Los Angeles Clippers: 30 Teams in 30 Days

2008 Statistics

Finished 19-63, fourth in Pacific Division, 14th in Western Conference

Missed Postseason

Key Additions

Blake Griffin via draft, Mark Madsen via trade, Craig Smith via trade, Sebastian Telfair via trade

Key Losses

Zach Randolph via trade, Quentin Richardson via trade

They have the talent, they have the youth and they have the veterans. So why can't the Los Angeles Clippers win?

A combination of injuries and team chemistry doomed the Clippers 2008-09 season, as it led them to their worst record in nearly 10 years. The Clippers are used to being under these circumstances as they have posted two winning records in the past 18 years.

The Clippers veterans succumbed to many injuries this past season leaving the work to rookies and inexperienced players. The man who L.A. brought in that was supposed to save the team in Baron Davis was half the man he used to be in Golden State when he averaged 15 points on 37 percent shooting and eight assists, while missing 17 games.

This is not the numbers we are used to seeing Davis put up and it is certainly not the numbers Clippers management wanted to see. Davis had not experienced point totals that low since his second season in the NBA in the 2000-01 season. His field goal percentage was also at the lowest of his career.

When Davis had the intent of signing with the Clippers, the team expected regular season success and maybe even a rare sighting into the postseason, but with a lack of team chemistry the team was an embarrassment to watch.

Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby are two other veterans who sat out due to injuries which greatly affected their performance. Both were expected to be defensive enforcers in the paint, especially Camby who won a defensive player of the year award only two years prior.

Camby was forced to sit out 20 games, but did have one of the best rebounding years of his career. He pulled down a career high 27 early in the season which does show that Camby could still be a force in the paint despite his age and mobility. Injuries have plagued Camby's entire career as he has never played a full season and has played in 70 games or less in 10 of his 13 seasons in the NBA.

He wasn't the only big man to see missed time.

Kaman suffered the worst through the season as he missed 51 games. Chris has spent six long years with the Clippers and it appeared that his career might finally have been lifting off before falling apart last season. Kaman averaged a career high 15 points and 13 rebounds in the 2007-08 season.

Even though the Clippers only won 19 games, a lot of promise was showed in the youthful talents of Al Thornton and Eric Gordon. The two were forced to step up and be team leaders for an injury ridden squad of former all-stars and inexperienced veterans.

In his second year in the league, Thornton averaged 17 points and five rebounds and is expected to be the team's starting small forward. Thornton is an offensive force and could help out well in the long run for a team that desperately needs some offensive production. His defense is questionable at times and needs to bulk up if he wants to be able to keep up with the elite small forwards of the league.

Eric Gordon, who was the Clippers first round draft pick last year was the teams starting shooting guard last year and forced to assume the role of shooter after Davis went down with injuries throughout the season. Gordon averaged 16 points and three assists in his first season and shows a lot of potential to be a consistent 20 point per game type of player throughout his career.

Draft picks have come as no problem for the Clippers and this year might be the one to cause a complete 180 for the team and send them to the postseason. By using the No. 1 pick in the draft to pick up Blake Griffin, a winning record might all but be assured for the next few seasons.

Griffin was a standout at Oklahoma and was the nation's leading rebounder and won the John Wooden award for the most outstanding collegiate player.

His athleticism and scoring ability should not be brought into question at all due to his range and strength. Griffin already has an NBA body and appears to be ready to compete at the professional level. In the summer league, Griffin won the most outstanding player and in a few years, he could see a regular season MVP.

Over the offseason, the Clippers managed to bring in a few players to support the bench. Mark Madsen, who's career has been all but illustrious, was brought in to be a veteran backup at the young power forward position.

The team also welcomed former high school standout Sebastian Telfair.

Telfair's career has not lived up to it's expectations, but he did average a career high 10 points last year for the Minnesota Timberwolves and could see some time as Baron Davis's backup.

By bringing in Blake Griffin, getting a number of veterans back from injury, and having it's future all-stars gain experience points, the Clippers might not be that other team in Los Angeles anymore. The team has potential and it does have the talent to move onto the next level, but does it have enough to co-exist and get the chemistry needed to get it's first postseason appearance in three years and possibly advance past the second round in, well, ever?

The Clippers have it all and this could be the breakout year where the city of Los Angeles has a second team to look out for.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG—Baron Davis

SG—Eric Gordon

SF—Al Thornton

PF—Blake Griffin

C—Chris Kaman/Marcus Camby

This is part 12 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.