Los Angeles Clippers 2012 NBA Season Preview:
It was a up-and-down offseason for the Clips, who ended with a bang by pulling off the trade that their building-mate Lakers couldn’t (for whatever reason) pull off—landing the great point guard Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets. They did have to give away a lot, like center Chris Kaman and one of the best under-the-radar gamers in the league in Eric Gordon, but in return they have created the best nucleus of talent outside of Florida. Besides Paul, the Clippers have one of the best and brightest stars at forward, Blake Griffin, and an unheralded center in DeAndre Jordan, who looks to make The Leap into stardom this year with Paul and Griffin playing alongside him. The new nickname being thrown around the internet for the Clippers is Lob City (which Griffin uttered upon learning of the trade). Whether you call them, make sure you get your tickets soon before there are no more to go around.
Recommended Clippers Games
Clippers vs. Miami Heat (January 11) Hollywood stars flock to Clippers game when this top team is in town.
Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers (January 14) The Lakers and Clippers have reached a new level of animosity post-Chris Paul trade.
Clippers vs. New Orleans Hornets (March 26) It’s the battle of the guys who used to be on the other team as Chris Paul faces his old team, whose team now starts three former Clippers. It will be intense.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS FRANCHISE FACTS:
Founded: 1970
Location: Los Angeles, California
Stadium: Staples Center
Conference: Western Conference
Division: Pacific Division
Rivals: Los Angeles Lakers
Mascot: N/A
Dancers: Clippers Spirit Dancers
Notable Players: Bill Walton
See Also:
Los Angeles Clippers Playoff tickets
Los Angeles Clippers Season Preview History
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS EXPERIENCE:
The Los Angeles Clippers franchise joined the NBA in 1970 as an expansion team along with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers, but began their tenure across the country as the Buffalo Braves. The Braves floundered in their first few seasons, but made the playoffs three years in a row between 1974 and 1976. The Braves also boasted the MVP of the league in 1975, center Bob McAdoo, who was one of the team's most successful draft picks. Sinking attendance numbers and subpar play on the court eventually forced the Braves to move to San Diego, where they changed their name to the Clippers.
After posting a 43-39 record in the team's first year in San Diego, the Clippers made a series of questionable personnel moves and refrained from impacting the standings for a number of years. The team signed Hall of Famer Bill Walton in 1979, but much of his Clippers tenure was unfortunately riddled by injuries. In 1984, owner Donald Sterling moved the team to Los Angeles, where they would share a market with the world-class Los Angeles Lakers.
The move to the Los Angeles area did little to improve the Clippers chances of contending in the Western Conference. The team experienced losing seasons every year until the 1991-92 season when the team hired Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown. The squad then featured a noteworthy mixture of savvy veterans such as guard Doc Rivers and center James Edwards, as well as young bucks like Gary Grant, Charles Smith and Ken Norman. In the first round of the playoffs, the Clippers went up against the Utah Jazz and looked impressive, but fell in five games. The following year, the Clippers were back in the playoffs, but experienced a similar result, this time at the hands of the Rockets in five games.
Happily, the Clippers won their first playoff series in the team's history during the 2005-2006 season against the Denver Nuggets. Nevertheless, the Clippers fanbase remains dedicated and patiently waiting for the team to put it all together on the court and bring home an NBA championship.
Los Angeles Clippers Ticket Information:
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