Clippers News

Golden State Warriors crushed by Clippers
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November 7
Oakland Tribune
 
"Warriors coach Don Nelson said he was embarrassed. Guard Monta Ellis called it the worst game he's played in as a Warrior. The Warriors lost 118-90 at home to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. "We all should be embarrassed," Ellis said after totaling 14 points, six assists and six turnovers. "This was a terrible game. A terrible performance. We looked like we didn't know what we were doing out there. We looked like a high school team. We didn't do anything. ... I couldn't tell you what it was. I just know that's not how I want to play basketball." It's bad enough for Warriors fans that their team got humiliated. But it certainly had to sting more considering it came at the hands of ..."
Warriors blitzed by Clippers in second half
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November 7
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Coach Don Nelson deemed the Warriors' 118-90 loss Friday night an embarrassment, and his players parroted the message after being thoroughly outplayed by the Clippers in front of 18,788 at Oracle Arena. "I don't have a lot to tell you other than what you saw for yourself: a bad performance and bad effort," Nelson said. "We all should be embarrassed," Monta Ellis said. "This was a terrible performance, and a terrible game. We looked like we didn't know what we were doing out there. We looked like a high school team. "We didn't do anything." The Warriors did shoot poorly, did play little or no defense, and did turn the fourth quarter into an irrelevant collection of 12 minutes. They shot ..."
Baron Davis leads Clippers to win
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November 7
Los Angeles Times
 
"Baron Davis, a self-proclaimed aspiring author, was talking all about the transition game Friday. And not just the transition game on the court. He firmly declared the Golden State Warriors part of his life to be over and sealed shut. Davis backed up those words with his actions a couple of hours of later, leading the Clippers to a 118-90 victory against his former team at Oracle Arena. "I think that chapter is officially closed," he said. "I'm trying to open up that new chapter and start it here with the Clippers." Then again, last season's disaster with the 19-win Clippers could have prompted a book-burning party."
Andris Biedrins' injury leaves Warriors short at center
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November 6
Oakland Tribune
 
"The Warriors may be down two centers as Andris Biedrins, the starter, is questionable for today's game against the Los Angeles Clippers because of an ailing back. "It's a little sore," Biedrins said Thursday. "Hopefully I will play, but we'll see (today)." Biedrins' backup, Ronny Turiaf, missed Wednesday's game with a sprained left knee. He did not practice Thursday and is doubtful for today's game. So coach Don Nelson will turn to veteran Mikki Moore as the starting center if Biedrins or Turiaf can't play. The last time Moore started was last season with the Sacramento Kings, on Jan."‰6 at Chicago. Anthony Randolph, whom Nelson said will serve as a backup center, won't start because the ..."
Against Clips, big men could play biggest role
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November 6
San Francisco Chronicle
 columnist John Shea
"It's almost always a good time to play the Clippers, the Warriors' opponent tonight. But on this occasion, the Warriors could be at a disadvantage in one noticeable area - big men. Center Andris Biedrins said his playing status is 50-50 after straining his back in the final moments of Wednesday's 113-105 win over Memphis. Biedrins said he would be far from 100 percent if he suits up. With post Ronny Turiaf still shelved with a sprained left knee, the Warriors could be vulnerable underneath against Clippers 7-footer Chris Kaman (averaging 22.6 points, highest among NBA centers, and 10.2 rebounds) and 6-11 Marcus Camby. Even without Biedrins, Anthony Randolph won't be in the starting lineup, ..."
Clippers' Rasual Butler works on his shooting
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November 6
Los Angeles Times
 
"The number 1, as in the number of Clippers wins, was lodged in Rasual Butler's mind, but so were some others from his performance Monday, such as his three-for-15 shooting from the field. That's why he stayed after practice Thursday, going well into extra time. Butler worked on his shot long after his teammates had departed for lunch or other errands before their afternoon flight to the Bay Area for tonight's game against the Golden State Warriors. "I was just a little disappointed in the way I shot the ball the other night," said Butler, who was also five for six from the free-throw line. "I got some good looks. Chris [Kaman] gave me some great passes in the clutch. I just want to be ..."
Sterling suit seems to fit NBA just fine
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November 5
Yahoo! Sports
 
"Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling agreed to pay $2.73 million this week to settle a federal case alleging he discriminated in the rental of apartments he owns with his wife in Southern California. The settlement is "the largest monetary payment ever obtained" by the U.S. Justice Department, according to a news release from the organization. It stems from allegations Sterling's company targeted and discriminated against blacks, Hispanics and families with children in renting apartments in greater Los Angeles. The settlement must still be approved by a federal judge but should also resolve two additional tenant-filed suits alleging racial discrimination. "The magnitude of this ..."
Chris Kaman is taking it outside
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November 5
Los Angeles Times
 
"What has gotten into Chris Kaman -- and will it stay there? The Clippers' center has bolted from the gate to a level that has surprised many. After six seasons in which he averaged 10.4 points a game -- including the last two when he was hampered with injuries -- Kaman is averaging 22.6 points a game through the first five games of this season. That included 25 points in the win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, the Clippers' first victory of the season after opening with four losses. The 7-foot Kaman, 27, also appears to be doing a better job of mixing his repertoire of shots, including left- and right-handed hook shots and fall-away jump shots. So what accounts for the ..."
Turnovers have been a problem for Clippers
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November 4
Los Angeles Times
 
"Turn, turn, turn. That is, as in turning the ball over. One consistent thread through the Clippers' first five games has been inconsistent ballhandling. They've had 88 turnovers in those five games, four of them losses, an alarming average of 17.6 turnovers a game. There was a season high of 21 against Dallas on Saturday and a low of 11 at Utah on Friday, although there were other assorted issues in the loss to the Jazz, which featured a fourth-quarter collapse. The same problem surfaced in the lone Clippers' victory, a 93-90 win against the Timberwolves on Monday at Staples Center. The Clippers' 20 turnovers -- including five by point guard Baron Davis -- helped the Timberwolves erase ..."
Al Jefferson's 24 not enough for Timberwolves as Clippers get first win
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November 3
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"Kurt Rambis was an assistant coach, assistant general manager and head coach with the Los Angeles Lakers for 10 years, all at Staples Center. But when he showed up here Monday, he couldn't find his locker room. "I did have to ask somebody where the visiting locker room was," he said. "I didn't know where it was." Yes, it's a new world for the Timberwolves' new coach, who helped lead finely tuned, star-studded Lakers teams to four NBA Finals and two championships. Now he's trying to rebuild a franchise that was never all that built to begin with. The Timberwolves showed considerable life Monday, and often looked good, but in the end they became the Los Angeles Clippers' first victim of the ..."
Kurt Rambis has Phil Jackson's demeanor, if not his players
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November 3
Los Angeles Times
 
"You could ask any of the literally dozens of Clippers fans who are left (owner Donald T. Sterling, Penny Marshall, Jimmy Goldstein plus entourages) . . . they don't make can't-miss young teams the way they used to. With this one having missed four times in the first six days of the season, Clipper Nation, however depopulated, was heartened to see its team win a game. Or maybe Kurt Rambis' young Minnesota Timberwolves lost it. In any case, the Clippers have a 1 under W in the standings, where there used to be a 0. Remember Rambis Youth, his horn rim glasses-wearing fans in the Forum? These were Rambis' Youths, whom the Clippers were expected to beat soundly but escaped by a score of 93-90 . ..."
Clippers put this 1 in the win column, beat Minnesota, 93-90
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November 3
Los Angeles Times
 
"Finally, a winning finish. It may have been a wavering one against a non-playoff team playing its second game in two nights, but the Clippers managed to stagger across the finish line into the win column with a 93-90 victory against Minnesota on Monday at Staples Center. Easy? Of course not. Would you expect anything else the way things have gone for the Clippers this last week or year(s)? They were up by 13 points against the Timberwolves early in the third quarter and let the lead shrivel and watched it eventually disappear by the opening seconds of the fourth, but they hung on. What stopped the bleeding, among other things, was the continued excellence of center Chris Kaman, who was 10 ..."
Clippers go 0 for 4
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November 2
L.A. Daily News
 
