lacked some explosiveness. He said he initially suffered the injury against Memphis on Jan. 12 but continued to play for the next month with the Clippers clinging to faint playoff hopes and several of his teammates sidelined by injuries. But his back became so bothersome after a loss against Golden State nearly two weeks ago that Davis was unable to get out of bed the ..."
Travis Outlaw expected to make Clippers debut Monday
Comment
February 21
Los Angeles Times
 (scroll down)
"Forward Travis Outlaw, acquired Tuesday as part of the trade that sent Marcus Camby to Portland, is expected to make his Clippers debut the same night. "He'll be rusty, but he'll get minutes," Hughes said of Outlaw, who has not played since Nov. 14 because of a stress fracture in his left foot."
Clippers interim coach Hughes finally a winner
Comment
February 21
L.A. Daily News
 
"No Baron Davis again. This time, Eric Gordon made it easier not to notice the absence. Gordon scored 14 of his 30 points, including a double-pump dunk that led to a key three-point play, as the Clippers took the frustration of a six-game losing streak out on the Sacramento Kings and gave interim coach Kim Hughes his first victory. Somehow, the Clippers overcame a second straight 24-turnover effort to grab a 99-89 victory at Staples Center, and Hughes is now 1-5 after taking over for Mike Dunleavy. "It was good," Hughes said. "I don't think it was mine. Players win games." They had to get it done again without guard Davis, who remained on the shelf with a sore lower back. Newly arrived Drew ..."
Clippers' Drew Gooden has plenty of NBA mileage
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February 21
Los Angeles Times
 
"Drew Gooden never stays anywhere for long. Three years at Kansas. Less than a season with the Memphis Grizzlies, who made him the fourth overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft. Nine teams in eight pro seasons. "I probably know every playbook in the league now," Gooden quipped Saturday evening upon joining the Clippers. Even by his standards, the power forward endured something of a whirlwind sequence last week. Four days after being traded from Dallas to Washington -- and trying unsuccessfully to negotiate a buyout of his contract with the Wizards -- Gooden found himself with the Clippers following another trade. Gooden acknowledged that he sought to leave woebegone Washington in a move that ..."
Kim Hughes finally gets his first win as Clippers coach
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February 21
Los Angeles Times
 
"Kim Hughes knew a night like Saturday would come. It just took a little longer than he would have liked. More than two weeks into his tenure as the Clippers' interim coach, Hughes' team finally made him a winner with a 99-89 victory over the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center. It was Hughes' first victory after an 0-5 start and ended the Clippers' six-game losing streak. When it was over, Hughes calmly gave center DeAndre Jordan a high-five before shaking hands with a few other players and walking off the court. Longtime broadcaster Ralph Lawler later presented Hughes with a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne. "It's good," Hughes said of his first coaching victory. "I don't think of it as ..."
Clippers are in need of a victory
Comment
February 20
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Clippers could really use a victory. Not for a playoff push, or even a shot at a .500 record. The issue confronting the Clippers with 28 games left in another lost season is whether their young players will progress under interim Coach Kim Hughes or regress in a going-through-the-motions finish. That's where a victory comes in handy. "It's big because it can play on you psychologically," Hughes said of losing game after game. "You don't want the players to think they're working for no end result." There has been little reward for the Clippers since Mike Dunleavy resigned as coach just over two weeks ago. They are 0-5 under Hughes, losing all five games by double digits. Three players ..."
After throwing in the towel, the Clippers can focus on LeBron James
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February 20
Los Angeles Times
 columnist T.J. Simers
"The Clippers have made it official: They quit. This season is over, the final 28 games just exercise, the only thing of interest around here whether the franchise's plan to rock the sports world and lure LeBron James to Los Angeles is as outlandish as it sounds. They traded a bunch of guys for another bunch of guys, but it really doesn't matter who is coming here because eventually they will revert to Clippers form. In the short term, things would have looked a whole lot better had they just made a deal for a national anthem singer who can sing, not a good sign when a Clippers game begins on a down note and the players haven't even taken the floor. But nothing that happened here Wednesday ..."
Kings notes: Garcia to start against Clippers
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February 20
Sacramento Bee
 
