Baron Davis will miss the Clippers upcoming three-game road trip because of back spasms. Typically, Davis typically shuts it down at some point most years. Steve Blake is now the starting point guard in Los Angeles Clippers.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Houston: Aaron Brooks shot just 5-of-20 for 11 points on Tuesday, but he accumulated eight rebounds and 11 assists in over 39 minutes of action. Brooks remains a legitimate candidate for Most Improved Player honors — he’s increased his production across the board this season and is slowly becoming a more well-rounded PG.

Houston: Houston Rockets forward Chase Budinger scored a career-high 24 points off the bench in Tuesday’s win over Washington, making 9-of-13 FGs and 5-of-6 FTs in 27 minutes.

Budinger also hit a three, grabbed six rebounds, and had one steal and one block without a turnover. His career night gave the battered Rockets a much-needed lift, as they had lost four straight games before escaping with this victory.

Washington: Andray Blatche returned to his Most Improved Player form in Tuesday’s tough loss to the Rockets, piling up 31 points (13-of-23 FGs, 5-of-8 FTs), 10 rebounds, three assists, four steals, and three blocks. This was fairly predictable, as the 6′11″, 260 pound Blatche pretty much had his way with Houston’s small frontcourt.

Chicago: Flip Murray lit up the Suns for 23 points off the bench on Tuesday, making 9-of-12 FGs with four 3-pointers, a season-high nine rebounds, four assists and one steal.

Phoenix: Suns guard Jason Richardson poured in a game-high 27 points vs. Chicago on Tuesday, making 10-of-19 FGs, 4-of-9 threes, and 3-of-4 FTs. The Phoenix Suns are streaking into the playoffs, winners of eight consecutive games.

Milwaukee: Andrew Bogut played just 25 minutes on Tuesday, finishing a win over the Clippers with 14 points, nine rebounds, one steal, two blocks and zero turnovers. Milwaukee might be conserving their prized big man, which makes sense after his back flared up on him last week, but three other starters (Brandon Jennings, John Salmons, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute) also played sub-30 minutes in the relatively easy win.

Tyreke Evans (concussion) will miss the Kings’ next two games after he felt dizzy during Thursday’s practice. With the current climate around professional sports surrounding concussions, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. The Sacramento Kings are out of the playoff chase and will not rush him back just so he can win the Rookie of the Year award. He’s in danger of missing more than just two games. Meanwhile, Beno Udrih’s piping hot streak stands to continue while Francisco Garcia will stick in the starting five.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Memphis: Marc Gasol (strained neck) says he is targeting Sunday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks for his return. Gasol worked out on Monday, practiced on Tuesday and the Grizz have three days off before taking on the Bucks. If he’s going to come back, this is a perfect spot.

Houston: Trevor Ariza was productive in the Rockets’ 99-93 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, scoring 18 points on 7-of-20 shooting (including three 3-pointers) with eight rebounds, eight assists, three steals, and one block.

Houston: Luis Scola scored 16 points on 7-of-21 shooting with 14 rebounds, three assists, and two steals on Thursday. It marks the 30th double-double he has secured this year, and during the month of march, Scola is averaging a robust 21.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

Los Angelas: Craig Smith scored a season-high 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting with 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks in 25 minutes off the bench against the Rockets on Thursday.

Miami: Udonis Haslem (ankle) returned to action against the Bulls on Thursday, and scored 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting with six rebounds, no assists, and a steal in 23 minutes.

Chicago: Joakim Noah played just 10 minutes in the Bulls’ blowout loss to the Heat on Thursday, and chipped in four points on 1-of-5 shooting with two rebounds and no assists. He was scheduled to play 15 minutes, and if there is any positive takeaway from their embarrassing night it’s that Bulls got to rest him a little bit more than was planned.

Miami: Jermaine O’Neal scored 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting with four rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 24 minutes of the Heat’s dominating win over the Bulls on Thursday.

Hornets coach Jeff Bower said after Saturday’s game that he expects Chris Paul (knee) to return at some point in the following week. “We will be seeing him soon,” Bower said. “Probably next week at some point; hopefully earlier in the week. We don’t have a firm date, but we’re very close.” The report goes on to tell readers to check back in after Monday’s shootaround, with games Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday as potential return dates.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Sacramento: Tyreke Evans (slight concussion, bruised jaw) could still play in Monday’s home game vs. the Grizzlies, according to Sacramento Kings beat writer Jason Jones. Jones’ report is far more optimistic than an early text message from Evans’ brother, which indicated he would miss at least one week. Evans will be re-evaluated on Monday, so check back for updates.

Sacramento: Beno Udrih scored 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting (including a three) with four rebounds, a career-high 17 assists, and two steals in the Kings’ win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

Atlanta: Al Horford went off for 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting with 18 rebounds, one assist, and two steals, and hit a jumper with the shot clock expiring and 35 seconds left in overtime to put away the Spurs on Sunday.

San Antonio: Manu Ginobili tied a season-high with 38 points on 12-of-26 shooting (including five 3-pointers) with one rebound, six assists, and a steal in the Spurs’ overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
He is carrying the load with Tony Parker out, and has been a borderline elite play throughout the month of March.

Los Angeles: Phil Jackson said Sunday that he hopes Andrew Bynum (Achilles) can return before the end of the month, and that he will be traveling with the team on their upcoming 5-game road trip.
“Maybe this will be just a short duration,” Jackson said, adding that Bynum felt much better from Saturday to Sunday, helping to spark some optimism.

