Los Angeles Clippers News

Late All-Star selection changes Chris Kaman's Valentine's plans
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February 9
Los Angeles Times
 
"First came the applause. Then came the pats on the back. At that point things took a truly silly turn Monday inside the Clippers' practice facility after General Manager Mike Dunleavy informed his team that center Chris Kaman has been selected as an All-Star replacement for injured Portland guard Brandon Roy. Kaman's teammates playfully wrestled him to the floor, a few piling on top. "That wasn't fun," Kaman deadpanned later. The Clippers were mostly giving the 27-year-old kudos for his first All-Star selection during a season in which he is averaging a career-high 20.2 points plus 9.0 rebounds. He's the first Clippers All-Star since Elton Brand in 2006. Still, Kaman's selection was ..."
Chris Kaman selected to All-Star game to replace Brandon Roy
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February 9
Los Angeles Times
 
"First came the applause. Then came the pats on the back. At that point things took a truly silly turn Monday inside the Clippers' practice facility after General Manager Mike Dunleavy informed his team that center Chris Kaman has been selected as an All-Star replacement for injured Portland guard Brandon Roy. Kaman's teammates playfully wrestled him to the floor, a few piling on top. "That wasn't fun," Kaman deadpanned later. The Clippers were mostly giving the 27-year-old kudos for his first All-Star selection during a season in which he is averaging a career-high 20.2 points plus 9.0 rebounds. He's the first Clippers All-Star since Elton Brand in 2006."
Clippers stuck running in place
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February 7
L.A. Daily News
 
"Become the head coach, tell the players that this will be a team that runs. Nothing could ingratiate a new leader of an NBA team more, right? "I hope we run like crazy," Kim Hughes said before his first game as the Clippers' head coach. It wouldn't be long before the fans were running for the exits like crazy. Of course, first they had to boo their team as they walked off the court at halftime on their way to a 98-81 defeat to the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center on Saturday night. After back-to-back embarrassing losses to New Jersey and Minnesota on their eight-game road trip, the Clippers decided Mike Dunleavy wouldhis coaching duties and serve only as general manager. Dunleavy ..."
Clippers' new era looks a lot like the old one in loss to Spurs
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February 7
Los Angeles Times
 
"Kim Hughes said he hoped the Clippers would play hard for him Saturday night in his first game as interim coach. And for the most part, most of them did. Now if he could only get them to play well. Because while the Clippers were looking for a new beginning under their new coach, what they got instead was a stale replay of the kind of inconsistent performances they got far too often under old coach Mike Dunleavy. And the result was familiar too -- a 98-81 defeat by San Antonio at Staples Center, the Clippers' 15th straight loss to the Spurs and their sixth in seven games overall. "It wasn't a whole lot of fun," Hughes said. The Clippers looked awful from the start, scoring just 10 points ..."
Clippers problems come down to bad management
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February 7
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Mark Heisler
"The curse of the Clippers After many memorable years of being around the Clippers -- which, believe me, is as close as you want to come -- I was surprised to hear there's now a Clipper Curse. "That's not good," I thought. "A curse and Donald T. Sterling too?" Actually, the Clippers aren't cursed, nor were the Red Sox, who proved it, nor are the Cubs. Well, maybe the Cubs are. The Clippers did have a lot of injuries -- though not quite as many as reported, with "bad mood" a recurring problem -- but everything is explainable in two words: Bad management. The arrival of Mike Dunleavy, who won Sterling's trust as no one ever had, changed that. Amazingly, it stayed changed as Dunleavy lost ..."
Hot Hill ignites Spurs' blowout
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February 7
San Antonio Express-News
 
"Before George Hill left for the summer following his rookie season with the Spurs, his coaches sent him home to Indianapolis with quite a going away present. It was a stat sheet that showed he had been one of the team's worst open jump shooters that year. That realization had a profound impact on Hill. "They always say numbers don't lie," Hill said. "I knew I could make those shots. It was just a confidence thing, second-guessing it. I saw a lot of that when I watched film in the summer." There was no second-guessing what Hill did in Saturday's 98-81 clobbering of the Clippers at the Staples Center. Hill scored 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting - including 17 in the first quarter that were the ..."
Mike Dunleavy's message wasn't getting through
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February 6
Los Angeles Times
 