"Francisco Garcia didn't dribble the balls as much as he drove them, pounding one with each arm as if they were pistons while working alone at the Kings practice facility late Thursday night. There was a relentless rhythm to his one-man drill, with the Kings fifth-year player keeping the perfect pace for nearly two minutes as he walked ever so slowly from one baseline to the other. He looked like a man well aware that there was a challenge on hand. As it turns out, there is. In the wake of the three-team, nine-player trade that sent shooting guard Kevin Martin to Houston on Thursday, Garcia will enter the starting backcourt just three games into his long-awaited return. Garcia, who missed ..."
Clippers clear the way for top free agent
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February 19
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Clippers' pursuit of a top free agent this summer will involve dollars and sense. They took care of the first part this week, shedding enough salary to put them within range of being able to extend a maximum contract offer to the likes of Cleveland's LeBron James. Now comes the harder part: convincing an elite player that the Clippers are the right fit. It could be a difficult sell, considering the franchise's history of consistently missing the playoffs. "You'd like to think that we have a shot, but you never know," center Chris Kaman said Thursday. "You don't know what most guys are thinking. Do they want to come to the Clippers? Notoriously, we've struggled, but we have great pieces ..."
Clippers make another trade before losing to Atlanta
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February 18
L.A. Daily News
 
"The Clippers swung for the fences Wednesday. But since the pitch won't be thrown until this summer, it remains to be seen what kind of contact they will make. Continuing, and likely concluding, a trade-deadline flurry, the Clippers shipped guard Sebastian Telfair to Cleveland and forward Al Thornton to Washington in a three-team deal that sent Antawn Jamison to join LeBron James' quest for an NBA title with the Cavaliers. Wednesday's deal was finalized just moments before the Clippers tipped off in a 110-92 loss to Atlanta at Staples Center. It was their sixth consecutive defeat and fifth under interim coach Kim Hughes. As for the Clippers' roster, it now has a looming expiration date — ..."
After throwing in the towel, the Clippers can focus on LeBron James
Comment
February 18
Los Angeles Times
 columnist T.J. Simers
"The Clippers have made it official: They quit. This season is over, the final 28 games just exercise, the only thing of interest around here whether the franchise's plan to rock the sports world and lure LeBron James to Los Angeles is as outlandish as it sounds. They traded a bunch of guys for another bunch of guys, but it really doesn't matter who is coming here because eventually they will revert to Clippers form. In the short term, things would have looked a whole lot better had they just made a deal for a national anthem singer who can sing, not a good sign when a Clippers game begins on a down note and the players haven't even taken the floor. But nothing that happened here Wednesday ..."
Clippers get Drew Gooden, free up more cash with trade
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February 18
Los Angeles Times
 
"The carousel of Clippers continued Wednesday, with the team making its second trade in two days to shed salary in hopes of wooing an elite free agent this summer. About a half hour before a 110-92 loss to the Atlanta Hawks at Staples Center, the Clippers announced they had acquired forward Drew Gooden from Washington as part of a three-team deal in which they sent forward Al Thornton to the Wizards and backup point guard Sebastian Telfair to Cleveland. The Cavaliers also received forward Antawn Jamison from Washington and the Wizards received center Zydrunas Ilgauskas from Cleveland. The move gives the Clippers an additional $5.5 million to pursue a free agent from a class that will ..."
Cavaliers get Antawn Jamison in three-way trade with Wizards and Clippers
Comment
February 18
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"It was going to take a special opportunity to get the Cavaliers to trade franchise pillar Zydrunas Ilgauskas. That chance came Wednesday amid a wild day of negotiations for the team's front office as they attempted to upgrade their roster ahead of Thursday's trade deadline. With two deals on the table, one for the Phoenix Suns' Amar'e Stoudemire and one for the Washington Wizards' Antawn Jamison, the Cavs had to make a decision. When the dust had settled, the Cavs took Jamison in a three-team trade that also involved the Los Angeles Clippers. The team has agreed to send Ilgauskas, the Cavs' 2010 first-round draft pick and the rights to Slovenian forward Emir Preldzic to the Wizards. The ..."
Sources: Jamison goes to Cavs
Comment
February 17
ESPN.com
 