"Dirk Nowitzki and his teammates were intent on not letting it happen again. Nowitzki had 24 points and nine rebounds, leading the Mavericks to a 93-84 victory Saturday night and handing the Clippers their fourth straight loss to start the season. Last year, the Clippers started out 0-6 before beating Dallas at Staples Center. "The Clippers are a much better team than their record reflects," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "We were in this exact situation last year - they were winless, but they got us and it sent us into a bad stretch. Tonight we were able to make the plays down the stretch to get it done." The Mavericks, coming off a victory over the NBA champion Lakers on Friday, could ..."
Clippers' Smith and Telfair look forward to seeing old friends
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November 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"The list includes Blake Griffin, Brian Skinner and Marcus Camby. All victims of Clippers teammate Craig "Rhino" Smith, and all injured during training camp. Now, perhaps, is the time to add an opponent to the list. Smith, jokingly, had a former teammate in mind with tonight's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. None other than Big Al. As in Al Jefferson. "I told him I'm going to take him down," Smith said, laughing, at practice Sunday. "He sent me a text like a while ago, saying, 'You all better double-team me if you guard me.' "I told him, 'OK, you make sure that you've got some help because I'm going to blow right past you.' " The Clippers, 0-4, and minus injured rookie Griffin, ..."
Kareem Rush gets chance to contribute
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November 1
Los Angeles Times
 
"Kobe Bryant was front and center in the Clippers' locker room on Saturday night before their game against the Dallas Mavericks. Not literally, but you get the idea. The Clippers were watching the tape of the Mavericks' victory over the Lakers on Friday and a frustrated-looking Bryant loomed large. At the same time, new Clipper Kareem Rush was reminiscing about his former teammate, telling stories about Bryant's legendary work habits, including arriving at the gym at 6 a.m. His duties as a Lakers rookie once included taking care of Bryant's laundry, and staying out of his way as much as possible. Now about the present . . . "I just want to get in and contribute," Rush said. "If given the ..."
Clippers waste efforts of Chris Kaman
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November 1
Los Angeles Times
 
"Dirk and Friends barely hit the pause button. The Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki completed their two-night sweep through Staples Center, picking apart the Lakers via pick and roll and then bookending it with a 93-84 victory over the Clippers on Saturday night. No Halloween jokes are necessary here. The Clippers' early record speaks for itself, and they failed to score in the final 4:42 of the game. They are 0-4 and two losses from matching their woeful start of last season. They are the only team in the NBA with four losses. (The Knicks and Nets are both 0-3, which drives home the point that some pretty miserable basketball is being played in the New York metro area and not-so-great hoops is ..."
Unlike season opener, Jazz get big fourth quarter for win
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October 31
The Deseret News
 
"It ended with a late-game highlight-reel dunk by Ronnie Price that put a big, fat exclamation mark on the first win of the 2009-10 season. And the Utah Jazz's home-opener began with a pregame meet-and-greet with the Miller family and Jazz brass at entry ways, a stirring rendition of the national anthem by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, a Haka dance by powerful-looking Polynesian performers and fireworks. What happened between all that hoopla and the eventual 111-98 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, however, caught most in the sold-out EnergySolutions Arena by surprise. The Jazz, who were playing with Mehmet Okur (ankle, knee), Kyle Korver (knee) and C.J. Miles (thumb) in dressy duds, ..."
Millsap in tune
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October 31
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"They pulled out all the stops for the Jazz's home opener Friday, with the full 360-member Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing the national anthem, but it was Paul Millsap who proved to be a one-man saving grace in their 111-98 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers Millsap scored 14 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, a memorable run that started with an acrobatic three-point play to close the third quarter and ended with Deron Williams barking in his ear after Millsap crossed over Chris Kaman and hit a foul-line jumper with 3:23 left. "It felt great," said Millsap, who hit 9 of 12 shots, grabbed nine rebounds and outscored the Clippers' bench 23-16 on his own. "We had a great effort from ..."
A bad quarter denies Clippers a chance for change
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October 31
Los Angeles Times
 
