Los Angeles Clippers 2009 Playoffs
The last time the Los Angeles Clippers made a postseason appearance was in 2006. The team finished 47-35 behind the steady production of Elton Brand, the outside shooting of Vladimir Radmanovic, and the point guard play of Sam Cassell. Corey Maggette and Cuttino Mobley were valuable wing players and Shaun Livingston showed promise off the bench. Clippers playoff tickets went beyond the first round for the first time since the franchise was in Buffalo in the 1970s. The team decimated the Denver Nuggets in the first round, winning 4 games to 1. The Clippers actually had home court advantage and fans at the Staples Center were able to celebrate a playoff victory by a team other than the Lakers. That victory was almost celebrated for a second series, but the Phoenix Suns were able to win in the seventh game of the second round in the Western Conference.
This season the Los Angeles Clippers are again looking at the regular season schedule without a clue of what to expect. The season looked promising at first because of the signing of Baron Davis from the Warriors. Davis was going to be the solid second star that would play with Elton Brand and take the Clippers back to the postseason. Then the hopes for playoff tickets began to dwindle. First, Brand took a contract with the 76ers. This left the team without its second star. Then the Warriors signed Corey Maggette, leaving the roster bare of even a solid second scorer and complimentary player. The Clippers tried to recoup their losses by signing Marcus Camby to provide a defensive presence in the post to replace Brand and by moving Mobley to the starting position on the wing to use his knack for scoring to offset the loss of Maggette.
Los Angeles Clippers Background
The replacements are not of the same caliber as the players they are playing for, but the Clippers have a number of other developments that could offset the loss of talent. With Mobley in the starting lineup the team needed an energy player to score off the bench. Eric Gordon, from this last draft has flashed that kind of ability. Another new addition to the backcourt bench is Jason Williams. The player is well past his prime, but he still has the skill to come out and let Davis rest for 10 minutes a game. Davis is well known for his injury shortened seasons and suffered under the playing time demanded by Don Nelson. Now he will get a chance to rest during games with a very serviceable backup. Al Thorton came in to the league with many doubters. He was a mix of a wing player and a power forward. That ability to guard opposing wing players, hit shots, and get position down low will be maximized with Camby’s complete lack of offensive skill. Chris Kaman has come a long way and is now a solid double-double guy with post moves that could see his scoring average spike with the increased need for scoring with Brand and Maggette gone. All is not lost on the Clippers, and playoff tickets could very well be there for fans at the end of the season.