"Whether the blame lies with the coach or his players, it became clear on the Clippers' recent trip that Mike Dunleavy's message was no longer getting through to his team. And that, as much as anything else, led to Dunleavy's decision to step down as the Clippers' head coach Thursday. He remains the team's general manager. "Maybe they're not hearing me," Dunleavy said Friday. "Maybe another voice could do it." He'll soon find out. For the rest of the season, the voice the Clippers will be hearing belongs to longtime assistant Kim Hughes, a former player, scout and player personnel director in the NBA whose laid-back, soft-spoken personality stands in sharp contrast to Dunleavy's. "The guys ..."
Dunleavy Clips himself at the right time
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February 5
L.A. Daily News
 columnist Vincent Bonsignore
"The timing might seem peculiar for the Clippers to strip Mike Dunleavy of his coaching duties, but the reality is this is the perfect time for the change. Not because the team will suddenly turn around under interim coach Kim Hughes and make a valiant run to a playoff spot. The Clippers recent 2-6 road trip pretty much sealed the deal on any realistic postseason hopes, and though it's still possible they can leapfrog over the four teams ahead of them for the final playoff seed in the Western Conference, it's hardly likely. This move is about the future, not the here and now, because no coaching change is suddenly going to transform the Clippers into one of the eight best teams in the ..."
Clippers, get a coach on a mission -- yours
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February 5
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Bill Plaschke
"Who says you can't win the lottery twice? Mike Dunleavy is a great guy, but the decision Thursday to finally move him off the Clippers' bench could prove as charmed as last spring's draft win. Back then, the Clippers used the NBA lottery prize to make Blake Griffin the No. 1 overall pick. Thanks to Dunleavy's departure, they now have a chance to make the same kind of impact addition with a coach. They have never been in a better position to add the guy who can lead them into June. They have never had more toys. They have never had more money. If one can look past the history of owner Donald Sterling, they have never looked so good. "If the job were open, all kinds of people would want this ..."
Farewell, Coach Mike Dunleavy
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February 5
Los Angeles Times
 
"They'll never forget Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy, dangled out of a window two years ago by his owner, who lasted until Thursday -- time enough to turn the team's roster around, if not its fortunes -- when he resigned. With one year left on his contract at $5.4 million, Dunleavy will remain as general manager, the other half of the title he has formally held for two seasons. If this is it as a coach, he leaves with one more distinction to add to an NBA Finals appearance (Lakers, 1991) and the Clippers' first foray beyond the first round (2006): Longest-serving lame duck in NBA history. It has been two years, two weeks and a day since Jan. 21, 2008, when Clippers owner Donald T. Sterling ..."
Late Hawks Squawks: Hawks 103, Clippers 97
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February 4
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"- Blog commenter TheZaZaGuy said it pretty well: "I was at the game. Kind of worried, but we pulled it out. Basically, we're just better." - Better offensively, at least, on this night. The Hawks talked about how defense got them back in it, and that's true when you look at the 11 points off seven turnovers in the second half. - Still, after halftime the Clippers scored 51 points, shot 46 percent and had 16 rebounds (six offensive). The Hawks were just better with 62 points, 55 percent shooting and 17 rebounds (two offensive). - The game was low energy from the start all around: Hawks, Clippers, Philips and press row. Both teams played the night before and maybe the fans did, too? - No ..."
Hawks rally for victory over Clippers
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February 4
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"The typical energy-and-effort excuse wasn't going to fly for the Hawks on Wednesday night, even if they did lose at Oklahoma City the night before. The Clippers were playing a back-to-back, too, and theirs came at the end of an eight-game, 15-day road trip. They also are one of the worst road teams in the NBA, and the Hawks needed a victory after losing two consecutive games on the road. That explains why boos rained down in Philips Arena as the Clippers outworked the sluggish Hawks for most of three quarters. It took the Hawks until late in the third quarter, but they finally got the message and came to life late for a 103-97 victory. The Hawks avoided a potentially dispiriting loss and ..."
Clippers end long trip with loss to Atlanta Hawks
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February 4
Los Angeles Times
 