Okalahoma City: Russell Westbrook was held scoreless in the Okalahoma City Thunder’s blowout loss to the Pacers on Sunday, going 0-for-4 from the field to go with one rebound and five assists in just 17 minutes of action.

The Antawn Jamison trade, which is essentially a done deal, the Clippers are also involved. The Cavs get Jamison and guard Sebastian Telfair, the Los Angeles Clippers get Drew Gooden and the Wizards get Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Al Thornton, Brian Skinner and a Cavs first-round pick. Jamison’s value takes a hit in Cleveland, Gooden is still useless for the Clips, Ilgauskas is a buy-out candidate in Washington (meaning Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee could both start), while Thornton becomes an interesting piece in Washington. He will battle with Josh Howard and Mike Miller for minutes.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Boston: Nate Robinson did not play Wednesday against the Bulls due to flu-like symptoms, and if the reported trade sending him to the Celtics happens as expected, he could be in uniform for Thursday’s game against the Lakers. He flew to L.A., and barring a huge surprise he’ll be a Celtic come Thursday. Anything can happen between now and the trade deadline, but as the C’s are constituted now, Nate-Rob projects to be a gunner off the bench — and a poor man’s Jamal Crawford sounds like a reasonable outlook.

Phoenix: With Antawn Jamison landing in Cleveland, it’s now quite possible that Amare Stoudemire will not be traded by the Phoenix Suns. His agent says he’s still likely to be moved, but Paul Coro, beat writer for the Arizona Republic, says Amare may not have any deals in place. We’ll know for sure by 3 p.m. on Thursday.

Chicago: John Salmons has been instructed by the Bulls to say at the hotel Wednesday night, suggesting that he is a likely piece in a trade. No word from the NBA yet, but this is normally a good sign that something is going down.

Los Angelas: Kobe Bryant will likely sit out Thursday night to rest the ailing tendon in his lower leg. We were hoping he would be up for the big matchup against the Boston Celtics but by his own admission he’s not playing unless he sees a turnaround in the next twenty-four hours. Were this a playoff game or were the Lakers struggling for a playoff spot, we would probably see Bryant in the lineup.

Oakland: Monta Ellis will sit out both Wednesday and Friday night’s game as he continues to recover from a knee sprain. The good news is that his meeting with his doctor confirmed original reports of a sprain rather than more serious internal damage. “Knee sprain” certainly is better news than “ACL tear”.

Lakers G Kobe Bryant missed Wednesday’s game against the Utah Jazz with a sprained left ankle. After playing through a multitude of injuries, Kobe has finally succumbed to them. If he skips the All-Star game he’ll have 10 days of rest under his belt and should be able to start the second half of the season strong, pushing for home court advantage in the playoffs. Of course, this logically means that he will suit up for the All-Start game and probably log big minutes.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

New Jersey: Devin Harris returned from a shoulder injury Wednesday and had 27 points, nine assists and a 3-pointer in another loss.

Philadelphia: Sam Dalembert tweaked his back at the end of the first half on Wednesday night and ended up sitting out the majority of the second half. Dalembert tried to go in the second half, but came out of the game quickly and never went back in. The good news is that he didn’t go to the locker room and didn’t seem to be in pain. He simply watched the second half from the bench. We’d expect that he’ll be fine after the All-Star break.

Chicago: Derrick Rose left Wednesday’s game in the first quarter with a right hip injury and will not return.
X-rays were negative, but this will leave his status for the All-Star Game in doubt. He finished with just three points in two minutes, and Kirk Hinrich will take over at point guard, while John Salmons should also see the ball a lot tonight.

Atlanta: Jamal Crawford was a late scratch for Wednesday’s game due to a sore shoulder. Expect Crawford to be back at 100 percent after the All-Star break.

Oakland: Monta Ellis (knee) will not play Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers. An MRI on Tuesday revealed that Ellis’ knee injury is only a mild sprain.

Utah: Jazz PF Carlos Boozer poured in 34 points (13-of-17 FGs, 8-of-9 FTs), 14 rebounds, four assists and four steals in Tuesday’s win over the Clippers, Utah’s ninth consecutive victory. The Jazz are red-hot going into the All-Star break, and Boozer hasn’t missed a beat since returning from his calf injury. His name is no longer appearing in many trade rumors and it seems like Utah hopes to keep this chemistry going into the postseason.

Orlando: Vince Carter came back to earth on Wednesday with 15 points, five rebounds and three assists.
The Magic were up 41-17 after one quarter, so Carter and the rest of the Orlando Magic starters played limited minutes. Still, this type of game is more in line with what we’d expect from Carter going forward.

Charlotte: Peja Stojakovic hit 7-of-16 shots and four more 3-pointers on his way to 20 points, four boards, an assist, two steals and a block in Wednesday’s win over the Celtics.

The Clippers have relieved Mike Dunleavy of his coaching duties and have named top assistant Kim Hughes their interim coach for the rest of the season. Dunleavy is expected to remain in his GM capacity. The Clippers are 21-28, seven games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Dunleavy was doomed once No. 1 overall pick Blake Griffin went down this season and Elton Brand surprisingly bolted before last season. Hughes has been with the Los Angeles Clippers for the last seven seasons and the rotations should not change much, if at all.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Charlotte: Following reports of Chris Paul having underwent successful surgery on his left knee that will keep him out 4-6 weeks, the New Orleans Hornets Times-Picayune is reporting that he will spend 2-3 weeks on crutches. If he spends two weeks on crutches, it still seems a bit optimistic that he would be able to return two weeks later in game shape.