"One quarter from ending a streak flirting with ignominy. Twelve minutes from getting their first win in Utah since 2003, so long ago that in those days, Eric Gordon and DeAndre Jordan were barely starting to think about where they might go to college. After three quarters Friday night, the Clippers were ready and seemingly poised to win a game at EnergySolutions Arena, after having lost 12 straight in Salt Lake City, and 35 of 36. Then they played the fourth quarter. "I don't think it was a letdown. I think they just kicked our butts. They just beast-ed us," Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said. And the Clippers (0-3) turned into beasts of burden. The Jazz opened the fourth with a 10-0 run ..."
History on Jazz's side
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October 30
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"From a historical standpoint at least, the Jazz couldn't have asked for a more favorable opponent in tonight's home opener than the Los Angeles Clippers, losers of 34 of 35 games all-time at EnergySolutions Arena. That .971 winning percentage has to offer comfort to the Jazz as they look to regroup after Wednesday's loss to Denver and avoid their first 0-2 start since dropping games at New Orleans and Atlanta to open the 2002-03 season. "I'm always confident when we go home, period," Deron Williams said. "We're a good home team, and coming off a tough loss like this, we're going to be ready to go. "Despite a team's record, it's a big game for us. You don't want to start a season off ..."
Clippers focus on free throws
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October 30
Los Angeles Times
 
"Almost, without fail, Eric Gordon would wander over to the same basket after practice and start shooting free throws. It happened to be the basket closest to the exercise machines and weights in the back of the Clippers' training facility in Playa Vista and a few feet away from where Coach Mike Dunleavy usually conducts his post-practice media session. Gordon camped out elsewhere Thursday. Coincidence, perhaps? Or was it something to do with Gordon, a seasoned free-throw shooter who shot 85% from the line last season, suddenly going cold. Gordon, who went three for seven from the line in the Clippers' two-point loss to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, was hardly the only chilled Clipper. ..."
Suns rally to win over Clippers
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October 29
Arizona Republic
 
"The fun-and-gun Suns did not run but they won. The Suns didn't score at the pace they used to hit the 140-point mark twice last season against the Clippers. But they still ruined the Clippers' home opener when Steve Nash scored the last two of his 15 fourth-quarter points with a twisting, winning, left-handed drive in the Suns' 109-107 opening victory. "I went to the old White guy YMCA shot," Nash said of his left-handed finish. "I was lucky to make something happen." Nash had told Suns coach Alvin Gentry in the preceding huddle that he might have to drive because he did not want to get stuck on the perimeter against Baron Davis. Nash scored 13 of the Suns' final 18 points, saying that ..."
Blake Griffin has empathy from his brother on the rehab process
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October 29
Los Angeles Times
 
"The person perhaps best able to understand Blake Griffin's frustration at being sidelined up to six weeks because of a stress fracture in his left kneecap is another player in NBA. That would also be his older brother. "I think he's at the point now where he's realizing that he has to deal with it and move on," Phoenix Suns rookie forward Taylor Griffin said before the game against the Clippers on Wednesday at Staples Center. "Of course, he was pretty down the first few days. It stinks, but it's an occupational hazard." Taylor arrived in town in time to grab lunch with Blake and their mom, Gail. The Clippers gave Gail Griffin a specially created jersey, combining the elements of the ..."
Clippers can't finish it
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October 29
Los Angeles Times
 
"Calling this a must-win game -- after all, it is the Clippers' second of a long-and-winding NBA schedule -- either suggests an incredible loss of perspective or close examination of last season's 0-6 start. Let's go with loss of perspective. Seriously, though, the Clippers needed a win, a psychological boost after a tumultuous few days to steady their often-fragile equilibrium. Failing to build on the promising moments from their season opener against the Lakers, the Clippers blew a seven-point, fourth-quarter lead one night later as the Phoenix Suns rallied for a 109-107 victory on Wednesday night at Staples Center. It turned into a riveting battle down the stretch, essentially featuring ..."
A ringing debut as Lakers beat Clips
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October 28
Orange County Register
 