"Baron Davis called it heartbreaking. Eric Gordon said it was not up to par. Al Thornton? "It was a decent trip," the Clippers forward said Wednesday night at Philips Arena after his team concluded a two-week journey with a 103-97 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. "We could have done a lot better, but it was a decent trip." Asked what he meant by "decent," Thornton fell silent for several seconds. "What was our record on this trip, anyway?" he inquired. Informed it was 2-6, Thornton chuckled and said, "I guess not so decent, then. My bad." After 14 days, some 8,462 miles traveled and three losses for every victory, the Clippers returned to Los Angeles closer to making a push for the draft lottery ..."
Chris Kaman gives a big boost to the Clippers
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February 3
Los Angeles Times
 
"Chris Kaman wants to sleep in his own bed. His ankle hurts and his team has been on the road for two weeks, suffering meltdowns in single-digit locales such as Minnesota and Cleveland. So what transpired Tuesday night at the United Center made it feel like sweet home Chicago for the 7-footer. The Clippers center notched a double-double in his return from a sprained left ankle and helped his team stifle the Chicago Bulls during a 90-82 victory that ended a losing streak at four games. Kaman scored 21 points on 10-for-20 shooting and had 11 rebounds as the Clippers earned their first victory in 14 games on the road against teams with .500 or better records. They held the Bulls to 38% ..."
Craig Smith provides relief off bench for Clippers
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February 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"It was a New Year's resolution that sounded familiar: CraigSmith wanted to get more active. Only it didn't involve treadmills or weight loss, just being more assertive coming off the bench. January was a time of progress for the Clippers forward, although not for his team, which had a 6-9 record last month. Smith averaged 11.9 points and 4.9 rebounds last month after averaging 3.7 points and 1.6 rebounds in December. He was productive even on nights when the Clippers struggled, scoring 21 points in a blowout loss at Denver and 18 in a dispiriting setback last week against the New Jersey Nets. "I was just going into the new year trying to make an impact as far as being aggressive regardless ..."
Clippers stray way off course from start
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February 1
Los Angeles Times
 
"Their itinerary calls for stops in Chicago and then Atlanta, but at this rate the Clippers might as well save the airfare and return to Southern California. Almost nothing has gone right on a season-long eight-game trip, the latest setback coming Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena during a 114-89 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The first quarter was particularly dispiriting to the Clippers, who fell behind by 26 points and left little doubt about anything except where to make dinner reservations tonight in Chicago. The Clippers have lost four consecutive games and are 1-5 on a trip that has prompted questions about more than just their shaky offense. "It's a shame the amount of talent that we ..."
Lakers' Ron Artest feels, and plays, better
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January 31
Los Angeles Times
 
"Ron Artest weighed the question, chewed on it mentally before answering. Was this his best game with the Lakers? "Maybe," he said after pausing several seconds. "It's not the best I've ever had, but probably as a Laker, it might be." Artest had 18 points, four rebounds and three steals in the Lakers' 99-91 victory Friday night over the Philadelphia 76ers. It was enough to draw praise from Coach Phil Jackson, who noted Artest's increased aggressiveness after a week filled with jabbing the starting small forward. Jackson had poked fun at the shoes Artest was wearing, calling them "Frankenstein" shoes. Artest had anof his own after the game: The painful swelling on the underside of both his ..."
Clippers looking to turn it around
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January 31
Los Angeles Times
 
