SportsNation Blog Archives
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are saying there's no guarantee that Vinny Del Negro will return as their coach. Should they bring him back?
- jetman5312: "There are not many long term options available for coaching. I don't like SVG or d'antoni. SVG is a drama queen, and d'antoni doesn't know what defense is. I say hire sloan, and see what opens up for coaching options a few years from now."
- Croatia27: "Vinny Del Negro has been exposed by the Spurs. He had no answer for the Spurs. Average coach at best and average coaches don't win NBA titles."
- mgupo: "Fire him if clipp want any chance of keeping cp3 or criffin. Del Negro is average coach at best, the bull was a very average team under his watch but after he leave, the team become much better."
- Martin10231971 "I don't get it. Del Negro has been relatively successful with the Clippers, an he didn't fair that badly with the Bulls. The Clips won a series that there were not suppose to win against Memphis, and Del Negro coached an excellent game 7. He gets a bad rap for no good reason. If the Clips regress rather than progress, then fire him next year, but they progressed this year."
- plazapt: "I like VDN, but I think he made need to go back into the front office. He just has too much emotion for the bench."
- shared_gum: "If they keep Vinny, that will basically mean that a great player in his prime will not have a shot at winning the title. "
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The Clippers are out of the running, which is normally a sentence one would say sometime around December. This season, however, they made it all the way to the conference semifinals, taking care of a tough Grizzlies team in seven games before falling to the aging but still effective Spurs juggernaut. Seriously, 18 straight wins since mid-April? That's somewhat notable, don't you think? Anyway, the Clippers clearly must be pleased with how their season turned out overall, but there are questions about their long-term future, as neither Blake Griffin nor Chris Paul has signed a long-term contract extension. Will both reside in Lob City for the long haul?
Paul's and Griffin's futures?
Blake Griffin is eligible to sign an extension this summer, while Chris Paul is under contract for only one more year.
Championship potential?
Paul and Griffin meshed well in their first season, but it'll take more than a barrage of alley-oops to win a championship.
Are the Spurs favorites?
The Spurs have been written off as done before, but they're looking like the mid-2000s team of old in these playoffs.
DeMarcus Cousins clearly isn't a fan of Blake Griffin, as Thursday night's dustup indicated. Cousins called Blake Griffin an "actor," implying that Griffin plays up things for competitive effect on the court. Does Cousins have a point?
- wetalkinaboutpractice33: "i like blake griffin but he is overrated to the fullest"
- shared_gum: "Honestly, what Blake said was the right thing to say. Blake still hasn't convinced me that he is a huge impact player (which I think he can be some day), but he said the right thing, and that's what people should say after the games. "
- WildcatRJMacReady: "Cousins so wishes he was in LA and not Sacramento"
- gbanks19: "Blake Griffin is really soft it's terrible to watch him play. He reminds of Christiano Ronaldo...incredible player but a fragile faker."
- Pfunk13: "See, Griffin is a good actor - he's got everyone believing he is a basketball player, when all he can do is dunk."
- THEREFTHEN12: "He can't help it that he dunks on everyone, he's more athletic and explosive than anyone else. Guys don't like being embarrased and now they have a problem with the way Griffin plays."
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On Friday, "First Take" debated Jason Smith's hard foul on Blake Griffin. Smith ran into Griffin on the Clippers' star's way to a likely dunk, laying him out on the floor and causing the Hornets crowd to applaud. Stephen A. Smith thinks Jason Smith should be suspended for at least 10 games, while Israel Guitierrez thinks the suspension should be shorter. Skip Bayless actually didn't have a problem with the foul, saying that the Hornets needed to step up against Griffin. What's your take?
The best you've ever seen?
Breaking the backboard used to be the gold standard of dunking. Now it's breaking Twitter. And Blake Griffin came close with a monster dunk over the Thunder's Kendrick Perkins.
Was it even Griffin's best dunk?
Is this just an excuse to link to this video of Griffin's top five dunks? Yes. Yes, it is. But is there really anything wrong with that?
Great player or great dunker?
There was also a game going on last night, and Griffin's 22 points and seven rebounds helped the Clippers beat the team with the league's best record.
Who are the greatest dunkers in NBA history?
Blake Griffin added another monster dunk to a growing list of memorable finishes by going over Kendrick Perkins. But is Griffin already one of the best dunkers in history? Below you'll find SportsNation's top nine from before Griffin debuted, along with the new guy.
History's best dunkers
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Vince Carter
Clyde Drexler
Clyde Drexler
Clyde Drexler
Julius Erving
Julius Erving
Julius Erving
Blake Griffin
Blake Griffin
Blake Griffin
LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron James
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Shawn Kemp
Shawn Kemp
Shawn Kemp
Spud Webb
Spud Webb
Spud Webb
Dominique Wilkins
Dominique Wilkins
Dominique Wilkins
A championship statement by Clippers?
The Clippers beat the Heat 95-89 in overtime Wednesday. The win was just the second for the Clippers against a team that made the playoffs last season, but was it a statement?
