Report: Clippers to Play Warriors on Opening/Christmas Day

01 Dec 2011

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According to Marcus Thompson of the Contra Costa Times, the Clippers have joined the NBA’s opening act, and will travel to Oakland to play the Warriors on Christmas Day:

I’ve been told by a couple sources the Warriors will be part of the Christmas Day lineup of games to kick off the 2011-12 season. Golden State will host Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers at Oracle on Christmas Night, the fifth and final game on the NBA slate.

Obviously, things could change. But that’s what the planned schedule is now.

This is very exciting news, to be sure. But it might not even be the most interesting bit of the report!

Buried as the last sentence of the post, Clippers fans might find a second point from Thompson to be equally as noteworthy:

“If the Warriors’ land DeAndre Jordan, that game would be even more appealing.”

Does this qualify as bulletin board material?

Twitter: @charliewiddoes

BG 2012

I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Thompson is just trying to get in our heads. Right as his team shows a little potential, we’re going to overshadow them. DJ signs with us unless he gets offered an outrageous contract which we frankly shouldn’t match.

I think it’s more interesting that our dear Commissioner has given us this spot. We all know he understands the marketing value of Blake Griffin, but we’re still the Clippers. I think some part of Stern knows that the Clippers will be landing a free agent because whether we land him (CP3) will ultimately be Mr. Stern’s decision. And I think he knows that the best deal for the team he is charged with overseeing is to send Chris Paul to the Clippers for a young rebuilding package.
- http://www.clipperblog.com Charlie Widdoes
  
  I’m not sure of any conspiracy here, but I would say this is definitely another indication of the appeal of Blake Griffin and the promising Clippers. But definitely in that order.
  - BG 2012
    
    Conspiracy or not, it’s difficult to envision a scenario at this point where he doesn’t get traded (if he can’t come to an extension agreement, the Hornets wouldn’t let him just walk). The Knicks have nothing to offer. We’re the only team with the assets to fairly acquire CP. I don’t think David Stern would see the situation as shrewdly Clipper-friendly as I have, but he seems to always have a pretty good feel for which direction a stock is going.
    - http://www.clipperblog.com Charlie Widdoes
      
      No doubt, the Clippers will be more than equipped to make an offer. The question, in my mind, is if they will be asked to give up more than other teams because they have more to give, in the form of, say, Eric Gordon.
      - BG 2012
        
        Yeah that’s a worry. I’d be willing to give up either Gordon or the Minny pick, not both. That’s how we should enter negotiations, and that’s how we should leave negotiations. If they’re dead set on more than one of our centers, one of our sophomores, and Gordon/Minny pick, then maybe we throw in both of our sophomores. But we can’t give up Gordon and the Minny pick. That would really hurt us down the line.
      - soom
        
        I don’t think there is any doubt that Gordon AND the Minny pick will have to be part of the deal for CP3 or Dwight, probably Kaman and either AFA/Bledsoe as well. You don’t acquire one of the top 5 players in the NBA without giving up a monstrous amount. Luckily for the Clippers, they have assets coming out the gills so they can give up those pieces and still have a top-10 power forward that will be an MVP candidate within three years.
  - BG 2012
    
    I guess my conspiracy meter was right to go off. You guys should prolly hire me to write for you
- Jgroove
  
  I would not trade the farm for CP3. He’s making it clear he’s not going to stay in any market unless it’s NY. That’s a huge gamble. I wouldn’t make it or take it at this stage. Howard is more likely to stay wherever he goes.
DeMote DeAndre

The Clippers have to keep the Minnesota pick. It’s true that Gordon may not sign with the Clippers and may go to Indiana. The Minnesota pick has no choice but to stay with the Clippers for a long time, and it will be at a lower salary than Gordon or Paul, and the Minnesota pick may well turn out to be a better player than either of them. Have to keep it.

I’m not all that thrilled about Chris Paul anyway, not in the long term, certainly not compared to what Dwight Howard will be. Paul already had a knee injury, and as of last year, he wasn’t playing as well as he was before the injury. He’s not going to be a top level player for another half dozen years. Howard will be.

Howard doesn’t get injured. That means he will be playing at his top level for many years. Howard is not like Yao or any of the other centers that had their careers shortened with injuries. Yao and all of those others had wheel problems all along, and that’s common among big men. That’s what did them in. But Howard doesn’t have those wheel problems. he doesn’t have any injury problems. That’s what sets him apart.
- http://www.barmapla.com FD
  
  Hey Dump, now that Olshey has thrown Kaman under the bus, up to how much would you be willing to match with D Jordon?
- griffin
  
  If we get howard its safe to assume we get deron willaims too but he might come through free agency. If bothe kaman and dj off the books we can get howard and let mo willaims contract go. We could land deron willaims too
JetBlackDave

Am I crazy to think that since Chris Paul WILL NOT sign an extension with the Hornets it makes his trade value go down? A good GM will get Chris Paul for less than he’s worth.
- Bongstradamus
  
  Not crazy at all. If NY is the only place CP3 wants to play, then there is no scenario where he will extend. The Hornets will have to look at mediocre deals. This means someone can probably get him for pennies on the dollar near the trade deadline if NO moves him just to get something in return. I could see Cuban trading for him and trying to convince him to stay since J-Kidd is probably retiring after this year. It would be very Cubanesque.
  