"As should happen on great teams, misfortune presented opportunity, which turned into accomplishment. Lamar Odom (16 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, two blocks, two steals) and Andrew Bynum (26 points, 13 rebounds) got more minutes and therefore more moments as a result of Pau Gasol having to rest his strained right hamstring, and the Lakers held off the Clippers, 99-92, in the regular-season opener at Staples Center. It was the ninth consecutive time the Lakers have beaten their intracity rivals, who weren't helped by Baron Davis (two points on 1-of-10 shooting) being out of sync after missing recent practices with a bruised right foot."
Kobe Bryant leads Lakers in opener
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October 28
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Lakers added a diamond-encrusted bookend to last season's playoff run, receiving their glitzy championship rings and unveiling a new celebratory banner in front of a keyed-up Staples Center crowd. Putting the finishing touches on the Clippers proved to be much more difficult. The Lakers had habitually bullied their down-the-hall neighbors the last two seasons, winning eight consecutive games against them by an average of 22 points. Then came Tuesday, where a pregame testimony to success turned into a reminder that this was an entirely new season. The Lakers eventually won, 99-92, in front of fans whose energy dropped dramatically after the opening festivities, only to recover in the ..."
Injury sidelines Blake Griffin
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October 28
Los Angeles Times
 
"Where Amazin' didn't happen . . . This was supposed to be the NBA regular-season debut for one Blake Griffin, also fondly called Amazin' by his admiring Clippers teammates for his self-generated, live-action hoop highlights. Granted, it was always going to be a tough task to compete with the emotion of the Lakers' ring ceremony Tuesday night at Staples Center. But the news that the dynamic Clippers rookie power forward had a stress fracture of his left kneecap and could be out for up to six weeks deflated his teammates and the organization. Despite the brave words before the Lakers' 99-92 victory over the Clippers, the honest assessment was that the Griffin injury was a big setback for a ..."
Griffin injury won't keep Clippers down
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October 28
L.A. Daily News
 
"Clippers president Andy Roeser was walking quietly through the halls of Staples Center before Tuesday night's season opener against the Lakers. In case you were wondering, his chin was up and there were no visible signs of distress. On Monday, the team's prized rookie, Blake Griffin, was diagnosed with a non-displaced stress fracture on his left kneecap that will cause him to miss approximately six weeks. Clipper Curse? Actually, from the sorrowful tones people used in expressing their sympathy it was more like Clipper hearse? Not that they wanted to hear about it. "There is no curse," Roeser said. "We don't sit around and talk about it that way at all. I'm sure it's great for selling ..."
Blake Griffin has stress fracture in kneecap
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October 27
Los Angeles Times
 
"Clippers' rookie power forward Blake Griffin, the No. 1 overall draft choice in June, has a stress fracture of the left patella, or kneecap, and could miss as much as six weeks of the season. The news, released late Monday, came on the eve of the team's NBA opener, and the blow was a significant one, meaning the Clippers will be starting the season minus the fresh new face of the franchise and might be without him in the lineup for the first 20 games of the season. Tests revealed the fracture and a second opinion later in the day backed up the results and conclusion of the first doctor. A Clippers spokesperson said it is a non-displaced fracture. But the team will take a conservative ..."
Clippers look to be part of great 8
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October 27
L.A. Daily News
 
"Those in and around an NBA franchise would have to be perspiring pessimism not to speak in excited tones on the eve of a new season after one in which it lost 63 games. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it's time to introduce the 2009-10 Clippers, who - as they prepared for tonight's opener against their co-tenants in the Staples Center - were ready to dive head first into the season. While the Lakers will be picking up NBA championship rings before the game, their opponents will be taking the first step toward justifying the optimism that this campaign can stretch somewhere beyond the April 14 regular-season finale with the Lakers. But as seemingly always happens in Clipperland, a ..."
Clippers star-studded, but are they still star-crossed?
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October 26
Los Angeles Times
 
"Can you put bubble wrap on a franchise? Or, at the very least, a protective seal around the No. 1 overall NBA draft choice, Blake Griffin, with a bright sticker reading, "Fragile, Handle With Care." Meet the 2009-10 Clippers. It's hard not to give in to the temptation to utter the word curse and think about one man named Danny Manning each time Griffin gets injured. Optimism around the team's Playa Vista headquarters took a bit of a hit on Sunday, the air rushing out of a promising 6-2 preseason when Griffin didn't practice and had treatment afterward. He and his aching left knee are considered iffy for the season opener against the Lakers on Tuesday. Best-case scenario: The swelling that ..."
Blake Griffin injured
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October 25
Los Angeles Times
 