Portland: Brandon Roy (hamstring) will practice Friday, and is likely to play Saturday against the Lakers.
While this is good news, there’s a lot of time between now and Saturday. Watch to see how he responds to a full practice Friday before committing to him.

Chicago: The Chicago Bulls have decided to shut down Joakim Noah (plantar fasciitis) until the All-Star break. He was severly hobbled in his last two starts and he can’t afford that with his lack of offensive skills. He’ll miss the next four games but will get 12 days off thanks to the All-Star break. Brad Miller and Tyrus Thomas will benefit the most.

Orlando: Jameer Nelson (left knee) and Mickael Pietrus (right ankle) put in full practices Thursday and appear ready to play against the Wizards on Friday. Nelson ends up just missing one full game with this latest knee problem, but it remains a major concern.

Cleveland: LeBron James started at point guard for the first time since his rookie season with Daniel Gibson (personal) out on Thursday, and finished with 36 points on 9-of-16 shooting (1-of-4 from downtown, 17-of-21 from the foul line) with seven rebounds, eight assists, and two steals. We were expecting some eye-popping assist totals, but they never came, and by halftime Daniel Gibson was back from tending to his pregnant fiancee at the hospital.

Miami: Michael Beasley, who had played just two games since returning from a knee injury, played a season-high 41 minutes on Thursday, and finished with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting (including a three) with 12 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks.

Tim Duncan had 21 points, a career-high 27 rebounds (10 offensive), six assists and one block in Wednesday’s easy win over the Hawks. He dominated Al Horford (2-of-10, 4 & 9) tonight despite hitting just 5-of-20 shots. It was a strange night for Duncan, who had the biggest rebounding night of his 12-year career and hit 11-of-11 free throws. We don’t know why he would be on any fantasy benches, but hopefully he was in there for you tonight. Amazingly, Duncan has never lost to the Hawks when he has played in a game against them.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

San Antonio: Tony Parker suffered a left ankle sprain on Wednesday, which appeared to be of a severe nature. He has had problems with the same ankle in the past and while X-rays were negative, it does sound like he will probably miss some time with the injury. We should know more information on Thursday. Our guess is George Hill, who was already starting at shooting guard, will take over at point guard if Parker is out.

Chicago: Joakim Noah hit 6-of-10 shots for 13 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and two blocks in Wednesday’s win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. He’s playing through a painful foot injury, but looked great tonight. Go ahead and keep him active. Derrick Rose added 26 points and seven assists in this one.

Cleveland: .J. Hickson got hot early and hit 8-of-10 shots for a career-high 23 points to go along with eight rebounds and a block in Wednesday’s easy win over the Wolves. We’ve seen Hickson do this before and it usually happens when he hits a bunch of shots early. He was scoreless in his last game, but had 11 points and 14 boards in the previous one.

New Jersey: Keyon Dooling started in place of injured Devin Harris and had 18 points, eight assists and two 3-pointers on 7-of-13 shooting as the New Jersey Nets beat the Clippers for their fourth win of the year on Wednesday.

New Jersey: Kris Humphries scored a career-high 25 points to go along with eight rebounds, a steal and a block, and hit 10-of-14 shots as the Nets won for the just the fourth time this season by beating the Los Angeles Clippers in Jersey. The Nets avoided the worst 44-game start in NBA history with the 103-87 win and you can bet Humps has probably earned more playing time after this effort. Brook Lopez added 19 points and nine rebounds in the win, helping the Nets snap an 11-game losing streak.

Milwaukee: Carlos Delfino left Wednesday’s game against the Sixers in the second half with an ankle sprain. We’re assuming this is an aggravation of the ankle Delfino rolled on Tuesday. He had just six points, five rebounds and no 3-pointers in 24 minutes before getting hurt.

Jonny Flynn

Minnesota PG Jonny Flynn hit 9-of-16 shots and two 3-pointers on his way to a career high of 29 points to go along with four rebounds, nine assists and two steals as the Wolves came back from 20 down to shock the Sixers in overtime on Monday. Flynn’s rookie season has been hit or miss, but he got it done tonight. Maybe this will instill some confidence in the point guard and allow him to finish with a big second half.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Phoenix: Moving into the starting lineup vs. Memphis, Robin Lopez had a career-high 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting, seven rebounds and three blocks in 29 minutes. Lopez gave the Phoenix Suns a big body to combat the Grizzlies’ powerful frontcourt, but his solid play could convince Alvin Gentry to use a conventional lineup more often.

Oakland: Warriors center Andris Biedrins broke out on Monday, racking up nine points, 19 rebounds and a career-high eight blocks in a win over the visiting Bulls. This was a statement game for Biedrins, he played 39 minutes and was hyperactive, looking fully recovered from the groin/abdomen injury that has spoiled most of his season.

Oakland: Monta Ellis scored 36 points in Monday’s win over the Bulls, but it took him 39 shots to get there — the most attempted by any player in a game this season.
Ellis finished 14-of-39 from the field and 5-of-9 from the line, with three 3-pointers, five rebounds, eight assists, four steals and one block.

Los Angeles: Chris Kaman hit 10-of-16 shots for 22 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in a return from a back injury for the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.

Houston: Luis Scola scored a season-high 27 to go along with 15 rebounds as the Rockets beat the Bucks in overtime on Monday.