"The upside of the final stretch of the Clippers' season-long, eight-game trip is that it includes no more last-place teams. On the flip side, up next is Cleveland, the team with the third-best home record in the NBA. Might a game tonight against the Eastern Conference leaders be just what the Clippers need to break out of their confounding habit of struggling against league lightweights? "The evidence is there," forward Rasual Butler said Saturday. "We play totally different against the more elite teams like the Lakers, Boston, Cleveland. To come out and play the way we played the last couple of nights, it's not the same team." Before the Clippers descended on their respective cities, the ..."
Wolves shedding long-shot status
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January 30
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"A press-table railbird too scientifically gifted to possess a permanent place there did the math during the Timberwolves' 111-97 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. He crunched the data, calculated the probabilities that an average NBA team loses consecutive games to the New Jersey Nets and the Timberwolves and deciphered the odds at 1 in nearly 76. But that's exactly what happened Friday at Target Center, where the Wolves again juggled their starting lineup and this time produced a wire-to-wire victory over a not-quite-average Clippers team that was missing center Chris Kaman. They held leads of 9-0, 19-5 and 64-41 by early in the third quarter, only three nights after ..."
Lineup change puts Minnesota Timberwolves' Damien Wilkins back on the bench
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January 30
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"The lineup change by Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis for Friday night's game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Target Center ended a streak of 23 consecutive starts for forward Damien Wilkins. With Ryan Gomes getting the start, Wilkins came off the bench for the first time since Dec. 14, but the six-year veteran supported the move. "When you have situations like this, where we've been struggling to get wins, changes are going to be made," Wilkins said before the Wolves' 111-97 win. "I don't take it personal. I still go about my business the same way, if I was starting or not." Wilkins was averaging 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds. He had four points and three rebounds in 19 minutes Friday ..."
Revamped lineup pays off asTimberwolves beat Clippers
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January 30
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"A line written on the chalkboard in the Timberwolves' locker room before Friday night's game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Target Center read: "The Rest Of The Season Starts Tonight!" In other words, the Wolves appear to have erased much of the misery from the first 47 games of the season. If Friday's game was a fresh start of sorts, the Wolves had a successful debut. The new beginning featured a revamped lineup that turned reserve center Ryan Hollins into a key component of the Wolves' offense and defense. Hollins, making his first start since Nov. 14, matched his career high with 19 points and played all but 90 seconds of the fourth quarter to help the Wolves snap a five-game ..."
Clippers' woes go from worst to worst
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January 30
L.A. Daily News
 
"After being embarrassed by the worst team in the league in a loss to the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night, the Clippers held a players-only meeting to straighten things out heading into a game against the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves. Time to meet again, guys. Two nights after losing to the worst team in the East, the Clippers lost to the team with the Western Conference's worst record, falling 111-97 to the Timberwolves on Friday night. Al Jefferson scored 12 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, and the Timberwolves led by as many as 23 points in their 10th victory this season. Jefferson also had 16 rebounds and Ryan Hollins tied a career-high with 19points for Minnesota. "We just ..."
For the Clippers, a terrible twofer back east
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January 30
Los Angeles Times
 
"What happens to the Clippers in New Jersey apparently isn't confined to the Northeast. Two days after losing to the worst team in the NBA, the Clippers ventured to the Target Center and stumbled against another franchise already looking forward to the draft lottery. Minnesota moved into double digits for victories thanks to a 111-97 triumph Friday night that left the Clippers in need of a novel approach to reverse their sagging fortunes. A players-only meeting earlier in the day did little to help the team regroup from a 16-point loss to the woeful Nets. "We just talked about salvaging the rest of this season and to try to put Wednesday's loss behind us," said forward Marcus Camby, who had ..."
Kaman injured in Clippers loss to Nets
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January 30
Los Angeles Times
 (scroll down)
"What happens to the Clippers in New Jersey apparently isn't confined to the Northeast. Two days after losing to the worst team in the NBA, the Clippers ventured to the Target Center and stumbled against another franchise already looking forward to the draft lottery. Minnesota moved into double digits for victories thanks to a 111-97 triumph Friday night that left the Clippers in need of a novel approach to reverse their sagging fortunes. A players-only meeting earlier in the day did little to help the team regroup from a 16-point loss to the woeful Nets. "We just talked about salvaging the rest of this season and to try to put Wednesday's loss behind us," said forward Marcus Camby, who had ..."
Lakers forward Gasol an All-Star; Clippers center Kaman isn't
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January 29
L.A. Daily News
 
