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Clippers make no excuses, start strong
Mike Kahn
All right, without cheating, name the one undefeated team in the NBA's Western Conference going into this weekend.
C'mon, if you're a real fan you would know ... particularly if you live in Los Angeles. And no, we don't mean that team with the All-NBA shooting guard who wants to be traded whatever his name is.
We're talking about the Los Angeles Clippers. They are the lone 4-0 team in the NBA, a couple of games ahead of the Phoenix Suns in the Pacific Division heading into tonight's game in Detroit.
Generally speaking, considering the Clippers won't have All-Star forward Elton Brand for at least a couple of months as he rehabs a torn Achilles tendon, it would be natural to expect an easy Pistons win.
That isn't likely. Partially because the Pistons are coming off a tough game at Chicago Thursday night, but also because the irrepressible Sam Cassell, who will turn 38 next weekend, is back and as bad as ever. If you don't believe it, just ask the Indiana Pacers, whose home fans suffered the wrath of Sam to the tune of 35 points and eight assists in a 104-89 win Wednesday night.
And therein lies the key to the success of the Clippers, sporting their third 4-0 record in franchise history (one was 30 years ago when they were the Buffalo Braves). Sure, Brand is their best player, with forward Corey Maggette the most athletic and explosive, and young 7-foot center Chris Kaman the most underrated.
But Cassell is the one who makes them exceptional. He's the one with the instincts and the love of taking and making the big shot. It's why they were within an eyelash of the conference finals two years ago and his battered body the reason they just missed the playoffs last season.
"He's older than dirt, but he gets it done," said the 25-year-old Kaman, who has reclaimed a dominant role in the middle. And there is leading scorer Maggette, a teammate of Brand's at Duke and a magnificently talented 6-6, 225-pound forward who is always in the center of trade rumors. Points also come in a hurry from streaky veterans Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley.
But more than that, it is Cassell who breeds the confidence, leadership and winning attitude coach Mike Dunleavy needed to lead the team on the floor. Dunleavy, now in his fifth season, is proving it wasn't impossible to exorcize the losing culture that had made the Clippers one of the notoriously bad franchises in the history of professional sports.
Since the typical 28-54 season when he began turning over the roster and attitude, the Clippers have been 128-123 easily the best run of play since the franchise arrived in L.A. in 1978.
In the past, Brand's injury, which occurred during a daily workout in August, would have set off a string of mishaps. And that comes on the heels of last season's career-threatening knee injury to Shaun Livingston, the 22-year-old point guard with star quality written all over him.
Livingston still isn't back, Brand won't be back for months either, but Dunleavy didn't stop and bemoan the situation as merely "the luck of the Clippers strikes again."
Undaunted, he went out to get erratic but tough-minded Ruben Patterson to help at the power forward spot despite being undersized, veteran Brevin Knight to back up Cassell at the point and may have gotten the steal of the draft with power forward Al Thornton a 6-7, 225-pound forward from Florida State.
So far this group is pounding teams on the boards, harassing them into turnovers and holding them to .422 shooting from the field.
"Our team obviously made some changes over the summer and I'm pleased with the guys we brought in," Dunleavy said. "We are disappointed obviously with the big injury to Elton Brand over the summer and a bigger injury to Shaun Livingston last season.
"But overall I'm happy with the guys we brought in, especially our first-round draft pick Al Thornton. Our guys need to continue to work on their execution and conditioning. The keys to us having a successful season are to stay healthy and pick up our defensive numbers."
Still, the difference-maker is Cassell, on his sixth team in 15 seasons. The two championship rings in his collection came in his first two years in the NBA sharing the point guard spot with Kenny Smith on the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995, when most of his present teammates weren't out of high school. And as the Clippers attempt to complete a sweep of their three-game road trip in Detroit, Cassell compared himself to the ageless Reggie Miller, who retired from the Pacers before last season just months ahead of his 40th birthday.
"I'm just out there playing the game of basketball," Cassell said. "If they need me to pass the ball, I'll pass it. If they need me to shoot it, I can do that too. We go into each game as an underdog. But we're going to play the same for 48 minutes."
It's not that simple. Look throughout the league and there are plenty of teams with talent at least close to on-par with the Clippers. But the leadership factor on the floor call it the glue if you will is what sets teams apart. It's what has helped Maggette keep his head together amid all the rumors and lead the team in scoring at a shade less than 20 a game. And it's allowed Kaman to bounce back from a disappointing fourth season to average 16.8 points, 16.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in the first four games.