Milwakkee: Bucks C Andrew Bogut hit 9-of-16 shots on his way to 18 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, one steal and six blocks in a tough overtime loss to the Rockets.

Boston: In our estimation, Paul Pierce is likely to play on Monday despite a knee injury aggravated in Sunday’s practice. In the latest Boston Globe blog entry from the Garden there is no mention of Pierce or his injury.

Memphis: The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Suns on Monday, led by Rudy Gay’s 31 points, three 3-pointers, nine rebounds, one steal and three blocks. Marc Gasol struggled with foul trouble, but still punished the Suns with 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocks, all without a turnover. O.J. Mayo made 11-of-21 FGs and 5-of-11 threes for 28 points, adding five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

How was that for a first season in Los Angeles? Blake Griffin, who was selected first overall by the Clippers in the 2009 NBA draft, will undergo surgery on his left patella, which will force him to miss the next 4-to-6 months and effectively end his season.

Griffin showed promise in the preseason and summer league, dominating lesser competition, but the fairly tail ended on October 23, 2009, when Griffin injured his kneecap while dunking in the team’s final preseason game. After resting the stress fracture for several weeks, the former Oklahoma City Thunder star recently increased his workload in rehabilitation by running on a treadmill.

However, team doctors determined that Griffin’s knee wasn’t healing properly after he felt discomfort jumping into a swimming pool. The pool exercises were part of the last hurdles to be cleared before Griffin could rejoin the Clippers in practice. He has been a constant presence at Los Angeles Clippers games and in film sessions during his injury.

“It’s a little disappointing, because he brings so much to the table,” Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said on a conference call.

“As a group, we’re coming together better all the time and adding that talent to our lineup was something we were looking forward to…”I think the reaction is going to be one of disappointment, but he hasn’t been here all year,” Dunleavy said. “We’ve just got to move forward and do what we were planning on doing anyway – making the playoffs.”

Griffin was the consensus college player of the year in 2009, averaging 22.7 points and an NCAA-best 14.4 rebounds per game last season for the Sooners and the Clippers eagerly chose him in last June’s draft. Griffin averaged 13.7 points and 8.1 rebounds during the preseason, and coach Mike Dunleavy and his new teammates all expected him to be a major part of their comeback season. Instead, Griffin has never been fully healthy in Los Angeles, even straining his right shoulder during summer league play in Las Vegas.

The Clippers also have a long history of disappointing draft picks, including a pair of No. 1 overall choices that didn’t dazzle. Danny Manning played just 26 games in his rookie season in 1988-89 after tearing his knee ligament and undergoing surgery, though he eventually became an All-Star before fleeing town. Michael Olowokandi, the top pick in 1998, played just 45 games in his rookie season and he wasn’t much help even when healthy during five underachieving seasons.

Griffin’s woes sadly can’t be surprising to fans of a team with just two winning seasons in the last 30 years and just one playoff series victory since moving to town in 1984. Let’s hope that Griffin can bounce back next season and lead the Clippers back to the playoffs.

The decision to fire coach Vinny Del Negro has already been made and the only thing keeping him employed is the fact that the Bulls have not found a replacement. The Bulls would like to have a coach that appeals to the potential free agents available this summer, but they may have to settle for assistants Bernie Bickerstaff or Pete Myers and seek out a better option in the offseason. Once it becomes clear who will be coaching in Chicago, we’ll have a better idea of what system will be installed and what free agents, if any, will be interested in playing for the Bulls.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Los Angeles: Los Angeles Clippers F Blake Griffin (knee) continues to progress in his rehabilitation, and said that he expects to make his season debut in three weeks. Coach Mike Dunleavy agreed, saying he expects him back in the second or third week of January. This timetable appears to be solid Dunleavy will have to sort out minutes between Griffin, Marcus Camby, Rasual Butler and Al Thornton.

Sacramento: Tyreke Evans is considered to be doubtful for Monday’s game against the Nuggets after spraining his ankle in Saturday’s game against the Lakers. Evans missed Sunday’s practice after he woke up with swelling in the ankle. Beno Udrih and Donte’ Greene would be the likely starting backcourt in his absence, as this was the lineup Nov. 21 when Evans missed his only game of the season.

Houston: The Houston Rockets have told Tracy McGrady that he will not see an increase in playing time, and that they will address his situation Monday when they return from their road trip. This comes after the team gave McGrady permission to take the weekend off to be home for his son’s birthday.

Detroit: Pistons F Charlie Villanueva (foot) is in uniform and has been seen loosening up prior to Sunday’s game against the Toronto Raptors.

San Antonio: DeJuan Blair played for a season-high 35 minutes on Sunday, and ended up with eight points on 4-of-11 shooting with 10 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks.

Denver: Carmelo Anthony struggled with foul trouble on Sunday, scoring just 16 points on 7-of-16 shooting with 12 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block in 30 minutes of action. He missed tying his lowest-scoring game of the season by just two points, but on the bright side his 12 rebounds were a season-high.

Dallas: Drew Gooden (back spasms) returned to action Sunday and scored 19 points on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting to go with 10 rebounds and a block in 27 minutes of run on Sunday.
Gooden may have gotten some extra run after Erick Dampier (10 points, nine rebounds, 20 minutes) played 35 minutes in his absence Saturday.