"In the end, Pau Gasol let his game speak for itself. He declined to fire back when Clippers center Chris Kaman said last week the 7-foot power forward/center shouldn't be selected to the All-Star team. Kaman's contention that Gasol was unfit to serve because he hadn't played enough games to warrant his selection as a reserve didn't sway NBA coaches, who picked the Spaniard to the Western Conference team Thursday. Kaman was not selected. Gasol is averaging 17.4 points, a team-leading 11 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 29 games, strong numbers to be sure. There is another significant statistic that underscores his importance to the Lakers, however. They are 24-5 with him on their active roster ..."
Chris Kaman says Clippers' record hurt his All-Star chances
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January 29
Los Angeles Times
 
"Marcus Camby saw a reporter approach Chris Kaman inside the Target Center on Thursday afternoon and preempted the first question with one of his own. "Chris, did you make it?" Camby yelled to his Clippers teammate seated across the floor. Apprised by Kaman that the center had not been selected as an All-Star reserve, Camby uttered an expletive and told Kaman he had been robbed. Kaman seemed resigned to his fate -- All-Star reserves were announced Thursday -- saying his case for selection by Western Conference coaches was hurt by the Clippers' sub-.500 record. "I just obviously didn't get enough respect to make it, and I can't really control that," Kaman said. "So now I have to move forward ..."
Clippers end up as the pushovers, 103-87
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January 28
Los Angeles Times
 
"The New Jersey Nets, they have issues. There's an ownership in transition, an unsettled arena situation and a roster that could be described as short-handed even when every player is available. The Nets recently completed a 0-4 trip in which the losses came by a combined 100 points. They returned home Wednesday night only to have two starters sidelined because of various ailments. And still, they beat the Clippers. The team that remains on pace to compile the worst record in NBA history outplayed the Clippers in every facet during a 103-87 triumph at IZOD Center that Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy described as "absolutely our worst loss of the season." Perhaps it was a sign of things to come ..."
Nets rout Clippers to snap latest slide
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January 28
New York Post
 
"Repent, the end must be near. The Nets won a game last night, and surely that is one of the signs of the Apocalypse. Somewhere, it likely was written: "When oceans run red with blood, when heavens spew flames upon the land, when man, mammal, fish and fowl cease to breathe and when the Nets get back within 36 games of .500, then will the End of Days be upon us." So for just the fourth time this season -- first since the calendar read 2010 -- and despite being shorthanded with their starting backcourt shelved, the Nets embarrassed the Clippers, 103-87, to move to 4-40 before 9,220, the smallest crowd of the season at the Meadowlands. That ended an 11-game losing streak and brought their ..."
New Jersey Nets beat Los Angeles Clippers
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January 28
New York Daily News
 
"That's one. Only six more to go. By beating the Clippers Wednesday night, 103-87, the Nets inched closer to the 10 wins they need to finish one game better than the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers, the team with the worst single-season record of all time at 9-73. At 4-40 the Nets have plenty of work to do, as they are still on pace for just eight victories. But they did avoid becoming the first team to start a season with just three wins over its first 44 games. Now they have 38 chances left to win six more and sidestep one of the most shameful marks in sports. "If you play hard, play the right way," Keyon Dooling said, "the basketball gods will reward you." Maybe it was divine intervention ..."
Camby sits out most of game with bruised rib
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January 28
Los Angeles Times
 (scroll down)
"Consider the Clippers unlucky, then. They played most of the game without Marcus Camby after the forward suffered a bruised rib while taking a charge in the first quarter and all but 2 minutes 2 seconds of the fourth quarter without Baron Davis after tendinitis in the guard's right knee flared up."
Hornets get below luxury tax with trade of Bobby Brown
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January 27
New Orleans Times-Picayune
 
"The New Orleans Hornets shipped seldom-used backup point guard Bobby Brown to the Los Angeles Clippers for a conditional 2014 second-round draft pick Tuesday and are now under the expected luxury-tax threshold. Since the season began, the team has trimmed more than $7 million from its payroll via trades. Brown has not been part of rotation of late. He has played in two of the past 12 games. The trade cut $736,420 off the payroll."
Clippers acquire guard Bobby Brown from New Orleans
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January 27
Los Angeles Times
 