But as everyone knows, history has not been kind to the Clippers, whether it's just pure ineptitude on and off the court or horrendously bad luck with injuries. Owner Donald Sterling has been the butt of countless jokes for a generation of basketball.
Somehow, Dunleavy has made the team impervious to it all, focusing on the now.
"We are having great leadership from our veteran guys," Maggette said "In training camp our motto was 'Believe.' We've gotten off to a great start here early in the season and now we just have to keep it up."
Believe ... and forget.
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A reinvigorated Kaman gives Clippers an edge
The center, an underachiever last year, has been a big factor in the team's great start this season.
By Lonnie White, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
12:23 PM PST, November 8, 2007
Four games. Four victories. The undefeated Clippers could not get off
to a better regular season start as they head into Friday's game against the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
The main reason for the Clippers' great start? The outstanding play of center Chris Kaman. After stumbling around for most of the 2006-07 season, Kaman has been the NBA's best center over the first two weeks of play. His numbers say it all.
Kaman has two games with 20 rebounds or more and four consecutive double-doubles. He's shooting 50% from the field and has made 13 of 15 free throws.
Just imagine if the Lakers had a 25-year-old center averaging 16.8points, 16.5 rebounds, two blocked shots and 1.8 assists per game.
Offensively, Kaman has stepped up to become that rare NBA big man capable of beating single coverage with an array of moves around the basket and then breaking down double teams with unselfish passing.
And Kaman may be playing even better on the defensive end. Displaying footwork like a soccer goaltender, Kaman has grown into a shot-blocking machine and a player capable of shutting down opposing big men in the paint.
The key behind Kaman's turnaround is his improved overall conditioning. By changing his diet, losing some weight and taking a more serious attitude toward his game, Kaman is now able to make plays that he was unable to execute last season.
From getting to loose balls to defending perimeter pick-and-roll plays, Kaman now has the energy to be a major difference maker for the Clippers, who are playing without injured Elton Brand, the team's leading scorer and rebounder from last season.
A dominant Kaman has opened things up on both ends of the court for the Clippers over the first four games.
Because teams often have to use a second defender on him, the Clippers'perimeter players have enjoyed much more room to work with after they pass the ball inside to Kaman.
Corey Maggette, Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas already have had strong shooting games as a result of extra space on the court created by Kaman's solid low-post game.
Defensively, Kaman has been effective by being active around the basket, and he's done it without getting into foul trouble. That's important for Kaman, who has a history of getting called for ill-advised fouls.
In the Clippers' victory at Indiana on Wednesday, Kaman displayed his quick feet and tenacity with 22 rebounds and 15 points and was impressive defending the Pacers' Jermaine O'Neal. The night before, Kaman got it done with 16 points and 11 rebounds in a win at Chicago.
There's no question that the Clippers are not the same team with Brand sidelined, but whether Kaman is knocking down a jump hook in the paint or challenging a shot on the defensive end, he has been a reliable force for Coach Mike Dunleavy's squad.
But the question is, can Kaman keep this up for an entire season?
Summary: The Clippers are in position to be the surprise team of the league if Kaman continues his strong play. With so many teams lacking strong centers, Kaman gives the Clippers an edge that could carry them into the postseason.
lonnie.white@latimes.com
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Cool...I am sure SWB will care about this... :) ...thats about all though. ;)
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The Clips will be in the toilet bowl, as usual, by the time the wind kicks up at Lake Mojave:)
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The Clips will be in the toilet bowl, as usual, by the time the wind kicks up at Lake Mojave:)
Way to bring it back to boating :)
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Now that they have lost you can come back down to earth, they are still and always be the clippers. Doomed:jawdrop: As anemic as the Lakers are they will win more games than the clippers. So get off the cool-aid:D
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clippers play a decent team and get SPANKED! I guess you cannot always play teams who have not won.:rolleyes: :)
Lakers looked good again.
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Yer like a freakin maniac...That manifesto you posted tells me ya all need some puzzy once in awhile...:) Basketball wont git you laid like boating.
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Jeezzzz.....Boat Dork I do just fine in that aspect of my life and I sure the fock am not a dork :idea:
Oh ya.....I own a boat :)
The posted stuff above was not written by me and I just passed it along.
The Clips got spanked last night and I watched a bit of it. Oh well......can't go 82-0 ;)