Nets G/F Chris Douglas-Roberts had career highs of 27 points and 12 rebounds in Tuesday’s loss to the Pacers, dropping the Nets to 0-11 on the season. CDR had been out with the flu but is back and appears to be developing into a very good player.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Houston: Houston Rockets F Carl Landry got hot on Tuesday, hitting 13-of-18 shots for a career-high 27 points to go along with nine rebounds in a loss to the Suns. The Suns are notorious for not playing defense, but Landry’s play has been impressive as of late.

Denver: J.R. Smith came off the bench and hit five 3-pointers to finish with a season-high 29 points in Tuesday’s win. He hit 11-of-17 shots, and even though he won’t start many games he plays starter’s minutes and is primed for a big season as long as he can stay out of trouble.

Phoenix: Suns PF/C Amare Stoudemire hit 8-of-14 shots on his way to 23 points, six rebounds and four assists as the Phoenix Suns beat the Rockets in Houston on Tuesday to improve their record to 10-2. Steve Nash hit just 2-of-10 shots, but finished with 12 points and 16 assists, while Jason Richardson chipped in with 20 points, five boards, two blocks and two 3-pointers in the win. The Suns are a very tough team to beat when Stoudemire, Richardson and Nash are playing well.

Milwaukee: Bucks SG Michael Redd went through non-contact drills at practice Tuesday and said he hopes to practice fully Thursday and play in Friday’s game against the Bobcats. “They’re throwing me to the wolves Thursday,” he said. Redd has been out since Oct. 31 with a left patella tendon strain, but hasn’t suffered any recent setbacks and appears on track to return very soon.

Los Angeles: Los Angeles Clippers G Kareem Rush suffered a torn ACL in his right knee Tuesday, ending his season.
He’ll have surgery soon and Ricky Davis will see more minutes in the short term as a result.

Los Angeles: Clippers C Al Thornton got hot and hit 12-of-17 shots for a season-high 30 points to go along with four boards and an assist in Tuesday’s loss. Thornton has been playing very good in the absence of Eric Gordon.

Indiana: Pacers F Tyler Hansbrough played just 16 minutes Tuesday and missed all five of his shots, failing to score. Hansbrough currently has a limit on the amount of minutes he can play due to a shin injury.

Indiana: Pacers C Roy Hibbert tied a career high with 19 points and added 10 rebounds and three blocks in Tuesday’s win. Hibbert is actually starting to play good basketball, although he appears to be playing in slow motion.

2008-09 NBA Team Preview – Philadelphia 76ers

2008 Record: 40-42
Division Finish: 2nd – Atlantic
2008 Playoffs: Lost, 4-1, to Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference First Round

Head Coach: Maurice Cheeks
Season: Going into fourth season
Record At Philadelphia: 113-133
Career Record: 275-272

Offseason Acquisitions:
Elton Brand, F, 17.6 ppg, 8.0 – Signed from Los Angeles Clippers
Jared Reiner, C, – Signed from Spain
Donyell Marshall, F, 3.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg. – Signed off waivers
Theo Ratliff, F-C, 3.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg. – Signed off waivers
Kareem Rush, G, 8.3 ppg, 2.4 ppg – Signed from Indiana
Royal Ivey, G, 5.6 ppg, 2.1 apg – - Signed from Milwaukee

Offseason Losses:
Calvin Booth, F-C, 0.8 ppg, 1.2 rpg – Traded to Minnesota Timberwolves
Rodney Carney, F, 5.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg – Traded to Minnesota Timberwolves
Andre Emmett – Waived
Maurice Rice – Waived
Corey Underwood – Waived
Justin Reed – Waived

Offseason Transactions:
Re-signed Andre Igoudala
Re-signed Louis Williams
Exercised option on Thaddeus Young
Exercised option on Jason Smith

Rookies:
Marreese Speight, F-C, 6-10, 14.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg, Florida
Antwayne Robinson, F, 6-8, – Signed from France

The Skinny:
Few teams may have made a bigger move during the offseason than the Philadelphia 76ers. Whether that gives them the edge they need to move up from a middle of the road team in a weak conference or a contender for the Eastern title remains to be seen.

During the middle of the summer it looked like the Los Angeles Clippers were going to be a major player in the Western Conference when Baron Davis was about to sign with the team to go along an already improving and young team. However, the Clippers had the rug pulled out from underneath them when the foundation of the team, power forward Elton Brand, signed with the 76ers.

Brand signed a five-year, $79.9-millon deal with Philadelphia and may be the missing ingredient the team needs to challenge Boston and Detroit. The 76ers had some solid talent, particularly in the backcourt, but needed a real superstar to be the go-to guy and bulk up their front court. They may have gotten that in Brand.

After a lackluster showing in the opening round of the 2005 playoffs, Philadelphia brought in Maurice Cheeks to be their head coach. Following some growing pains in his first two seasons, Cheeks appears to have the ship turned around as they won 40 games and made the Eastern Conference playoffs despite being under .500.

Up until this season the 76ers may not have had a person with the presence of Brand in the frontcourt since the likes of Charles Barkley. Brand is no Barkley, but he’s better than anything they have had since the Round Mound of Rebound.

Going into his 10th season, Brand is one of only four active players that have a career average of 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. He had a monster year in 2005-06, averaging a career-best 24.7 points per game. His scoring production has dipped the last two seasons, but a big reason for that is he has had better players around him so he has not had to carry as much of the scoring load.

Brand does come to Philadelphia as a bit of damage goods. Before the start of last season he ruptured the Achilles’ tendon in his left foot and missed the majority of the season. He managed to play only eight games last season, averaging 17.6 ppg. and 8.0 rebounds per game.

