Preseason Preview

The Clippers are one of the most improved teams over last year. They won just 19 games last year and they’ve already won 18 games this season. Marcus Camby has remained healthy and has played tremendously. They have a size advantage on just about every team between Camby and Chris Kaman. They have two star guards with Baron Davis and Eric Gordon. Their biggest problem is their bench. Their bench is fourth worst in scoring and it’s often when the second unit comes in that the game slips away from them.

Their seemed to be hope on the horizon though, as they were holding their own and Blake Griffin would be joining them again soon. But now he is out for the season and it will be interesting to see if they decide to scrap the season and trade Camby in return for something that will help them next year.

Ready to Breakout vs. Reality: Eric Gordon has picked up where he left off last year. He’s the team’s second-leading scorer and aside from a recent mini-slump from three-point range he has been fairly consistent for the Clippers.

Over the Hill vs. Reality: Ricky Davis has had his playing time nearly cut in half as Rasual Butler has stepped in as the first guard off the bench. Although their numbers are fairly similar, the Coach Dunleavy feels much more comfortable with Butler out there then Davis.

Worst Moment: Finding out Blake Griffin would be out for the rest of the season. The Clipper curse continues.

Best Moment: On January 6, the Clippers snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Lakers.

Best Case Scenario: A few teams above them in the West realize they’re not contenders and get rid of some talent. This allows the Clippers to sneak into the playoffs as the eighth seed and they are able to win a couple games against the other LA in the first round of the playoffs.

Worst Case Scenario: The Clipper curse causes a few more injuries; they plummet to the bottom of the West but somehow don’t wind up with a high draft pick.

Trade Target: If they decide they aren't playoff-caliber this season, Marcus Camby would be very desirable for some contenders.

NBA Midseason Reports