"The monster dunk Blake Griffin threw down late in the third quarter against the Hornets on Friday night had unwelcome repercussions for the rookie -- and, by extension, the Clippers. He hurt his left knee on the play and his status for the season opener against the Lakers on Tuesday is in question, considered day to day. Griffin did not practice today, nor did point guard Baron Davis (bruised right foot). Davis is expected to play against the Lakers. Marcus Camby (sprained ankle) did practice and could possibly get some minutes in the opener."
Clippers defeat New Orleans, 91-88, in final exhibition
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October 24
Los Angeles Times
 
"Whether it was stretch limos hovering around Staples Center or more designer clothes than you would see except for Fashion Week, the hoopla on the streets did seem a little excessive, a little misplaced. Wasn't this too much for Chris Paul vs. Blake Griffin? Or did people mix up their dates and show up in the Staples Center/Nokia Theatre area a few days early, thinking the Lakers were opening their title defense? Neither. Instead, it was partly a celebration of the cosmetics company Nu Skin, highlighting its 25th anniversary."
Blake Griffin is learning his place
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October 23
Los Angeles Times
 
"Lessons for a rookie, Part 9. There's plenty for Clippers rookie Blake Griffin to remember and, by all accounts, he's doing a standout job, on and off the court. But even the most diligent of pupils can slip up from time to time. "Biggest thing I've learned?" he said on Thursday. "Being in somebody's spot when you're a rookie, you've got to move. I've been kicked out of so many spots." Such as the wrong chair on the side of the court, wrong seat on the bus, wrong yoga mat . . . and wrong shower. Shower? Griffin nodded. "You've got to remember," he said. "I think I've got it down now.""
Sebastian Telfair is aching to get back into games
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October 20
Los Angeles Times
 
"Not quite prime time, but it was as close as it possibly can get for the Clippers. Which is why watching Sunday's preseason game against the Lakers was particularly tough for the Clippers' Sebastian Telfair.There was a big crowd on hand and it had a quasi big-game feel at Staples Center for the point guard stranded on deck. "It's extremely frustrating, especially a night like tonight," Telfair said after the Clippers lost by six points to the Lakers. "It's the closest thing you're going to get to the real season right there. It's kind of frustrating." His early Clippers career has been slowed by an injured right hamstring, limiting him to one preseason game. There will be two more chances ..."
A different Baron Davis emerging this season for Clippers
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October 19
Los Angeles Times
 
"Clippers assistant coach John Lucas was breaking down the game of pupil and point guard Baron Davis, and almost, as if on cue, the bearded one appeared in the locker room before Sunday's exhibition game against the Lakers. "I don't know the BD she was talking about," Lucas said. Davis, who had 16 points and eight assists in the 114-108 loss to the Lakers, said that he didn't know that Baron Davis, either. It was suggested that it was the Baron Davis without the heavy beard, the beard he joked that makes him look like a werewolf. Oh, that Davis. The leading symbol of the Clippers' woes last season. Gone, and best forgotten, all agree. "I've never seen that BD," Lucas said. "I just know who ..."
Clippers top Jazz in 'pickup game'
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October 18
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"They could play in the NBA for another 50 years and Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer might never be greeted by a crowd as small as was present for the first half of Saturday's game at Staples Center. With the Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers serving as the opening act for the second game of a preseason doubleheader featuring the Los Angeles Lakers and Charlotte Bobcats, fewer than 500 people might have been in the stands for the opening tip. "It felt like a pickup game, to be honest," Boozer said after the Jazz's 103-96 loss. "We walked out there to do layups and I was like, 'Is anybody coming?' They showed up as the game got later. I guess they want to see the champs. It really wasn't for ..."
Board exams are one part of Griffin's NBA education
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October 18
Los Angeles Times
 