If Brand is back to his old self he has got the potential to make the 76ers a great team. Philadelphia brings back its top six scorers from last season and that group averaged 79.5 ppg.

Heading up this list of returning players is swingman Andre Igoudala, who is one of the top all-around players in the country. His 2007-08 numbers were 19.9 ppg., 5.4 rpg., 4.8 assists per game and 2.1 steals per game. Point guard Andre Miller does a good job of running the offense as he dished out 6.9 apg., while scoring 17.0 ppg. Add in guards Willie Green who averaged 12.4 ppg. as well as Louis Williams coming off the bench at 11.5 ppg. and you’ve got a pretty solid back court.

The front court was a different story. Six-foot-eleven center Samuel Dalembert did a solid job last season, averaging a double-double with 10.5 ppg and 10.4 rpg. The problem was without another good player in the frontcourt teams were able to focus on Dalembert and limit his scoring. Now with Brand beside him he could really make a big improvement this year.

Prediction:
Philadelphia is one of the teams I am high on this year as a potential sleeper in the East. As we stated here time and time again, the Eastern Conference is pretty weak. The 76ers are living testament to that as they made the playoffs last year despite a losing record. Outside of Boston and Detroit no team is really a major threat and no made a major move like Philly did. Jermaine O’Neal to Toronto does not really count.

The 76ers frontcourt was there major weakness and they did a lot to improve it by bringing in Brand. Yes he comes in having suffered a major injury, but up until now he has been pretty healthy so I do not see why he will not be back to his old form. He will make Dalembert a much better player and he will need to be against some of the top big men in the conference.

The addition of Brand really only leaves small forward as the only hole in the team’s line-up, but there is some potential there. Thaddeus Young stepped into the starting role in his rookie season and averaged 8.2 ppg. and 4.2 rpg. A year wiser and having Brand on the court could allow him to really grow in his second season.

Green and Williams give 76ers a pretty solid pair of reserves in the backcourt. The addition of TJ Ford in Indiana via the O’Neal trade made Kareem Rush expendable and he will be able to spell Iguodala or Young.

The team is a little thin in terms of its frontcourt bench. They tired to sure that up by drafting 6-foot-10 forward-center Marreese Speight from Florida, who averaged 14.5 ppg and 8.1 ppg. If they can stay healthy in the front court they could be a very good team.

I like all the moves the 76ers have done in terms of getting Brand, signing Rush and drafting Speight. After reserves Donyell Marshall and Theo Ratliff, Brand is the oldest player on the team at 29-years old. If they can keep this team together they could be a contender for the next few years.

I think Philadelphia will surprise a lot of people this year. I like them to win about 50 games this year and move up to second in the Atlantic. If all the chips fall into place they could win the division. I like them to get to at least the second round of the playoffs and do not be surprised if you see them on the doorstep of the NBA Finals.

One of the longest-running NBA executives is out of a job and it’s a he said, he said story.

After 22 years of running the day-to-day operations of the Los Angeles Clippers, Elgin Baylor has been replaced by Mike Dunleavy as vice president of basketball operations for the Clippers. The problem is it doesn’t seem like Baylor wants to be out of a job.

The organization said that Baylor has resigned, but it doesn’t appear that way. When asked about his “resignation” from the Clippers, Baylor said that there is a difference between him and the organization and that on the advice of his lawyer he should say much more than that.

When was the last time that someone said they talked to their lawyer and every thing was just hunky dorrie? That’s what I thought.

Outside of being arrested, people talk to their lawyers because they’re either going to file a lawsuit or one has been filed against them. From just looking at the surface it appears that Baylor has been pushed out by the Clippers and he pissed about it.

If someone has put 22 years into an organization, and is 74 years old they are not resigning, they are retiring. Maybe he was resigning to take another job, maybe, but in either case, with as many years as Baylor put into the organization there would be much more remising if he was leaving on its own. It wouldn’t be treated the same way you treat something you’re trying to sweep up the rug and move along as quickly as possible.

It’s not to say that it wasn’t time for Baylor to be replaced of his duties. Given the Clippers’ history it’s amazing that he made it 22 years. If he wasn’t an NBA Hall of Famer and named one of the 50 Greatest NBA Players of all time I wonder if he would have made it that long as bad as the team has been.

During Baylor’s 22 years with the organization, the Clippers posted a 619-1153 record and have been the laughing stock of the Association – and most of professional sports – for some time. They have been joined as the laughing stocks of professional sports like the Cincinnati Bengals and the former Montreal Expos. Baseball has had a number of bad teams of late – primarily because the lack of a salary cap and decent revenue sharing prevents the competitive balance that the other sports have – but of late it’s been my beloved Pittsburgh Pirates.

Here’s my rant about the Pirates. Until they totally revamp the whole organization they are going to be perpetually below .500. Explain to me how the Tampa Bay Rays are making the American League Championship Series and Pittsburgh hasn’t sniffed the playoffs since 1992?

I hope the new ownership is trying to do that, but it doesn’t look good. They brought in a new general manager and team president, but so far their moves during the first year were less than impressive. I’ve heard from a lot of experts on TV that their trades have brought in a lot of talent, but I’ve heard that before and they’ve still gone nowhere. I hope they do, but they’ve got to spend some money to invest in players. If you look at all the players they let get away because they weren’t willing to pay them you could put together a pretty decent team. I don’t know if they’d win a World Series or even make the playoffs, but they’d have a much better chance.