  On the flip side, NO can also work the S&T angle like Cleveland and Toronto did when LeBron and Bosh left for Miami during next offseason. Assuming the new CBA allows that to happen, of course.
DeMote DeAndre

Does Olshey understand that Deandre Jordan can’t score more than a few inches from the rim and that opposing centers, even ones like Tyson Chandler who otherwise can’t score at all, routinely have some of their best offensive nights of the season against Jordan. casually walking through him on their way to the rim?

Maybe in the world of soap operas these things don’t mean much.

The only valid reason why anybody should be saying things like “we’re going to build our team around DeAndre Jordan” is to try to inflate his trade value so the Clippers can use him in a trade for Howard. If Olshey actually believes what he’s saying, then disaster is around the corner.

The only way the Clippers should match an offer for Jordan is if they immediately trade him. Otherwise, it’s all wasted cap space.

It’s mindboggling the way Olshey is throwing Kaman under the bus. The only valid reason is if he already has a trade worked out for him in the Howard deal and so now he’s trying to hype Jordan so some team will be fool enough to take him too.

If Kaman gets traded for not much of anything, and if the Clippers match a big offer for Jordan and start him at center, . . . oh, that’s just too painful to ponder.

Jordan is probably worth the $4 million a year they pay Gomes. That’s it. Anything more, unless it’s part of a sign and trade, is overpay.
- Jgroove
  
  I think you’re assuming Oshley is smarter than he actually is. From the Clippers standpoint, the last thing Oshley can even try to do is play media games in free agency. Only the rare GM can succeed at that. Oshley isn’t bad, but that’s not his skillset.
- http://www.barmapla.com FD
  
  Oshley has already proven he’s an idiot. He’s gonna have to spend close to $10 mil on Jordon, just watch.
  
  Jordon can’t spread the floor at all, and you can’t put him during the last half of the game cus he can’t make free throws.
  - Bongstradamus
    
    Name 5 centers that shoot over 60% from the FT line with similar stats.
    
    You can’t.
    - Daneil
      
      He shot 33% from the ft line at one point and was the worst FT shooter.
Olajuwon87

I’d much prefer Deron Williams over Chris Paul for the Clippers actually. Deron’s a physically stronger guard and he’s a better range option to spread the court. Deron’s also made it known he will go into free agency next summer so the Clippers won’t have to lose anything in exchange to the Nets if he decides to leave. Personally I think Deron Williams should be LAC’s target for Summer 2012.
- Bruce
  
  Amen to that. Williams’ game will age a lot better than Paul’s will. Paul’s game is much more dependent on his unique skills and athleticism. His offense is predicated on him being quicker than just about any player in the league and his defense revolves around unbelievably quick hands and feet that allow him to take chances even above average athletes at point guard couldn’t get away with and would be detrimental if used by average the NBA starting point guard. Williams offensive game is more rounded and his defense relies on positioning and his brawn. Add in the concern going forward that Paul is showing durability problems, I think Williams is the better target long term. I think of it along the lines of Jason Kidd and Allen Iverson. At his best Iverson was better than Kidd but taking into consideration the duration of their peak prowess Kidd has had been the better player. Iverson’s game was so dependent on him being a freakish athlete that once he started getting hurt and aging his value plummeted and he became the prototypical chucker. Kidd was never the same level of athlete so he always had to be a bit smarter and more fundamentally sound to excel. If you are going to throw the bank at one of them might as well get the one who is going to be the better player at the end of the contract if you have a near equal chance to get both.
RAM

I think Gordon should be untouchable unless it’s for D. Howard. we have an Awesome Squad! we just got off to a bad start last year. with no changes we make the playoffs! we add a three. we go futher in the Playoffs. We really don’t need DH. we stay healthy and pick up C. Butler, T. Prince. or any guys who can play. we haven’t even had Mo for a full season yet. Bledsoe and Aminu have to have better years!
- Daneil
  
  we can pick up ak47
EricGordonsAnkleBrace

All this talk is irrelavent. Don’t we still have Jasen Powell as the trainer? We will again be the most injured team in the league. Don’t say its not his fault either. Preparation = his fault. Duration of injury to recovery time = his fault. I bet he has to hire a real trainer just to get HIMSELF out of bed every morning.
- Daneil
  
  yup need new trainer.

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Report: Clippers to Play Warriors on Opening/Christmas Day

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