What was the real story in Los Angeles?
It was a big win for the Clippers in Los Angeles, but was it an even bigger loss for the Heat? They also lost a night earlier in overtime at the Warriors, leading to more "clutch" questions.
Did LeBron James choke?
Speaking of clutch ... LeBron James scored eight points in the fourth quarter, part of a line of 23 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. But he also missed four fourth-quarter free throws.
Which star is most trustworthy?
Chris Paul turned in the kind of line you would expect from a superstar in a big game, totaling 27 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and three steals. Was he the best player on the court?
The best team in Los Angeles?
Kobe Bryant reached 40 points for the second night in a row, ensuring a win for Los Angeles' other team on the road against the Jazz. The Clippers are 5-3, but the Lakers are 8-4.
Preseason jitters?
The new-look Clippers took it to the Lakers on Monday night, possibly heralding a changing of the guard in Los Angeles basketball.
Are the Lakers still elite?
The Lakers have had a less-than-stellar offseason, but they're still loaded with talent, including the undoubtedly motivated Kobe Bryant.
Paul or Griffin for MVP?
Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will each benefit from the other's presence, but which of them will truly shine in Los Angeles?
Do Clippers have championship combo?
Chris Paul is finally on the move, traded to the Clippers for Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and a first-round pick. Do he and Blake Griffin represent a championship duo?
Is Chris Paul around for the long haul?
Paul is expected to exercise his player option for 2012-13. But in the summer of 2013, both he and Griffin (restricted) could test free agency.
Changing the worst culture in sports?
You remember Chris Wilcox, Michael Olowokandi and Darius Miles, right? Are those former Clippers part of the worst legacy in pro sports?
Are Clippers the best game in town?
Kobe Bryant and Blake Griffin are still in place, but has the balance of power in Los Angeles shifted with Lamar Odom leaving and Chris Paul arriving?
Did NBA get best deal for Hornets?
Eric Gordon averaged 22.6 points per game a season ago, Chris Kaman is a big body with an expiring contract, and an unprotected Timberwolves pick is always a good thing.
A chapter for David Stern's legacy?
David Stern said this situation wasn't a lot of fun, which is saying something for a guy who just went through a lockout. But how will it affect his legacy?
Chris Paul's first trip to Los Angeles might have been canceled, but it looks like he'll be headed there after all with just a simple change of address for his destination arena. The Clippers and Hornets are closing in on a deal that would send Paul to Los Angeles with no third team involved -- just a straight-up trade of a superstar in his prime for some rebuilding parts. The haul the Hornets would receive seems fair, but would they have gotten a better deal from the Lakers?
- "So CP3 gets to play in the Staples Center, where he is forced to look at the banners and great names in the rafters, and must constantly think about what could have been. " -- SN commenter P-52
- "Chris Paul is now in the Guinness Book of World Records. The first person to request a trade to the LA Clippers." -- SN commenter nickmayhrm911
Which would have been a fairer trade?
The Lakers would have given the Hornets Lamar Odom & Co., but the league intervened. Is this deal better?
Will the trade go through?
One Chris Paul trade has already fallen through. The potential inclusion of Eric Bledsoe could be a snag in this trade.
Better L.A. combo?
There's been talk of bringing Dwight Howard to the Lakers, but would a Howard-Bryant combo beat a Griffin-Paul duo?
We can understand if you don't want to take the time to grade your tech-support help on the other end of the telephone, but when we're talking about the dollars and emotion you've invested in sports, we think it's worth the effort. It's time for ESPN The Magazine's Ultimate Standings, in which SportsNation grades organizations on everything from ticket prices and stadium experience to the talent on the field, court or rink. Which team will end up on top this year? It depends on what you say.
Take part in the 2011 MLB survey
2010 MLB Ultimate Standings
1. Los Angeles Angels (Overall: No. 3)
2. Tampa Bay Rays (Overall: No. 6)
3. Colorado Rockies (Overall: No. 13)
4. Minnesota Twins (Overall: No. 14)
5. Atlanta Braves (Overall: No. 15)
Take part in the 2011 NFL survey
2010 NFL Ultimate Standings
1. New Orleans Saints (Overall: No. 1)
2. Indianapolis Colts (Overall: No. 4)
3. Green Bay Packers (Overall: No. 9)
4. Arizona Cardinals (Overall: No. 19)
5. Baltimore Ravens (Overall: No. 20)
Take part in the 2011 NBA survey
2010 NBA Ultimate Standings
1. Orlando Magic (Overall: No. 2)
2. San Antonio Spurs (Overall: No. 7)
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (Overall: No. 10)
4. Dallas Mavericks (Overall: No. 24)
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (Overall: No. 25)
Take part in the 2011 NHL survey
2010 NHL Ultimate Standings
1. Pittsburgh Penguins (Overall: No. 5)
2. Detroit Red Wings (Overall: No. 8)
3. Washington Capitals (Overall: No. 11)
4. San Jose Sharks (Overall: No. 12)
5. Chicago Blackhawks (Overall: No. 16)
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