Anyways…

If you take a look at all the first round draft picks the Clippers have had over the years you can see why they’ve been a bad team. Only three times during Baylor’s tenure have they not had a lottery pick – with nine picks inside the top five. That’s a boat load of great to good players that they’ve had a chance to draft and have messed it up more times than not.

The number of first-round draft picks that have panned out can be counted on one hand – Heresy Hawkins, Danny Manning, Antonio McDyess, Lamar Odom and Tyson Chandler – but most of them have succeeded on other teams. And for every Lamar Odom you’ve got three Yaroslav Korolev or Michael Olowokndi.

Chris Kaman – who originally looked like a bust when drafted in 2003 – seems to be coming around. That’s fine for a prospect to come around after five years, but only if you’re an established team and can afford that. If you’re a team like the Clippers you need instant help. Last year’s No. 1 pick Al Thornton of Florida State was a member of the 2008 NBA All-Rookie Team and looks like he could be a good building block for the future.

With Baylor on board, the Clippers managed to make the playoffs only four times in 22 years. He was named NBA Executive of the Year in 2006 after the team beat the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. It was the organization’s first playoff series victory since the 1975-76 season when the team was located in Buffalo.

So it’s not like getting rid of Baylor wasn’t the worst thing for the Clippers to do and was probably way too late. What I don’t understand is why they didn’t just fire him and say he was being let go because the team has sucked? This is just going to make the Clippers look worse.

I can’t say that I’m surprised that Baylor failed. The list of former players who were outstanding during their playing career and then sucked as a coach or executive are longer than anyone cares to look at. I think there is something innate in great athletes that they can not explain how to do things or truly evaluate talent. They really never had to break down the sport and learn the nuisances, they just did it without an explanation. That’s not who you want coaching your team or drafting your players.

You want the guy who had to work his ass of just to be average. They had to look at the sport and the skill from every angle possible to get the most out of themselves. They had to teach themselves the game and they can teach it to others because they’ve already used themselves as a guinea pig.
Now the team is in the hands of Dunleavy, who has been their coach for the last six years. Needless to say I’m opposed to the head coach holding any other position in an organization. To be a head coach of a professional team is a big enough task and to add another big task is just too much for one person to handle, but we’ll save that for another post.

Much like the Sacramento Kings, the Atlanta Hawks have traveled around the country, starting in the Midwest in 1946 and moving until finally finding a home in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1968. They play their home games in Philips Arena in Atlanta. Their head coach is Mike Woodson.

Tri-Cities Blackhawks

The Hawks were originally known as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. They were part of the old National Basketball League and became one of the original members of the National Basketball Association.

After two years in the NBA (they made the playoffs one year and missed the next) the Blackhawks moved to Milwaukee and became the Hawks.

Milwaukee Hawks

The Milwaukee franchise struggled in its four seasons in Wisconsin. From 1951 to 1955, they averaged around 23 wins and failed to make the playoffs.

In 1955 the team moved to St. Louis, Missouri.

St. Louis Hawks

The move to St. Louis seemed to agree with the Hawks. They made the playoffs their first year there, and made it all the way to the division finals, where they fell to the Fort Wayne Pistons.

Two years later, the St. Louis Hawks won the first and only championship in the history of the franchise. Led by coach Alex Hannum, the team beat the Boston Celtics in six games.

The team continued to enjoy success in St. Louis, missing the playoffs only once between 1955 and 1968. Wanting a new arena but rebuffed by the city, the Hawks moved to Atlanta in 1968.

Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks made the playoffs their first five seasons in Georgia, then suffered a four-year drought. Returning to the playoffs in 1978, the Hawks enjoyed moderate success. But their fortunes changed in 1982.

The Human Highlight Film

In 1982 the Hawks acquired high-flying forward Dominique Wilkins from the Utah Jazz, who drafted Wilkins earlier that year. Wilkins, known as the “Human Highlight Film” for his acrobatic, flashy dunks, led the Hawks to four 50-win seasons, but they never made it to the conference finals during his tenure with the Hawks.

Midway through the 1993-94 season, the Hawks traded Dominique Wilkins to the Los Angeles Clippers for Danny Manning, who left shortly thereafter via free agency.

The team had a couple of 50-win seasons after Dominique, but they suffered a long, slow slide to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, from which they have only begun to recover.

2007-08 Season

In the Western Conference, the Hawks never would have made the playoffs with a 37-45 record. But in the East, that was good enough for a Number Eight seeding in the postseason. Led by Joe Johnson, Al Horford, and point guard Mike Bibby (acquired midseason in a trade with the Sacramento Kings), the Hawks took the eventual-champion Boston Celtics to seven games before losing in the first round.

2008-09 Outlook

Under the leadership of coach Woodson, and with a young nucleus consisting of Horford and Johnson, things could be looking up for the Atlanta Hawks. Bolstered by how well they played the Celtics, their confidence could translate into their first .500-plus season since 1997.

Greatest Players

Bob Petit, Connie Hawkins, Moses Malone, Pete Maravich, Lenny Wilkens, Dominique Wilkins

Like many NBA teams, the Golden State Warriors are currently in a state of flux. The team, which is based in Oakland and plays its home games at Oracle Arena, was hailed as an up-and-comer in the Western Conference two seasons ago. Since then, they have been up and down, a talented young team capable of pulling off stunning upsets or losing a string of games. In the ultra-competitive Western Conference, the Warriors have struggled to find their place.