"What can Brown do for you? The Clippers could find out as soon as tonight after acquiring point guard Bobby Brown on Tuesday from the New Orleans Hornets for a conditional second-round draft pick, a move they hope will bolster their depleted backcourt. The Clippers pounced on the opportunity to add the former Westchester High and Cal State Fullerton player after recent injuries to guards Sebastian Telfair and Eric Gordon forced them to sign JamesOn Curry from the Development League. Telfair will be sidelined at least a month because of a groin injury and Gordon has missed three consecutive games because of a sprained big toe on his left foot. The 6-foot-2 Brown gives the Clippers an ..."
Celtics put a damper on Clippers' upset bid, 95-89
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January 26
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Clippers went slip-sliding away. Then their lead did the same. Neither was a particularly pleasurable development for the Clippers on a night when they lost a chance to complete a rare season sweep of the Boston Celtics. The only thing that proved more bothersome than a slippery TD Banknorth Garden floor Monday during the Clippers' 95-89 loss was their inability to make shots. Guard Baron Davis made five of 13 shots, and he had a hot hand compared with center Chris Kaman (five for 19) and Marcus Camby (one for seven). All told, the Clippers shot 38.8%, including 28.6% during a third quarter in which the Celtics completed their comeback from a nine-point second-quarter deficit. Guard ..."
Clippers find a reason for an extra celebration
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January 25
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Clippers don't plan to stop here, unless their goal is to get into the NCAA tournament. They could be heard playfully whooping it up through their locker room door inside the Verizon Center on Sunday after a 92-78 triumph over the Washington Wizards gave them 20 victories, one more than they had all of last season. "We still have a chance to have a great season, a winning season, and that's the most important thing," said guard Baron Davis, who had 11 points and 11 assists and was one of six Clippers to score in double figures The aspirations have changed for a team that finished 44 games below .500 last season, though they're still somewhat modest with 39 games left in the regular ..."
L.A. Clippers defeat Washington Wizards, 92-78
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January 25
Washington Post
 
"They should've known better. When the Washington Wizards won consecutive games for just the fourth time this season, there was a feeling of optimism among players and Coach Flip Saunders, who actually uttered the word "playoffs." But anyone who has watched the Wizards this season should realize that a two-game winning streak is usually followed by trouble. The past two times they won two in a row, the Wizards followed with a six-game losing streak and a four-game losing streak, respectively. After pulling out wins over Sacramento and Portland, the Wizards have now lost three in a row, including Sunday's 92-78 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at Verizon Center. For the Wizards, consecutive ..."
Clippers (19-23) at Wizards (14-28)
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January 24
Washington Examiner
 
"Brendan Haywood said yesterday that not trusting each other has a trickle down effect on defense overall. So does losing, and right now there is some snippiness-creep going on at Verizon Center. Yesterday after practice, we grabbed Caron Butler, who's been bolting out of the locker room after games like a guy trying to beat the HOV restrictions on 395 at 3:30 on a weekday afternoon. His take on Friday's loss? "Bad night at the office. You've had bad days at work, right? That's all it was... It happens. You have bad nights, and that's exactly what it was. I don't look no farther into it. It was a bad night." A short time ago during Flip Saunders' pregame chat, my attempt at trying to find ..."
JamesOn Curry happy for new start with Clippers
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January 24
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Ben Bolch
"A White House visit with the Clippers seems pretty far removed from long bus rides and cheap motels. JamesOn Curry doesn't need to win a championship to live his dream; merely walking onto an NBA court is enough of a pinch-me moment for the guard who has spent his professional career shuttling around the Development League. Calling himself "very blessed and very thankful" for the opportunity after signing a 10-day contract, Curry worked out with the Clippers on Saturday and held his own in a post-practice shooting drill with Baron Davis. He could make his NBA debut today against the Washington Wizards. "It's like a dream right now," Curry said. The Clippers added the 24-year-old to provide ..."
Kobe Bryant talks, Laker teammates listen
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January 23
Bergen Record
 
