There was finally hope. After seasons of being L.A.'s "other" team, the Clippers were one game away from the .500 mark. Then came the losses. Simultanesously, though, the announcement was made: the hyped Blake Griffin would follow the footsteps of another recent #1 pick, Greg Oden, by sitting out his rookie season. For the Clippers organization and its fan, the news of Griffin's surgery was devastating. However, how will his absence really affect the team? Will they finally soar above .500? Or will they tank their effort, with the intention of receiving a high pick in the lottery?
It amazes me how this team lost to the Lakers by 40 points(!), yet managed to lose by a single point the following night to the Cleveland Cavaliers. When you look at the season so far, the Clippers have beaten two of the league's elite in the (surprise, surprise) Lakers and Boston Celtics. That proves that this team has heart - even without Blake Griffin. I don't think anybody ever suggested not giving 100% in the first place, but I'd like to let the Clippers know they must keep fighting.
There's no question that the Western Conference is a tough landscape. Making the playoffs if you are based east of the Mississippi River (the exception being New Orleans) is always a tall task. And knowing the Clippers, they will likely find some way to miss the #8 seed. However, there's always the possibility that they'll come through. In order to do so, there will be several factors.
First of all, the team cannot afford to continue losing leads. They had a 13-point advantage over the Cavaliers. Obviously, no one person can be blamed for this bad habit. Although I ever analyze a team, one of the immediate things I look at is the player at point guard. Theoretically, to succeed in the game of basketball, a team needs a talented big man equally as much as it needs a skilled point guard. The point guard, much like percussion in music, has the power to dictate the flow of a game. Baron Davis, at this point, should be experienced enough to properly orchestrate his team. He is certainly talented enough to hit shots and expand leads, or at the least, maintain them.
I also believe that the season remaining should dictate whether or not Coach Mike Dunleavy should be allowed to stay with the organization. Mike is a very respectable man, but at the same time, I think many can agree with me when I say he's been given too many chances. Even without Blake Griffin, the team showcases one of the best frontcourts in the NBA between Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman, an All-Star in Baron Davis, great perimeter shooters in Steve Novak and Rasual Butler, a sturdy & young big man in DeAndre Jordan, a dependable scorer in Eric Gordon, as well as a great ballhandler in Sebastian Telfair. On paper - and in video games - the Los Angeles Clippers are a scary team. If you can't even hit .500 with those pieces, then you shouldn't be around.
Whether the Clippers' shortcoming lie in karma or a curse, as Phil Jackson claims, or not, I commend the Clippers on the entertaining wins they've had thus far. Furthermore, I urge that the squad plays on, hopefully en route to an NBA playoffs appearance.
As for next season, things can only get better.