Early Years

The Warriors began their existence on the East Coast, as a member of the old Basketball Association of America (BAA). The Philadelphia Warriors were one of the original league members, winning the BAA’s first championship over the Chicago Stags. They boasted one of the league’s stars, “Jumping Joe” Fulks.
In 1959, the Warriors drafted Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain, a strong and agile big man who changed the way the game was played. As a Philadelphia Warrior, Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single game on March 2, 1962, against the New York Knicks. His single-game scoring record still stands today.

The team moved to San Francisco, Calif., in 1962, and were renamed the San Francisco Warriors. They began playing home games at the Oakland Coliseum Arena in 1966, and in 1971 they changed their name to the Golden State Warriors. To this day, they are the only NBA team whose nickname does not include their home state or city.

Championships

The Warriors have won two NBA championships in their history, one on each coast. As the Philadelphia Warriors, they defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons, four games to one, to win the 1955-56 title. As the Golden State Warriors, they upset the heavily favored Washington Bullets to become the 1974-75 champs. That team was led by notable players like Rick Barry and Jamaal Wilkes, yet they were tremendous underdogs. Someone forgot to tell the Warriors that; they swept the Bullets in four games.

“Run-TMC”

The Warriors faded into NBA obscurity during the late 1970s and early ‘80s, but a trio of draft picks would put them back into the limelight in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin played so well together, and scored so many points in such a high-flying style, that they garnered the nickname “Run-TMC.” The nickname was a play on the rap group Run-DMC, incorporating the first initials of Tim (Hardaway), Mitch (Richmond), and Chris (Mullin).

The trio played a high-speed, run-and-gun style that flustered many opponents and cemented head coach Don Nelson’s reputation as the mad genius of the NBA. They were the NBA’s highest-scoring threesome of the 1990-91 season. But Nelson, who is known to tinker with his teams even when they’re successful, traded Richmond for Billy Owens and broke up the trio.

2007-08 Season

After upsetting the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2006-07 playoffs, hopes were high for the Warriors in 2007-08. But shooting guard Jason Richardson was traded away to the Charlotte Bobcats for Brandan Wright, and forward Stephen Jackson was suspended for an incident involving a firearm. The team did not live up to expectations and ended up missing the playoffs.

The offseason brought change to the organization. Star point guard Baron Davis opted out of his contract and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. Corey Maggette migrated to the Warriors from the Clippers.

2008-09 Outlook

The Western Conference is historically tough, and has gotten tougher with the addition of Pau Gasol to the Lakers, Jason Kidd to the Mavericks, and Shaquille O’Neal to the Suns. Whether Golden State’s off-season acquisitions will allow them to keep pace remains to be seen. But teams around the league know that Don Nelson thrives in the role of underdog. If the Golden State Warriors can make the playoffs, few teams will want to see them in the first round.

The Los Angeles Clippers have long been considered L.A.’s “other” NBA team. The team plays its home games in the Staples Center, just like the Lakers, but they aren’t associated with the same kind of glamour as the Lakers. The reason? Championships.

The Early Years

The Clippers joined the NBA in 1970, under the name Buffalo Braves. They played in upstate New York until 1978. At the end of the 1978 season, the team was relocated to San Diego, Calif., and renamed the San Diego Clippers.

The Clippers had a winning record in 1978-79, posting a 43-39 record, but it would be a while – 13 years, in fact – before they would have another winning season.

After the 1983-84 season, another unsuccessful campaign, owner Donald Sterling asked for and obtained the right to more the Clippers to Los Angeles.

Playoff appearances

The Clippers have yet to win an NBA championship and went an astounding 13 years without even reaching the playoffs. In 1991-92, new head coach Larry Brown led them to a regular-season record of 45-37. The Utah Jazz bounced the Clippers in five games, but things were looking up.

The Clippers went .500 (41-41) the following year, but lost to the Houston Rockets in the first round. The itinerant coach Brown left the Clippers after that season, to be replaced by Bob Weiss. Weiss lasted a season before being fired and replaced by Bill Fitch. Fitch got the Clippers to the playoffs in 1997, but they suffered another first-round loss, to the Utah Jazz.

In the 2005-06 season, led by power forward Elton Brand and swingman Corey Maggette, the Clippers posted a 47-35 record and made the playoffs. They beat the Denver Nuggets in five games to win their first playoff series since their Buffalo days. The Clippers fell to the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference semifinal in seven games.

2007-08 season

The 2007-08 campaign was a rocky one for the Clippers. Their woes actually began the season before, when talented young point guard Shaun Livingston dislocated his knee in a gruesome, non-contact injury. Elton Brand also ruptured his left Achilles tendon, putting him out of action for much of the 2007-08 season. As a result, the team was never competitive in the tough Western Conference. They posted a 23-59 record and finished 12^th in the conference. What’s more, after the season, Elton Brand departed for the Philadelphia 76ers and Maggette bolted to the Golden State Warriors.

2008-09 Outlook

With Brand and Maggette gone, and an influx of new players, the 2008-09 Clippers will hardly be recognizable. Point guard Baron Davis signed with the team in July (reportedly under the impression that Brand would stay). Center Marcus Camby was acquired from the Denver Nuggets. The Clippers have also signed veteran scorer Ricky Davis, and drafted Indiana star guard Eric Gordon with the 7^th pick in this year’s draft. With an overhauled roster, head coach Mike Dunleavy has his work cut out for him, especially in the super-competitive West, where the Lakers, Hornets, Suns, Jazz, and Spurs all have their own respective plans to wrest the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy from the hands of the Boston Celtics.