"Introductions to the league were made by Mr. Carlos Boozer and his sidekick, Mr. Paul Millsap. Utah Jazz basketball is always going to be a physical go, and it was just another rugged chapter around the basket in the early education of Clippers rookie Blake Griffin. "He [Boozer] was tough. I got caught under there several times and he killed me," Griffin said after the Clippers' 103-96 victory over the Jazz on Saturday night at Staples Center. "They do a lot of the vet stuff. They do it well, and that helps." Boozer had 20 points and eight rebounds in 31-plus minutes, but Griffin had his moments too. He scored 16 points and had eight rebounds in 33:35 of action. The Clippers (4-1) also had ..."
Jazz get their first look at No. 1 pick Griffin
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October 17
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Oklahoma power forward Blake Griffin was considered the only can't-miss prospect in last summer's NBA Draft. The Jazz get their first look at him today, when they visit Staples Center and play a preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers. L.A. used the No. 1 overall pick on Griffin, who averaged 22.7 points and 14.7 rebounds in his final collegiate season at Oklahoma. Jazz rookie Eric Maynor attended Virginia Commonwealth, which played the Griffin-led Sooners in a nonconference game last December. Oklahoma won, 81-70. Griffin scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. "He's a beast, everybody knows that," said Maynor. "... I remember he had a good game against us. He rebounded ..."
Camby injures ankle in practice
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October 17
Los Angeles Times
 
"Question of the day: If there is a collision involving Craig Smith and another player, who usually ends up walking away untouched? Smith. And if the Clippers didn't know the answer to that question before Smith arrived back home in Los Angeles, well, it hasn't taken them long to find out. "He's a bull," said Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy. In fact, Smith's nickname is "the Rhino," but you get the general idea. Apparently "the Rhino" was a creation from Smith's days with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He came to the Clippers in the Quentin Richardson trade, along with Mark Madsen (since waived) and point guard Sebastian Telfair in July. Here, Rhino's wreckage has taken out two teammates. First, ..."
Popovich raves about Blake Griffin
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October 16
Los Angeles Times
 
"The first player off the bus when it rolled into the parking lot of the sun-splashed Trump National Golf Club late Thursday afternoon was none other than Blake Griffin. Firsts are dotting the career landscape of the young Clipper, the NBA's No. 1 overall draft pick in June. A first meeting against icon Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs. A first exhibition start. And a first all-out rave from an opposing coach. First, the rave: Either Griffin was being his usual humble self or he hadn't been on the Internet all day because he seemed unaware of the compliment from Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich. "He's a monster," Popovich told reporters after the Clippers beat the Spurs, 93-90, on Wednesday in ..."
Clippers' Chris Kaman is keeping good early signs in perspective
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October 14
Los Angeles Times
 
"When so little went right -- as it did for the Clippers and their fans last season -- the temptation is to go overboard when there are the slightest signs of promise. The incumbent Chris Kaman, veteran of those flickers, urged caution after back-to-back exhibition wins and a fresh air of hope in Clippers' training camp. It took one word to get that thought across: Fresno. "Don't read into it so much," Kaman said Tuesday after practice. "It's basketball. See how it goes. It happened last year. We beat the Lakers in the preseason up in Fresno." In fact, it was Oct. 9 of last year when the Clippers crushed the Lakers in Fresno, 107-80, in their exhibition opener. And you know the ..."
Butler creates his own highlight
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October 13
Los Angeles Times
 
"Rasual Butler may have been happier about Blake Griffin's first points as a Clipper than, well, Blake Griffin. Butler was kicking back in the locker room after an exhibition victory over Portland last week, and the general consensus was that a clip of the No. 1 overall draft pick's scoring had to be on ESPN since Griffin's firsts have been recorded at every turn. If not EPSN, then YouTube. Meaning plenty of Butler. After all, it was Butler's behind-the-back pass that set up Griffin's dunk in the first quarter. "A hockey assist," teammate Al Thornton said, dryly. Playmaker, scorer and creator of highlight moments on Friday, Butler was simply scorer Monday night, when he ignited a ..."
Al Thornton focusing on conditioning
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October 12
Los Angeles Times
 
"Before eating chicken-fried steak and yams following Sunday's practice, Clippers forward Al Thornton sprinkled so much salt that it caught the attention of guard Baron Davis. "That doesn't have enough seasoning, huh?" Davis said, laughing. Apparently not, but Thornton doesn't mind. After spending an entire season last year eating what he described as "greasy foods," Thornton hired a personal chef three weeks ago to improve his diet. He hopes that leads into becoming a leaner and quicker player. The team has already noticed the change in Thornton, who will start at small forward tonight when the Clippers play host to the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center in what will be their third ..."
Blazers bow to Clippers 97-85
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October 11
Portland Tribune
 