"Kobe Bryant made some noise long before he stepped on the Madison Square Garden court Friday. But he was relatively quiet once he did. The Lakers' superstar was quiet for himself and for what the fans were expecting, especially after Bryant set a Garden record with 61 points in his last visit to New York. Playing with a broken right index finger, back spasms and on the second night of a tough back-to-back, Bryant wasn't sharp but was effective when it mattered most, leading the reigning-champion Lakers over the Knicks 115-105. Bryant didn't think about scoring until the end and delivered 13 of his team-high 27 points in the fourth quarter that began with the Lakers (33-10) trailing 85-84. ..."
Clippers center Kaman: Lakers' Gasol isn't a worthy All-Star
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January 23
L.A. Daily News
 
"Clippers center Chris Kaman went negative in a suddenly very public campaign to be selected as a reserve for the Western Conference All-Star team. He said after the Clippers' game Thursday in Denver he didn't believe the Lakers' Pau Gasol deserved to be on the team because he hasn't played enough games. Kaman went on to say he believed he deserved to be selected instead of Gasol and Andrew Bynum, the Lakers' 7-footers. Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy backed Kaman. "I don't think Gasol should be in it at all," Kaman said when he was asked if he would be disappointed if Gasol, who is the Lakers' starting power forward, moved to backup center for the All-Star game."
Lakers address the toughness issue
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January 23
Los Angeles Times
 
"The question still lingered a day later. Are the Lakers tough enough? Kobe Bryant brought it up after the Lakers' 93-87 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and his teammates had to answer for it Friday before a 115-105 victory over the New York Knicks. "Kobe's a tough guy. You've got to listen to your leader," forward Lamar Odom said. "If he sees something, we'll address it on the court or in practice. Kobe's going to push us, you know?" Bryant, however, didn't directly address teammates after telling reporters it was "not in our DNA" to be a tough, physical team. "If he really meant it, he wouldn't have told you guys, you know what I'm saying?" Odom said. "He would have told us face-to-face. ..."
Pau Gasol and Lakers are tough enough to beat Knicks, 115-105
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January 23
Los Angeles Times
 
"See, it's not that hard to beat an Eastern Conference team. On second thought, the Lakers defeated the finesse-oriented New York Knicks, not the rugged Cleveland Cavaliers, and even Friday's game was undecided until the fourth quarter. That's when none other than Pau Gasol -- make that the recently maligned Pau Gasol -- took stock of the game, remembered getting stuck against Cleveland, and scored 10 points in the final 12 minutes of the Lakers' 115-105 victory at Madison Square Garden. In a rare burst of emotion, he pounded his chest a couple of times after scoring on a finger roll and getting fouled with 4:03 to play. He even made the free throw, putting the Lakers up 107-95, pushing ..."
Nate Robinson suffers strained hamstring against Lakers
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January 23
New York Daily News
 
"Nate Robinson was unavailable for the second half of Friday night's game against the Lakers after suffering a strained right hamstring, and was replaced by Larry Hughes. Robinson played 10 minutes in the first half, and although he made just one of five shots, he did record four assists and three rebounds. His status for tomorrow's matinee against Dallas is unknown - Robinson said after the game he was hopeful he can play - and if the injury persists there is a possibility he won't be able to defend his Slam Dunk contest title at All-Star Weekend Feb.12-14."
Bryant Has a Blend of Stardom and Grit
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January 23
New York Times
 columnist Jonathan Abrams
"Nearly two years ago, Kobe Bryant swiped at a basketball. In the process, he bent his right pinkie finger, tearing the ligaments. Surgery was expected. After consulting with hand specialists, Bryant put off surgery to finish the regular season. Then he postponed it for the playoffs, and then to play for the United States at the Beijing Olympics. Before he had time to schedule surgery, training camp for another season was set to open. That surgery date is still pending. Bryant's résumé is littered with Most Valuable Player awards and All-Star appearances. But one of the most underappreciated aspects of his play - if there is one - is that he plays. It is part luck and part mind-set. ..."
Clippers get some help in the backcourt: Sign Curry to 10-Day contract
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January 23
Los Angeles Times
 
