Clipper Curse

Clipper Curse

            This was supposed to be their year, right? This was supposed to be the year that two L.A teams not only make the playoffs, but make some noise. This was the year that supposed to make up for all those forgettable years. The team that has only 6 winning seasons in 25 years of Los Angeles basketball was supposed to give its fans something to actually root for. That’s when the Clipper’s curse came alive.

            What is it with this franchise? They finally catch a break, with the number 1 overall pick in the draft. Draft arguably the only NBA ready prospect in Blake Griffin, plays a solid preseason, games that mean nothing, only to be out six weeks with a stress fracture in his left kneecap.

            Blake Griffin follows a line of first round busts and unfortunate events for this once promising but disappointing franchise. Danny Manning, Michael Olowokandi, Shaun Livingston, the list goes on with disappointments and bad breaks.

            The odd thing is the Clippers have always had the short end of the stick, yes even when they seem to have potential, they can’t reach it. The 2000-01 season brought an exciting one. A high-flying style of basketball that attracted many fans and even led the NBA in bench-scoring with 37 a game. Think of it as a run and gun D’Antoni style Suns team, just missing the Steve Nash. Corey Maggette, Darius Miles, Quentin Richardson, as well as Lamar Odom, all whom would go on to have very successful careers (Well almost all of them, Darius is still in the midst of a resurrection).Yet, despite the talent, the Clippers went on to put up a record of 31-51.

            This Clippers team has potentially the most talent any Clipper team has had, even out of the most successful Clipper team that saw Sam Cassell lead the team to one game short of the Western Conference finals. Baron Davis, a natural leader that set history by leading the 8^th seeded Warriors over the 67 win Mavericks only a few years ago. Marcus Camby, a former Defensive Player of the Year , despite his age is still one of the better defenders in the league, teamed up with Kaman, an excellent low post presence and rebounder, when focused of course. Throw in a bolstering bench including Eric Gorden, Al Thornton, Rasual Butler and many other young players, and you have a solid core with a exponentially improving bench. Yet, why can’t they get the chemistry right?

            I’m the only one that stands to get hurt here (along with the other 37 Clipper fans in LA), but despite all of this, I’m going out on a limb here saying, this is the Clippers year. Sure, Griffens injured, meaning we’ll have to wait another 6 weeks or so, but Clipper fans have something they haven’t had for a while, hope. Not just a flame that burns out after a season (see Clippers four years ago), but real hope.

            I can’t get my hopes up though, when I say this is their year, I mean they’ll make hopefully make it to the playoffs, and maybe they’ll only have a couple of bad luck incidents rather than a season full. If the chemistry starts clicking, and the players work hard, this curse, may just be broken. Baby steps…