"Trail Blazer guard Steve Blake flips a pass backward, turning Los Angeles Clipper defenders Blake Griffin (left) and Rasual Butler during Friday's Portland loss at Staples Center. The Trail Blazers suffered their first exhibition defeat on Friday, as the Los Angeles Clippers beat them almost from start to finish at Staples Center. The Blazers shot 38.2 percent from the field, while the Clippers hit 52.6 percent and won 97-85 Portland's final lead was 5-4 early in the first quarter. The Clippers led 30-21 after one period and 53-45 at halftime. Blazer coach Nate McMillan used 14 players, with no one going more than starting point guard Andre Miller's 24:35. LaMarcus Aldridge led the Blazers ..."
McMillan learns about RAMBO and whether that lineup works
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October 10
Oregonian
 
"It was a revealing night for the Trail Blazers on Friday, as coach Nate McMillan said he learned a lot about his team during a 97-85 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. At the forefront of McMillan's encouragement was gaining some data on which lineups work, and don't work, as the team prepares for its final five preseason games. The biggest revelation was that his Game 3 starting lineup of Andre Miller, Brandon Roy, Nicolas Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden did not click, except for a brief flurry at the start of the third quarter. The unit was terribly out of synch to open the game. There were forced shots by Oden. Telegraphed passes by Roy. A lazy pass from Aldridge. A turnover from ..."
Batum ready for his shot; Clippers win 97-85
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October 10
Oregonian
 
"Nicolas Batum's name has become synonymous with defense. Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan asked Batum to guard Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and even Tony Parker on occasion as a 19-year-old rookie last season, when Batum used his defensive prowess to become an NBA starter. But as Batum embarks on his second season, he has a startling ambition. "I want to show people that I'm not just a defender," he said. "I can play on offense, too, you know." Last April, after the Blazers' season had ended with a Game6 defeat to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, Batum sat in McMillan's office, as every player does, for an exit interview. Batum listened intently as McMillan issued ..."
Blake Griffin, goes all out in preseason debut
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October 10
Los Angeles Times
 
"Breathtaking? And how about adding breath-stopping to the mix? The Clippers' Blake Griffin managed to do just that in one memorable quarter in his highly anticipated NBA preseason debut, a 97-85 Clippers victory against the Portland Trailblazers on Friday night at Staples Center. In all, he had eight points on three-for-six shooting and five rebounds in 21 minutes. His second quarter featured mammoth dunks and one sequence where he went flying over the scorer's table and just as swiftly, recollected himself and displayed some showy ball-handling skills before turning it over. "I was trying to hustle," Griffin said. "Then went into the stands and the ball came right to me and I messed it ..."
Blake Griffin returns to very active duty
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October 9
Los Angeles Times
 
"Blake Griffin's basketball torture -- jokingly called "detention" by one of his Clippers teammates -- came to an official end on Thursday. Limitations were lifted and the power forward was free to roam and rebound at will during a high-energy scrimmage at the Clippers' training facility in Playa Vista. Of course, the so-called detention was for his own protection. And it wasn't because he'd done anything wrong. The Clippers rookie had been one tremendously frustrated No. 1 overall draft pick since he hurt his left knee a few days before training camp opened late last month. Griffin is scheduled to make his exhibition-game debut tonight at Staples Center against Portland. "It felt good, ..."
Clippers' Blake Griffin expected to play Friday's exhibition
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October 7
Los Angeles Times
 
"After suffering a knee injury five days before the beginning of training camp, Clippers forward Blake Griffin will participate in contact drills in practice Thursday and is expected to play in an exhibition game Friday night at Staples Center against the Portland Trail Blazers. "I've only been out a week, but it feels like a month," Griffin said after the Clippers practiced Tuesday. "Even watching practice is rough. It's worse that I'm completely dressed and I have the uniform on." His return could have been today. But Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy told his players after Tuesday's practice they would have today off if one of them made a half-court shot. Shooting guard Rasual Butler called ..."