"Attempting to fill a sudden, and big, void in the backcourt, the Clippers went to Springfield (Mass.) of the D-League, signing guard JamesOnCurry on Friday to a 10-day contract. To accommodate that roster move, the Clippers waived the injured Kareem Rush, who suffered a season-ending torn knee ligament on Nov. 17 and required surgery. They needed to make a quick decision -- coming after the first game of a seven-game trip -- because of injuries to shooting guard Eric Gordon (sprained big toe on his left foot) and backup point guard Sebastian Telfair (groin). Telfair returned to Los Angeles and saw a specialist Friday. He was diagnosed as having a torn right adductor longus muscle, ..."
Clippers are a mile high and down again
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January 22
Los Angeles Times
 
"Chauncey Billups scored 13 of his 20 points in the third quarter to break open a tight game, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers, 105-85, on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory. Carmelo Anthony, selected as a starter for the All-Star game in fan balloting announced earlier Thursday, had 28 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Nuggets, whose winning streak matched a season high. Kenyon Martin added 13 points and 14 rebounds for Denver, which beat the Clippers for the sixth straight time at Pepsi Center. The Nuggets also won their sixth straight at home, where they are 19-3 -- the second-best mark in the NBA. Craig Smith scored 21 points led the Clippers, who fell ..."
Del Negro prescribes rest to cure Bulls' ills
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January 22
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"After another frustrating loss late Wednesday night -- this one a 104-97 defeat against the Los Angeles Clippers -- the Bulls have much to work on, but coach Vinny Del Negro decided the best way to get his team back on track was a day of rest Thursday. Del Negro cancelled the scheduled session when the Bulls arrived here just after midnight Thursday morning. With a stomach virus making its way through the team and with several players logging heavy minutes because of some of the illnesses, a practice session might have been counterproductive to getting the Bulls ready for tonight's game against the Phoenix Suns at U.S. Airways Arena. The Bulls certainly are hopeful the rest will help ..."
Clippers' Gordon and Telfair both injured in win
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January 21
L.A. Daily News
 (scroll down)
"The Clippers got some good news on the injury front when Thornton was able to return after missing two games with a sprained ankle. Thornton had 10 of his points in the second quarter to help the Clippers to a 50-47 halftime lead. But they didn't come out unscathed. Guard Eric Gordon, who will participate in the All-Star Game's slam dunk competition, sprained his left big toe in the third quarter and did not return."
Clippers get past Bulls to match last season's win total
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January 21
L.A. Daily News
 
"On the day their No. 1 draft pick underwent surgery, the Clippers wanted to show the rest of their operation is functioning as best it can. They challenged the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday at Staples Center hoping to match their victory total for the entire 2008-09 season at 19 wins. With Blake Griffin in the house, the Clippers scored a 104-97 win over the Bulls for their second consecutive victory before heading out on an eight-game road trip. Baron Davis scored 23 points, with 11 coming in the fourth quarter. Chris Kaman added 20, Al Thornton returned to score 17 and Marcus Camby had 25 rebounds to lead the Clippers. Derrick Rose scored 23 points, Luol Deng had 19 and Joakim Noah had 14 ..."
Clippers hold off Bulls
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January 21
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Clippers' regular season is now half over and the team already won as many games as it did all of last season. Whether that's saying much depends on your point of view -- the Clippers, after all, remain under .500 at 19-22 -- but they defeated the Chicago Bulls, 104-97, in their first meeting of the season Wednesday night at Staples Center. The Clippers won only 19 games all of last season while losing 63, with that 19th victory not arriving until April 10. Led by point guard Baron Davis' 23 points and late-game hustle, the Clippers' offensive power also was spread among several players, with center Chris Kaman scoring 20 points and forward Al Thornton adding 17. Forward Marcus Camby, ..."
Late rally not enough for Bulls
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January 21
Chicago Sun-Times
 columnist John Jackson
"This time, the Bulls brought their focus and intensity, but apparently forgot their shooting touch for a good portion of the game Wednesday night. The result was another road loss as a spirited late rally fell short in a 104-97 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. ''Our guys fought,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. ''We played better, we executed well at times. We just couldn't get enough to fall.'' The Bulls (18-22) have dropped the first two games on the seven-game road trip, perhaps the two most winnable games. Derrick Rose led the Bulls with 23 points but was just 10-for-24 from the field. Luol Deng had 19 points, Joakim Noah 14 points and 15 rebounds, and Tyrus ..."