"Cleveland, Washington and the Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to a three-team deal that will land Antawn Jamison with the Cavaliers as LeBron James' new sidekick instead of Amare Stoudemire, according to NBA front-office sources. Sources told ESPN.com that the deal will also send Zydrunas Ilgauskas' $11.5 million expiring contract and a first-round draft pick from Cleveland to Washington. The deal also calls for the Wizards to receive Al Thornton from the Clippers, sources said, with L.A. getting forward Drew Gooden, whom Washington acquired in last week's trade with Dallas. Besides Jamison, Cleveland will also acquire Clippers guard Sebastian Telfair. Jamison left the arena in Washington ..."
Clippers trade Marcus Camby to Portland
Comment
February 17
Los Angeles Times
 
"A day after their coach acknowledged they were out of the playoffs, the Clippers on Tuesday traded veteran Marcus Camby to Portland for guard Steve Blake, forward Travis Outlaw and $1.5 million in cash. The Clippers were willing to part with one of the NBA's top rebounders and defenders, General Manager Mike Dunleavy said, so they could acquire two younger players while giving more minutes to forwards Craig Smith and DeAndre Jordan. The Clippers also waived reserve guard Ricky Davis to clear a roster spot. Davis was averaging 4.4 points and 1.6 rebounds. Blake, 29, and Outlaw, 25, have expiring contracts, but Dunleavy said there is interest in re-signing both players for next season. The ..."
Clippers trading Camby to Blazers
Comment
February 16
Yahoo! Sports
 columnist Marc J. Spears
"Los Angeles Clippers center Marcus Camby unknowingly attended his own farewell dinner on Monday night. The Portland Trail Blazers agreed in principle Tuesday to acquire Camby from the Clippers, league sources said. The deal only needs approval from the league office to be completed. The trade proposal, which was first reported by Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, sends Camby to Portland in exchange for forward Travis Outlaw, guard Steve Blake and $3 million. In town in advance of their Tuesday game against the Trail Blazers, the Clippers were having a team dinner at Portland's Ringside steakhouse Monday night when Camby received a call on his cell phone from his agent, Rick Kaplan. Kaplan ..."
Clippers trade Camby to Blazers
Comment
February 16
Yahoo! Sports
 columnist Marc J. Spears
"Los Angeles Clippers center Marcus Camby unknowingly attended his own farewell dinner on Monday night. The Clippers completed a trade Tuesday that sends Camby to the Portland Trail Blazers, league sources said. The trade, which was first reported by Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, will send Camby to Portland in exchange for forward Travis Outlaw, guard Steve Blake and $3 million. In town in advance of their Tuesday game against the Trail Blazers, the Clippers were having a team dinner at Portland's Ringside steakhouse Monday night when Camby received a call on his cell phone from his agent, Rick Kaplan. Kaplan informed Camby that he would likely be traded to Portland."
Travis Outlaw on impending trade to Clippers: "I'm cool with it."
Comment
February 16
Oregonian
 
