Forget Stars, Dance With the Los Angeles Clippers!

I was born in Argentina, the birthplace of the tango. The tango is an amazing, sexual, provocative, difficult, and intense dance that you can't stop watching when a couple does it right. Feet are flying everywhere, but the couple's eyes never seem to leave each other. Watching a couple tango is incredible.

It pales in comparison to the Clipper two-step I've been watching the last week, however.

One step forward, one step back, and do-se-do.

The Clippers "Road Redemption Tour" started with a bang in Minnesota.  Well, considering the way the 'Wolves are playing this year, it was more of a whimper, but it was a win.

One step forward.

On to New York to play the Knickerbockers. The Knicks, of course, are still sore over word from me that they are losing out on LeBron to the Clippers in 2010. No doubt using my past articles on the subject as motivation, they overcame a big deficit and beat the Clippers. 

No problem, Knicks. You take this win, Clippers get LeBron, and we call it even.

One step backward.

Off to visit Benedict Brand and his new team. I loved watching Elton Brand play for the Clippers.  He was a professional, a good guy, and even made good movies (add "Rescue Dawn" to your Netflix or Blockbuster queue, trust me. EB produced it).  Trumping all that, he was a solid player for the Clippers. 

What exactly made him decide to leave Hollywood for Brotherly Love is unclear. Maybe money?  Who knows, but he left some bad feelings in Los Angeles, that much is certain.

In what was an oddity even for the Clippers, the game was over, then reviewed, then back on.  Wow.  Everyone assumed the referees were reviewing the last shot in regulation by Andre Iguodala (still the only A.I. in Philly who matters) but that wasn't it.  They were checking the final score of the Clippers last two games.

Courtney Kirkland (ref 1): "Guys, this shot looks good to me. I think he got it off"

Gary Zielinski (ref 2): "Hmm, it's close but I have to agree with you Courtney"

Ed Malloy (wise ref 3): "Are you guys blind?  Clippers won two games ago, lost their last game, which means what?"

Kirkland and Zielinski in unison: "That they win this game!  The Clipper two-step, duh!"

They all pat each other on the back as they wave off the last shot.

Clipper announcer Ralph Lawler coined the phrase "Lawler's Law."  It means simply that the first team to score 100 points wins.  It's right most of the time. It is, after all, the law!

The Clipper two-step is NBA law this year. 

One step forward, one step back, and git yerself back where y'all started!

Clippers come back in overtime to defeat the 76ers.  Gutsy win that had to happen; it's the law.

One step forward.

The Spurs are in the discussion in terms of team of the decade.  They won't win the discussion, but they come up.  They have owned the Clippers in their home arena and this game is no different.  How could it be, right?

One step backward.

The Clippers find themselves at 2-2 on their "Road to Redemption."  A respectable .500 record on the road that most teams would be OK with.  They continue to chase that elusive goal of a .500 record overall before Blake Griffin returns.

Two games remain against Houston and the Suns.  The NBA and ESPN, sensing the Clippers are a team on the rise, have opted to showcase them on national TV against the Suns.  Who wants to watch "Two-Time" (Steve Nash) and his team coached by a Clipper discard in Alvin Gentry?  No, the world will tune in to watch the Clippers.

Will they win that game?  Depends entirely on the game against Houston.  A win against the Rockets ensures a loss against the Suns.  A loss in Houston ensures a win in Phoenix.  See how this works?  Say it with me...

The Clipper two-step!!  Duh.