The idea of a curse is silly, isn’t it? Why we continue to hold on to such drivel is beyond me. Everyone knows that the only real legitimate curse is attached to the baseball team from Chicago. I mean when a goat is involved its serious; that’s a serious curse. Everything else is silly.The Los Angeles Clippers were’nt cursed they were just poorly run. Matter of fact, they were poorly owned, poorly general managed and poorly coached. Poor draft decisions, poor trades and lack of free agent signings even though they are based in one of the most attractive NBA cities (see poorly general managed and poorly owned) led directly to poor players.
The Clippers were never cursed they were just poor.
The tide began to turn in 2003 which culminated with a run to within one game of the Western Conference Finals in 2006. The unforeseen defection of Elton Brand led the club to rebuild again amidst cries of “curse, curse, curse”. It takes most teams years to rebuild if they can ever really do it at all. The Clippers are on track to have done it in two.
Of course, there have been pitfalls. The thrill from their third consecutive successful draft was met with moans when Blake Griffin went down during the Pre-Season. The murmurs started again, “curse, curse, curse”.
The club pushed forward however. The owner stayed committed to the coach/GM who put this team together (sure it may be in part because of money owed to Dunleavy but regardless of why, he has stuck with his coach). The team began to come together.
The turning point this year seems to be the farce in Phoenix. That poor showing seems to have motivated the club. The experiment that brought Al Thornton to the bench seems to have been embraced by the third year forward. Instead of sulking, like he seemed to last time he was relegated to the pine, he is accepting the challenge to bring energy off the bench.
It has made a difference.
The Clippers are playing with an energy and passion that hasn’t been seen in Staples Center outside of the club that wears purple. The clubs self-appointed goal to be at or above .500 before Blake Griffin’s debut is within reach and the only Clipper curse in sight is the one that afflicts elite teams that lose to the basketball team from L.A.
The Celtics are 3-3 since losing to the Clippers, the Lakers 1-1.
January will prove to be a real test for the rejuvenated Clipper team. While all eyes will be on Griffins anticipated return this month the club will be facing two rough road trips. It all starts Tuesday January 12 with a three game trip to Memphis and New Orleans that ends with a stop against the Lakers. The month ends with the start of an eight-game road trip back East with stops in Boston and Cleveland.
Riding the momentum of four straight wins and five out of their last six against teams like the Lakers, Trailblazers and Heat this team will spend the rest of the first month in 2010 proving to themselves and those in L.A. who are noticing that they are for real.
Clipper curse, no such thing. Clipper test, that’s as real as Baron Davis beard and it starts tomorrow.