"Trail Blazers forward Travis Outlaw on Monday night said his agent, Bill Duffy, has told him that he will likely be traded to the Los Angeles Clippers along with Steve Blake in exchange for Marcus Camby. "I'm cool with it,'' Outlaw said shortly before midnight. "It doesn't bother me. It's a business. I'll just go somewhere else and play. Don't get me wrong - I appreciate the opportunity Portland gave me, but I also know it's a business.'' Outlaw was in his 7th season with the Blazers, making him the longest tenured Blazer. He was also a key element in the team's vibrant, harmonious and sometimes kid-like chemistry. He was the best friend to team star Brandon Roy and a close confidant of ..."
Camby stunned by potential trade to Blazers
Comment
February 16
Yahoo! Sports
 columnist Marc J. Spears
"Los Angeles Clippers center Marcus Camby may have unknowingly attended his own farewell dinner on Monday night. The Clippers are on the verge of completing a trade that will send Camby to the Portland Trail Blazers, league sources said, but the veteran center is not happy about the potential deal. The proposed trade, which was first reported by Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, will send Camby to Portland in exchange for forward Travis Outlaw, guard Steve Blake and cash. In town in advance of their Tuesday game against the Trail Blazers, the Clippers were having a team dinner at Portland's Ringside steakhouse Monday night when Camby received a call on his cell phone from his agent, Rick ..."
School remains in session for Clippers
Comment
February 16
Los Angeles Times
 
"Anybody with basic math skills and a passing knowledge of NBA history had already figured it out. But with two months left in the season, it was still surprising to hear Clippers Coach Kim Hughes admit the obvious Monday. "We're out of the playoffs, clearly," he said. And with his Clippers heading into Tuesday's game at Portland 10 games under .500, trailing eighth-place Portland by 8 1/2 games in the Western Conference and having lost eight of their last nine, it's clear he's right. But as the Clippers know oh so well, there's more to basketball than just winning. "My thought is you don't look at it that way," said Hughes, interim coach of a team that has reached the postseason just once ..."
No Bryant, no problem
Comment
February 11
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"The Lakers didn't have Kobe Bryant on Wednesday night at EnergySolutions Arena. But they did have Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol and Jordan Farmar. That was more than enough to dominate the Utah Jazz. Odom, Gasol and Farmar combined for 65 points on 24-for-35 shooting and the Lakers cooled off the Jazz in the final game before the All-Star break with an emphatic 96-81 win. The win was the Lakers' third in a row without Bryant, who has been sidelined with a sprained ankle and might not play in Sunday's All-Star Game in Dallas. "I want him to do what's right for him," coach Phil Jackson said. In the Lakers' wire-to-wire win over Utah, Odom, Gasol and Farmar played like All-Stars on both ends of ..."
Jazz win streak goes from nine to none in blowout loss to Lakers
Comment
February 11
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Whatever statement they were hoping to make heading into the All-Star break, the Jazz found themselves on the receiving end of one made by the Los Angeles Lakers on a night Kobe Bryant was nothing more than a whisper at EnergySolutions Arena. With Bryant never leaving the locker room Wednesday with his sprained left ankle, the Lakers still ended the Jazz's nine-game winning streak with a 96-81 victory, sending what was the Western Conference's hottest team into the break on a chilly note. The Jazz had been averaging 111 points a game during their streak, as well as 106.5 points at home this season, before falling flat against a Lakers team that has eliminated them from the playoffs the ..."
Curry leads Warriors in rout of Clippers
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February 11
Contra Costa Times
 
"No doubt, in the grand scheme of things, the Warriors' 132-102 demolishing of the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday is meaningless. The season was over long before the All-Star break arrived today, as the Warriors are still 23 games under .500. And, to be sure, the victory came against a Clippers team that was bad enough for the head coach to step down. But Wednesday's victory — highlighted by rookie guard Stephen Curry's first triple-double at any level as he finished with 36 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds — was just shy of monumental for the Golden State. It snapped a nine-game losing streak and gave the Warriors (14-37) their first home win since blowing out New Jersey on Jan. 22. ..."
It's a Clippers three-peat
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February 11
Los Angeles Times
 
