Since the Clippers 4-0 start to the season they are 9-28, and have not won consecutive games during that span. They are currently 13-28 and in last place. The dismal numbers can be seen in the attendance. Monday night the Clippers played in front of only 14,429 fans. Last season the Clippers averaged 18,421 fans per game.
Losing games is only one of their problems. Owner Donald Sterling and Coach Mike Dunleavy are feuding like the good old days of Shaq and Kobe. But the big difference was the Lakers were winning.
Last week Sterling laid the blame on Dunleavy and General Manager Elgin Baylor’s lap, saying that changes will be made if the team does not start winning.
Dunleavy did not take too kindly to those words, and fired back at Sterling, putting the blame on management. Dunleavy feels that “non-basketball” people are making decisions on the court, and it is hurting the team. Dunleavy has gone as far as to dare Sterling to fire him.
Sterling is not letting Dunleavy use the injury excuse, even though the Clippers two best players, Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston, have not played this year. Sterling seems to believe that the current group of players would be better if they were coached better, which is a slap in the face of Dunleavy. Sterling believes that the team can turn things around and be a winner in the second half of the season.
Dunleavy got a good laugh out of that one, and wondered if the team was going to trade for Kobe Bryant or Dwyane Wade to make those illusions of grandeur come true.
Dunleavy believes that the front office’s inability to make good trades and sign quality free agents has led to this horrible season. There were some offseason moves that Dunleavy believes would have improved the roster that the front office did not pursue.
The Clippers may have a bigger problem this offseason. Brand and leading scorer Cory Maggette can both opt out of their contracts and become free agents. The Clippers management is giving them both a number of reasons to do so.
Maggette has already turned down an $8.5 extension from the Clippers, and he has made it no secret that he wants to leave. Brand is saying the right things now, that he wants to be a Clipper, but he’s an All-Star player who could help a number of teams become contenders.
The Clippers one magical season two seasons ago gave many fans hope and packed the Staples Center. But since being one game away from the Western Conference Championship series they have been great disappointments.
