Heading into the 2017-2018 season, the Clippers looked forward to a new beginning. Following yet another early exit in the playoffs, they moved to shake up their roster, resulting in the loss of vital cogs Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, and Jamal Crawford. In turn, they claimed such notables as Danilo Gallinari, Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Sam Dekker, and Montrezl Harrell, giving them confidence that their newfound depth would bolster progress. They had a clear number-one option in Blake Griffin, and, with the pecking order established, they figured to scale new heights with a committed collective.
Creditably, the Clippers did hit the ground running, winning the first four games of their campaign by a combined 77 points. They looked not just willing, but also ready and able, for life without Paul, with the certified Point God’s subsequent sidelining due to a bum knee serving to make them believe Fate was finally smiling on them. Griffin was especially dominant, highlighting his leadership, versatility, and much-improved range in running the offense from the four spot.
And then reality hit. Hard. As if at the drop of a hat, the Clippers turned from potential champs to preemptive chumps. Since their blitz of a beginning, they’ve lost 11 of 12 games, including nine straight in which they were mostly far from competitive. Sure, they’ve been hit by injuries; Gallinari has been out since early this month, hampering their spacing, while Milos Teodosic’s continued absence puts pressure on an already-stressed backcourt. Then again, there can be no downplaying the swoon they’re in, with not a few quarters attributing it to a startling lack of identity. They’ve become setback stoppers, which is to say opponents manage to turn fortunes around for the better after meeting them.
That fans are fretting even though the campaign is just a month old speaks volumes of the Clippers’ snake-bit reputation. They’ve got a highly respected owner in Steve Ballmer, a former Coach of the Year in Doc Rivers, an All-World consultant in Jerry West, and a respectable following deep in Lakerland, and yet they can’t seem to overcome the requisite hurdles for those casting a moist eye on the hardware. The good news is that they also have Griffin, a transcendent star. The bad news is that they’re in the stacked West. And before they can take the measure of the best of the conference and the league, they need to know themselves first. How, and how fast, will determine whether they can live up to potential or prove naysayers right anew.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Basic Energy Corp.