"A few weeks ago, the Clippers spoke longingly about getting back to .500 before the All-Star break. When those hopes vanished, the chatter turned to playing at home, where the Clippers had a habit of beating elite teams. And after the Clippers lost their first two games back at Staples Center, there was always the comforting thought that injury-ravaged Golden State was up next. Oops. Continuing a perplexing trend in which they have flopped against the NBA's worst teams, the Clippers dropped a 132-102 head-scratcher against the Warriors on Wednesday night at Oracle Arena. Of course, Golden State more closely resembles something out of the Development League these days. Warriors players have ..."
Gordon, Granger make first cut in U.S. program
Comment
February 11
Indianapolis Star
 
"Indianapolis native Eric Gordon took another step toward being the youngest player on America's Olympic basketball team in 2012. Gordon and Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger were named to the 27-man USA Basketball national team, from which the 2010 World Championship and 2012 Olympic teams will be selected. Gordon, who turned 21 on Christmas, is the youngest of the 27 players by nearly three months. "I'm just going to continue to do the things I need to do," Gordon said in a phone interview Wednesday. "It would be something great to be a part of getting a gold medal. Getting to represent your country is an honor. "They probably need guys that are athletic and shooters and can play a ..."
Danny Granger and Eric Gordon join U.S. national team
Comment
February 10
Indianapolis Star
 
"Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger and former Indiana University player Eric Gordon have been named to the 2010-2012 USA Men's National Team program. "This is a great honor, not only to be selected with this group of players, but to have the opportunity to represent the United States," Granger said in a statement released from USA Basketball. "I think any athlete in any sport relishes the chance to wear that uniform." Granger, the Pacers' leading scorer at 22.4 points a game, was invited to take part in Team USA's mini-camp last summer but didn't attend because of personal reasons. Gordon, who starred at North Central High School, harbors gold-medal dreams. "I'm just going to continue to ..."
Denver Trade Winds
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February 10
Denver Post
 
"The Nuggets will be working the phones leading up to the Feb. 18 trade deadline. Karl said the likelihood of Denver making a trade could be fifty-fifty. The Nuggets are over the league's luxury tax line and aren't looking to spend too much money on an insurance policy on the bench. According to CBSSports.com, the Los Angeles Clippers' Marcus Camby could return to the Nuggets in a deal. But according to an NBA source, don't expect Denver to make a trade for the pricey Camby. According to Chicago newspapers, another big man being shopped is athletic big man Tyrus Thomas of the Bulls. But Thomas clashing with coach Vinny Del Negro over playing time shows he has a volatile personality that ..."
Clippers show improvement under Hughes, but fourth-quarter woes spell doom against Utah
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February 10
L.A. Daily News
 
"Rasual Butler's shot from the corner banged off the rim, but the long rebound was tipped out to Baron Davis above the key. Davis didn't hesitate and zipped a pass right back to Butler, who swished a 3-pointer to give the Clippers a 10-point lead. The ball was moving freely for he Clippers on Tuesday in their second game under Kim Hughes. But it stopped in a hurry when the fourth quarter began and the Utah Jazz came away with a 109-99 victory at Staples Center. It was a predictable result for a work in progress against a well-oiled machine like the Jazz, who have won nine games in a row. "We had a good start, a good first half, good energy, but it seemed like we ran out of gas in the fourth ..."
Clippers let third-quarter lead evaporate
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February 10
Los Angeles Times
 
"It was Take 2 of the Kim Hughes era, a chance to rectify what went wrong in his debut as the Clippers' interim coach. The Clippers reined in their offense and somewhat tightened their defense, but they still need to work on fashioning a Hollywood ending. A 10-point third-quarter lead fizzled during a 109-99 loss to the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Staples Center, indicating that more tweaking may be required under Mike Dunleavy's successor. Clippers center Chris Kaman tossed a copy of the box score to the locker-room floor in disgust after a fourth quarter in which the Clippers shot only 33.3% and turned the ball over five times on the way to being outscored 29-15. "They went on a little ..."